Homebush Suburb Review

High-and-lower-mid Sydney combine in a suburb with plenty to do - particularly outdoors - but significant traffic problems and some dirty patches mar it slightly.

Summary: A suburb of notable contrasts, Homebush is a land where the ‘class gap’ in Sydney is highly evident. The variance in upkeep and atmosphere from one street to the next couldn’t be more different, with graffiti and rubbish-strewn sections on one side of the road and elaborate, stately mansions right nearby – often right alongside each other. It offers some unique features in terms of great sports-oriented parklands and outlet shopping opportunities, and boasts decent connectivity, but it’s got traffic issues, and property prices can be eye-watering for anything outside of a dingy apartment.

Key stats

There are few suburbs in Sydney in which you’ll be able to see a clash of classes and streetscapes quite like Homebush.

On the one hand, you’ve got numerous clusters of closed-down businesses and graffiti-covered, abandoned storefronts along its slice of Parramatta Road, while spacious back streets overhanging with towering trees and sprawling estate-like homes sit comfortably on the other.

There’s a clear dividing line that scales with distance from its train station, as the low-rise, low-end clusters of high-density old brick apartments give way to ritzy private schools on each of the suburb’s north and southern extremes.

It’s quite a contrast; visit only part of it and you might come away with the (false) impression that it’s dirty and unkempt overall, as neglected yards and alleys dotted with garbage may be all you see.

It scores points for diversity and variety, but feels a little odd and disjointed as a result.

Location-wise, Homebush’s physical position comes with a lot of benefits, but also a handful of negatives. It sits quite central (and offers decent access) to a number of different aspects of Sydney nearby via both road and rail, with some great markets, event spaces, and multitudes of exotic cuisines right on its doorstep.

The development of Sydney Olympic Park not only as a sporting facility but also general public event grounds means there’s almost always something worth attending on nearby, but brings along with it the double-edged sword of flooding much of Homebush with traffic and other people trying to attend.

As a result, what should be a well-connected suburb as a springboard to elsewhere is often bogged-down with significant congestion.

Homebush Bay Drive is a much-maligned major artery that sees significant bottlenecking as people attempt to access popular working districts such as Macquarie Park, or attempting to merge onto the M4 and head out to Parramatta – add in any kind of event at ANZ Stadium, the showgrounds or similar, and forget it.

For shoppers, its DFO Homebush complex is one of the most popular places in Sydney to grab brand clothes/other goods at reduced prices, and is almost universally busy as a result.

It’s certainly a unique plus to have on your doorstep, with a decent food court and multiple kinds of products on sale as the savings can be quite significant – but again, it draws in yet more crowds along with it.

A Life Outdoors

There’s always people out and about in Homebush, and fortunately the suburb offers plenty of other pleasant reasons to do so.

Appropriate of a spot so close to where the Olympics occurred, it’s populated by a great range of sports-oriented parks which are decked out in fields/courts/sporting pitches of all kinds, as well as plenty of playground equipment for the kids and ways to cool off.

It’s very “outdoorsy” in general, with its excellent cycling opportunities nearby also a boon for those looking to exercise as the wonderful Bicentennial Park and its tracks are just a short pedal away.

This all comes without sacrificing too much distance from the Sydney CBD for commuters, either. While its road system during peak times (practically anywhere between 7am-10am and 3pm-6pm, and weekends being a crapshoot) borders on abysmal, its train connectivity is decent and bus services are fairly frequent.

Homebush Station itself doesn’t see the most frequent amount of services, but Strathfield is only one stop away and connects to most major lines with express runs. If you’re feeling sprightly you could even just walk for 15-20 minutes or so directly to Strathfield Station directly.

As mentioned, Homebush’s streetscape varies wildly depending on which part of the suburb you’re living. Its Parramatta Road portion is busy and a little neglected, with a couple of local restaurants, an ALDI at the suburb’s tip (technically in Strathfield), and not much else. The Sydney Markets on the opposite extremity are a great (if hectic) place to get some great deals on fresh produce, too.

