Summer in Sydney 2023/24
Summer in Sydney is a series where Herald staff reveal the best – and worst – of our city in the hotter months.
The Sydney suburb that’s a microcosm of modern Australia
People still say g’day in the street but celebrating Australia Day is not a straightforward affair.
- by Jessica McSweeney
It’s loud and colourful, diverse and delicious, and not far from the city
All that’s lacking in Bankstown is a working public transport system and people who drive to the speed limit.
- by Sophia Phan
The nature escape just 45 minutes from the city
My family joined other refugees from the inner suburbs in search of a bigger house and an affordable mortgage. What we found was a home among the trees.
- by Adam Bennett
Less famous than Newtown, for some Enmore is now a bigger draw
Enmore Road is brimming with interesting restaurants, cafes, bars and small shops. Policymakers want to replicate its success, but I’m doubtful this is possible.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
The Sydney suburb where I first understood the joy of great neighbours
Until I moved into my home in Camperdown, I’d spent a lot of time wondering whether I might just be a terrible neighbour.
- by Bevan Shields
How a challenge during lockdown gave me a new view of my suburb
When I set out to travel all the streets in my 1.5 square kilometre suburb, I was surprised at how much ground I covered.
- by Michael O'Reilly
Morceau of France with the harbour and bush thrown in to taste
I love that I can hear different languages on the streets and in shops and can get my fix of delicious French pastries and baguettes without having to fork out for a plane ticket.
- by Lia Timson
Puppy parties, parks and pats on the head: a dog’s life in Bellevue Hill
My name is Cheecka and I can tell you four legs are better than two in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
- by Andrew Taylor
I never wanted to live here. Now I never want to leave
The plan was that living in Sydney city would be a stopgap, but two years on we never want to leave.
- by Melissa Stevens
Urban forest that’s not too beige, not too hectic, not too posh
This unregarded inner west suburb has a rich history and a quirky present.
- by Ben Cubby
A hidden harbourside oasis brimming with cool
This tiny peninsula lies just 11 kilometres from the CBD, but its beguiling mix of green leafiness and stunning views makes you feel a long way from the urban jungle.
- by Tawar Razaghi
Peninsula paradise: Why you never want to leave Balmain
Good Food Guide editor Callan Boys names his favourite restaurants, coffee shop and walks in his home suburb.
- by Callan Boys
Where drive-in cinemas and multicultural festivals co-exist
Whether digging in to corn ribs or enjoying sunset at Pemulwuy Lookout, it’s time you embraced Blacktown like a local.
- by Jostina Basta
Seven years in Botany and loving every day
It’s a sign of the times when you need to move because a growing family demands more space.
- by George Palathingal
Milestones and the mundane lived in dearest Croydon
Diversity and bygone charm make the quaint and peaceful neighbourhood unique in its own ways.
- by Nicole Economos
Pricey Mosman, where the beach and views are free
Just minutes down the hill from the buzz of Military Road, Balmoral Beach is the place to wash away your cares.
- by Carolyn Cummins
Transplanted to Greystanes, the suburb with a heart
After living all over Sydney, it took marriage and a family to finally find a place to call home.
- by Christian Stokes
Small but perfectly formed on the northern beaches
Brookvale is more than just the home of the Manly Sea Eagles NRL team.
- by Peter Bottrell
A place for families to follow in each others’ footsteps
Kingswood country is closer to the mountains than the sea – but now it has a beach.
- by Billy Freeman
It’s a great life in the prime minister’s backyard
There wouldn’t be many countries where you can bump into the prime minister at Woolies.
- by James Morrison
Wine bars, parks and Sydney’s best bookstore: Newtown has it all
After three years in New York City, Sydney no longer felt like home – until I moved to this inner west suburb.
- by Gyan Yankovich
How the Panthers and chicken sandwiches taught me to love Penrith
Penrith at times feels like living on the sun, but it’s a hard-working place filled with hard-working people.
- by Abby Seaman
How a childhood train trip opened my eyes to new possibilities
The melting pot of Cabramatta is much more than the vast array of exotic eating options.
- by Andrew Hornery
The Surry Hills sanctuary that made me a Sydney convert
Between the wine bars and fancy restaurants, Surry Hills still holds relics from a time before chilled reds and roasted artichokes, if you know where to look.
- by Angus Thomson
The suburb where we all scream for ice-cream
There’s a challenge for anyone around Leichhardt in summer – get the local lead-footed ice-cream van to stop.
- by Nick Ralston
The ’fern: A mix of old and new, and don’t forget the Rabbitohs
The intermingling of old and new, rich and poor makes Redfern a place with true community spirit, seen in footy followers and market goers alike.
- by Mary Ward
Cultural melting pot of food and footy
West Ryde is the centre of our universe, but there’s no such thing as a leisurely jog through the streets.
- by Adrian Proszenko
This linen-loving locale is close to home but a world away
With Double Bay, you’ve got to lean into the stereotype - it’s the only way it works.
- by Michael Koziol
The suburb where locals can’t believe their luck
Tiny Bundeena, in the Royal National Park, feels more like a small country town than a Sydney suburb.
- by Nick Galvin
Yes, Bondi does have a local community
While Bondi rescues thousands from boredom each summer, my street is where the real party is at.
- by Steve Georgopoulos
Bubble tea and walks along the Cooks River equal a perfect summer
Wolli Creek can be easily dismissed as a concrete jungle, but the quiet suburb boasts a hatted restaurant and water views.
- by Jessica Yun
Love letter to Summer Hill and its community spirit
Summer Hill is an absurd little pocket of Sydney that offers an old-school feeling of safety and community alongside gluten-free dumplings and a fantastic wine list.
- by Nick Calacouras
Bustling Burwood: Sydney’s other (and possibly better) Chinatown
It was grudging acceptance at first sight, but it seems Burwood agrees with us.
- by Michael Ruffles
There’s more to Engadine than McDonald’s and a former PM
Engadine found infamy thanks to a bewildering rumour about Scott Morrison and McDonald’s. I prefer to think of it as the laid-back suburb in which I grew up.
- by Megan Gorrey
Coogee calling: Ocean sunrises, rockpool bliss and beach society
Herald writer Helen Pitt reveals the secrets of her home suburb Coogee, but shhh don’t tell anyone.
- by Helen Pitt
Ode to a suburb that goes under the radar
Its biggest claim to fame is one night with Albo. But here’s why it’s the Paris of Sydney’s south-west.
- by Jordan Baker
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/summer-in-sydney-2023-24-20231221-p5esz0.html