View source for Inner West

{{about|the [[Regions of Sydney|Sydney region]]|the [[Local government in Australia|local government authority]] in Sydney|Inner West Council}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place | type = region
| name         = Inner West Sydney
| city         = [[Sydney]]
| state        = nsw
| image        = Leichhardt Town Hall corner.jpg
| caption      = [[Leichhardt Town Hall]], [[Leichhardt, New South Wales|Leichhardt]]
| pop          = 304,771
| pop_year     = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name="Census">{{Census 2021 AUS|id=120|name=Sydney - Inner West|access-date=3 February 2024|quick=on}}</ref>
| poprank      =
| density      =
| est          =
| area         =
| lga          = {{bulleted list|[[Burwood Council|Burwood]]|[[City of Canada Bay|Canada Bay]]|[[City of Canterbury-Bankstown|Canterbury Bankstown]]|[[Inner West Council]]|[[Municipality of Strathfield|Strathfield]]|[[City of Sydney|Sydney]]}}
| stategov     = {{bulleted list|[[Electoral district of Balmain|Balmain]]|[[Electoral district of Canterbury|Canterbury]]|[[Electoral district of Drummoyne|Drummoyne]]|[[Electoral district of Newtown|Newtown]]|[[Electoral district of Strathfield|Strathfield]]|[[Electoral district of Summer Hill|Summer Hill]]}}
| fedgov       = {{bulleted list|[[Division of Barton|Barton]]|[[Division of Grayndler|Grayndler]]|[[Division of Reid|Reid]]|[[Division of Sydney|Sydney]]|[[Division of Watson|Watson]]}}
| near-nw      = [[Northern Sydney]]
| near-n       = [[Northern Sydney]]<br>([[Parramatta River]])
| near-ne      = [[North Shore (Sydney)|North Shore]]<br>([[Sydney Harbour]])
| near-w       = [[Greater Western Sydney]]
| near-e       = [[Sydney central business district|Sydney CBD]]
| near-sw      = [[South Western Sydney]]
| near-s       = ([[Cooks River]])<br>[[City of Canterbury-Bankstown|Canterbury Bankstown]]
| near-se      = [[Sydney Airport]]
}}
The '''Inner West of Sydney''' is an area directly west of the [[Sydney central business district]], [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]].  The suburbs that make up the Inner West are predominantly located along the southern shore of [[Port Jackson]] ([[Parramatta River]]), stretching south to the shores of the [[Cooks River]]. The western boundary of the Inner West is approximately the [[A3 (Sydney)|A3 arterial road]] (Homebush Bay Drive / Centenary Drive), which divides the Inner West from the [[Greater Western Sydney]] region. The Inner West is much larger than the [[Inner West Council]] local government area. The Inner West roughly corresponds with the [[Parish of Petersham]] and [[Parish of Concord]], two [[Cadastral divisions of New South Wales|cadastral divisions]] used for [[land titles]].

==Suburbs==
[[File:Satellite image of Sydney Inner West region, highlighting boundaries.png|thumb|400px|left|The customary boundary areas of the region mentioned in this section are highlighted in this NASA satellite image of Sydney.]]
The boundaries of the Inner West region are customary, not administrative or legal, and as such are defined differently in different contexts.  The northern and southern boundaries are natural and thus generally well defined: they are the [[Parramatta River]] and the [[Cooks River]] respectively.

In the west, the upper reaches of the Cooks River flow close to, but do not meet, the Parramatta River, and the western boundary is thus ill-defined. Near the source of the Cooks River and at the point at which the two rivers run closest to each other, a large, uninhabited area stretches between the two rivers, occupied by the [[Enfield Locomotive Depot|Enfield rail yards]] (now the Enfield Intermodel Logistics Centre), the [[Chullora, New South Wales|Chullora]] rail yards, [[Rookwood Cemetery]], [[Flemington Maintenance Depot]], and former industrial land stretching north to the shores of Homebush Bay, which is now [[Sydney Olympic Park]]. This geographical dividing strip has long coincided with council boundaries: the former municipalities of Concord, Homebush and Strathfield lay to its east, while the former municipalities of Rookwood and Bankstown lay to its west. The creek marking the former boundary between Homebush and Rookwood is named "Boundary Creek". Since the new [[A3 (Sydney)|A3]] arterial road (Homebush Bay Drive / Centenary Drive) was built along this strip at the end of the 20th century, that road is now often regarded as the more precise boundary line between the Inner West and Greater Western Sydney. Today, council boundaries still largely, though not precisely, follow this line: with small exceptions, the [[City of Canada Bay]] and the [[Municipality of Strathfield]] lie to its east, while the [[City of Parramatta]], [[Cumberland City Council (New South Wales)|Cumberland Council]] and the [[City of Canterbury-Bankstown]] lies to its west.

The eastern boundary is less well defined, as many suburbs immediately to the west of the Sydney city centre are alternatively regarded as part of the Inner West or as part of the city or "inner city" region. Customarily, either the [[Princes Highway|A36 arterial road]] (Princes Highway/King Street/City Road) or the local arterial route formed by Sydney Park Road, Mitchell Road, Gibbon Street/Botany Road and Regent Street is often seen as the boundary between the Inner West and the inner city/[[Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)|Eastern Suburbs]]/inner south region.

The Inner West is alternatively defined as corresponding to the [[Parish of Petersham]] and [[Parish of Concord]], two [[Cadastral divisions of New South Wales|cadastral divisions]] used for [[land titles]]. This largely agrees with the customary definition above, except for some suburbs immediately to the east or west of the cadastral boundaries. For example, the western boundary of the Parish of Concord largely follows the course of [[Saleyards Creek]], which approximates the boundary between [[Homebush]] and [[Flemington, New South Wales|Flemington]]. The parish therefore excludes Flemington even though that suburbs lies mostly east of the A3 road. Conversely, the suburb of [[Rhodes, New South Wales|Rhodes]] is mostly west of the A3 road but in the Parish of Concord. On the eastern side, [[Erskineville, New South Wales|Erskineville]] and [[Macdonaldtown, New South Wales|Macdonaldtown]] and [[Darlington, New South Wales|Darlington]] are within the Parish of Petersham, but most of neighbouring [[Redfern, New South Wales|Redfern]] and [[Alexandria, New South Wales|Alexandria]] are not.