Its main little cluster of dining and retail lies around Burlington Road and Rochester Streets, and is actually not bad – there’s a couple of solid cafes, an IGA and local David‘s for groceries, and miscellaneous other stores such as grocers, newsagents and the like just around the corner from its train station.

Things change noticeably in the area immediately south of The Crescent. Here is where most of the low-lying old brick lowrises are clustered, which offer more options for those without ridiculous budgets to find a decently-priced place to live. They’re within an easy walk to the station and local retail, and represent cheaper, convenient living.

Fan out and the back streets become gradually more and more populated with low-density, impressively sizeable houses on big blocks. Some streets are definitely nicer (and pricier) than others; some of the buildings along Abbotsford Road in particular are extremely high-end, manor-type mini-estates with grandiose driveways and overly-elaborate gates.

The properties here no doubt almost single-handedly balloon out average property prices in Homebush.

Homebush’s parks have a distinct sporting bent

Which brings us to one of the other problems with potential Homebush living: that familiar lack of a middle ground. There’s a lack of townhouses, duplexes and the like for that balance between space and price; it’s either ridiculously high-end, or lower-than-average quality, and not much in between.

While it’s thus in theory family and pet friendly – there’s a good selection of both private and public schooling options, dedicated daycare centres, a vet and the like – you’ll have to be packing some serious coin to afford a freestanding home here.

“It’s a very “outdoorsy” suburb in general, with its excellent cycling opportunities nearby also a boon for those looking to exercise.”

The occasional freestanding property will pop up for under the $1 million mark, but this will invariably be a small/run-down, 1950’s-70’s esque build with gaudy lino or walls that will require extensive renovations – or be just bought for purposes of the large block it’s on and knocked down soon thereafter.

Block sizes are generally quite sprawling, and this close to Sydney this of course means $$ – it’s possible to scrape by with a $1.5 million purchase, but $2 million is more of a regular baseline.

Apartment-wise there’s been a few new modern builds in Homebush popping up, with $600k purchase for a 2-bedder a viable prospect which isn’t bad considering its location. For renters, $500 per week can get you something solid as well, which again is decent given the suburb is largely safe, has quite a lot to do, and is pretty well-connected.

The Verdict

Homebush is a bit of a weird one in that it’s great in some ways, really pleasant in others, and then has a few rough patches that mar it a little. It’s got a handful of pretty appealing and unique things to see and do both within the suburb itself and right nearby, and has just enough amenities to not have to go too far elsewhere for daily life needs.

Its outdoor aspect is generally pleasant and the obvious leaning towards sports-inclined people makes it a good place to kick a soccer ball around, bowl a few overs, and play, run, and cycle in general.

The common thread about suburbs in this part of Sydney is always going to be the traffic situation, as while being located in a handy spot is good, it also means a ton of people are going to be using your suburb as a thoroughfare to get from A to B as well. From the proverbial carpark of Underwood Road and Australia Avenue, to Parramatta Road and all the other arteries around it – heck, even the Western Motorway slices the suburb in half – Homebush just sees a huge array of traffic at almost all times.

Its train connectivity helps, and if you’re lucky enough to be able to cycle to work or at least take the bus then it won’t be as big of a factor.

Its extreme nature may also be a bit of a turnoff for some. You’re either going to be extremely cashed up to buy a placed here and then complain about the diritier parts of the suburb that need a fresh coat of paint, or be constrained mostly to apartment living which may not offer as much space as you’d need.

If you’re the type who will take advantage of what Homebush has to offer – you love sport, being outside, events, shopping, and the like – then it’s a lot more lively and interesting than some of Sydney’s more sterile and quieter suburbs. It’s definitely worth at least a visitor for multiple reasons, which is more that can be said for much of suburban Sydney.