Rosebery Suburb Review

As the old and new collide, Rosebery has become cool - though it'll cost you.

Summary: Conveniently located relative to Sydney city, Rosebery is a fairly compact suburb where the old and new collide, and which has a lot of pretty cool stuff packed in to a relatively small space. Its southern portion is a pleasant mix of older low-level homes, local stores and leafy streets, while its northern slice is an extreme example of rapid, high-density urban development.

While it may be tempting to compare it to other suburbs in similar phases of development, Rosebery has far more character and communal atmosphere than most of these, with some other unique offerings that help it stand out. Its prices, slight rail disconnect and some traffic issues are its only real downsides.

Key stats

Rosebery is a charming and buzzing little suburb which sits in a central, convenient location that’s also a bit of a land of juxtapositions – between the busy and quiet, the old and the modern, and the bland and the character-rich.

The suburb sits in a spot to the south of the Sydney CBD that’s out of walking distance, but a very short drive and reasonable bike ride away.

As with the other suburbs gradually being impinged upon by the Green Square development, Rosebery also has two very different sides to its streetscape – as its older, spacious and quite picturesque little residential streets stand in stark contrast to the ultra-slick high-density apartment blocks on its north side.

As a result, there’s two completely different atmospheres and lifestyles on offer for those looking to live here that will provide entirely different living conditions.

As a whole, Rosebery is fairly compact but packs quite a lot of good stuff within its borders. While initially it may be tempting to compare it to other suburbs such as Rhodes or even neighbouring Mascot where new, sterile highrises are encroaching on an otherwise pretty neighbourly and charming streetscape, Rosebery is different.

It’s much more of a socially-oriented and lively suburb rich in street dining, gatherings at local restaurants and pub life, and feels much more communal as a result.

Rosebery’s southern side is a land mostly of quite peaceful, residential streets that are remarkably clean and quiet given how busy everything is immediately surrounding it.

It’s mostly slightly denser suburbia than you’d find in suburbs a bit further out from the city, with smaller gaps between neighbouring houses, but still decent sized blocks and certainly roomy enough.

It’s mostly a balance between terraces and heritage style low-lying, single-level freestanding homes.

Its homes are generally very pretty and well-kept, with a high level of upkeep even in its many older, red-brick houses that follow a consistent theme without any ugly multi-story concrete blocks to break things up.

It’s a very pretty little streetscape that brings to mind some of the better suburbs of the Inner West, with only the occasional rubbish-and-graffiti-heavy back alley you’ll stumble across.

With its quaint, old-time style blue street signs and pretty homes, this is a desirable slice of suburban life given how close it is to the city.

There’s a fair chunk of homes (mostly terraces) without garages, and thus forced into on-street parking as a compromise

It’s only as you approach the busy Gardeners Road where things immediately start to ramp up in terms of both bustle and amenities. This is the main east-west artery and is home to both plenty of traffic, and plenty of decent little local stores and services.

As the main slice of retail, the likes of small-scale takeaway joints, hairdressers, butchers, banking, medical and much more can be found here. It’s also heavily-trafficked, noisy and a little messy in spots; there’s a bit of a culture of leaving trolleys on front lawns on many of the houses along this main road as well.

Rosebery is a highly walkable and bikeable suburb as a whole. It’s largely very flat and easy to navigate, although its constant intersections and lights to cross can make it a little disjointed.

And you may need to be walking a fair bit while living here. Despite its central location, Rosebery sits in a little bit of a connectivity no-man’s-land for rail for those who live in its central portions.

If you don’t mind a bit of a walk, both Green Square or Mascot stations are around 15 minutes away on foot depending on which side of the suburb you live. Once there however, you’re only a 15-ish minute train ride away from Town Hall station via the airport line, which again is highly convenient for city workers.

Rosebery is well-connected by bus to the city, although its services probably aren’t as frequent as they could be. For drivers, its proximity to the CBD will likely be a plus despite how busy both Botany and Gardeners roads can get, while its back streets again make for easy driving.

It’s a bit of a hotspot for Learner drivers as a result, with streets which provide a number of roundabouts, intersections and the like without being too stressful overall.

Its central position – not quite Sydney city and not quite Bayside – also offers a lot of flexibility for visiting different parts of central Sydney in relatively short order.

Newtown, Marrickville and the more popular action-oriented Inner West suburbs are only around a 15-20 minute drive away, while heading in the opposite direction can land you at the beaches of Coogee or Maroubra in around the same time.

Its proximity to the airport is also another obvious benefit in terms of connectivity for travelling both domestically and overseas. This does bring with it some aircraft noise over parts of Rosebery as a result, however.

Lifestyle-wise, this is a suburb that’s also very well-equipped when it comes to amenities – both the standard, and the unique variety.

