Five Dock Suburb Review

Higher-end and more prestigious than you might think, Five Dock is definitely visually appealing and has good amenities, but a few issues drag it down a little.

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.

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If nothing else, Five Dock definitely has its own distinctive character – both as a result of its natural aspect and its human history. While Leichhardt has the more widespread reputation, it’s Five Dock which is actually the more Italian suburb in the present day.

This demographic influence flows on to much of the atmosphere here; the suburb’s well-equipped main retail strip along Great North Road is populated with a great mix of Italian-influenced cafes and delis that bring with them a touch of European feel.

Likewise, many of its larger, ritzy properties within its suburban streets have those distinctively well-maintained floral gardens and architectural flourishes that our Italian brethren take great pride in, and look very pretty.

It’s the waterfront aspect that also gives Five Dock an open, airy feel. Despite being quite a busy suburb in terms of activity and road traffic, the Parramatta River on either side adds more colour as a backdrop to its several excellent parks which fringe the water.

On the north-west side, Halliday Park in particular is an excellent large park (although it’s not off-leash dog friendly), while Timbrell Park over on the east offers plenty more open space and views across the water towards Haberfield. Golfing enthusiasts can play a round at the Barnwell Park Golf Club and take in water views as well.

The highlight however is its namesake Five Dock Park – it’s a large and gorgeous parkland replete with a war memorial and skate park, and serves as a great communal focal space.

Big Homes, Big Pricetags

Five Dock itself has been substantially gentrified, and is largely low-density houses on pretty big blocks and with nice-sized gardens/yards to boot. There’s not the abundance of “typically Inner West” style terraces here – outside of some older high-density low-rise brick apartments clustered towards the suburb’s south-west, it’s mostly larger and lavish homes with prices to boot.

Five Dock isn’t cheap, as many residents here are multi-generational families which have held on to their properties for decades. As a result, breaking into the housing market can be hard here, and cost a pretty penny.

There’s quite a large portion of truly massive houses that skew the average pricing somewhat, but you’re still looking at at least $1.4 million for a smaller, crappier 3-bedroom freestanding home.

Five Dock’s main retail strip is very well-equipped

Rental prices are above-average as well, with around $600 per week for a two bedroom apartment currently the norm.

It’s not hard to see why Five Dock has increased in popularity, however.

Outside of its nice natural aspect, it’s well equipped with amenities courtesy of its main cluster of retail and dining along Great North Road. This strip extends for a surprisingly long way and has pretty much everything one could want for daily life.

All the big banks are here (and the historic NAB building is randomly particularly charming), there’s a solid mix of quality cafes and small restaurants to go with your standard liquour stores, pet stores, chemists and the like. It’s got just enough of a hint of nightlife to not feel dead courtesy of its emerging bar scene, too.

There’s also a Coles to cover all your standard supermarket needs without having to travel elsewhere. There’s not much in the way of bigger-box offerings (think Kmart, JB Hifi, etc.), but both Burwood and Ashfield are only a short drive away for larger scale shopping needs.

“Outside of its nice natural aspect, it’s well equipped with amenities courtesy of its main cluster of retail and dining along Great North Road.”

The downside to this strip being the focal point is how busy it is. Parking is at an absolute premium, and traffic along Great North Road often slows to a crawl.

Likewise, the southern portion of Five Dock is fringed by Parramatta Road and all the associated traffic jams and noisy madness which that brings, which changes the character substantially.

This part of Five Dock down near the Leisure Centre is quite different, and belies some of the suburb’s more working class origins. It’s dotted with some light industry and is heavy on auto dealers, smash repair and the like, and is a little more hectic and noisier than its northern portions. Lyons Road – its other busy main thoroughfare – also cops quite a bit of traffic.

Noise is thus a little bit of a factor in Five Dock. While its residential roads are pretty, wide and peaceful at street-level, the suburb does cop some of the aircraft noise the Inner West is famous for. It’s not as bad as say, Leichhardt or Lilyfield, but the flight path does touch enough of Five Dock to remain a factor.

Public transport is Five Dock’s other main weakness. It feels a little disconnected and insular as a result – despite how physically close it is to Sydney city, the suburb currently lacks a heavy or light rail station so bus is your main option.

While it sees extremely frequent bus services, the buses themselves have to head out on to Parramatta Road or the A4 and deal with the slog anyway which can blow out commute times quickly.

For families, Five Dock has a lot to offer. In addition to being quite safe and having so many great outdoor areas (most of which are equipped with excellent playground equipment), its schools are also noteworthy.

Both public and private options are available (including the charming Domremy girl’s college) within the suburb, while multiple others lie within easy reach in adjacent suburbs too.

The Verdict

Five Dock is essentially “Inner-West-but-not-really” in that it physically sits in the region, but has a character all of its own.

It’s got a proud heritage and great public spaces, with more amenities than some of its quieter neighbours while less hectic than its busier ones. Its dining and shopping scene is a plus, and its streets are cheery and tree-lined as a whole.

It’s thus a very strong choice for families in particular who want a touch of the “Inner West” lifestyle while having access to a bit of extra living space; Five Dock simply feels less cramped than its peers further to the south and west. Both small and large sized families will find it ticks all the boxes for daily life, and then some.

Affordability is going to be a bit of a factor, as it’s above average in property pricing and limited in the quantity of its apartment offerings, and its road situation is not great with public transport being limited to buses (the closest ferry wharf is in Concord, which is a hike).

A solid all-rounder with some flaws, Five Dock is surprisingly beautiful overall.