Meadowbank, NSW 2114

4.1(15 reviews)

Ranked 319th best suburb by locals in Sydney (Greater) Region, NSW

Great for

  • Public transport
  • Parks and recreation
  • Clean & green
  • Peace and quiet
  • Safe and sound

Not great for

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Reviews of Meadowbank, NSW

"An affordable, convenient suburb with riverside parkland"

I moved to Meadowbank two years ago for a more affordable option after renting in the lower north shore.

Buildings
Some of the reviewers here have commented on the state of Meadow Crescent's older buildings. It's true that they are the older style however (I may be generalising here) you get the benefits, compared to new blocks, of having large windows, less common walls , and what I really liked - having a window and natural light/ventilation in the bathroom. However I did have to put up with older plumbing, shared laundries (where you padlock your electricity socket), and pest issues due to my neighbours piling their garbage in the one bin. I know it varies depending on which block but this is what I have noticed over my 2-3 years here.

Transport
Very convenient because it is on the train line via Strathfield. I work in the CBD, and while the trains are not as frequent as some other stations (say Burwood/Strathfield), it's not too crowded even during peak hour. Trains come approx every 15 minutes during peak hour, with additional express trains terminating at Central . On the 7:41, 7:56 and 8:10am trains, everyone can get a seat. I have never caught the bus from here, as train is usually faster for where I want to go. I have caught the ferry a few times (when I'm maxed out on the Opal Card) and it is a lovely scenic trip.

Shopping and Dining
The Meadowbank village has an Aldi and IGA, as well as a Korean grocery store where I do most of my weekly grocery shopping. Macquarie Centre, Rhodes and Top Ryde are all within driving distance for other "shopping centre" needs. The dining options within Meadowbank are limited. The best place is Italian restaurant at the station, Anema E Core (translates to Heart and Soul), though it can be pricey for regular dining ($30-40 per head). We usually have to drive out to West Ryde, Gladesville or Eastwood to eat out.

Lifestyle
What attracted me to Meadowbank was the walking/cycling tracks. It is well-connected to Bicentennial Park and there are also continuous tracks along the Parramatta River. I often do a cycle loop out to bicentennial park, Newington armoury, Rhodes and back. There are also great park facilities at Meadowbank Park, Memorial Park (recently upgraded with new play equipment and a war memorial) and Anderson Park. I have noticed groups of Asian ladies dancing on the river foreshore at Anderson Park in the evenings. There is also a weekly 5km organised run (called Parkrun) that happens at Rhodes. It happens every Saturday at 8am with around 200 people involved.

Neighbours and Safety
I have felt very safe here and not been broken into or heard of incidences of break-ins. Within my block (of 15) everyone is either a single professional, young couple or a young family. The suburb is ethnically diverse, lots of Indians on this side (Bank St / Meadow Crescent) and lots of Asians living in the newer apartments on the other side. It can be quiet at night but there are usually a couple of people walking from the station even at 8 or 9pm. Haven't encountered any "mentally unstable" people as per another post on this topic, and yes there is (still) a nice old lady that feeds pigeons on Bank Street

Great for

  • Riverside lifestyle
  • Train and Ferry stop
  • Easy shopping options

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5
atulrastogi
atulrastogi

Thanks for taking your time and providing a detailed review. Very helpful

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"Peaceful and a beautiful suburb"

The public transport like trains, buses and ferry are all at a walkable distance. Its got a lovely park and the river view. The supermarkets, the village fresh grocers and the meadowbank Tafe is closeby. Therea re few good resturant options to eat out. Top ryde mall and the Rhodes shopping center are close too.

Great for

  • Train and Ferry stop
  • Easy shopping options

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0
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"Great for parks and transport - not so great for eating out, shopping and accomodation"

When I first moved to Meadowbank I was pleased with the parks, the riverfront walkway and train and ferry stops close by. However, after living here for a couple of years it has lost it's sheen and I am ready to move on.

I live in Meadow Crescent, in one of the 60's buildings that are all along this street and I have to say they are not great, even when renovated (which ours is). Not only are alot of them ugly on the outside but any amount of renovations will not hide the fact they are poorly insulated and just plain run down. Whenever someone shuts a car door in the carpark below us the building rattles and you can't help but notice the old plumbing whenever someone uses a tap. Also,I am constantly cleaning my windows and home as a lot of dirt always blows in.
I think it's time a lot of these buildings were demolished and replaced with new ones.

