SYDNEY | Sydney is a great city to visit if you love street art, and one of the best places to find it is the suburb of Newtown. Whenever I’m in Sydney, a walk through Newtown is a must, as there’s always new street art to discover (and lots of delicious food and drink too).
Newtown is considered by many to be the spiritual home of street art in Sydney. One of the earliest and most famous murals in the neighbourhood is the ‘I Have A Dream’ mural. It was created in in 1991 by Juilee Pryor and Andrew Aiken, with Martin Luther King Jr’s famous words acting as a rallying call to fight for Indigenous Australian rights.
Today, it’s virtually impossible to not spot street art in Newtown. It lines many of the suburb’s main streets, side streets, and back alleys. The artwork deals with a variety of topics, from the political to the commercial, and the controversial to the fun.
In this Newtown street art guide, I’ll tell you about some of my favourite spots in which you can find Newtown’s best street art. They’re listed alphabetically, and range from the popular and well known, to the more obscure. Do keep in mind that this is just a guide. There are so many great pieces to be found down the countless side streets and laneways not listed in this post. Don’t be afraid to explore!
Australia Street
This street is popular for it’s variety of food and drink options, such as Tokyo Lamington and Continental Deli. It’s also where you’ll find several interesting murals.
Chelmsford Street
An unassuming Newtown side street that always seems to punch above its weight as regards the quality of murals that pop up.
Darley Street & Darley Lane
On the corner of Darley Street and King Street, towards the St Peter’s end of Newtown, you’ll find pub and live music venue the Botany View Hotel. On the rear wall of the hotel you’ll find ever changing large scale murals that focus on topical issues of the day.
Enmore Road
Newtown’s other main thoroughfare is Enmore Road, and is where you’ll find some of the best Newtown street art. The street leads into the suburb of Enmore, which is another great part of town for street art. It then becomes Victoria Road in Marrickville, which is not just another place to find great street art, but also some of Sydney’s best craft breweries.
Goddard Street
This rather unassuming Newtown side street always has a few interesting, smaller scale pieces to see.
King Street
The main street in Newtown, King Street extends for two kilometres and is home to a wealth of independent shops. Food, drink, music, fashion, art, craft, you name it, and it can be found here. It’s a great place to start your street art walk through the neighbourhood, featuring lots of art along the street itself, and the side streets that run off it.
Lennox Street
Several of the buildings on Lennox Street were painted with murals as part of the local council’s 2016 Perfect Match initiative. This saw building owners partner with artists and collaborate to brighten up the area. It’s been a great spot for street art ever since.
Mary Street
Best known for Mary’s, home to what many consider the best burger in Sydney, Mary Street is also a great spot for Newtown street art.
Phillip Street & Phillip Lane
These two back streets on the border of Newtown and Enmore are just around the corner from brewery Young Henry’s. There is a lot of art to see here, and it’s not uncommon to see artists creating new murals as you walk through.
Station Street
Coming off Enmore Road, Station Street is a good place to see some larger scale murals, such as Fintan Magee’s ‘Housing Bubble’, which deals with housing affordability and the gentrification of Newtown.
Whateley Lane
This crescent shaped lane, which lies just behind King Street, is home to several great murals. It’s also where you’ll find the excellent Rising Sun Workshop, if you’re in the mood for contemporary Japanese food, great ramen, and interesting wines.
Identified artists featured in the image gallery include:
Happy discoveries on your walk through Sydney’s Newtown, using my Newtown street art guide. What are your favourites places for street art in Newtown? Have you found any other pieces outside of these street art hotspots that you love?