Glebe, NSW 2037

The Good, its close to a couple of Universities, the City, a Mall, and Newtown. It's leafy and has some green spaces.

The bad. It's gentrified, professionals have come in, it's too expensive for students and creative people to live here, which means its band and boring. Cafes and restaurants are too expensive, the roads are clogged with cars.

I've lived in Glebe since 1980, then it was populated with students, gay and lesbian people, creative people, working class, and the largest First Nations community in Sydney outside Redfern. The cafes and restaurants had cheap, flavourful food and there was a lot less traffic and congestion. Suburbs transform, and now all it's got going for it is its proximity to Newtown and the CBD. It's cafes and restaurants are overpriced, its streets are congested, the people are mostly boring upper middle class professionals and their offspring who love to delude themselves about the Glebe community spirit which hasn't existed for decades.

It's a place of contrast with all sorts of characters living here. I'm never bored people watching. The suburb is close to all amenities, reasonable public transport, and walking distance to the CBD, uni, Broadway shopping centre. I find it relatively safe. There's a cop shop right in the middle of Glebe too for that added security.

I am 25 years old and have lived in Glebe for the past five years.

The upside:
Glebe is an excellent location. From where I live in Bellevue Street, I am:
25 mins walk from Central Station
15 mins walk to Sydney Uni
20-25 mins walk to centre of CBD
5 minute walk to Blackwattle Bay (a nice locale where you can sit by the water and take a walk around the bay. They also have a rowing club)
45 mins walk to Opera House

The downside:
I myself don't spend much time in Glebe. This is because there isn't much to do. There are a few decent pubs which have a homely vibe (e.g. I sometimes play trivia at the Friend in Hand. Tommy's Beer Cafe is also a great authentic Czech and Slovak haunt for spending time with friends). My girlfriend and I also occasionally eat out at Baha Cantina (good mexican food), Badde Manors (good vegetarian food), and Tom Yum thai (cheap and good quality thai). I've also heard good things about the restaurant Jambo Jambo (ethiopian food). But otherwise, there's not much to do. So I usually walk to Newtown or the CBD when I want to have fun (both less than 30 mins by foot - there are also buses, but this probably takes 20-25 mins so you don't save much time over walking).

Other things you might like:
You will be close to the fish markets, which are currently being redeveloped so will be a great spot to buy seafood and spend time if you're into this kind of thing
Close to Glebe markets, which run every Saturday
There is Ultimo Public School and Glebe Public school nearby if you have kids. There is also Blackwattle Bay Secondary School
You're close to Wentworth Park if you're into dog racing. If you're not then the sound can be annoying if you live near it (dog races run around twice per week). In any case, Wentworth Park is a good place to play soccer, take your kids to play on the play equipment, or jog around or do exercise in
There is the 370 bus which goes through Glebe to Newtown, then to Coogee beach. So in theory you can get one bus straight to the beach, though this bus has been voted the worst/most unreliable in the city. So DO NOT expect it to come on time

Other notes:
You'll probably be doing your shopping at Broadway Shopping centre. This has basically everything you'll need and is very close
If you're looking to use the light rail that runs through Glebe then THINK AGAIN. It's been shutdown for 18 months, so you'll need to take special replacement buses. The light rail doesn't go anywhere useful though, so this probably won't affect you
Your closest pools will probably be Ian Thorpe Aquatic centre (indoor) or Victoria Park Pool (outdoor). These pools are pretty decent and both have gyms. They also have fitness classes and kids swimming lessons

Glebe is a great place to live if you want to walk to work in Sydney Uni, Ultimo, or the CBD. If you have a car and use it, then the location advantage won't apply so much
Glebe is a reasonably relaxed area though probably not a good place to live if you're young and want to live in a share house and have lots of parties. There are a lot of young families who will probably get annoyed at you if you do this

TLDR: Glebe is an excellent location to be able to walk to Newtown, CBD, Broadway, or Central. Which is great because you won't have much to do living in Glebe.

Glebe is a suburb with a lot to offer, however whether you enjoy living in Glebe will depend on your personality and personal situation.
For young professionals, it is extremely convenient. Sydney CBD can be reached in 15 minutes by bike and 30 mins by foot.
For families it would also be convenient, there are many schools nearby, including two by Wentworth Park and one on Glebe Point Road. Glebe is also quite a safe suburb.
For students, Glebe is only a 20 minute walk away from Sydney University. However, I would NOT recommend Glebe as a place for young students. Glebe locals are often very unforgiving when it comes to parties/music/noise (no matter how infrequent), so if you're looking to enjoy your uni days, I would recommend somewhere else- even Forest Lodge (the next suburb over) has a much more vibrant/youthful energy.
There are many restaurants and cafes on Glebe Point Road which many people like, however I personally feel that they are overpriced and are of lower quality.
Glebe also isn't very diverse and the architecture overall is lacking. The streets to the west of Glebe Point Road are more beautiful and quiet than those to the east.
The Glebe foreshore is lovely but often overcrowded and full of rubbish after a sunny weekend.
Currently there is also major construction work going on by the Glebe foreshore as they build the new fish market. This construction is EXTREMELY loud and can be heard from far away. If you're sensitive to noise and are considering Glebe, move as far away from the foreshore as you can. I expect this construction will go on for many years.
Overall, Glebe is an okay place to live, but it is not great. I would recommend the streets to the west of Glebe Point Road, but not the east.

