I have recently relocated to the Sunshine Coast, an hour’s drive north of Brisbane and a world away from Sydney. Don’t get me wrong, both places have their appeal and likewise both have their idiosyncrasies that if left to fester would drive a man slowly mad.
The city of Sydney pulses to the tune of a collective 4 million heartbeats, a living, breathing leviathan that left unattended would destroy itself in spectacular fashion. Each suburb is unique in its demographics, awkwardly blending together to give Sydney its multicultural identify – if Sydney were to complete an immigration form, the nationality/ethnic background section would be involved and stupefyingly complicated.
Most people consider Sydney to be the:
Eastern suburbs, sandy beaches, glossy shopfronts, wanky hotels and sun kissed locals;
City with its hustle and bustle, deal-making, suited and booted frenzy accompanied by a flashing lightshow and traffic noise symphony;
Inner City enclaves inhabited by life’s kaleidoscope of characters, minute coffee houses, trendy restaurants, inexpensive boutiques, brothels and live music dens;
North Shore, frantic by day, whisper quiet by night – NSW’s version of Civic in Canberra; and
Northern Beaches, a coastal strip housing the super-rich, the super tanned and the super surfers.
It is this thinking that neglects the other 90% of Sydney, the undiscovered country, the ethnic multitudes who provide Sydney with its rich diversity, food that the mere mention of turns a mortal into one of Pavlov’s dogs, cross cultural unions that mend ancient rivalries – the Sydney that the guidebooks, travel documentaries, tourists and let’s be honest, most Sydneysiders who reside in the aforementioned areas, have forgotten about - the ‘Lost Sydney’.
I have not ventured into the dark depths of the ‘Lost Sydney’ much as I was trained to not consider it – “it’s dangerous out there”, “dodgy people live out west”, “it is too far away”, and so the list goes on. But I did venture forth on occasion and always enjoyed what I found. Cabramatta is a hidden Eden of Vietnamese culture, Parramatta has some superb cafes, and Lakemba dominates the Middle Eastern cuisine. The best avenue for experiencing these suburbs is through the stomach – food is a fundamental element is the culture of most people. In a suburban restaurant you can discover the magic of the hidden Sydney.
I am now 1200km away from Sydney so alas it is up to those of you who live or visit there to discover what lies outside the inner realm. The horizon promises a wealth of unique, eye opening and influential experiences – it just takes you to venture forth and discover. Don’t live the cliché; create your own Sydney. I know I will the next time I return.
