Meadowbank Suburb Review

Small yet efficient, Meadowbank offers a blend of well-kept public spaces and good connectivity, but it’s mostly apartment living available from here on out.

Summary: Compact and convenient, Meadowbank is another Sydney suburb with the “split personality” of ultra-modern, high-density apartment living on one side and expansive, stately freestanding homes on the other. Its waterfront aspect gives it an open, airy feel while expansive and pleasant public green spaces occupy much of the suburb’s physical space as well. It’s very well-connected via public transport, however is notably lacking in amenities and its increasingly built-up status continues to put a strain on its infrastructure.

Key stats

A clear example of the clash of “old-meets-new” in Sydney’s suburban development, Meadowbank has plenty to like, although there’s a clear line of segregation from one side of the suburb to the next. While it’s only a physically small suburb, the streetscape is so different on the west side of its station to the east that it basically feels like two entirely different suburbs in one.

It’s only appropriate that it lies just across the water from Rhodes, which is basically its mirror image in many ways. Meadowbank for sure follows the ‘Rhodes model’; take your pick between expensive, large and older homes or a little slice of modernly-designed, high-density living and go from there.

Its glut of apartments on the east side can be either quite pleasant to look at – with its efficient landscaping and sharp corners – if you like that sort of thing, or be a posterchild about what you hate about inner-city property development if you don’t.

It’s been a hotbed of construction in recent years, and now faces an oversupply of apartments to the point that government are no longer approving new developments.

The good news for potential buyers who are happy with apartment living then: you’ll have no difficulty buying a place to live here in short order and enjoying the many benefits Meadowbank does offer.

Ease of access and location in general is an easy obvious positive starting point. Meadowbank is quite centrally-located in a pretty nice spot on the banks of the Parramatta River, so employment hubs like Macquarie Park and Ryde are just down the road while its train connectivity offers the prospect of a 25 minute commute into the CBD.

Its ferry terminal also provides an extra layer of access, and can provide a scenic alternative for getting from A to B when the weather’s nice or the road or rail are having some issues.

For drivers, you’ve got multiple major (congested) arterial roads right on your doorstep as well, so it’s a great choice for pretty much anyone regardless of if you work in the North Shore tech hubs, the CBD, or Parramatta via Victoria Road.

Flexibility in Life

This makes for a highly flexible suburb that can suit multiple types of people at multiple life stages; the only downside being the ‘extreme’ nature of its property types.

That’s because there’s no real ‘middle ground’ in terms of places to live in Meadowbank – it’s either expansive and expensive large homes worth multi-million dollars, or an apartment tucked within a massive modern block.

The suburb lacks variety in mid-level housing options; there’s a distinct lack of townhouses, villas, duplexes, terraces and the like, so you’ve either got to be happy with a choice of big or small, or look elsewhere.

Landscape-wise, Meadowbank is quite appealing and this is one of the key reasons we listed it in our 10 Most Underrated Sydney Suburbs feature.

It feels like practically half of the suburb is draped in spacious parkland, with Meadowbank Park an enormous public space. While it’s not the most creatively-landscaped park in the world, it’s got a ton of area for kids and pets alike to play around in and get some exercise.

Its skate park in particular is a popular hangout space for the young ones; coupled with playground equipment for the smaller children as well and you’ve got a buzzing little focal point for families. It’s likewise a boon for the active and outdoorsy types.

Cyclists and joggers can enjoy living here in particular, as Meadowbank’s well-equipped with cycleways that cut their way through the parkland and follow along the waterfront. If you’re a netball fan, then its expansive, multi-court netball facility makes for a great focal point for either playing or watching a game as well.

Meadowbank’s waterfront aspect provides an extra breeze on hot days

Its waterfront aspect also offers the bonus of a decent breeze on hotter days, and while the view across the river isn’t exactly spectacular – it’s basically just more buildings – it’s still open and pleasant enough to be a major positive. Much of this riverbank area is dotted with mangroves, which both provide some added greenery and a signature bad smell that they’re known for; swings and roundabouts, eh?

