Rhodes Suburb Review

A suburb with a split personality that’s got some slick modern and natural touches - at the cost of price and an increasingly straining infrastructure.

Summary: A suburb of extreme contrasts, a single street in Rhodes is all that separates one of Sydney’s highest-density concentrations of modern apartment living with light industry and spacious, older freestanding properties right on the waterfront. It’s a spot that continues to see rapid construction which has brought with it an array of restaurants and other amenities, and it’s got nice waterfront parkland areas plus good city connectivity. It’s a bit pricey and noisy, however, and all these modern constructions have made traffic a non-starter.

Key stats

Reviewing Rhodes is basically attempting to review two entirely different sides of the same coin. In that vein, it brings to mind suburbs like Mascot which have also seen increased recent development alongside more established residential areas to greatly change their overall personality.

For new movers to Rhodes, this isn’t likely to be a factor – its convenient location and good public transport connectivity along with all its new restaurants and shopping centres are no doubt great for daily life. Regardless of where you live in the suburb, it’s relatively compact meaning Rhodes’ train station will be a maximum of around a 10 minute walk away.

That means a 20-ish minute train ride into Sydney city is right at your fingertips, while heading over the John Whitton Bridge up to Ryde or Epping (for Metro connections to Macquarie Park etc. for work or study) isn’t hard either.

All this construction on Rhodes’ west side has brought with it an influx of additional amenities, too. While a lot of it is obviously targeted at university students here to study, there’s plenty to benefit long-term residents as well.

There’s a high proportion of (mostly Asian) restaurants, while the still-relatively-new Rhodes Waterside shopping centre is very comprehensive in its variety of stores without being too massive. The focal point of Rhodes retail opportunities, it’s home to basically every major store one could want, from its concentration of eateries and fashion to Target, ALDI, cinemas and even an IKEA.

It’s also home to the offices of some big, international brands – such as HP and Nestle – which makes it appealing for those happy to live in an apartment nearby and simply walk to work.

Dense Daily Dealings

Living on Rhodes’ west side means compromising on living space in return for convenience. It’s home to one of the highest-density concentrations of apartments of any suburb in Sydney, and with more new recent openings most of the land here is absolutely covered with apartment blocks – some of which are truly massive.

You’d think this high supply of apartments would result in some relatively cheap rental prices, but it’s not really the case in Rhodes. While some of this can probably be attributed to most of the suburb offering “waterfront views” (as it’s basically encircled by the Parramatta River) along with being modern and new, it’s still pricier than most would probably like.

Rhodes offers waterfront views from much of the suburb

Average apartment rental prices currently hover around the $630 mark; for comparison, that’s more expensive than many of the equivalent in the likes of Kirribilli, Mosman, and other “prestige” Sydney waterfront suburbs. Even small 1-bedroom apartments are selling for ~$800k – that’s a lot, regardless of how modern they are.

Over on the east side, Rhodes’ atmosphere changes almost completely. It’s home to a handful of wider, leafy streets with bigger freestanding houses along the waterfront and fringed by some excellent parkland. Highly-desirably, these properties are tightly-held and rarely go on the market.

Even the modern west side of Rhodes is greener than you might think, however. The suburb’s been planned out pretty well despite its development, and while the greenery here is highly sculptured and manicured, it’s still very clean and well-kept.

It’s obvious the strata fees being paid in Rhodes are actually being put to good use – pretty much every apartment block here has lovely lawns and well-maintained hedges, and there’s little-to-no trash or graffiti on the streets.

It’s clean and modern and, sure, it can feel a little same-y (think Zetland), but it’s mostly preferable to the alternative.

“It’s obvious the strata fees being paid in Rhodes are actually being put to good use – pretty much every apartment block here has lovely lawns and well-maintained hedges.”

Parkland is a bit of a surprise star in Rhodes. There’s plenty of good public spaces – oriented at both kids (playground equipment) and dogs (off-leash fenced areas) alike, and walking along the waterfront past the (kind of creepy, to be honest) “little girl statue” and looking across the Parramatta River to Wentworth Point is undeniably nice.

One quirk of Rhodes is something a little unexpected: the smell. This side of the suburb is built around native mangrove swamplands, and they can get a little stinky along the waterfront – particularly when the tide is low.

In addition, while the waterfront views in general are nice, you wouldn’t want to swim in it. The water here is renowned for its high level of contaminants, so while it’s pretty to look at it’s not the best place for a dip.

Like it’s accommodation, much of this area is oriented towards students. There’s a number of new slick public amenities, highlighted by The Connection – a public events and learning space that serves as a favoured study area. A number of cool little urban design elements such as modern-art sculptures dotted throughout the suburb keep things interesting as well.

Back on the east side, Kokoda Park is especially noteworthy. This great little tribute to Aussie war history is surprising and moving, with a walking track through the exotic greenery and curative plaques dotted throughout. It’s a bit of an oasis right next to the busy A3, with a relaxing little creek running along the rocks and the Kokoda Cafe a hidden little place to grab a bite or a drink.

Add in a mixture of dentists, gyms, hairdressers and other misc services, and Rhodes is very well-equipped overall and not lacking for much in the way of daily needs.

Its main downsides other than price are largely the result of its influx of residents and the infrastructure’s need to accommodate everyone. Its public spaces are often quite busy, with tons of families and kids all trying to share the equipment, and it can be fairly noisy until later on. For a “family-friendly” suburb, it’s also notably lacking in schools nearby for those younger than university age.

Traffic likewise suffers, as many of those new apartment blocks come with car spaces. The suburb’s already lacking in parking, and getting over the bridge from Walker Street or anywhere on the A3 can be a textbook example of gridlock at the worst of times. Sticking to the train helps, but its services aren’t quite as frequent as one may like.

The Verdict

Rhodes scores high marks for convenience, with a location that’s central to pretty much most of the essential areas of central Sydney and a host of amenities to boot. You won’t really need to hike great distances for all of your shopping needs, and train access provides a springboard elsewhere.

It’s not a very car-friendly suburb at all, and while its public spaces are very nice, you’re having to share them with an ever-increasing number of other people. It’s also pretty pricey as far as property goes.

Demographic-wise the suburb is a bit of a mixed bag, with plenty of foreign students, younger families, and professionals looking for an easy daily commute. Its east side is very pretty and more spacious, but mostly older-money and not a real option for most due to both price and availability concerns.

If you’re the type who doesn’t really need “character” in a suburb and is happy to have everything at your fingertips while living in an apartment and taking public transport, then Rhodes has a lot to offer. For those who want more personal space – or prefer to share existing public spaces with fewer people – you may want to look elsewhere.

It’s definitely worth a visit for its waterfront walk and Kokoda Park especially, however.