Phelps St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

Most of the houses are tiny two storey terraces with street frontage. It's OK if you don't mind people peering into your tiny front room as they walk by. As a taxi driver said, people will pay close to a million dollars for what was once little more than a slum. Lots of families overflowing onto the footpath makes for a noisy street.

Not sure how to express this... Phelps is a beautiful little street that runs off Bourke Street in central Surry Hills. Lovely and near nightlife, very leafy and quiet - but I somehow picked up that lonely vibe you can get in some inner-city suburbs. It seems to have an identiy crisis. Is it hip and youthful - or a place where long-time residents are sadly fighting a losing battle to keep the place an oasis? I recommend this area to young professionals and singles. Young families might find surrounding surry hills too chaotic, to crimey and too druggy. Older people might fear robbery. Younger renters might find it too expensive and a tad too quiet. I enjoyed it, myself - but it wasn't a standout address by any means.