Newtown Suburb Review

Summary: Sydney’s current darling of upbeat nighttime entertainment and alternative dining, Newtown is a buzzing hub with massive variety in places to both drink and dine – both on the cheap and for those willing to indulge.

It’s one of the last remaining bastions of alternative culture within close proximity to Sydney city, and while its increasing popularity & gentrification means it’s lost some of its original grit and prices are rising, it’s still an easy go-to recommendation for students and younger professionals to rent (who don’t need much peace and quiet to be happy) given its public transport connectivity.

Alas, those looking to buy will likely find that Newtown is now far from the property bargain it was in the past – largely a result of its highly convenient location and recently-acquired “brand name” status – and so are probably advised to live a little further out and simply visit Newtown when desired instead.

Key stats

If there’s any suburb in Sydney which most benefited from the past effects of negative imagery and media demonisation which caused former-nightlife-darling Kings Cross to become a relative ghost town, it’s Newtown.

Its formerly niche “bohemian” entertainment offerings have now become a bustling – some may argue too much so – hub of people from all walks of life looking to sample its great range of high and low end restaurants, pubs, bars and more; if you’re after a varied night out, there’s almost certainly going to be something that slakes your thirst here.

The majority of Newtown’s most accessible action is centered around its main, eternally-congested thoroughfare of King Street – a long, lively and extremely varied stretch of road that offers cuisine of basically every type one could imagine, including some really inventive initiatives and combinations.

Its strong international influence can be felt not only in its food but in overall atmosphere, with a blend of European and Asian that doesn’t lean too far in either direction unlike most other ethnically-tinged Sydney suburbs.

“If there’s any suburb in Sydney which most benefited from the effects of negative imagery and media demonisation which caused Kings Cross to become a relative ghost town, it’s Newtown.”

In the past, one of the best parts about Newtown’s food diversity is that it was actually possible to have a meal here for a decent price – this is no longer quite the case given the ever-rising cost of food & dining, however Newtown’s array of options means there’s at least a chance of getting a meal for a still-reasonable cost.

Of course, those looking to throw around some extra cash can find higher-end dining options as well, and there are enough swankier bars serving overpriced cocktails to cater to all but the most discerning of hipsters.

Nightlife

It’s this variety that’s one of Newtown’s calling cards. While many other Sydney suburbs have a handful of choices of places to down a pint, Newtown is full to the brim with rustic pubs, pretentious urban bars, and yes, even proper live music houses and everything in between.

As a result, the suburb’s demographics skew far younger than many other inner city locations – a testament to its orientation around partygoing, music, and other such fun endeavours, as well as proximity to university institutions, if not its affordability as a place to live.

Popularity equals Price

Property prices here have become quite eye-popping in recent years given how “alternative” the suburb still attempts to present itself as being.

Hence, the popularity of share houses in which students and those wanting to save some coin has soared proportionally, with the appeal of being able to divvy up the rental bill a definite plus. Its connectivity to a main train line (Newtown Station is a great gateway to King Street and sees frequent trains) as well as an abundance of schools have made it more appealing to cashed up professionals and smaller families, with an increase in both rent and purchase prices as a result.

It’s mainly either expensive, narrow terrace houses or high-density apartment living to choose from, with the former now setting buyers back a pretty penny around the $2 million dollar mark, and the latter hovering at $550 or so for a 1-bedroom for small-scale renters.

As a result, many younger residents have found it a better option to relocate to the likes of nearby suburbs such as Marrickville or Tempe, or even further along the track to save a little more coin, and simply either walk or take a short train ride into Newtown for some night time entertainment instead.

Traffic & Transport

Traffic on King Street is typically terrible too, and at night time it’s all but impossible just to cross the road as most of the people driving here are doing it for the sake of being seen rather than the aim of getting from A to B. Bus access also suffers as a result; as with most other central suburbs, stick to the train line if at all possible.

It’s a pretty penny to pay for a suburb that still feels quite dirty in places, and isn’t exactly the most welcoming-feeling at night. Of course, where there’s pubs and bars, there’s alcohol, and where there’s alcohol there’s idiotic behaviour – and as a result, Newtown is a suburb in which you’ll be wanting to keep your wits about you at night no matter how crowded the scene is.

Add in an above-average propensity for drug use, and Newtown clocks in at more than double the Sydney average for overall crime stats based on NSW Police BOSCAR data.

Nature-wise, there’s not much greenery to speak of other than a few pockets and Camperdown Rest Memorial Park (which technically isn’t Newtown’s if we go strictly by suburb borders), either, and no one would ever exactly describe current Newtown as “leafy”.

This balances out somewhat by the fact that the streets are full of character during the day – its older and funkier terraces are quite cool, and there’s still some actual street art/murals as well as performers around. It’s also actually reasonably quiet away from the main party areas, although traffic noise is always a factor given those geniuses who seem to love to rev their cars until the early hours of the morning.

Amenity-wise Newtown is a little lacking in larger-sized shopping options and supermarkets, and while its many boutique and artsy stores are charming, a number of them are dying off due to the increasingly climbing rental prices for storefronts. Gentrification is starting to truly kick in, and there’s a worry that Newtown may soon end up just as “vanilla” as most other highly priced suburbs as time goes on.

The Verdict

Whether this is a positive or negative for what you’re looking for in a neighbourhood will be in the eye of the beholder, however those who aren’t fans of alternative culture have far more options of where else to live – so why pick Newtown in the first place?

There’s still time to enjoy Newtown for what it is as a place to visit however, and younger types and those of the partygoing persuasion who want easy access to awesome food and drink would be hard pressed to find somewhere more suited to providing a base for some night time fun.

In terms of living however, it’s probably more recommended for most to simply pick a suburb a few spots down the track that offers both reduced cost of living and more peace & quiet for sleeping (think Croydon, Ashfield et al) while saving on the “sticker price” of living in Newtown proper – and simply commuting in to enjoy Newtown’s offerings when the mood takes you instead.