Newcomer's Guide to Sydney Suburb Paddington

Paddington is a stylish inner-city suburb that's filled with boutique shops, trendy bars and bustling cafes. Affectionately referred to by locals as ‘Paddo', it tends to attract white-collar professionals who enjoy letting loose on the weekends.

The People of Paddington

In addition to the local Aussies, Paddington is home to a significant proportion of expats from England, New Zealand, USA, South Africa and Ireland. Unlike Bondi Beach or Kings Cross, it doesn't generally draw crowds from other parts of Sydney on weeknights or weekends – which gives Paddington a strong sense of community.

Sydney's iconic Oxford Street runs through the centre of Paddington, which is where the locals head for food, drinks and entertainment. Paddington also has a thriving LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community, and every year the Mardi Gras parade takes place nearby in the neighbouring suburb of Darlinghurst.

Housing Options and Prices in Paddington

Paddington is a wonderful place to live, but it's not exactly cheap. The median rental price per week in this suburb is around $550 per week for a one bedroom, $650 per week for a two bedroom and then jumps to $1100 per week for a three bedroom.

In terms of rental properties, you can choose between two main options: terrace houses and apartments.

The older-style terraces have mostly all been renovated, but you can occasionally encounter terraces with problems such as cracked plaster and rising damp. The other thing to bear in mind is that Sydney's terraces are quite narrow and their staircases are steep – making them unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues.

Meanwhile, the apartment buildings in Paddington are all fairly modern, and some have great views of the city.

Getting There

  • Bus
    Buses are the easiest way to get around Paddington – with major services running regularly along Oxford Street. From here, you can travel to Circular Quay, Town Hall and Central Station and further west – while in the other direction you can go to Bondi, Bondi Junction or Bronte. For timetable information, visit TransportNSW.

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  • Car
    Because Paddington is so close to the heart of the Sydney CBD, it's not strictly necessary to own a car. Additionally, it can be hard to find parking on the street.

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  • On Foot
    Paddington is only about a twenty minute walk away from Sydney's Town Hall – which is convenient if you work in the CBD.

Things to Do in Paddington

  • Paddington Markets
    Held every Saturday at the Paddington Uniting Church on Oxford Street, the Paddington Markets sell artworks, antiques, clothes, jewellery and food.

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  • Five Ways
    “Five Ways” refers to a junction of streets in Paddington (namely Glenmore Road, Goodhope Street, Heeley Street and Broughton Street). Here you'll find a stack of great cafes, shops and restaurants that are guaranteed to keep you entertained.

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  • Shopping
    Anyone who likes fashion and shopping will love browsing the assortment of boutique fashion stores on Oxford Street.

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  • Chauvel Cinema
    Located on Oxford Street, the Chauvel Cinema regularly screens art-house films from around the world.

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  • Centennial Park
    The tranquillity of Centennial Park makes this the perfect place to get some fresh air and exercise.

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What Are You Taking to Sydney When You Move? Do You Know Yet?

The truth is you don’t need to know right now, for sure, what’s going with you.

But you do have to get a shipping quote ASAP, especially now.

Why? Because international moving companies need to schedule your move to Australia far in advance, some ask for 6 months in advance. Yes, COVID has changed everything, including international shipping.

When filling out the form below…

  1. You don’t need a street address for where you’re moving to, only the city and country. What they really want to know is the main shipping port.
  2. Moving date is an estimate. You don’t need exact dates right now. Go with your best guess.
  3. Estimate volume is an estimate. Don’t bother with calculating your volume. Use one of the estimates below for your estimated volume.
    • Studio or 1 Bedroom —> 20 m3
    • 2 Bedroom —> 25 m3
    • 3 Bedroom —> 30 m3
    • 4 Bedroom or 3 Bedroom + Car —> 50 m3
  4. Use your “real” contact details for BOTH phone and email. Yes, the form is secure. If you don’t use your real contact details, then they can’t get in touch with you for your quote. Makes sense, right?