R&H Suburb Profile LEICHHARDT

Leichhardt is in Sydney’s inner-west, 5km from the CBD. It is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Leichhardt comprises a mix of residential and commercial developments and is best known as Sydney’s ‘Little Italy’.

The main commercial area is on Norton Street. There is a mix of residential buildings, restaurants (Italian and others), cafés, eateries and retail outlets including bookstores, grocery shops, hotels, a cinema and two of the suburb’s three shopping centres. There are also commercial developments along Parramatta Road.

The Italian Forum, just off Norton Street, is notable for its design which seeks to emulate the feel of a Mediterranean town piazza. A pedestrian-only central courtyard featuring outdoor and indoor dining as well as Leichhardt Library is surrounded by small shops and boutiques on the level above, and overlooked by residential apartments. Nearby Norton Plaza is a shopping centre anchored by a supermarket and surrounded by eateries and specialty shops. The third shopping centre, Leichhardt Market Place (formerly Market Town), is located towards Haberfield on the main cross street of Marion Street.

Leichhardt can be accessed by several main roads. The City West Link Road runs along the suburb’s northern border, part of Metroad 4, and crosses the ANZAC Bridge to the CBD.

Leichhardt is well serviced by buses through city and cross regional services. Residents use Petersham railway station, on the Inner West and Bankstown lines. Lilyfield light rail station is a terminus of the Metro Light Rail located close to Leichhardt’s north-eastern border.

Leichhardt has several primary schools and one secondary school.

Leichhardt is home to many creative industry workers and is known for its colourful and inventive mural art, and boasts several galleries.

The Italian community has a wealth of social and cultural organisations and they provide a range of culturally and linguistically appropriate services to enhance the quality of life of the community and promote Italian language and culture in NSW.