The [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] also defines a statistical region (Statistical Area Level 4) called "Inner West". This region comprises most of the [[Municipality of Strathfield]], [[Municipality of Burwood]] and the [[City of Canada Bay]], as well as the former [[Municipality of Ashfield]] and [[Municipality of Leichhardt]] (both now part of [[Inner West Council]]).<ref name="Census" /> This region is mostly a subset of the regions in the two definitions outlined above, excluding the inner western and inner southwestern suburbs such as Glebe, Enmore, Petersham and Marrickville, which are instead in the region called "City and Inner South". As it is based on suburb boundaries, it also includes some small areas that fall outside the definitions outlined above, such as the part of the suburb of Strathfield South that lies south of the Cooks River and the parts of several suburbs that lie west of the A3 road.<ref name="Census" />

Another customary definition of the Inner West is by local government areas. In this customary definition, the [[Inner West Council]], [[City of Canada Bay]], the [[Municipality of Strathfield]] and the [[Municipality of Burwood]] make up the Inner West. This definition is sometimes used in local government administrative contexts.<ref name="Councils">See, e.g., Inner West Council, "[https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/live/community-well-being/young-people/inner-west-youth-alliance Inner West Youth Alliance]": "''... the Sydney Inner West local government areas of the Inner West, Burwood, Canada Bay  and Strathfield''"</ref> This definition excludes the innermost suburbs that are within the [[City of Sydney]] council area and southern suburbs that are within the [[City of Canterbury-Bankstown]], but includes some suburbs that lie outside the above definitions but are within the Municipality of Strathfield.

Commercial sources, especially in the real estate context, sometimes refer to suburbs that are not in any of the definitions above as being in the Inner West. For example, [[Beaconsfield, New South Wales|Beaconsfield]] is variously considered part of inner city, [[Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)|Eastern Suburbs]]<ref>[https://www.domain.com.au/suburb-profile/beaconsfield-nsw-2015 Domain Suburb Profile - Beaconsfield]</ref> or inner south Sydney, but is also sometimes referred as part of the Inner West.<ref name="Domain Property Guide 2016">[https://b.domainstatic.com.au/domain-property-guide-2016.pdf Domain Property Guide 2016]</ref> Likewise, [[Wentworth Point, New South Wales|Wentworth Point]] is part of [[Greater Western Sydney]] by any of the above definitions, separated from the Inner West by [[Sydney Olympic Park]] and the waters of [[Homebush Bay]], and is normally considered part of that region in administrative contexts,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://profile.id.com.au/cws/about |title=Centre for Western Sydney - About the profile area |access-date=29 October 2020 |archive-date=21 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421011509/https://profile.id.com.au/cws/about |url-status=dead }}</ref> but is sometimes referred to as part of the Inner West.<ref name="Domain Property Guide 2016"/>

The contested meaning of the term "Inner West" is itself considered a cultural phenomenon in Sydney: in reference to this, Michael Koziol, the Sydney editor of the [[Sydney Morning Herald]], has written humorously that "the inner west is a state of mind".<ref>Koziol, M, "[https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-inner-west-is-a-state-of-mind-and-29-other-rules-to-survive-in-sydney-20230322-p5cuae.html The inner west is a state of mind, and 29 other rules to survive in Sydney]", ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 14 April 2023.</ref>

Based on the above definitions and the former distribution area of the ''Inner West Courier'' local newspaper,<ref>{{cite web | url= http://newslocal.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx | title=Inner West Courier - Inner West Edition Distribution | publisher=NewsLocal (News Corp Australia)| access-date=2016-10-11 }}</ref> the Inner West generally includes the suburbs:
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
* [[Abbotsford, New South Wales|Abbotsford]]
* [[Annandale, New South Wales|Annandale]]
* [[Ashbury, New South Wales|Ashbury]]
* [[Ashfield, New South Wales|Ashfield]]
* [[Balmain, New South Wales|Balmain]]
* [[Balmain East, New South Wales|Balmain East]]
* [[Birchgrove, New South Wales|Birchgrove]]
* [[Breakfast Point, New South Wales|Breakfast Point]]
* [[Burwood, New South Wales|Burwood]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Burwood Heights, New South Wales|Burwood Heights]]
* [[Cabarita, New South Wales|Cabarita]]
* [[Camperdown, New South Wales|Camperdown]]
* [[Canada Bay, New South Wales|Canada Bay]]
* [[Chiswick, New South Wales|Chiswick]]
* [[Concord, New South Wales|Concord]]
* [[Concord West, New South Wales|Concord West]]
* [[Croydon, New South Wales|Croydon]]
* [[Croydon Park, New South Wales|Croydon Park]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Drummoyne, New South Wales|Drummoyne]]
* [[Dulwich Hill, New South Wales|Dulwich Hill]]
* [[Enfield, New South Wales|Enfield]]
* [[Enmore, New South Wales|Enmore]]
* [[Erskineville, New South Wales|Erskineville]]
* [[Five Dock, New South Wales|Five Dock]]
* [[Flemington, New South Wales|Flemington]]
* [[Forest Lodge, New South Wales|Forest Lodge]]
* [[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Haberfield, New South Wales|Haberfield]]
* [[Homebush, New South Wales|Homebush]]
* [[Hurlstone Park, New South Wales|Hurlstone Park]]
* [[Leichhardt, New South Wales|Leichhardt]]
* [[Lewisham, New South Wales|Lewisham]]
* [[Liberty Grove, New South Wales|Liberty Grove]]
* [[Lilyfield, New South Wales|Lilyfield]]
* [[Marrickville, New South Wales|Marrickville]]
* [[Mortlake, New South Wales|Mortlake]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Newington, New South Wales|Newington]]
* [[Newtown, New South Wales|Newtown]]
* [[North Strathfield, New South Wales|North Strathfield]]
* [[Petersham, New South Wales|Petersham]]
* [[Rhodes, New South Wales|Rhodes]]
* [[Rodd Point, New South Wales|Rodd Point]]
* [[Rozelle, New South Wales|Rozelle]]
* [[Russell Lea, New South Wales|Russell Lea]]
* [[St Peters, New South Wales|St Peters]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Stanmore, New South Wales|Stanmore]]
* [[Strathfield, New South Wales|Strathfield]]
* [[Strathfield South, New South Wales|Strathfield South]]
* [[Summer Hill, New South Wales|Summer Hill]]
* [[Sydenham, New South Wales|Sydenham]]
* [[Tempe, New South Wales|Tempe]]
* [[Wareemba, New South Wales|Wareemba]]
{{col-end}}

