Paddington

Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW. Photo credit: Hamilton Lund; Destination NSW

Paddington

A treasure trove of independent stores, small art galleries, restaurants, pubs and cafes, the ‘village in the city’ is one of the most sought after postcodes in Sydney. Make friends with Paddington’s attractions.

Things to see in Paddington

Paddington streets and markets
Paddington Street is, as you might expect, the quintessential Paddington street. Elegant buildings full of character make the stroll from gallery to gallery a gentle pleasure.

Since 1973, Saturdays in the district have seen the popular Paddington Markets take over the grounds of the Uniting Church. Over 200 stalls sell exclusive works by local artists and craft makers.

Sydney Football Stadium
Also known (rather less enticingly) as the Allianz Stadium, SFS is home to the Sydney Roosters (rugby league), the NSW Waratahs (rugby union), and Sydney FC (soccer). Catch a game or one of the many other events that take place at the stadium.

Sydney Cricket Ground
The SCG is next door to the Allianz Stadium and features a menu of international and domestic cricket, and the far less gentlemanly AFL (Australian Rules Football). If you haven’t seen it before, and you’re around between March and September we’d recommend you experience the thrill ride of an Aussie Rules game.

The Victoria Barracks in Paddington
Often cited as the best example of a military barracks in the world, the Victoria Barracks was built by convicts and first occupied by the British Army. The barracks are still in use today and you’ll find an engrossing museum of military history in a former jail block. A surprisingly engaging Paddington attraction, even if military history isn’t high on your must-do list.

Centennial Park
Sit, stroll, ride a horse, kick a ball or throw a Frisbee. There’s plenty of room for everyone in this 220 hectare park close to the centre of the city. It was here, on January 1st 1901, that a crowd of 100,000 saw the birth of the Federation of Australia.

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G'day Paddo

It won’t escape your notice that Australians like to shorten words and names at every opportunity – unless the word’s really short in the first place in which case they lengthen it.

According to Prof. Roly Sussex, University of Queensland, no nation on earth enjoys nicknames and contractions as much as Australia.

So Paddington becomes Paddo, a Jones will always be a Jonesy, and every Sharon and Gary will forever be Shazza and Gazza. Just get used to it.