Artarmon Suburb Review

The best Sydney suburb you've never considered.

Summary: An excellent all-rounder of a suburb with close to no major faults, Artarmon addresses so many of the needs one could want in a place to live – to the point that we crowned it #1 on our list of “Sydney’s 10 Most Underrated Suburbs”.

Oriented around a frequently-serviced train station on a main line, with a plethora of both budget and expensive accommodation options, and both bigger-box warehouse type shopping and smaller boutique sections of stores and cafes, it can thus fit the needs of many kinds of residents looking for a home on Sydney’s North Shore. Price of property is its only major limiting factor.

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If there’s a single word we’d use to describe Artarmon, “versatile” would likely be it.

The way it walks the line between so many different aspects of Sydney’s other suburbs – bigger heritage houses draped in greenery with higher-density affordable housing on the other side of the track, blue collar working opportunities nearby or white collar a couple of train stops away, schools, furniture stores, et al – means it can basically come recommended for any family size or demographic.

Perhaps its only real “downfalls” would be that its landlocked nature means there’s no waterfront and an increased distance to a beach, its bigger housing can be pricey, and a lack of any major retail shopping and/or attractions makes it more “utilitarian” than “fun”. But for daily life however, these will likely be of little concern – and it’s everywhere else that Artarmon shines.

Its central location – well, central for the North Shore – is an easy starting point. Not only does its train station see regular services, but it lies in a position that grants Artarmon good main road connectivity that allows access to major arterial roads running in every direction.

Retail shopping (Chatswood), drinking and dining (Crows Nest) and business / work (North Sydney) opportunities are all within easy reach of Artarmon, with traffic around the suburb and its back streets also typically not too bad given the amount of population in this region. Hop on the train, and it’ll only take you around 20 minutes in to the Sydney CBD as well.

Within the suburb itself, each side of Artarmon (referring to the east and west sides of its train tracks) shows a very different side of the same coin. This is a suburb with “two faces” in that it’s completely different on one side of the station to the other.

A range of choices

As a result, it’s got something to offer both cashed-up buyers looking to snag a heritage home on a lovely, leafy street, while those who prefer more of an apartment-based high-street style lifestyle are catered for as well.

On the track’s east side, its freestanding homes are mostly older, large and stand on surprisingly big blocks. Many are heritage protected, and its peaceful streets with large trees overhanging lend an aura of tranquility.

Its freestanding houses occupy some large blocks

The properties here boast quite a bit of space, and their desirability and relatively limited number make them tightly held, with a pretty slow-moving real estate market as a result. Even its smaller and “plain” standalone houses aren’t cheap, and you’re looking at around a $2 million barrier to entry.

On the west side, you’ve got an array of smaller retailers, bakeries and miscellaneous shops run by a mix of nationalities. This little “high street” harks back to the older days of Sydney suburbs and feels quite communal, although it doesn’t stretch for very long or have the greatest depth of store types.

“Within the suburb itself, each side of Artarmon (referring to the east and west sides of its train tracks) shows a very different side of the same coin.”

Behind these sit a range of apartment buildings that offer some pretty damn affordable accommodation given it sits in a major spot on the North Shore line for a roughly 15 minute train ride into Sydney city.

If you’re willing to go a bit older in terms of property construction date, even a 2 bedroom apartment for $450 per week rental is doable. Sure, the fixtures, carpet and similar may not be the most modern, but the structure themselves are typically rock solid.

Hidden quirks

One of the most unusual aspects of Artarmon is its disproportionately high Japanese population. Head just under the tunnel outside the station and you’ll find a little enclave of Japanese-style restaurants including cafes, ramen restaurants, and even a couple of specialty Japanese mini-marts selling all kinds of imported snacks and ingredients.

It’s a very friendly vibe and highly pleasant to hang out in and chat, and something slightly different you won’t find elsewhere on the North Shore.

Elsewhere in the suburb, the scale of things in creases – there’s hospitals, larger furniture and pet superstores, and a range of warehouse-style outlets and car dealers that help round things out. The extreme-end of the shopping scale at Westfield Chatswood is also just a short trip away.

It’s quite pet friendly, with generally green streets and a couple of notable reserves providing open spaces for animals to do their thing and a quality veterinary hospital for pet care and checkups when needed. Add in quality public school options for the kids, and Artarmon’s amenities cover all the bases for the majority of household demographic combinations.

It’s also fairly decent in terms of driving given its scale, as the North Shore in general is far less hectic than its bigger brother over the water.

The Verdict

Is Artarmon the “best” suburb in Sydney? Probably not. It’s not exactly exciting or teeming with attractions, and while its green areas are “pretty” enough there’s nothing particularly amazing about the majority of the suburb to look at.

But the fact is it checks so many boxes for professionals young and older, singles and families who can all find something to appeal in Artarmon without necessarily having to pay through the nose for the privilege, and it probably deserves more consideration and recognition than it currently gets.