Reviews

Summary: Largely dominated by the impressive University of Sydney complex offset by clusters of terrace-heavy residential in its west, Camperdown’s an inner city Sydney suburb with quite a lot packed into a physically small area. It’s got several major public services and parks – including one of the flagship public spaces in Sydney – and is fringed by diverse suburbs on all sides that each offer something different within walking distance. It’s pricey, encircled by busy roads and doesn’t offer much in terms of shopping or dining itself, but all of that and more is right on its doorstep. Read Review

Summary: Boasting a lingering Italian influence and with an aspect that mixes together convenience and nature very well, Five Dock is quite distinctive as far as Inner West suburbs go. It’s largely populated by big, low-density freestanding homes with more living space than its peers, it’s highly safe, and its handful of waterfront parks are particularly appealing. Property prices have ballooned with gentrification, traffic isn’t amazing, and it’s a little disconnected from public transport, while aircraft noise can also be a slight factor. Read Review

Summary: One of Sydney’s true “cafe capitals”, Neutral Bay is a wealthy slice of Lower North Shore living that still offers enough diversity of housing types to keep things fairly demographically varied. It’s centrally-located and is utterly decked out in amenities in terms of dining and small-scale shopping, and its hillside aspect overlooking the water is often highly impressive. It’s also as pricey as one might expect given its location, and its traffic and road issues often border on nightmare levels. Read Review

Summary: A seaside suburb with a “permanent holiday” feel, Sans Souci is sleepy enough to feel like an escape yet well equipped enough to not need to trek elsewhere for daily life. It’s walking distance to slices of beach with some panoramic waterfront views and boasts one of the best foreshore areas of any suburb in what’s still “inner” Sydney. Main roads are right nearby, but it’s awkwardly disconnected from the city via public transport and its popularity as a holiday home area means prices have continued to climb. Read Review

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. Read Review

Summary: One of the “gateways” to Sutherland Shire, Como is an upmarket, green suburb which sits perched overlooking the Georges and Woronora Rivers, offering the chance at some impeccable water views. This is a land of boat ownership and outdoor enjoyment, with some excellent public spaces that are a boon for kids and pets alike. It’s pretty, green, quiet and safe, however it’s notably lacking in amenities for shopping and dining, and its distance from main arterial roads offsets its train station’s connectivity to the city a little. It’s also not cheap. Read Review

Summary: Lovely Lilyfield is one of the greener suburbs of Sydney’s Inner West, with a pleasant abundance of spacious public parklands, ovals and other outdoor spaces dotted throughout. Its waterfront portion on the Parramatta River is particularly gorgeous, and abuzz with families and singles alike. Its location is also convenient, with the city not far away, and large homes and schools make it family-friendly. Prices are high, it’s a little lacking in amenities, and plane noise are its main cons. Read Review

Summary: Located towards the northern centre of Sutherland Shire, Jannali offers a solid blend of personal living space and connectivity to Sydney city – without breaking the bank. Wide, leafy streets that are clean and quiet allow those without ridiculous incomes to actually have a chance at a freestanding house, while its main shopping strip around its train station keeps things just lively and convenient enough. It’s got a handful of great schools and is highly family-friendly, although it’s a little lacking in parkland and there’s not too much to do for entertainment. Read Review

Summary: Sydney’s north shore base for a lot of tech and other big-business, Macquarie Park mixes modern urban planning with a reasonably central location. It’s the focal point for many daily commuters – both workers and students alike – and has seen near-constant redevelopment over the past few years. Everything here feels very modern and well-kept, and its recent shopping and public transport additions are a plus, yet its traffic issues and lack of character make it feel a little sterile. It can be good value for apartment-dwellers, however. Read Review

Summary: One of Sydney’s true “dining capitals”, Leichhardt is a hub of activity that’s home to some of the city’s best restaurants and cafes. Its longstanding Italian heritage remains obvious, and it boasts one of the most interesting mixes of architecture of any suburb. Despite a lack of a heavy rail station, it’s still very well-serviced by public transport and has a great mix of amenities to offer families as well. Its main downsides are traffic, price, and noise – both at ground level and from the air – that make it an amazing place to visit, but a mixed bag for living. Read Review