There has been a few restaurants on the waterfront and in Shepherds Bay Shopping Centre that have closed down and the ones that are left are not that great. Luckily there are are few good restaurants in nearby West Ryde. The grocers at Shepherds Bay is good, especially the deli, however on more than a few occassions I have come across expired products in the Franklins store. I prefer shopping at the Woolworths in West Ryde where the service and products are better and only go to Franklins for last minute items. The medical centre in Shepherds Bay is clean and modern but I haven't returned after waiting an hour and a half to see a doctor, even though I had an appointment.

Neighbours are fairly friendly but everyone pretty much keeps to themselves and although I feel safe here I have noticed that there quite a few people who are obviously not mentally stable. The neighbourhood is pretty quiet at night, even on weekends.

I have to say, the only thing I will miss about Meadowbank is the lovely ferry trip to and from the city. Meadowbank has alot of potential with it's lovely parks, riverfront walkway and great transport links but it is distictly lacking a "village feel" that I personally prefer.

Great for

  • Train and Ferry stop
1
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"Very Convenient - with shopping and transport at your doorstep"

Meadowbank is located on the bank of the Parramatta River. The suburb has both a train station and a ferry stop and it is only 25 minutes to the CBD. There is also lot's of shopping options with a Franklins and Aldi located in the Waterpoint shopping village. It is a mult-cultural area and the local resturants reflect that diversity - with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Lebanese, Italian cafes located near the foreshore.

Great for

  • Train and Ferry stop
  • Easy shopping options

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
1
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"Awesome place to live or invest in"

Meadowbank has a friendly multicultural community and strangers actually smile and say hello to each other on a stroll along the river or park walk. It is ultra convenient in terms of shopping and transport, with ferry, train, buses, a local Franklin and Top Ryde City and Rhodes Shopping Centre nearby. Compared to other places that I've lived in, it is a very safe area. I never had a break-in even when I accidentally forgot to lock the balcony door before going to work.

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1
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Rentals in Meadowbank

"Good Place to rent, affordable to buy"

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
0
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"Family Friendly place and only 20min drive or train to the city"

I have lived in Meadowbank for about 6 years now and really enjoy the huge park and seeing people excercising, having bbq's, etc.
We thought it was awesome that Rhodes Shopping opened up, and now its even better that Top Ryde Shopping center opened up.
I'd love to be able to stay and raise my kids here.

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  • Professionals
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1
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"Buy here. You wont regret"

Meadowbank is a great suburb. close to everything, friendly and quiet. I bought a unit two years ago and it has increased in value by 20% in that time. I reccommend it to anyone looking for a leafy riverside local.

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  • Families with kids
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0
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"FANTASTIC LOCATION !!!!!"

I didn't live there long, but it sure was the best suburb i've lived in. For what I paid in rent, it was a bargain. Close to trains, buses and ferry and right in the middle of sydney. Since moving away there has been lots of upgrades to shops and communal areas. No graffiti. No weirdos like in newtown, just mostly professionals. Plenty of free parking too. There is a lot of bike/walking paths along the water too which connects up to Olympic Park. 10/10 suburb. Considering buying there if I could afford to in a few years.

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1
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"Sitauated very close to all facilities"

I have known this area and lived here for more than 5 years and this is the best area anyone can live in. It is located close to nearly everything. Schools, Parks and transport everything is really close.

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0
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"A safe, clean neighborhood with a lovely park and great transport links"

We have lived in Meadowbank for 2 yrs now and love it. We can see ourselves staying in the area for a long time.
It has brilliant transport links, with the ferry wharf, train station, bus stops and Victoria Road all within walking distance. With the CBD only 15 mins drive or 25 mins train away.
It has a small shopping centre, great for all your groceries & convenience goods.
Many different restaurants to choose from and more opening all the time.
It has a very large park which covers many sporting activities, Soccer, Cricket, Netball, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball and more.
The newly developed side of Meadowbank, (Bay Drive & Bowden St) is a lot nicer than the old side (Meadow Crescent).

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0
drivef

currently living in meadow cres, the neighbours in my block are friendly and take care of the properties.

