West Meets Slightly Less West: Homebush

I've always thought of this next suburb as part of Western Sydney, but apparently it's officially considered the Inner West. Let's investigate.

Homebush

Although not in the geographic centre, I consider this region as the centre of Sydney. It's where the Inner West ends and Western Sydney starts, and its even pretty close to where the northern and southern suburbs meet. Homebush is in the thick of it, sitting immediately north of Strathfield (albeit west of Strathfield Station, one of the city's major railway interchanges).

I got in by train today. Homebush station is a pretty typical minor suburban station, with quiet platforms on the weekend.

Of interest here are the old "next train" signs still standing, albeit not appearing to be used any more.

Like many suburbs, Homebush is split in two by the train line, giving me a choice of heading north or south. I started on the northern side, using this metal cage to walk above the platforms.

Immediately north of the station, I found old houses and apartments in various states of repair.

From here, it's only a short distance to reach Parramatta Road, a road I chose to only touch today for the purposes of checking out this amazing disused theatre on the corner. I did get a kick out of the sign advertising what was apparently once a restaurant inside, offering "sing-a-long laugh-a-long clap-a-long fun packed live entertainment". It was a simpler time I suppose.

Not wanting to spend any time on Parramatta Road lest I accidentally purchased a used car with its odometer spun back, I headed back to the station,

to check out southern Homebush.

Southern Homebush starts with your fairly typical suburban CBD, featuring Indian and Korean food,

a very impressive looking medical centre,

educated dogs,

the local primary school,

where some kids forgot their hats over the weekend (maybe its a stash dumped to avoid no-hat-no-play?)

and plenty more of the expected local shops, from newsagents, to cafes, to charcoal chicken.

They even have a place you can grab a manoushe (fresh baked Middle Eastern bread with toppings including zaatar - you can check out the one I had back in Westmead if you've never had one before).

If you're after something a little bit more classic, special mention has to go to this blast-from-the-past looking Aussie takeaway whose milkshakes are still priced at $2.50! Sadly, they were closed on the day of my visit (although it probably is best that I didn't start a day of suburbsing with a milkshake).

As I continued south,

the commercial centre ended, with the shops and restaurants being replaced with tree-lined suburbia.

This is where I started to question my previous dismissal of Homebush as being counted in the Inner West.

In amongst the green streets,

this bit of the suburb seems to be full of beautiful, old, freestanding homes,

with freshly painted fences,

ornate exteriors,

and even a manor or two on impossibly kept grass.

Look. I love Western Sydney, but the Western Sydney I know doesn't look like this.

Reaching the end of that particularly lovely street, I was ready to make my way to my next suburb.

On my way, I found a few surprises, including an unexpected Buddhist temple,

and some more fancy housing.

Soon, I hit Airey Park,

a very decent local park,

where I was able to cross into my next suburb.

Homebush: Maybe the realestate agents were right to still call this the Inner West after all.