PARRAMATTA GUIDE
From hip to historic
Fun … the play’s the stage … hip & edgy art scene … boutique's … heritage scene … unique cuisine … the river
Two hundred years after Governor Lachlan Macquarie, Parramatta still thrives, yet, it’s a small city often overlooked because of its proximity to Sydney. Professionals – hundreds of them – come into work daily and as they exit at the end of the workday, trains and buses are filled to overflowing. Even many local business owners and their staff live in suburbs outside of Parramatta. Those who live farther away in Greater Sydney think of “city” and “Sydney” synonymously. Consequently, “Parramatta, the city” remains often undiscovered.
We set out to uncover Parramatta and its neighbour, Harris Park – walking in good weather and bad. We travelled by car from our remote home or by train which delivered us to the edge of the CBD. We explored Parramatta on The Loop, a free bus service, until we learned to navigate the city so we could experience the ease or difficulty an unfamiliar visitor might encounter.
What we uncovered surprised even us. We found a piazza, similar to town centres of old European cities, with a busy Saturday Farmers’ Market. We witnessed more signs of Parramatta’s European heritage, and a river here since the continent was formed. We discovered a city that has preserved and protected its European and Aboriginal pasts through unique memorials. And lastly, we saw towering urban architecture and a vibrant art and theatre scene.
We always look to a city for its retail and restaurant offerings – after all, who doesn’t love to shop and eat? Gradually, we came upon boutique shops offering the exceptional and the uncommon – not the duplicate and faceless chain stores of shopping centres. Granted, Parramatta has its share of two-dollar and discount shops, but once we began to ask for advice, to seek out shops down alleyways and look into every street front shop, unusual city shopping emerged.
Parramatta has long made claim to exotic dining. While “Eat Street” (Church Street, south of Lennox Bridge) has gained wide recognition, culinary experiences can also be found on North Church Street, tucked down alleys off George Street, hidden around corners and just off car parks of Phillip and Macquarie Streets. Amazed by the sheer number of cafes and restaurants, we could not possibly visit all of them – this year! Consequently, in the Food & Wine section, we divide the dining options into more manageable groupings: a few from Eat Street, Harris Park, cafes and some restaurants offering speciality cuisines.
Discovery of Parramatta was at times knotty, but in hindsight, it was fun. We’ve come to love the city and the people that we met.
The great nightlife, the magnificent parks and festivals, the international diversity and the proximity to the river are all reasons to spend time in Parramatta.
