Newtown and Enmore: Sydney's Hip Neighbourhoods

Free-spirited, bohemian, hipster or shabby chic - whatever you want to call them, Newtown and Enmore are Sydney’s most eclectic neighbourhoods. Locals ride by on bikes they built themselves, you never really know what you’re going to find in the multitude of thrift stores that have set up shop here and Aussie cafe culture reigns. These neighbourhoods like life on the alternative side of things, and the locals have turned their quarter into enclaves of artistic counter culture where you could just as easily stumble upon an avant-garde movie screening as enjoy a picnic in the park, sip locally brewed craft beer on a rooftop as rub shoulders with boho fashionistas in the boutiques along King Street. Left leaning with more vintage shops, galleries, small venues, theatres and parks than you could ever wish for, you’ll never be short of things to do on a jaunt into Newtown and Enmore.

Nowhere is more Newtown than King Street, where boho boutiques, arthouse cinemas, organic coffee shops and petite galleries sit side by side eclectic thrift stores, vinyl shops and antique storerooms. Having staked a claim on the Australian and international arts scene, pop into galleries and browse markets selling pieces by local artists, and look out for provocative street art that’s sprung up on abandoned warehouses and public walls. Do some serious second hand shopping, be it in a thrift store, an antique dealers or just a bric-a-brac joint - in Newtown and Enmore one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. As well as soaking up the vibrant, offbeat atmosphere of the area’s main streets, duck down quiet alleyways and stroll through pockets of greenery in quiet parks, discover record stores where you could browse for hours and pick your favourite street art in the back streets. As day turns to night, coffee shops and cafes close only for wine bars and pubs to open their doors rooftops; so join the crowds migrating to their favourite establishment and enjoy small plates of delicious food from around the globe, sip some Australian wines, local craft brews or an unusual cocktail before you join the waves of locals heading to indie establishments, arthouse cinemas or independent theatres.