Glebe is alright but if I could go back in time and pick a different place to live I probably would. The part of Glebe closer to the water is obviously the best - there's some really amazing views, and a really great dog park. The main strip on Glebe point road is nice but definitely nothing to brag about. A few good restaurants, but they're the sort of restaurant that you'd go to once and then never again. The main problem with Glebe is all the riff raff. I don't really feel all that safe walking through Glebe Point Road sometimes. At least once a week there are drunks screaming at eachother in HJ Foley Park.
The public transport situation here absolutely sucks. The buses are slow and crowded, same with the light rail. Sometimes it's quicker to walk to Central station than wait to catch a bus.
The grocery shopping here is pretty limited. Theres an IGA on Glebe Point Road however it's really small and super overpriced. There is a Coles in Broadway however it's always packed, and shopping there is such a mission. Plus, it's a Coles, and we all know that Woolies is superior. The closest Woolies is in Central Park I think.
So yeah there are pros and cons. I'm okay with living here for now because I love walking to the park and looking out at the water, and I love grabbing a nice coffee every now and then. But safety-wise, and the fact that it takes 40 mins simply to bus it to the CBD, I think I'll be moving out pretty soon.

I liken Glebe to Annandale. For a suburb so close to the city, it can take longer to get into work than coming from outer suburbs that benefit from express train. If you have a car, look for something with a garage. Nice cafes and community but this really depends which part of Glebe you're living in. Some parts I will never consider again.

Glebe’s position so close to the city and harbour make it a winner. The light rail can take you into town in minutes or you can walk in around half an hour. Parts of Glebe are still being gentrified, this makes parts of it relatively affordable – a big plus in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

The walking area around Blackwattle bay is fantastic, I often run or go for a stroll taking in the harbour air and city views. Glebe is filled with lovely old Victorian terraces, giving it character and charm, the fish markets are a big attraction and are on their way to being redeveloped into something spectacular. Glebe Point Road is home to many cute restaurants with a huge variety to choose from, and most restaurants are quite affordable. Broadway shops are close by as are all the attractions of the city, just a few stops on the light rail or short cycle away.

Glebe does possess the burdens of Sydney inner-city life such as traffic congestion and public housing. Congestion is being addressed with Bridge Road having it's speed limit reduced to 40km/h and bike lanes added but the noise and pollution from traffic is still an issue. Public housing is also noticeable with a high rate of 19%. While most people living in government housing are just elderly or vulnerable people in need of a hand, there are some spooky characters too – this is reflected in Glebe’s relatively high crime rate. Dumping of rubbish and alleyways permanently littered with grubby bins are also a common site in Glebe. These negatives are characteristic of inner Sydney more broadly.

The majority of people in the Glebe are young professionals, young families, and students. Restaurants and parks buzz with youthfulness and life. The close proximity to the city cuts out the mind-numbing commute to the suburbs that many Sydneysiders endure. The future is bright for Glebe as this suburb right on the edge of Australia's leading city continues to gentrify and develop.

After living here for over 2 years, I am still finding new things to see in Glebe. I love walking around the suburb to see the streets and buildings and they always give me a European feel. It is surrounded by parks and river bays and has lots of trees that makes the suburb very green. Not to mention that it is close to everything such as CBD, Darlingharbour, Fish Market, University of Sydney, UTS, Victoria Park, Harold Park, Blackwattle Bay etc. making your property more valuable. Good developments are still on going and I can't wait to see what the future Glebe can offer.

It's convenient but depending on which part you stay in, it is not worth the noise, traffic and crowd. There is heavy traffic on Bridge Road and St John's Road late into the night.

Most of the buildings in Glebe (putting aside the expensive places nearer Blackwattle Bay) are old with thin walls and bad windows, and units are extremely small for the price you pay. Our building on Bridge Road is also roach infested.

If you need air-conditioning for the summer, it will be hard to find such a place in Glebe.

Overall, Glebe is not worth the extra price you pay for the daytime convenience if you're not getting any sleep at night because of the noise from the traffic, and stuck in an old filthy building.