Australian suburbs with an overseas namesake

From Melbourne’s Dallas to Sydney’s Palm Beach, these Aussie postcodes have sister suburbs and cities around the world. What – if anything – do they have in common?

Como, Italy
With a bit of luck, tourists can spot heartthrob George Clooney and wife Amal tootling in a boat to their historic lakeside manor. A luxury playground of the rich and famous.
Como, Sydney
No George Clooney here, but it is on the banks of the Georges River. The suburb takes it name from the Italian resort town, reportedly because a local in the late 1880s thought the scenery was similar.

Lake Como, Italy. Photo: Giuseppe Masci

Como, Sydney. Photo: Paul K Robbins

Liverpool, England
Home of the mighty Reds soccer team, a maritime city of great history. Famous Scousers include The Beatles, the late singer Cilla Black and England soccer captain Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool, Sydney
One of the oldest suburbs in Australia, with a whopping big Westfield and famous former residents, including ex-Australia cricket captain Michael Clarke and X-Factor finalists.

St Andrews, Scotland
A picture postcard town and tourist destination, famous as the “home of golf” (hosting the British Open) and where Prince William met Kate Middleton at university.
St Andrews, Sydney
A family-friendly outer postcode which is named after the Scottish patron saint and blueprinted, long before the first homes were built, to be a so-called satellite town.

Teeing off at St Andrews, Scotland. Photo: Mike Ehrmann

9 Rannoch Street, St. Andrews, Sydney Photo: Raine and Horne

Waterloo, Belgium
Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated here in 1815. Today, military history tours are popular. ABBA shot to fame at Eurovision in 1974 with their tune Waterloo, inspired by the famous battle.
Waterloo, Sydney
Apartment developments are expected to explode here. Once a poor cousin postcode, now a gentrifying, upwardly mobile suburb.

Palm Beach, Florida
One of three cities in Florida where cocktails, skimpy bikinis and flashing neon lights are de rigour. Luminaries from tycoon Donald Trump to fashion designer Vera Wang have kept homes here.
Palm Beach, Sydney
Better known as Summer Bay. The long-running Channel Seven soapie Home & Away films in this beach township, out of Sydney, on the exclusive northern beaches.

Flashy Florida, USA. Photo: Joe Raedle

48 Florida Road, Palm Beach. Photo: Supplied

The Hamptons, New York 
Summer getaway of the A-list and ultra wealthy, and very exclusive, anyone who is anyone has a holiday home in one of the picture perfect hamlets or villages.
Hampton, Melbourne
Just next to the home of many and rich and famous Melburnians – Brighton. On the up and becoming increasingly sought-after and genteel.

The Hamptons, New York Photo: New York Times

Businesses in Hampton Street in Hampton 

Notting Hill, London
A charming place to live where foxy Julia Roberts told foppish Hugh Grant in that 1999 movie that she is just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.
Notting Hill, Melbourne
Abuts Clayton and Wheelers Hill in the up and coming south-east. Close to Chadstone Shopping Centre for when you want to catch the latest Hugh Grant flick.

Dallas, Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas and the city of Dallas is home to strapping Cowboys NFL players, oil goliaths and more powerful Fortune 500 companies than anywhere in the US.
Dallas, Melbourne
A little, multicultural suburb that has long been overshadowed by its bigger cousin, Broadmeadows. Many housing commission dwellings have been built here. 

Sorrento, Italy
Resort town nestled on the Bay of Naples and top of many travellers’ wish lists. To the east is the scenic Amalfi Coast.
Sorrento, Victoria
Resort town where a ticket to the posh January polo match or to a rich friends’ holiday home is top of many Melburnians’ wish lists. To the east is the Portsea Pub.

Sorrento, Italy Photo: Hotel-R

View from 2&4 Ruth Avenue, Sorrento, Victoria Photo: Kay & Burton

Heidelberg, Germany

Ancient university town, loved by tourists for its baroque architecture, picturesque position on the river and the ruins of a hill-top castle built in 1214.

Heidelberg, Melbourne

Parts of this suburb can be quite posh, particularly near to the river, and most Melburnians will have visited the hilltop hospital at some unfortunate point.

 

Waikiki, Hawaii
Wet and wild holiday destination for surfers and sun-baking socialites, and a drawcard for its pristine white sands and year-around sunny skies.
Waikiki, Perth
A high-end suburb with multi-millions mansions, where some interior design is as bold as a Hawaiian shirt.

Waikiki, Hawaii. Photo: Supplied

5 Shelton Street, Waikiki, Perth. Photo: Supplied

Applecross, Scotland
A remote peninsula of few inhabitants, in Scotland’s wild and ruggedly beautiful highlands, with quaint cottages by the water and a sleepy pace.
Applecross, Perth
Takes its title from the Scottish town, but with a lot more going on. Unlike its namesake, it is warm enough to enjoy a spritzy Margaret River white wine, perhaps at the South Perth Yacht Club.

Scottish Highlands. Photo: Supplied

Applecross, Perth. Photo: domain.com.au

Cambridge, England
An ancient university city – Cambridge Uni is considered one of the finest in the world – and renowned for its gothic architecture and equally captivating countryside.
Cambridge, Perth 
Tucked in Perth’s western suburbs, no Eton alumni to be found, but there is Cambridge International College.

Ascot, England

Home of the Royal Ascot races. The town, in Berkshire, is prestigious and property here costs a fortune, but England’s hoi polloi flock to there periodically to punt and party.


Ascot, Perth

Also home to an Ascot Racecourse, on the banks of the Swan River, where the betting ring is full of punters hoping to make their fortune.

Kensington Gardens, London
Take a stroll down “Billionaire’s Row” and ogle some of the most expensive and lavish real estate in the world, including 18 Kensington Palace Gardens (pictured below), bought by an oil tycoon for over $100  million.
Kensington Gardens, Adelaide
The price of real estate in this postcode is a little more humble, with a median house price of $603,000, according to the Domain Group. 

No.18 Kensington Palace Gardens in West London. Photo: Supplied

3 Fort Avenue, Kensington Gardens, Adelaide. Photo: Supplied

Windsor, England
Aside from Buckingham Palace, it is hard not to peg Windsor Castle as one of the most famous addresses in the world, and home to British royalty (and their grand traditions, including horse-drawn carriages) for 1000 years.
Windsor, Brisbane
The only carriages here are far less fancy and hurtling towards the CBD along the Ferny Grove train line. However, it is home to significant estates and grand old Queenslander style homes, about 3km from the city centre.

Windsor Castle, England. Photo: Supplied

Windsor railway station, Brisbane. Photo: Supplied