Ultimo

So close to the city and to two of Sydney’s universities, Ultimo is humming with energy. Flanked by Broadway to the south and edging toward Sydney’s flamboyant Fish Market to the north, Ultimo is a patchwork of narrow tree-lined streets of terraces intersecting broad boulevards featuring such landmarks as the Powerhouse Museum and the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre.

Ultimo’s soaring blocks of uber-modern apartments with sweeping views of the city and the Harbour Bridge are a short walk from Chinatown, from Darling Harbour and the CBD. Traditional terraces, corner parks and small cafes give Ultimo an endearing neighbourhood atmosphere. Broadway, with its charismatic pubs and restaurants and an alley of Asian street food, is right on the edge of Ultimo: providing a breezy and sometimes brash change of mood.

Lying on the city fringe, Ultimo encompasses both the starkly modern: a University of Technology building designed by one of the world’s most celebrated architects, Frank Gehry – and the nostalgic: an iconic corner pub dating from the 1880s.

The green swathe of Wentworth Park, with its sports fields and a children’s playground, abuts Glebe to the west, and small parks within Ultimo add charm to the district.

GETTING AROUND

Close to Central, Sydney’s main railway junction, and near the intersection of a number of bus routes, Ultimo is a convenient place to live. The Light Rail, too, runs nearby, and residents often simply walk into town.