LaLaLayla

Looking at buying a house there. Really like the area, but would be curious to hear what it's like to live there from someone who does.

Thanks

kicking_k

Hi,
I havnt lived in Newtown, but worked at RPA, which is in Camperdown / Newtown for 6months, from what i have heard its quite a popular area due to the hospital and sydney university being nearby, but there are plenty of flats to rent! There are lots of nice resturants and pubs around newton, plus its not far from sydney CBD with a train station and plenty of buses.

Hope that helps

k

LaLaLayla

Oh, that does, thank you kicking_k. By the way, are you from Letterland?

shorrock

It really depends where in Newtown you plan to buy. If it's a street or two away from the main cafe's then I would check out what it's like on a Friday / Saturday night. You may get drunks / loud people walking around your house at all night. Look around for public housing since Newtown seems to have a good amount of it. Had friends who lived close to one block of public housing and even though they lived there for 8+ years they said they had lots of trouble. Cars being broken into, lots of fights which invloves police.

We lived there for about 3 years and loved the place.

LaLaLayla

Thanks Shorrock. We are looking at properties just south of the university as there's a school we like there. Can you recommend any areas that are particularly nice/ones to avoid? Thanks.

Swerv-o

Which area are you interested in?

I have lived in and around Newtown for the last 3 years, and I love it. It's a unique part of Sydney that has it's own alternative vibe, and isn't full of pretension like much of the rest of the city.

As you said South of the Uni, I am guessing you are probably looking at the Golden Grove/Darlington/Chippendale area. I live in Darlington at the moment, and am very happy there. The entire area has been slowly gentrifying over the last 5 years. The tree lined streets in Golden Grove/Darlington and the cosy little laneways of Chippendale are becoming increasingly desirable places to live.

If you are into going out, then the area has plenty of really nice pubs and bars for eating and drinking out in. Erskineville village has The Rose of Australia and the newly opened Hive Bar, which are great haunts. Further afield you will find the pubs in Newtown (too many to mention) and in Darlington there is The Glengarry Castle, The Royal and The Rose.

The University operates a community membership scheme for its sports facilities, which anybody can join and it works out much cheaper than getting a Fitness First membership. I play squash there, but they have tennis, a gym, all that sort of stuff, plus a pool if you swim. It's great having such facilities right on the doorstep.

Newtown and Erko are known for their cafe culture too - plenty of opportunity to sit out on a Sunday morning with the papers and watch the world go by over a breakfast. Some of the back street cafes are better than the ones on King Street, but you pick that sort of thing up eventually.

Also, great transport links to the City and just about everywhere else. Newtown, Macdonaldtown and Erskineville stations have regular services on weekend and weekdays, and Redfern station has all lines except the airport. King Street has plenty of buses that run regularly.

Personally, as you have probably guessed, I really like it - it has everything I need, or want, all within a mile of my house.

Let me know if you have any more questions...


S

LaLaLayla

Thanks Swerv-o, that is invaluable information!