Other suburbs sometimes referred to as being in the Inner West, especially in commercial contexts, include:
* [[Alexandria, New South Wales|Alexandria]]
* [[Beaconsfield, New South Wales|Beaconsfield]]
* [[Belfield, New South Wales|Belfield]]
* [[Campsie, New South Wales|Campsie]]
* [[Canterbury, New South Wales|Canterbury]]
* [[Earlwood, New South Wales|Earlwood]]
* [[Wentworth Point, New South Wales|Wentworth Point]]<ref>
[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/wentworth-point-rowing-club-to-be-at-the-heart-of-homebush-bay-precinct-development/news-story/63c32e394dce6ab1d7b232d9c47a16bf Wentworth Point Rowing Club to be at the heart of Homebush Bay precinct development] Daily Telegraph 10 June 2016</ref><ref>
[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/wentworth-point-and-rhodes-bridge-to-break-sydneys-dependence-on-cars/news-story/4b82bd7764b02a85c31630fb48f640c2 Wentworth Point and Rhodes bridge to break Sydney’s dependence on cars] Daily Telegraph 31 August 2015</ref>

== History ==

===Indigenous land===
Prior to the arrival of the [[First Fleet]], the Sydney region was home to the [[Darug people]]. This nation was broken up into a number of [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] clans who tended to live in a certain geographic area. Each clan contained about 50 to 100 people and, to avoid genetic problems, the men would marry women from other clans. So the clans were interrelated and members from one clan would frequently travel in the territory of others, including to hunt, trade and perform ceremonies. They didn't consider themselves owners of the land, rather custodians.<ref>''Speed the Plough — Ashfield 1788-1988'', by Sheena & Robert Coupe, published by Ashfield Municipal Council, 1988 {{ISBN|0-9595234-1-3}}</ref>

What is now the Inner West was formerly home to two clans, the [[Cadigal]], whose land stretched along Port Jackson from South Head to [[Lewisham, New South Wales|Lewisham]], and the [[Wangal]], whose land was immediately to the west of the Cadigals and stretched to about [[Homebush Bay, New South Wales|Homebush Bay]]. Other clans that would have been regular visitors to the area would have included the [[Birrabirragal]] and Muru-ora-dial in what is now the [[Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)|Eastern Suburbs]], the Bediagal and Kameygal from the [[Cooks River]] area to the south, the Burramattagal from the [[Parramatta, New South Wales|Parramatta]] area to the west, and the Wallumattagal, Cammeraigal and Gorualgal from the northern shores of the Parramatta River.<ref>[http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/popups/group_locations.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004061748/http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/popups/group_locations.html|date=October 4, 2008}}</ref>

===European arrival===
[[File:Parramattard1870susyd.jpg|thumb|left|A coach, marked "Ashfield-Burwood", is heading down Parramatta Road towards Sydney in the 1870s (the University of Sydney is in the background).]]
[[File:1379 - Yasmar House constructed from 1856 to 1858. (5045179b4).jpg|thumb|right|[[Yasmar]], in Haberfield, built in the 1850s.]]
[[File:(1)Italianate mansion Strathfield-2.jpg|thumb|right|A large house in the Victorian Italiante style in Strathfield, typical of constructions in this area in the late 19th century.]]
Land grants in the Inner West area began in the late 18th century. By 1814, a stage coach was running between the two major settlements of Sydney (to the east) and [[Parramatta]] (to the west), then further west to [[Richmond, New South Wales|Richmond]]. This spurred the development of several settlements along the stage coach route, now [[Parramatta Road]]. A number of the large land grants in the area were subdivided for commercial and residential development, such as Ashfield Park in 1838. The construction of the [[Main Suburban railway line]] in 1855 spurred further development, especially at the original stations of Newtown, Ashfield, Burwood and Homebush. Many of the original land grants in the area were subdivided for commercial and residential development in the decades following the arrival of the railway, such as the [[Homebush, New South Wales#Homebush South (Homebush Village)|Village of Homebush]] in 1878. The colony's elite - politicians, judges, industrialists and businessmen - began to build grand homes in the "outer" parts of the Inner West, such as the [[William Arnott (biscuit manufacturer)|Arnott]] family (of the biscuit empire) and the family of [[David Jones (merchant)|David Jones]] (the retailer), who built various homes in Strathfield.

As a result of population growth, local governments formed in the area in the 19th century, such as the [[Municipality of Newtown]] in 1862, the [[Municipality of Petersham]], the [[Municipality of Leichhardt]] and the [[Municipality of Ashfield]] in 1871, the [[Municipality of Burwood]] in 1874, the [[Municipality of Concord]] in 1883 and the [[Municipality of Strathfield]] in 1885.

During the last quarter of the 19th century, [[Trams in Sydney|Sydney's tram network]] expanded into the Inner West, and continued expanding into the early 20th century, eventually serving almost all of the Inner West, as far afield as Cabarita, Enfield and Canterbury.

In 1895, a [[Bankstown railway line|suburban railway line]] was built, branching from the [[Illawarra railway line]] at [[Sydenham, New South Wales|Sydenham]], which provided access to the railway for suburbs in the south of the Inner West, such as [[Marrickville, New South Wales|Marrickville]] and [[Dulwich Hill, New South Wales|Dulwich Hill]].

