Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Neighbourhood Top Five
Grazing your way around the farmers' market, scoffing at conceptual art, being mysti-
fied by an avant-garde performance or sitting down to a high-octane Italian meal within
Gawking at ancient booty in Sydney University's fascinating
Nicholson Museum
(
CLICK HERE
).
Challenging your cultural stereotypes and expanding your mind at
White Rabbit
(
CLICK HERE
).
sic hot spots.
Explore: Inner West
The Inner West is a sociological stew of students, goths, urban hippies, artists, Mediter-
ranean immigrants and sexual subculturists. At its heart is Sydney University, a bastion of
old-world architecture that dominates the tiny suburbs of Camperdown, Darlington and
Chippendale.
Between the university and Rozelle Bay, Glebe is home to an Aboriginal community,
students, lesbians and New Agers and cool bookstores. The First Fleet's chaplain was
granted 160 hectares of church land here (technically a 'glebe'). Mansions sprouted in
1826, but after 1855 the church leased its remaining land for cheap housing, which degen-
erated into slums. In the mid-1970s Gough Whitlam's federal government bought the
whole estate and rejuvenated the area for low-income families.
Where stoners and home renovators collide, Newtown shadows sinuous King St, lined
with funky boutiques, bookshops, yoga studios, cafes and Thai restaurants. It's definitely
climbing the social rungs, but Newtown is still free-thinking and bolshy.
Erskineville is similar but more upmarket, with an endearing village vibe and an out-
crop of pubs and cafes.