Two spots in Australia have been named in Time Out Magazine‘s coolest neighbourhoods list and they both have a couple of characteristics in common – live music and lots of watering holes.
Chippendale in Sydney came in at No.7 and Melbourne’s Windsor rounded out the top 10, although neither were ruled as cool as Notre-Dame-du-Mont in Marseille, France (which topped the list).
Chippendale
A former industrial hub, Chippendale has become a vibrant “magnet for the cool crowd”, according to Time Out.
Beau Neilson, president of the Chippendale Collective, said the neighbourhood has a “beautiful combination of industrial chic from its beginning as a beer-making hub.”
“There are a lot of beautiful little cottages around the perimeter of the Central Park and that speaks to its history,” she said.
“The industrial buildings and warehouses have an interesting perspective compared to the larger developments of the shiny and fresh new apartments.”
Live music and Chippendale’s hefty smattering of pubs and bars are central to its character, which has changed dramatically since she moved to the area 15 years ago, according to Neilson.
“Since then, we’ve had huge development, including an amazing mall with a cinema and a gaming centre,” she said.
“We have the White Rabbit Gallery just up the road at the University of Sydney, which is such a valuable part of the community who lives here.”
Neilson suggested checking out Kensington Street or any of Chippendale’s many pubs and art galleries. Photo: Chippendale Collective
It is close to UTS, Charles Darwin University and the University of Notre Dame and Neilson said the influx of students has only added to Chippendale’s culture.
“We have one of the youngest demographics in Sydney because of that university presence,” she said.
“We have these three really significant student populations, which really is wonderful.”
Windsor
Although Windsor, the suburb in Melbourne’s inner south-east, is named at No.10 on the list, the spot Time Out is really talking about is the venerable Chapel Street.
Like Chippendale, it was never known for being an upscale area, but rapid development and gentrification brought boutique fashion to Windsor’s most famous street.
Local shopping is a highlight on Chapel Street, with boutique fashion stores offering plenty of variety. Photo: Getty
Anybody who has had a few nights out in Melbourne has inevitably ended up in Windsor, which Time Out described as the “Wild West end of Chapel Street”.
“Fuel up with a coffee and smørrebrød from the Scandi-inspired Öppen, before getting your culture fix with a visit to MARS Gallery or the historic Astor Theatre for a remastered classic or double feature,” Time Out said.
“Spend the arvo wandering through the quirky assortment of boutique shops and marvelling at the street art, or take things up a notch by doing a trapeze class at the National Institute of Circus Arts.”
But the area comes alive at night, according to Time Out.
“There’s a banquet of offerings: Studio Amaro for classic Italian with a side of vinyl-spinning DJs, Tombo Den for elevated Japanese and karaoke or Borsch, Vodka and Tears,” Time Out said.
“Finish your night with a boogie at Lucky Coq or Young Hearts and don’t blame us if you stay out past your bedtime.”
This writer has spent many ill-fated nights across Chapel Street. Photo: Lucky Coq
Last year’s sixth-placed Brunswick and 17th-placed Enmore were nowhere to be seen, nor was 2022’s second-placed neighbourhood Gertrude Street, in Melbourne.