===Industrial and residential development===
[[File:Station Corner on Parramatta Road and Great North Road, Five Dock- 1938 (19448636962).jpg|thumb|right|Commercial premises along Parramatta Road and suburban housing in Five Dock, in the 1930s.]]
[[File:Lever Brothers Balmain - Feb 1939.jpg|thumb|right|The Lever Brothers factory in Balmain, an example of industrial use of the Inner West waterfront, in 1939.]]
Due to its central location and easy access by water, rail and road, large scale industrial development occurred in the Inner West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A number of large residences were turned to industrial use, such as [[Arthur Renwick]]'s Abbotsford House, which became [[Nestlé]]'s chocolate factory, and Roland Ducker's Strathroy in Cabarita, which became the paint factory of British Australian Lead Manufacturers (BALM), later Dulux.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/canadabayconnections/7877499792/in/set-72157636102616896 Canada Bay Connections]</ref>

However, the residential suburbs continued to be popular. For example, Australian prime ministers who lived in the Inner West in this period include [[William McMahon]], [[Earle Page]], [[George Reid]], [[Frank Forde]] and [[Billy Hughes]]. A number of the high quality residential developments in the period immediately after the [[Federation of Australia]] are highly regarded ensembles of Australian residential architecture and heritage protected, including the large scale [[Haberfield, New South Wales|Haberfield]] "garden suburb" development, which began in 1901, the smaller Malvern Hill Estate in [[Croydon, New South Wales|Croydon]], which began in 1909, and the Hoskins Estate in [[Appian Way, Burwood]], which began in 1903.

Suburbanisation accelerated in the interwar years, resulting in the outer suburbs of the Inner West, such as Strathfield, Burwood and Concord, growing in prestige while the dense inner suburbs, such as Newtown, Enmore and Erskineville, declined.

===Post-war migration and gentrification===
[[File:Balmain Bank.JPG|thumb| Historic [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux-Arts]] bank, [[Balmain, New South Wales|Balmain]]]]
An influx of [[Post-war immigration to Australia|migrants to Australia]] following the end of [[World War II]] brought a large number of migrants to the Inner West, primarily from European countries. Many migrants were attracted to the area by the availability of industrial jobs, proximity to the city and the good availability of public transport. The change in demographics also brought ethnically distinct shops, cafes and restaurants, giving a cosmopolitan character to the commercial areas of a number of commercial centres in the Inner West. For example, Haberfield and [[Leichhardt, New South Wales|Leichhardt]] became distinguished by the concentration of [[Italian Australians|Italian]] businesses, while [[Petersham, New South Wales|Petersham]] became the hub of Sydney's [[Portuguese Australians|Portuguese]] community.

Continued industrial development and the influx of blue collar workers, including European immigrants, accelerated the disparity between suburbs. In 1977, Strathfield was the most expensive suburb in metropolitan Sydney measured by median house price, while inner suburbs of the Inner West, such as Leichhardt, were cheaper than outer Western suburbs such as [[Bankstown]].<ref>Domain, [https://www.domain.com.au/news/what-sydney-prices-looked-like-40-years-ago-when-bankstown-was-more-expensive-than-leichhardt-20171022-gz1rpb/ What Sydney prices looked like 40 years ago when Bankstown was more expensive than Leichhardt]</ref>

The pattern of immigrant settlement continued and radiated further west after the end of the [[White Australia Policy]] changed the ethnic makeup of Australia's migrant intake. For example, in the late 20th century, [[Ashfield, New South Wales|Ashfield]] became a hub for Chinese immigrants, especially those from [[Shanghai]], known as "Little Shanghai". [[Burwood, New South Wales|Burwood]] has likewise become a hub for Chinese immigrants and overseas students.

Towards the end of the 20th century, the proliferation of alternative cultures in the inner suburbs such as Newtown led to a wave of gentrification.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tovey|first=Josephine|title=Bars open, property up: arise the 'new Paddington'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/bars-open-property-up-arise-the-new-paddington-20100312-q45v.html|access-date=15 November 2013|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Horin|first=Adele|title=Grunge gives way to gentrification in streets of Newtown|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/grunge-gives-way-to-gentrification-in-streets-of-newtown-20110114-19r9g.html|access-date=15 November 2013|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>

Along the foreshore and in the outer suburbs of the Inner West, industrial facilities were returned to residential use. The Colgate-Palmolive factory and the Lever Brothers soap factory, both in Balmain, were converted into apartments. Both Abbotsford House and Strathroy House, mentioned above, were restored and returned to residential use, while the factories that were built around them were replaced by upmarket housing developments. Likewise, the flour mills which have long dominated the skyline of [[Summer Hill, New South Wales|Summer Hill]] was redeveloped for residential use.<ref name="Munro">Munro, Catherine, [http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/light-rail-left-idling-on-the-track/2007/10/14/1192300600657.html "Light rail left idling on the track"], ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'', 15 October 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.</ref>

Reflecting these changes, by 2017, the spread of highly valued residential suburbs of the Inner West had expanded further east. In that year, the seven suburbs that recorded median house prices exceeding $2 million were, in descending order of median price: Cabarita, Strathfield, Burwood, Chiswick, Balmain East, Rhodes and Burwood Heights, covering both the traditionally popular 'outer' Inner West and the newly gentrified, formerly industrial waterfront suburbs.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/seven-inner-west-suburbs-pass-the-2m-median-mark-for-houses/news-story/e644adbdea6693bea16f4588269e3b6a|title=Sydney's new prestige hotspot|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=10 June 2016|last1=McIntyre|first1=Tim}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Abbotsford-Cabarita-Concord-PC220092.JPG|thumb|left|The geography in the northern part of the Inner West is dominated by a series of large bays (Hen and Chicken Bay and Abbotsford Bay pictured) and the peninsulas between them.]]
The geography of the Inner West is defined by the southern catchments of the [[Parramatta River]], the northern boundary of the region, and the northern catchment of the [[Cooks River]], the southern boundary. The western boundary of the region is near the source of the Cooks River. The [[Hume Highway]] approximately follows the ridgeline between the two catchments.

In this region, Parramatta River widens via a series of bays and transitions into the [[ria|drowned valley]] that forms [[Sydney Harbour]]. This forms a series of large bays along the southern shore, the largest of these being (from west to east) [[Homebush Bay]], [[Hen and Chicken Bay]] and [[Iron Cove]]. The presence of these bays have had a significant effect on patterns of development in the region and the placement of infrastructure such as roads and railways.