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"A Great Area for Singles, Couples and Small Families"

I live at Meadowbank.
Meadowbank is one of the more affordable areas close to good recreational and sporting facilities within a quick trip to the city.
Meadowbank is currently going through upgrades around the train station and has recently gone through enhancements to the recreational area including upgrades to the park near Meadow Crescent. There is an excellent walking track and bike track.
Public transport at Meadowbank is affordable and reliable.
Shopping at Meadowbank is good and the larger shops at West Ryde are very close.
Neighbours in our block are very friendly and we often have good conversations and are welcome to pop in.
I recommend Meadowbank to those who wish to live in an area with good potential and the council looking after Meadowbank is doing good things for it.

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1
Romulus

The recent refurbishments to Meadowbank went along with the new apartment
developments near the wharf, to attract up-market tenants.
These units are distinct from the main street and are very expensive.

"...Clean to live in?" Meadowbank is a refurbished industrial site.
Doixins in the soil are still being burnt off in adjacent Rhodes, which you
can smell from Meadowbank. This has been a big issue with residents worried
about the health implications. Mosquitoes from the mangroves are also a problem.

The local park is built on top of an old garbage dump from the 50's, which is
still subsiding, causing the fields to collapse every now and then. I have
heard reports that the park can be unsafe, even in broad daylight, though
lots of families use it on weekends.

Here is one notable Meadowbank resident who lived (to my horror) in Meadow Crescent
before he was arrested. I was shocked to see the police cars converge on his
unit complex one morning:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/17/1092508465040.html?from=storylhs

Yes, I lived there but left for somewhere better (Putney). The is some effort
to make Meadowbank more like Putney, but it will be a while before it gets there.

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"Overpriced squalid slum with pretensions"

Lived in Meadowbank for six years. First moved in as a poor student. Best thing I did was move out after I got my degree and got a job. The main street (Meadow Crescent) is full of units built in the 1960's and 1970's, small and squalid, are overpriced and many decaying as they are poorly maintained. Clearly these units were built to service the Technical college near the railway station, which attracts mainly overseas students from Asia. So the demand has pushed up prices recently.

Meadowbank is also a target of burglars from the outer western suburbs --- I was broken into twice, and so were several neighbours. The police said that they jump off the train, do a job and then jump back on again.

No community spirit exists and there are some ethnic tensions --- one bloke was chasing someone down the street with a samurai sword late at night. We went to court as witnesses, though no resident in the street had the brains to call the cops when it was happening, except us after we had rescued the victim.My neigbours claimed they didn't call the cops because they thought it was a domestic!

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  • Singles
0
EveJ

Meadowbank is very friendly. People often greet each other walking down the street and in the building. There are several friendly cafes where locals interact. I have not heard of robberies, although robberies do happen everywhere. I enjoyed Meadowbank.

FrancesK
FrancesK

Police report that any area directly next to a train station will experience small calibre robberies due to the get away factor (mobile phones, Ipods - not plasma TVs) The pigeon lady is very nice.

I have lived in a few suburbs on the lower north shore from Lane Cove to West Ryde. Meadowbank has it all. Yes the units on Meadow cres are 60/70s built. But the are very well maintained, and easy to update ( I just did it)
Dont pay heed to this mans negative rreviews, check it out for your self. I am sure you will find many more positives than negatives.

Oh And I work at the Local TAFE and there is a healthy mix of nationalities and cultures at this TAFE, as with any TAFE. If this man has such racial views, I dont think there is any suburb suitable for him, it IS a multi-cultural society.

Romulus

I agree, certain streets have the 1960’s buildings look. It would be good to get those renovated and looking modern.
Meadowbank is a target for robbers from the west? I mean come on, this applies to Hunters Hill, Chatswood, etc. Robbery happens everywhere! You were just unlucky.

I’m surprised robbers would go through all the effort of catching a train from the west, and then have to change trains at strathfield to get to meadowbank. I have lived there for 6 years on a building with no security, and its all smooth sailing. On warm nights my neighbour keeps his balcony doors open all night!

That story about the samurai guy is very strange! I’m surprised it wasn’t in the news! But that would definitely be an extraordinary and isolated incident.

There will always be the good and bad in each suburb. Sounds like you just had the bad luck. For me? its all good. …and from talking to others in the community, its all good for them too.

DenS

"full of units built in the 1960's and 1970's, small and squalid, are overpriced and many decaying as they are poorly maintained" = lots of potential to renovate and increase value, just as I have done :)

I have not seen any of the problems you claim to have seen and i've been here a few years. Looks like you're on your own with your comments.