In addition to its cluster along Gardeners Road above, there are multiple options for essential shopping; an IGA, a Woolworths Metro, and even the Eastlakes Shopping Centre (not “technically” in Rosebery, but right on its edge) all provide options for groceries and other essentials.

However what really makes Rosebery standouts are its other mixed venues and specialty stores.

These include not only its staple pubs such as the Lakes Hotel and Rosebery Hotel, but more distinct gourmet centres, industrial-style bakeries and the like.

Chief among these is the Cannery – a cool converted warehouse complex that’s now become a focal point for trendy cafes, delicatessens, gourmet ingredients and nice spots for a drink, too.

It’s a cool centrepiece that sums of Rosebery and its demographics as a whole, while other drawcards like Messina’s HQ (for everyone’s favourite gelato), Bourke Street Bakery, Black Star Pastry and other similar nice little spots help keep things interesting (and delicious).

It’s also quite a solid choice for families, as well. Rosebery is one of the safer suburbs in the area statistically, with below average rates for all the major suburban crime types. It’s got a decent if unspectacular selection of schools internally and in neighbouring suburbs to choose from.

For those with pets, it’s decently equipped assuming you’re able to get a non-apartment. Solid nature strips, a handful of parks and good pet care/veterinary facilities as well as a bit of a “dog culture” make it appealing in this regard.

The further north you go in Rosebery, the streetscape begins to gradually change.

Things soon transition into rows of old manufacturing buildings and mills overhung by towering green trees, and sites which have been converted into more-modern business parks. It’s a little grittier but still has some “old Sydney” charm about it.

Rosebery is quite green in general considering how “urban” its physical location is. While it’s slightly lacking in parkland – Turuwul Park is its main green space, and pretty well equipped with basketball court, small kids play equipment other fitness amenities – it’s got decent nature strips and tree coverage throughout.

This greenery even continues for a time up towards its northernmost portion in which old-and-new Rosebery start to collide. Things quickly change here, and within a street or two they suddenly bleed into rapid “Zetland-isation” and become Meritonland 2.0 as a result of the Green Square project.

It’s from here that the character of Rosebery is practically a different suburb.

The mass amounts of construction in recent years here has lead to a heavy array of huge apartment complexes being built, leading to some newer amenities popping up around this part of Rosebery – modern cafes and restaurants, childcare centres and the like – for all the new residents moving in.

It’s also created additional parking and congestion issues, which comes with the territory with such rapid growth. Catching trains in the morning at peak hour from Green Square has become a bit problematic too, as tons of new movers to all this high density living all have to share the same services.

It’s very modern and slick, but may not be for everyone. This north part of Rosebery does open up options for cheaper homes however, as its southern portion is mostly lacking in high-density.

Some would say this was needed, as Rosebery as a whole is quite an expensive suburb to buy into.

It’s starting to become “cool”, with its transformation making it more desirable with the younger crowd while its older heritage areas also hold their appeal for more cashed up buyers and long-term residents wanting to stay as well.

“Even as recently as a decade ago, people would have probably rolled their eyes if you’d said that Rosebery was a “cool” or “interesting” suburb.”

Its popularity as an alternative to the likes of Surry Hills as well as the size and space its freestanding homes offer has made Rosebery a pretty pricey proposition; median dollar value for freestanding homes currently sits around $1.75 million, and while its heavy new apartment supply has provided more options they’re still anywhere between the $750k – $950k price mark.

Renting is likewise not cheap; expect to fork out around $600-$650 per week for a 2 bedroom apartment.

The Verdict

Even as recently as a decade ago, people would have probably rolled your eyes if you’d said that Rosebery was a “cool” or “interesting” suburb, yet that’s largely how things have evolved in the present day.

It’s got enough unique aspects to it to separate itself from many of its neighbouring peers in this cluster of south-central Sydney suburbs where it’s easy to see its appeal. It’s less sterile than Zetland; it’s safer than Waterloo; it’s more atmospheric than Mascot; and it’s more lively than Eastlakes. Rosebery basically takes the best parts of Alexandria while balancing out some of its downfalls for just a better and more enjoyable overall balanced streetscape.

Its location, safety, character and amenities are all strong pluses, and while the Green Square element may not be for everyone, it has diversified the suburb a little and provides others access to Rosebery’s benefits that may not have been able to afford so prior.

Traffic is far from a strong point, and aircraft noise can be a factor in some of its southern slices, while reaching each of its stations requires a little effort. There’s no denying it’s expensive, too, considering its former-industrial status.

Overall, Rosebery ranks as one of the more interesting inner Sydney suburbs that, even if you can’t afford to live in, has more than enough to make it worth (multiple) visits. It’s the pick of the bunch for suburbs in this area of Sydney in our estimate – assuming you can afford it.