In between the two rivers, the topography is characterised by rolling hills intersected by shallow valleys through which waterways flow to the two rivers, including [[Iron Cove Creek]], [[Hawthorne Canal]] (formerly Long Cove Creek), [[Whites Creek (Annandale)|Whites Creek]] and [[Johnstons Creek (New South Wales)|Johnstons Creek]]. These waterways have been drastically altered since the late 19th century by the means of concrete lining. In the 1860s iron Cove Creek was a freely flowing waterway which in places broadened into ponds that made excellent and picturesque swimming holes. {{Citation needed|date=July 2017}} It is now barely a trickle lined by residential areas, parkland and fast-food restaurants.

==Demographics==
[[File:ChineseLionDancing Ashfield.jpg|thumb|The Inner West is a culturally diverse area. Here, Chinese lion dancing entertains a crowd at Ashfield.]]
The "'''Sydney - Inner West'''" statistical area defined by the [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] covers most of the Inner West by most customary definitions, but not all of it: suburbs in the eastern and southeastern edge of the customary region which are in the City of Sydney and the former Marrickville Council areas, such as Glebe, Enmore, Petersham and Marrickville, are instead in the region called "City and Inner South".

According to the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the Sydney - Inner West statistical area had a total population of 304,771 people. The most common reported ancestries were English 20.7%, Australian 17.8%, Chinese 16.5%, Italian 9.5% and Irish 9.2%, with 57.1% of people having both parents born overseas. 52.8% of people were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were mainland China 7.9%, India 3.4%, Nepal 3.0%, England 2.8% and Italy 2.4%. 54.1% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 8.6%, Cantonese 4.1%, Italian 3.7%, Nepali 2.9% and Korean 2.5%. The median weekly household income was $2,250, which is higher than the New South Wales median of $1,829 and the Australian median of $1,746.<ref name="Census" />

The table below summarises historical data for the "Sydney - Inner West" statistical area since it was first defined in the 2011 census. Prior to 2011, the "Inner Western Sydney" statistical area covered most of the Inner West, but excluded the former Leichhardt Council, so the data is not directly comparable.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=6|Historical census data for the Sydney - Inner West 
|-
!colspan=3|Census year !!2011<ref name="Census2011">{{Census 2011 AUS|id=120 |name=Sydney - Inner West (SA4) |access-date=3 November 2012 |quick=on}}</ref> !!2016<ref name="Census2016">{{Census 2016 AUS|id=120|name=Sydney - Inner West (SA4)|access-date=15 August 2019|quick=on}}</ref> !!2021<ref name="Census"/>
|-
|rowspan=3 colspan="2"|Population ||Estimated residents on [[Census in Australia|census night]] ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;{{formatnum:263560}} ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;{{formatnum:293301}} ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;{{formatnum:304771}}
|-
|align="right"|% of New South Wales population||align="right"|3.81% ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;3.92% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;3.78%
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian population||align="right"|1.23% ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;1.25% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;1.20%
|-
!colspan=3|Cultural and language diversity !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=6 colspan=2|[[Ancestor|Ancestry]],<br />top responses ||||(% of responses)||(% of responses)||(% of population)
|-
|[[English people|English]]||align="right"|16.6%  ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;16.1%  ||align="right"|20.7%
|-
|[[Australians|Australian]]||align="right"|15.7%  ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;13.7%  ||align="right"|17.8%
|-
|[[Chinese people|Chinese]]||align="right"|10.3%  ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;12.6%  ||align="right"|16.5%
|-
|[[Italian people|Italian]]||align="right"|8.2%  ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;7.5%  ||align="right"|9.5%
|-
|[[Irish people|Irish]]||align="right"|7.5%  ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;7.5%  ||align="right"|9.2%
|-
|rowspan=6 colspan=2|Language,<br />top responses<br />(other than [[Australian English|English]]) || [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]]||align="right"|5.9%  ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;9.0%  ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;8.6%
|-
|[[Cantonese]]||align="right"|4.3% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;4.2%  ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;4.1% 
|-
|[[Italian language|Italian]]||align="right"|5.7% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;4.6% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;3.7%
|-
|[[Nepali language|Nepali]]||align="right"|- ||align="right"|- ||align="right"|2.9%
|-
|[[Korean language|Korean]]||align="right"|2.9% ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;3.1% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;2.5%
|-
|[[Greek language|Greek]]||align="right"|2.7% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;2.3% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;-
|-
!colspan=3|Religious affiliation !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=6 colspan=2|[[Religion in Australia|Religious affiliation]],<br />top responses ||[[Irreligion in Australia|No religion]], so described||align="right"|23.6% ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;31.7% ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;37.2%
|-
|[[Roman Catholic Church in Australia|Catholic]]||align="right"|31.9% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;27.4% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;25.8%
|-
|[[Hinduism in Australia|Hinduism]]||align="right"|4.5% ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;5.4% ||align="right"|{{increase}}&nbsp;6.5%
|-
|[[Anglicanism in Australia|Anglicanism]]||align="right"|9.6% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;6.9% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;5.7%
|-
|[[Irreligion in Australia|Not stated]]||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|9.4% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;5.6%
|-
|[[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox]]||align="right"|4.5% ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;- ||align="right"|-
|-
!colspan=3|Median weekly incomes !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Personal [[Household income|income]] ||[[Median]] weekly personal income||align="right"|{{AUD}}723 ||align="right"|{{AUD}}828 ||align="right"|{{AUD}}1,032 
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"|125.3% ||align="right"|125.1% ||align="right"|128.2%
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Family income ||Median weekly family income||align="right"|{{AUD}}1,985 ||align="right"|{{AUD}}2,284  ||align="right"|{{AUD}}2,757 
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"|134.0% ||align="right"|131.6%  ||align="right"|130.0%
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Household income ||Median weekly household income||align="right"|{{AUD}}1,662 ||align="right"|{{AUD}}1,964  ||align="right"|{{AUD}}2,250
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"|134.7% ||align="right"|136.6% ||align="right"|128.9%
|-
|}

==Housing==
The housing stock within the Inner West reflects the distinct waves of development in its history. The inner-most suburbs of the Inner West were developed early in the life of the colony, and preserve stone houses from the Victorian era and earlier. The inner suburbs of the Inner West were largely subdivided in the 19th century for suburban development, and a large number of two-storey terraced houses and one-storey terraced and timber cottages survive in suburbs such as [[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe]], [[Newtown, New South Wales|Newtown]] and [[Annandale, New South Wales|Annandale]]. Further away from the city, a large number of grand houses of the Victorian era are still standing, though many have been subdivided or are no longer in residential use. After these suburbs were subdivided around the turn of the 20th century, [[Federation architecture]] dominated the style of suburban houses, simplifying over time to the Australian [[Californian bungalow]] style which is still found throughout most of the inner west. While many of the older houses have been replaced by new constructions, a number of areas have retained contiguous areas of housing stock from the early 20th century or earlier, and a number of heritage conservation zones have been created to preserve the character of these areas.