Romulus

I appreciate that others may have different experiences than myself, but after six years of experiences in Meadowbank I was glad to get out. I drove through Meadow crescent recently and nothing's changed since I moved away.

You have to question the impartiality of some of the comments of people who have admitted to having bought in the area.

DenS --- good luck with the capital gains, I wish you the best. You wouldn't happen to know FrancesK would you? Given the similarity of the posts and the fact you both have renovated in the same street recently.

offgreenfx

I lived in Meadowbank all my life up until moving to the Central Coast recently. If I could still afford to live there I would have. Don't listen to Romulus, he/she is trolling. Putney was the absolute pits when I grew up. Mosquitos/Housing Commission/Drugs/Crime and it fixed itself up within 10 years and became very desirable as it is now. Meadowbank was never as bad as Putney was years ago and will probably never be as affluent as Putney is now, few suburbs experience such a radical change like that.

Meadowbank is however a fantastic low crime area which I would feel safe walking around anytime of day or night and have many times. Police Crime stats on www.police.nsw.gov.au show the area is one of the safest in Sydney when you check the crime maps. Internet trolls like Romulus like manipulating the facts.

WangoL

A man chased down a street with a Samurai sword sounds like a freak incident that could or might happen in any suburb.

If you look on Domain now, a number of Meadow Crescent apartments have undergone interior renovations with modern kitchens and bathrooms. While the exterior facade is still 60s and 70s style red brick building, "Squalid slum" would be taking it a bit far.

WendyM5

Meadowbank is this little place where people either stay for a very long time (if not a lifetime) because they simply love what it offers or leave as quickly as possible because it does not suit their lifestyle for whatever reason. The previous posts have succinctly spelt out all the benefits so I won't repeat them here. I have lived here for over 10 years and can see myself retiring here comfortably in 30 years' time.

My child is only a few years old and he is already telling me that he wants to stay in Meadowbank forever because he loves the parklands, the playgrounds and his many lovely little friends here, not to mention being so close to all the goodies in the shops. I secretly hope he will be able to afford to live here by the time he has to pay his own way in life. Lol. We have a few properties in the area and we never wanted to invest anywhere else. I am happy to report that we are definitely reaping the financial benefits for our deep love for Meadowbank as well.

If you prefer living in newer buildings with better facilities, then I would definitely choose one of those units in the Waterpoint complex built in the last 10 years or so around Bay Drive and Angas Street. Bathrooms in these units are actually well ventilated by quality systems installed in each unit. This more than makes up for lack of bathroom with its own window. Units in Waterpoint tend to be much more spacious too.

Over the years units on Meadow Crescent have increased a lot in prices. Most of the blocks on Meadow Crescent were built in the 1960s and 1970s to very basic standards. You can renovate but renovation still does not overcome problems such as poor insulation etc. As a keen observer and active investor in the Meadowbank property market, I believe that the eastern side of Meadowbank (on the ferry wharf side) actually offers better value for money now. But I will only limit my choices to the units in the Waterpoint complex though and will avoid buying anything built by developer Holdmark Property Group particularly those units on Belmore Street. Those units were built on the cheap and are of poor quality with substandard ventilation. I have a friend who lives in one of the Holdmark units and the bathrooms are mouldy because of poor ventilation.

Yes opportunistic random robbery does happen in Meadowbank just like everywhere else in a big metropolis like Sydney. Some years ago we were having a body corporate meeting at dusk at the front of our block at Meadow Crescent. All of a sudden we heard a lady's desperate and piercing cry for "Help!!". Without knowing what was going on, all the meeting attendees ran towards that direction and collectively we managed to wrestle the lady's handbag from one Middle Eastern looking guy in his early 20s. And we didn't stop there. We then chased him down the street and got the number plate of his getaway car. Later we learned that he turned himself in at Burwood Police Station either later that night or the following morning. The police told us he was not a Meadowbank local and was from Southwest Sydney.

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"Great central location with excellent transport facilities"

I have worked in and travelled to Meadowbank for many years and have found it a pretty nice suburb. With the change from light industrial to residental this little waterside suburb is finally looking up. The addition of a shopping centre in the new residental development is a real bonus for people living here and the playing fields and waterside parks are great.

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