Here's another example of a suburb whose region I can't properly articulate. The best I can do is lump it into the generic "Northern Suburbs" pile. Regardless, I found it to be a pleasant spot.

Meadowbank

Meadowbank sits just north of Rhodes, across the banks of Parramatta River. While you can take the train directly into the suburb, today I walked over the bridge from Rhodes.

This tastefully rusted pile of metal (Google tells me its called John Whitton Bridge) takes trains and pedestrians across the river (cars have to take the Ryde Bridge a few hundred metres downstream). The best views from here can be seen by sitting on the second storey, left hand side of a northbound Northern Line train, but the views on foot go okay as well.

It's also worth mentioning that the bridge is a metalhead. 🤘

Eventually, you get to the other side,

where you reach a familiar sight if you've been around Sydney's suburbs -

a large block of new-looking apartments.

As is common for these types of dwellings, you've got a shopping centre at the base serving the residents.

If you can figure out the signs, that is.

Rolling a dice on which sign to follow, I did manage to find the entrance.

Of interest here is this modern art piece,

a very nice Asian grocery

(where I stocked up on some exotic refreshments),

and the same bakery that can be found in every local shopping centre in the country. Bonus dog.

Departing the shops and apartments, I headed back onto the street.

This reveals that the rest of Meadowbank isn't as new and shiny as the flats we just visited.

Following the tree-lined streets leads you to the somewhat tired commercial centre around the station.

Here, you can enrol in a TAFE course.

Take a train home,

or head to the newsagents,

where if you spend hundreds of dollars on lotto, you can get a tasty additional 2-4% of "value".

Hehe. Du du mart.

Next, I took this bridge across the rail line to check out the other side.

On the other side, another familiar Sydney sight; more apartments, these ones the brick mid-twentieth century variety.

If you're just reading along, Meadowbank may not seem like a great place. But I don't think that is true.

You see, while this may not be the flashiest suburb, the place enjoys wide footpaths you can walk, scoot or ride on,

and, just a short walk from here, a generous amount of parkland.

With ducks.

Also running through the suburb is the foot- and cycle path which follows the river (the same path I enjoyed over in Rydalmere), which you can follow west to Parramatta, or east to Putney and beyond.

The river itself is also quite a lovely place, especially when set against an Aussie blue sky.

It additionally provides another way of getting in and out of the place, with Meadowbank having its own ferry wharf too.

This is how I chose to head off today.

As Sydney grows, the traditional concept of Aussie suburbia where everyone gets a brick house on a quarter acre block is slowly fading into the history books. If you ask me, Meadowbank, a well connected suburb with plenty of public space and pretty surrounds, is a fair replacement to having your own backyard.

Meadowbank: The alternative option.