During the 20th century, low- to medium-rise apartment blocks began to proliferate, especially along the railway line. These have in turn been succeeded by the construction of medium- to high-rise apartment blocks in the late 20th century, especially around major stations such as Strathfield and Burwood, and in the redevelopment of formerly industrial land throughout the region and especially along the Parramatta River waterfront. Nevertheless, government planning controls seek to preserve the low-density residential land use throughout much of the Inner West.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:YarallaMansion.JPG|[[Yaralla Estate|Yaralla]], in Concord West, built in the 1860s.
File:Marrickville3.JPG|A Victorian-style house in [[Marrickville, New South Wales|Marrickville]].
File:Burwood Appian Way 9.JPG|''Cassa Tasso'', an example of Federation-era suburban residential architecture in the Hoskins Estate on Appian Way, Burwood.
File:(1)Quiroma in ABeckett Avenue.jpg|Federation bungalow house in Ashfield.
File:Breakfast Point Park.JPG|Breakfast Point, a large scale development on former industrial land.
File:Apartments in rhodes.jpg|Contemporary style apartment developments in Rhodes.
</gallery>

==Schools==
[[File:Newtown School of the Arts.JPG|thumb|School of the Arts, [[Newtown, New South Wales|Newtown]]]]
[[File:Fortstreethighschool.jpg|thumb| Fort Street High School, [[Petersham, New South Wales|Petersham]]]]
The Inner West is the location of several tertiary institutions such as the [[University of Sydney]] at the eastern end in Camperdown, and a major campus of the [[Australian Catholic University]] and the Catholic Institute of Sydney at the western end in Strathfield. A relatively high proportion of the population consists of tertiary students, both in the areas around these institutions, and in the suburbs further away that are well connected to educational institutions by public transport.

The Inner West has a high concentration of public and private secondary schools, many of which were established in the 19th century. Government high schools located in the Inner West include the selective secondary schools [[Fort Street High School]] and [[Sydney Secondary College]], and the public comprehensive high schools [[Ashfield Boys High School]], [[Burwood Girls High School]], [[Concord High School (Sydney)]], [[Homebush Boys High School]] and [[Strathfield Girls High School]], and the specialist high school [[Newtown High School of the Performing Arts]]. [[Alexandria Park Community School]] is a government school with both a selective stream and a comprehensive stream. Private schools in the Inner West include the [[Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney|Presbyterian Ladies' College]] in Croydon, [[Meriden School]], [[St. Patrick's College, Strathfield|St. Patrick's College]] and [[Santa Sabina College]] all in Strathfield, [[MLC School]] in Burwood, [[Trinity Grammar School, New South Wales|Trinity Grammar School]] in Summer Hill (preparatory school in Strathfield), [[Newington College]] in Stanmore, [[Rosebank College]] in Five Dock and [[The McDonald College]] in North Strathfield.

==Transport==
[[File:Petersham1.JPG|thumb|left|[[Petersham railway station]]]]
[[File:RiverCat Marlene Mathews.jpg|thumb|left|Sydney Ferries [[Sydney RiverCat|RiverCat]] services connect the waterfront suburbs of the Inner West with Parramatta, northern Sydney and the Sydney CBD.]]
{{Further|Public transport in Sydney}}
Public transport in the region includes trains, buses, ferries and light rail.<ref name="Destination New South Wales">{{cite web|title=Inner West - Sydney City|url=http://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/inner-sydney|access-date=14 March 2016}}</ref>

The Inner West is bisected by the [[Main Suburban railway line]], the main trunk of the [[Sydney Trains]] network. [[Blue Mountains Line|BMT]], [[Central Coast & Newcastle Line|CCN]], [[North Shore & Western Line|T1]], [[Leppington & Inner West Line|T2]], [[Liverpool & Inner West Line|T3]] and [[Northern Line (Sydney)|T9]] services operate along this railway line, though many only serve limited stops. To the east, these services provide access to {{rwsa|Central|S}} and the [[Sydney CBD]], while to the west of Strathfield they progressively branch out into [[Northern Sydney]], [[Western Sydney]] and beyond.

The [[Illawarra railway line]], used by Sydney Trains [[South Coast Line|SCO]], [[Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line|T4]] and [[Airport & South Line|T8]] services to the [[Illawarra]] and [[Southern Sydney]], passes through the southeastern part of the Inner West, with stations at {{rwsa|Erskineville}}, {{rwsa|St Peters}} and {{rwsa|Sydenham|S}}. Connecting to the Illawarra railway line at Sydenham is the [[Bankstown railway line]], which heads westward through the southern part of the Inner West as far as {{rwsa|Canterbury|S}} before crossing the Cooks River. This section of the Bankstown railway line has been temporarily closed since September 2024 for conversion works to enable [[Sydney Metro]] [[Metro North West & Bankstown Line|M1]] services to operate over it.<ref>{{cite press release |author=Minister for Transport |author-link=Minister for Transport (New South Wales) |date=25 September 2024 |title=T3 Bankstown line to close from Monday |url=https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/t3-bankstown-line-to-close-from-monday |publisher=[[NSW Government]] |access-date=13 October 2024}}</ref>

The [[Sydney Metro West]] [[rapid transit]] rail line is under construction. When completed, it will provide a further connection for suburbs in the north of the Inner West, to Sydney CBD in the east, and to [[Sydney Olympic Park]] and [[Parramatta]] in the west.

