Annandale Suburb Review

Leafy gem of Sydney's inner-west.

Summary: One of the most family and pet-friendly suburbs still within striking distance of the Sydney CBD, Annandale’s wide streets and greenery along with several notable highlights make it pretty much ideal for family life. Inner West in name only, the suburb has a “white picket fence” feel entirely different to its grittier neighbours that would help it rank near the top of our “liveability” rankings – if only it had a damn train station, avoided the flight paths, and was priced quite a bit lower.

Key stats

It’s quite striking how different Annandale is than most of its Inner West neighbours. Sandwiched between the gritty and artsy Glebe and the concrete-and-traffic-heavy Leichhardt, Annandale stands out as the classier, upmarket sibling who married up.

It’s quite close to the city, and yet feels markedly different – its streets are wider and with more space than other suburbs nearby, and most of its plots of land offer slightly more living area too.

Its main road of Johnson Street feels like a proper wide-open thoroughfare compared to your typical cramped inner-Sydney arterial road, and sets the scene for much else of the suburb that branches off of it.

Annandale’s streets are tree-lined and somehow feel more suburban than they should, and some of them are populated by a select few beautiful old mansions with some truly unusual and imposing designs.

There’s a slight “cookie-cutter” feel to most of the newer construction in the suburb as a whole, and it can be argued that while some of its other inner city neighbours might be dirtier but they also boast more character as well; many of Annandale’s newer houses look cut from the same template.

Greenery is prominent throughout the suburb – particularly in its northern portions – both in the streets and the several parklands dotted throughout. Cohen and Hinsby parks are both respectable if unspetacular public spaces dotted with a mix of good playground equipment, tennis courts, and picnic facilities and are suitable for both dogs and kids alike.

As a result it’s both highly pet and child friendly, and there are several great options for schools both within Annandale itself and in its neighbouring suburbs for families looking to call it home as well.

Annandale’s streetscape is quite trendy and boasts a range of quality shops and cafes, while the Annandale Hotel is a historic pub slash music venue that’s friendly overall and offers the chance to see some enjoyable live music. Its churches also help add some extra dashes of character and interesting architecture as well.

A pretty perch, with a few faults

Location also scores high marks for Annandale as it’s physically quite close to the Sydney CBD, the waterfront and Glebe Foreshore, and the ample dining opportunities of Leichhardt just a stone’s throw away.

Annandale does have some issues that detract from its pretty face, however. For starters, some areas (largely on the southern portion) are under the flight path, with aerial noise a factor that seems in stark contrast to its otherwise peaceful streets.

Parramatta Road is an unfortunate part of this region of Sydney

It’s also in a slight public transport no-man’s-land for an inner-city suburb, with both Rozelle Bay and Stanmore station (heavy rail) a bit too annoyingly far for handy walking access.

There’s buses available, but they’re forced to battle with the traffic nightmare that is Parramatta Road, as do those who choose to try and drive into the city. The street’s never been good and is only getting worse to navigate.

“Annandale stands out as the classier, upmarket sibling [of the Inner West] who married up.”

Fortunately, Annandale sits on the “better” side of the likes of Victoria Road, and its wider streets make it much more pleasant for driving in and around than some of its other Inner West peers.

As a result, biking into the city thus becomes the preferred method of transport if you’re commuting into the CBD; sure, you can catch the bus, but their unpredictable nature and fact that they move at a snail’s pace during peak times makes them an exercise in futility.

Annandale can then feel quite frustrating given you can look over and see that the city is “right there”, yet it’s sort of a matter of “so close, yet so far away” and a bit of a tease in that regard.

The price problem

Its desirability also means that price is a major barrier, and is only becoming moreso as time goes by.

Renting one of its smaller apartments isn’t too bad – around the $500 mark is doable, but you’ll likely be without a car space – however when it comes to purchasing anything larger the prices can be a bit eye-watering.

Unless you’ve got a spare $1.6 million or so to throw around via mortgage or bank robbery, Annandale’s best offerings (including some of its great terraces) will likely be out of reach. The general rule here is: the further south you go, the more affordable it gets, but “affordable” is still relative in this case.

As with many other higher-end Sydney suburbs, Annandale’s demographic does trend older. Older professionals and retirees seem to love it, although there’s a fair dose of younger families willing to compromise living space for all its other benefits as well.

It’s largely virtually dead at night in terms of goings-on in most of the suburb, which means it’s peaceful for sleeping but mostly a bit boring for actual things to do of an evening.

The Verdict

Overall, Annandale is a very pleasant suburb for both daily life and to simply walk around, dine in and absorb. Its “village” vibe is apparent, and it’s still decently abuzz with cafe and park culture where it’s pleasant being out and about.

Its highly suburban aspect in such close proximity to the city is unique, and if you’ve got the money to enjoy it to the fullest it’s one of the best all-round suburbs in Sydney for those who don’t need a place packed with attractions and activities yet would still like easy access to both.

Traffic, transport issues, plane noise and price are its main weak points, but its strengths are so strong it’s easily understandable why most can easily choose to ignore them.