Sydenham, NSW 2044

We bought our dream home in Sydenham back in 2013 - and for significantly less than equivalent homes in neighbouring Marrickville. Why? Sydenham is pretty much at the end of Sydney Airport's main north-south runway. That said, our house is double-brick and double glazed. Our rangehood sounds louder than a jumbo, and if you play soft music or have the TV on, you don't hear the planes at all. Outside is a little different. You do need to pause for 8 seconds or so, but that gives you the opportunity to look up in the hope of seeing a majestic 747 or the super-sized A380 gracing the skies. Things are improving with airline technology anyway. The new 787s are noticeably quiet compared to any other aircraft. Personally, I think we're very lucky to live so close to the airport. It's about $20 to International in a cab, and $30 to Domestic. Cheaper than two people taking the train.
Speaking of trains, how lucky are we to be a short wander to a junction station on 3 lines? Using the Illawarra line, it takes 7 minutes to get to Central and the train comes every 10 minutes. The Bankstown and East Hills lines come in-between, so there is no need to consult a timetable for a venture into the city. One stop in the opposite direction gets you into the heart of Marrickville's Illawarra Road and its excellent restaurants. Buses will take you anywhere the train won't. There is even the M30 which runs between Sydenham and Mosman. We rarely use our car now. Maybe a quick run on a weekend up to Marrickville Metro, although a stroll up to St Peters Fruit World satisfied most culinary needs.
There is an abundance of parks and recreational facilities both in Sydenham and its neighbouring suburbs. Sydenham Green has an off-leash dog park and barbecue facilities, and council has recently approved an upgrade to the entire site to make it even better, including a community garden.
Living in Sydenham is all about the community. Neighbours talk to each other, get to know each other, share with each other and help each other. It's when your neighbour drops off some home grown fruit 'just because' or when you have the boys next door over for a meal. We swap recipes and gardening tips. We stop each other in the street or across the fence for a chat.
We moved to Sydenham because we wanted to live close to the city without the hefty price tag, but we stay because this suburb is now very much our home.

Sydenham has pubs, parks, cafes, schools, childcare, a major hub train station and bus routes, two stops and you're at Central!
We are a 5 minute walk from Marrickville shopping strip, and a 15 minute walk from King St, where clubs, pubs, restaurants, clothing and funky furniture shops, wine bars, gyms, pets stores, everything!!!
People have been priced out of Newtown, and are coming to St Peters, Sydenham and Tempe. I used to live in Erko, bought my large home with 30 meter back yard in Sydenham and love it. You get used to the planes, in fact I like them, and my Reno will include a skylight so I can see them!! With the sound insulation, inside, you can only hear a hum. A friend in Leichhardt is under the flight path and inside her home the noise is much louder and longer due to the lack of noise insulation and the height, the sound seems to echo and linger longer. So if the aircraft bother you, anywhere in the east (Coogee, Botany etc) or Inner West is not for you!!
Most homes are untapped renovators delights, we have Federation and some Victorian homes that are waiting foe a loving renovation.
I really shouldn't talk it up too much because I'd like to buy a second home here, and readers may be my competition!

Sydenham s dynamic, multicultural, and a fair amount of people who live in Sydenham have lived there for a generation, so the mix of established and new younger people makes it a really great place to live.