There are various bus routes provided largely operated by [[Transit Systems NSW|Transit Systems]].

[[Sydney Ferries]] operates services in the inner harbour and Parramatta River, with a number of wharves serving suburbs in the northern part of the Inner West. The [[Sydney RiverCat]] services in particular are designed to navigate the relatively shallow waterways on the [[Parramatta River ferry services|Parramatta River route]], connecting the Inner West with northern Sydney across the river, Parramatta in the west, and the Sydney CBD in the east.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.beyondthewharf.com.au/rivercat-class/ |title=Rivercat Class - Transdev |access-date=26 August 2021 |archive-date=7 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207142722/https://www.beyondthewharf.com.au/rivercat-class/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[Inner West Light Rail]] connects [[Inner West Light Rail#Central Grand Concourse|Central]] to the Inner West via Pyrmont, with stops in Glebe, Lilyfield, Leichhardt, Lewisham and {{rwsa|Dulwich Hill}}, an interchange with the Bankstown railway line.

[[Parramatta Road]] is a major arterial road that runs through the middle of the Inner West, connecting it with the major centres of Sydney City in the east and Parramatta in the west. At Summer Hill, Liverpool Road (the [[Hume Highway]]) branches from Parramatta Road and proceeds in a southwesterly direction towards Melbourne. The [[A4/M4 (Sydney)|M4]] road largely runs as a motorway tunnel under the Inner West, partly parallel to Parramatta Road. The M4 tunnel has a major junction near Haberfield, with one branch joining the surface road Parramatta Road, another joining the A4 surface road towards the Sydney CBD, and a third branch continuing east as a tunnel under the northern and eastern portion of the Inner West to connect with [[Anzac Bridge]] and the [[M8 Motorway (Sydney)|M8 motorway]] via the [[Rozelle Interchange]]. Ongoing projects will eventually extend the tunnel further north to connect to the future [[Western Harbour Tunnel]], and south to provide a direct connection to Sydney Airport.

Although still playing only a small part in the overall transport task, use of bicycles for transport has increased significantly in the Inner West since the 1990s. Denser populations and shorter distances mean cycling is often quicker and more convenient than driving or taking public transport. A network of bicycle paths, signed bicycle routes on local streets and other aids to safe and convenient cycling is developing. Main bicycle routes include two north–south routes: one located in the western part of the Inner West called the [[Cooks River cycleway]] or "Bay to Bay" cycleway, which connects Ryde to the north with the Cooks River valley and Botany Bay to the southeast, and another located further east called the Greenway which connects [[Iron Cove]] in the north to the Cooks River valley where it joins the Cooks River cycleway, an east–west route from [[Five Dock]] to the Anzac Bridge cycleway, a northwest route from [[Gladesville Bridge]] to [[Anzac Bridge]], and a southwest route from Marrickville to the city via Newtown. Groups of local [[bicycle user group]]s (BUGs) provide help for new cyclists, under the parent banner of Bicycle New South Wales.<ref>[http://www.bicyclensw.org.au Home – Bicycle NSW<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Government==
In the [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|state parliament]], the region is represented by the electoral districts of [[Electoral district of Balmain|Balmain]], [[Electoral district of Canterbury|Canterbury]], [[Electoral district of Drummoyne|Drummoyne]], [[Electoral district of Newtown|Newtown]], [[Electoral district of Strathfield|Strathfield]] and [[Electoral district of Summer Hill|Summer Hill]]. The split of these seats amongst the three largest parties has been relatively consistent. Since 2015, when the [[New South Wales Labor Party|Australian Labor Party]] regained Strathfield from the Liberal Party of Australia, and Summer Hill and Newtown were contested for the first time, the split has remained the same, with Drummoyne represented by the [[New South Wales Liberal Party|Liberal Party]], Canterbury, Strathfield and Summer Hill represented by the Australian Labor Party, and Balmain and Newtown represented by [[The Greens NSW|The Greens]].<ref>{{cite web | url= https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/newtown |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240204101646/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/newtown |archive-date=4 February 2024 |url-status=live | title=The Legislative Assembly District of Newtown | work=[[New South Wales Electoral Commission]] | access-date=4 February 2024 |quote=2015 - Present Jenny LEONG The Greens}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240204101646/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/newtown |url-status=live |archive-date=4 February 2024 |access-date=4 February 2024 |url=https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/canterbury |title=The Legislative Assembly District of Canterbury |quote=2016 – Present Sophie COTSIS Australian Labor Party |work=New South Wales Electoral Commission}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/balmain |title=The Legislative Assembly District of Balmain|access-date=4 February 2024 |url-status=live |quote=2023 – Present Kobi SHETTY The Greens |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240204102454/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/balmain |archive-date=4 February 2024 |work=New South Wales Electoral Commission}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/drummoyne |title=The Legislative Assembly District of Drummoyne |quote=2023 – Present Stephanie DI PASQUA Liberal Party |access-date=4 February 2024 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240204102548/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/drummoyne |work=New South Wales Electoral Commission |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/strathfield |title=The Legislative Assembly District of Strathfield |access-date=4 February 2024 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240204102641/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/strathfield |url-status=live |work=New South Wales Electoral Commission |quote=2022 – Present Jason Yat-Sen LI Australian Labor Party}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/summer-hill |title=The Legislative Assembly District of Summer Hill |access-date=4 February 2024 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240204102514/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/summer-hill |url-status=live |work=New South Wales Electoral Commission |quote=2015 - Present Joanna Elizabeth HAYLEN Australian Labor Party}}</ref>

