Homebush is a Fun Sydney Suburb With Sporting Pedigree and Great Shopping
The inner western Sydney suburb of Homebush was the focus of the world’s attention when it staged the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. Today, this regenerated area of Sydney found just off the M4 Western Motorway still demands visitors’ attention. It has blossomed into a fun place to be for shopping trips and leisure activities, as well as major sporting and cultural events.
Following a massive redevelopment of the area ahead of the Sydney Olympics, Homebush boasts a string of eateries and accommodation options, including budget and luxury hotels. Because Homebush lies approximately 15 kilometres west of Sydney’s CBD, it can be reached easily in about 20 minutes by train.
Get Active or be a Spectator at Homebush’s Sydney Olympics Legacy Venues
The legacy of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 means Homebush has world-class indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. The Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush Bay is used to this day for sporting events, concerts and music festivals. The flagship ANZ Stadium continues to host rugby union, football and Australian rules football clashes. When it’s not a matchday, stadium tours and guided walks along the gantry above the pitch are popular days out. The sprawling Olympic park also features facilities like the Monster Skatepark, where skaters can practise their craft day and night.
Even if sport isn’t your thing, the Olympic park is still worth venturing to from your chosen Sydney accommodation. Named after the Australian sprinter who lit up the 2000 games, the Cathy Freeman Park showcases the Olympic Cauldron. Also nearby is the Brickpit wetland nature reserve. A haven for local wildlife, it frequently opens for guided tours. Eagle-eyed film lovers may recognise the former industrial site as a location from the 1985 movie Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, starring Mel Gibson.
Shop Until you Drop in Homebush
As one of suburban Sydney’s shopping hotspots, Homebush is an ideal destination for retail therapy. The vast DFO Homebush mall is open daily, with a huge variety of shops and food courts to be found under one roof. In particular, it’s home to outlet stores where big fashion and homeware brands offer considerable discounts on older stock. Another shopping destination in Homebush is Paddy’s Markets, where bargain hunters can stock up on fresh food, clothes and gifts. This site also hosts occasional pop-up markets of second hand items and curios.
Make Homebush’s Accommodation Options Your Home From Home in Sydney
Shrewd travellers may wish to take advantage of Homebush’s proximity to Sydney when choosing their accommodation. This is because the district offers a less hectic alternative to downtown, and many of its hotels could prove more cost-effective than those in the city centre. Indeed, the choice of hotels at the Olympic park includes low-cost options like the Hotel ibis budget Sydney Olympic Park. Moreover, Homebush is served by its own railway station, and there’s another at Olympic Park. Both stations offer direct trains to Sydney’s CBD, making it easy to get to leading attractions like the World Heritage Site Sydney Opera House.
Feeling hungry? If so, Homebush and neighbouring Homebush West are well worth exploring. These neighbourhoods feature lots of authentic Asian restaurants and specialist shops selling everything from Malaysian and Chinese to Vietnamese and Sri Lankan food.