The appeal of Australia's inner-city suburbs

From corporate executives in multimillion-dollar apartments to university students in share houses, inner-city suburbs cater for people from all walks of life.

Reduced commute

Many residents who live and work in the CBD will walk or cycle to work, using the opportunity to get some exercise and maybe grab breakfast on the way. Green smoothies in Mason jars were born out of these people.

High energy

“Living around the city is like a shot of coffee,” says one long-time resident of Sydney’s Surry Hills. “I’m constantly meeting up with friends and work colleagues over a coffee or in a bar somewhere and we’ll fire off ideas and conversations that invariably lead to other opportunities.”

Fertile soil for innovation

Almost anyone with a vision can find the resources and audience to put their ideas into action in the inner-city suburbs. From clothing design to stylised bars, art or interior design, unique cafés, event organisation and management, many inner-city residents craft workspaces into their own homes and find their market within the dense population clusters.

Vibrant social scene

Cities are often known as the beating heart of each state, with the fast-paced lifestyle luring residents from all over the country. As a consequence, there’s always something going on: from month-long festivals to pop-up cultural events, live venues, cafes, dog parks or community gardens.

Cafe culture

High demand for food, beverage and social hot spots creates a competitive market in which cafes, bars and restaurants are always pushing the envelope to hold their place in the spotlight. Whether it’s warm, welcoming havens in winter or buzzing hives of activity through the summer months, they’re constantly adjusting to meet residents’ needs.

A choice of housing

Inner-city housing walks a fine line between preserving history and providing ultra-modern high-density accommodation. Old and new terrace homes cluster amongst warehouse conversions and towering blocks of stylish new apartments.

On any day, listings in Surry Hills, Woolloomooloo or other inner suburbs of Sydney will offer an ‘art deco one bedder’, a warehouse conversion, a ‘sun-filled garden terrace with a Parisian feel’ or an ‘iconic ultra-contemporary community’.

Likewise, Melbourne’s inner-city listings include a three-level warehouse apartment, a ‘27th floor city residence’, as well as classical Victorian terraces. It’s a similar story in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

For many inner urban dwellers, it’s not just about the style of available housing. They thrive on the constant flow of life throbbing through their neighbourhood and wouldn’t dream of living anywhere else – at least for now.