In the [[Australian House of Representatives|federal parliament]], the area is represented by the electorate of [[Division of Grayndler|Grayndler]] and part of the electorates of [[Division of Reid|Reid]] (which also covers a small part of Greater Western Sydney), [[Division of Sydney|Sydney]] (which also covers the city centre) and [[Division of Watson|Watson]] (which also encompasses a substantial section of the [[Canterbury-Bankstown]] area). All four federal seats have been held by the [[Australian Labor Party]] since the [[2022 Australian federal election|2022 federal election]], when the Labor Party won the division of Reid from the Liberal Party which had held it since 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/guide/reid |title=Reid (Key Seat) - Federal Election 2022 |access-date=4 February 2024 |first=Antony |last=Green |archive-date=4 February 2024 |via=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |work=[[Australian Electoral Commission]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204110230/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/guide/reid}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Grayndler - Federal Election 2022 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/guide/gray |archive-date=4 February 2024 |access-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204111152/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/guide/gray |url-status=live |first=Antony |last=Green |via=ABC News |work=[[Australian Electoral Commission]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204111209/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/guide/wats |archive-date=4 February 2024 |access-date=4 February 2024 |url-status=live |first=Antony |last=Green |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/guide/wats |title=Watson - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results |work=Australian Electoral Commission |via=ABC News}}</ref>

===Local Government areas===
[[File:StrathfieldMunicipalCouncilChambers..jpg|thumb|right|Strathfield Town Hall, seat of the Municipality of Strathfield, one of the local government areas in the Inner West]]

The four [[Local government in Australia|local government areas]] of the [[Municipality of Burwood]], [[City of Canada Bay]], [[Inner West Council]] and [[Municipality of Strathfield]] are sometimes referred to in local government contexts as the "Inner West local government areas".<ref name="Councils"/>

Prior to the amalgamation of Marrickville, Leichardt and Ashfield Councils into Inner West Council, Marrickville Council was often excluded from official definitions of the "Inner West" region. As a result, a number of government sources that use definitions of the "Inner West" based on the earlier council boundaries include the councils listed above, but exclude the Marrickville Council area. These include the definition used by the [[Australian Government]] [[Australian Bureau of Statistics|Bureau of Statistics]],<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/66f306f503e529a5ca25697e0017661f/B0D600B380F64A5DCA256F1900150A73?opendocument | title=1216.0 NSW statistical divisions, subdivisions, local areas | date=28 September 2005 | publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics | access-date=2008-07-30 }}</ref> and the [[New South Wales Government]] [[Department of Planning and Infrastructure (New South Wales)|Department of Planning and Infrastructure]],<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.metrostrategy.nsw.gov.au/dev/digitalAssets/2330_1214807815637_SRS_IW_WEB_3_Centres.pdf | title=Centres and corridors — Inner West | publisher=NSW Department of Planning | access-date=2008-07-30 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090711201757/http://www.metrostrategy.nsw.gov.au/dev/digitalAssets/2330_1214807815637_SRS_IW_WEB_3_Centres.pdf |archive-date = 11 July 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and local media.

The northeastern part of the [[City of Canterbury-Bankstown]] and the western part of the [[City of Sydney]] are also often included in the Inner West region.

===Health services===
[[File:Balmain Hospital c.1885 (6393160133).jpg|thumb|right|Balmain Hospital]]
The '''Sydney Local Health District''' of [[Ministry of Health (New South Wales)|NSW Health]] serves the Inner West, covering Burwood, Canada Bay, Inner West and Strathfield councils, the western part of the City of Sydney, as well as the former City of Canterbury part of Canterbury-Bankstown.<ref>[https://www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/about.html SLHD - About]</ref> The public hospitals within the Sydney Local Health District are:<ref>[https://www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/hospitals.html SLHD - Hospitals]</ref>
* [[Balmain Hospital]]
* [[Canterbury Hospital]]
* [[Concord Repatriation General Hospital]]
* [[Royal Prince Alfred Hospital]]
* [[Sydney Dental Hospital]]
The Sydney Local Health District also administers the [[Yaralla Estate]] and [[Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Unit|Rivendell (former Thomas Walker Hospital)]].

==Sport==
The Inner West is represented in the [[National Rugby League]] by the [[Wests Tigers]], a merger of the [[Balmain Tigers|Balmain]] and [[Western Suburbs Magpies|Western Suburbs]] clubs. Some residents in the region also subscribe their loyalty to the [[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs]]. In the tier below known as the [[New South Wales Cup]], the area is represented by the [[Newtown Jets]] and [[Wests Magpies]].

In rugby union, the area is represented by [[Sydney Uni Football Club|Sydney Uni]] (the University of Sydney) and [[West Harbour RFC|West Harbour]] in the Sydney grade competition.

In soccer football, [[Leichhardt Oval]] is the home of the [[A-league]] team [[Sydney FC]]. The Inner West also has many semi-professional soccer teams playing in the various divisions of the NSW State Leagues. The most high-profile club is [[NSW Premier League]] side [[APIA Leichhardt Tigers]].

==Religion==
[[File:BurwoodNSWStPauls.jpg|thumb|St Paul's Anglican Church, [[Burwood, New South Wales|Burwood]]]]
[[File:Strathfield RussianOrthodoxChurch.jpg|thumb|Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Strathfield]]
In the 2021 Census, the most common responses for religion in the Sydney - Inner West statistical area (which, as noted above, covers most but not all of the Inner West by most customary definitions) were No Religion, 37.2%, Catholic 25.8%, Hinduism 6.5%, Anglican 5.7% and Not stated 5.6%.<ref name="Census"/>

The Inner West contains a large number of religions buildings and institutions. For example, concentrated in the [[Strathfield, New South Wales|Strathfield]]-[[Homebush, New South Wales|Homebush]] area are the Catholic institutions the [[Australian Catholic University]], the [[Catholic Institute of Sydney]] and the Seminary of the Good Shepherd. Strathfield is also home to the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]<ref>[http://www.rocor.org.au/?page_id=54 Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)]</ref> as well as the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.<ref>[https://www.uocofausandnz.org/parishes Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Diaspora - ANZ]</ref>

The heritage-listed Chinese temples [[Sze Yup Temple]] is located in [[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe]]. Beit Maroun, the residence of the archbishop of the [[Maronite Church]] in Australia, is located in Strathfield, while St Maroun's College is located in [[Dulwich Hill, New South Wales|Dulwich Hill]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Wikivoyage inline|Sydney/Inner West}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110429182248/http://www.innerwestlive.com.au/ Inner West Live - Community Blog by local Inner West people]

{{Sydney regions}}

{{coord missing|New South Wales}}

[[Category:Inner West| ]]
[[Category:Regions of Sydney]]