When I tell someone I live in the city, there can be a reaction of mild surprise. Admittedly, like most Sydneysiders it seems, the thought of living in the CBD had never crossed my mind until a combination of COVID and supply chain delays led to my repatriating family settling in an apartment in Sydney’s centre.
The plan was that it would be a stopgap while we looked for a more permanent place to live, but two years on we never want to leave. Because here’s the thing about living in the CBD – it’s actually fantastic.
Sydney’s CBD.Credit: Zac Goodwin/PA
City living allows you to combine the prosaic – groceries, utilities – with the superlative. A short walk can take me to the supermarket or to a show at the Sydney Opera House, with the bonus of not having to worry about parking.
The European concept of city apartment living is often bandied about during discussions on how to solve Sydney’s housing crisis. As an unashamed evangelist for life in the CBD, the evolution can’t come soon enough – but with the caveat that it needs to be affordable.
And therein lies the rub, the city for my family is not a viable long-term proposition due to cost, and at some stage we will probably move further afield for financial reasons. But as the saying goes, “’tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”.
Best cafe? The Hydeaway Cafe for its al fresco area on the edge of Hyde Park, and Henry’s Bread and Wine in The Porter House Hotel for a…
