inner west

Summary: One of the more interesting suburbs in Sydney, Petersham represents the point where both the charming and gritty/trendy aspects of the Inner West collide. It’s a suburb in which rounding any corner presents something that’s at least intriguing – if not always pretty – from its eclectic mix of architectural styles that are often beautiful, to its several excellent dining and amenity strips, to its occasional back alleys dotted with graffiti and bags of smelly rubbish.

It’s also a suburb which both benefits from, and is a victim of, its highly convenient location relative to Sydney city – one which offers a great commute and easy access to numerous other eclectic suburbs nearby, but also makes it a frequently noisy and busy place to be on multiple levels. It’s overall very well-equipped and a great place to visit to drink and dine, but its high prices, popularity, noise issues and proximity to major roads combine to put a bit of a damper on what is otherwise an extremely character-rich part of Sydney.
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Summary: Grand, historic and full of character, Haberfield is one of Sydney’s most charismatic suburbs that retains much of its legacy without the taint of more sterile modern development creeping in. Its Italian heritage remains obvious, not only in its excellent array of quality dining and cafes on offer, but the demographics and faces of its older residents as well. Heritage homes with picturesque gardens and quiet back streets contrast with some semi-industrial and traffic-packed parts of its extremities to form quite a contrast, however.

With a physical position that puts it within easy striking distance of the CBD along with its spacious, low-density housing blocks, it’s should be no surprise that Haberfield is highly expensive and priced out of reach for most. Add in traffic concerns with its arterial roads and some issues with aircraft noise, and Haberfield definitely isn’t perfect – but it certainly is pretty, and a part of Sydney everyone should visit at least once. Read Review

Summary: Exceptionally well-equipped for families, if you’ve got (or are about to have) children of school-going age it’s hard to argue against Croydon as one of the best suburbs in all of Sydney. Quaint and peaceful yet well-located and connected, this is the clean, charming side of the Inner West that retains its heritage roots while adding elements of gentrification largely without breaking its original atmosphere.

It’s got a lot of character in both its local stores and streetscape, a couple of truly excellent parks, and is very safe – yet it’s the array of schools that help set Croydon apart from its peers. It’s not the cheapest to buy in, has some traffic issues and isn’t a nightlife hotspot, but otherwise remains one of the most underrated suburbs in Sydney.
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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. Read Review

Summary: Dominated by large, impressive houses on big, roomy blocks and with wide and spacious streets to boot, Concord is an immaculately-kept suburb as a whole. The amount of living space on offer here is impressive given its decent proximity to the Sydney CBD, while its central retail and shopping strip is both charming and well-equipped. It’s highly green and family-friendly, too, although its slight disconnect from rail transport (for the time being) is a factor and a lack of high-density apartment options means it’s going to be limited to a select cashed-up demographic as a feasible place to live. Read Review

Summary: Blending together elements of the Inner West and the Canterbury-Bankstown region with obvious strong slices of Greek heritage, Earlwood is a highly family-oriented suburb in which you’re actually likely to know your neighbour’s names. Largely low-density residential homes on big blocks coupled with a gradually gentrifying main shopping & cafe strip, the suburb’s largely quiet and peaceful but also a little rough and ready. Rev-heads in particular seem to love it, and a bit of a disconnect from public transport means you’ll likely be driving to and from here. Read Review

Summary: Vibrant, green and absolutely packed with amenities, Rozelle has become a go-to suburb in inner Sydney among families who prefer a bit more action and variety as opposed to peace and quiet. It’s very well-positioned, with the Sydney CBD only a 10 minute drive away, and offers some truly great waterfront views – for those with the wallets to afford them. For pet owners, it’s a suburb that’s hard to beat, and boasts some great parklands in particular. Noise and traffic are its two main downsides, while rising prices haven’t helped matters, either. Read Review

Summary: Fringed by water and offering impeccable views throughout, Drummoyne is a scenic part of Sydney where old and new wealth collide. If you’ve ever wanted to feel poor, this is the suburb to visit, as multi-level mansions and freestanding homes on large blocks dominate with some great angles of the Parramatta River.

It’s highly decked out with amenities along Victoria Road and has pleasant public spaces, while its location provides centralised access to other parts of Sydney. Price and traffic are its main negatives, but it’s otherwise a highly desirable place to live. 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: 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