That’s a good thing, because outside of its natural offerings, Meadowbank doesn’t have a whole lot going on. There’s no pubs or any kind of nightlife to speak of, as it’s generally oriented more at families and professionals rather than those looking for action.

It’s quite lacking in amenities as well. Outside of a small cluster of retail near the train station – think bottle shop, fish and chips, and not much else – and an IGA and some small stores on the east side, Meadowbank doesn’t have much to offer.

It’s a bit of a surprise given how much population is potentially about to be planted here; sure, there’s enough to get by in terms of daily groceries, but there’s no real communal retail hub to speak of.

Sure, West Ryde and Top Ryde are not far away, but it’s still a trip you’ll have to be making very frequently to satisfy more than the most basic shopping needs. It’s also notably lacking in restaurants and dining.

Outside of one or two quality cafe & Italian offerings (thank God for Fork and Spoon and Pizzeria Locale), it’s a pretty bleak prospect again given the concentration of living space here.

“Cyclists and joggers can enjoy living here in particular, as Meadowbank’s well-equipped with cycleways that cut their way through the parkland and follow along the waterfront.”

For families, Meadowbank is decent if unspectacular. There’s a couple of schools on offer, but the lack of living space available for those outside of the wealthiest who can afford a big house is a factor; its public spaces being great helps a lot, as does the fact that it is quite safe. The NSW TAFE campus being here is an obvious draw for students, as well.

It’s also quite a quiet suburb in general, however the continued construction can put a bit of a damper on this atmosphere sometimes – the majority of it is almost over, however.

Price-wise, Meadowbank again is a bit of a land of extremes.

The lack of supply of freestanding homes here is almost the exact opposite of its apartment market, meaning it’s very rare to be able to come across a house for sale. It’s not hard to see why, as the desirable location combined with expanded living space is a hot commodity in Sydney.

When homes do go on the market, don’t expect to pay anything less than $1.5 million for something older and run-down; $2 million is a more likely benchmark given the size of the properties here.

On the other end of the spectrum, apartment-hunters can find a range of pretty affordable (for Sydney) options to both rent and buy. $600k can net you a brand-new 1-bedder; things quickly jump up to around the $750k+ mark when adding an extra bedroom though.

Rent-wise you can go for an older block away from the water for as low as $350 for a 1-bedder; alternatively the newer blocks average out to about $550 per week for something decent.

Plus, it bears worth keeping in mind all the standard disclaimers/warnings about construction quality given issues with all these new pop-up highrises in the likes of Mascot, Wolli Creek, etc; you may want to rent here for a while first before committing to a purchase.

The Verdict

Meadowbank certainly has enough flexibility and appealing features to make it a place worth considering, particularly if you’re someone currently ‘in transit’ and not ready to settle on a suburb to call home long-term. It checks every major box for temporary living, and its position means you can work in a range of different hubs in Sydney and not have to deal with too painful a commute.

Its public spaces are very nice, its waterfront area is fresh and appealing without being overly stunning, and it’s safe and clean enough to provide a pleasant atmosphere for daily life. Connectivity is a bonus, and at least for the time being everything here is in good condition; its east side is very well-kept.

The issue is going to be that previously-discussed “middle-ground” for families without excessive cash to spend, as there’s only a few options for mid-sized living. If you need a yard or multiple rooms, then you’re going to have to fork out a couple of million dollars and wait for something decent to pop up. Otherwise, it’s apartment living for the rest of us.

Its slight lack of amenities and dining may irk some, but its proximity to other hubs helps alleviate this somewhat. Partygoers or those looking for great social gathering spots will likely want to look elsewhere, but otherwise it’s quite a pleasant, neat and efficient suburb that will be interesting to keep an eye on in the coming years to see how its big apartment blocks end up filling out.