The city of Bankstown is a culturally diverse collection of suburbs to the south west of Sydney.
The main commercial area of the city is that of Bankstown itself, which has retail and commercial complexes as well as cafes, restaurants and bars. This buzz is all hovers over the Bankstown station, so you have ready access to the Sydney metro area at short notice.
The University of Western Sydney has a Bankstown campus established with a significant student community, however there cannot be said to be any student hot spot, as many students travel from surrounding suburbs.
Bankstown Airport caters to smaller private and commercial aircraft so if you’re inclined to earn your wings, why not take up lessons or if the passenger seat is more your style, check out the options for joy flights and charter flights around Sydney, the Blue Mountains and beyond.
The areas diversity is reflected in the food and culture. The local council organises several food oriented festivals and events, and there are plenty of little culinary gems in the area in which you can sample the delights of the Lebanese and Vietnamese cultures. The baclava here is arguably the best in the state.
With 293 parks covering 730 hectares (1,800 acres) within its boundaries, Bankstown offers outdoor sports and recreation for everyone including; 41 sports grounds,18 natural parklands and 12 community parks. Closer to the city centre, parks include Bankstown Oval, McLeod Reserve, Paul Keating Park and Bankstown City. Other major parks include Mirambeena Regional Park, Terry Lamb Complex, Garrison Point, Jensen Oval The Crest, Middleton Park, O’Neill Park, and the extensive parklands around Georges River, among others. As if that wasn’t enough, the Georges River National Park entrance is also located within the Bankstown boundaries.
Demographics
Interestingly, the median age in the area is 31, which is well below the national median at 37. Less than 40% of the residents of the area were born in the country, with most of the residents coming from either Vietnam, Lebanon or China.
The language most spoken as the first language of residents is Arabic (accounting for almost one quarter of all residents), followed by English and Vietnamese
Property and Households
There is a significant amount of development occurring in Bankstown, in favour of duplex and multiple dwelling structures taking the place of freestanding homes. As such numbers are amenable to inaccuracy however current statistics show of all the homes, 65% are owned or in the process of being paid off by the inhabitants, and around 30% are renting. While around 68% of the dwellings are freestanding, there is an emerging trend for medium density homes in the area due to a new council approach to increased development of this nature.
Transport
The area is proximate to both the CBD and Parramatta, as well as the Campbelltown and Penrith areas further to the south and the west (whether travelling by car or train – the train may involve a few connecting transfers from Bankstown station at Strathfield or Parramatta), and there are buses that services the local area. Getting around by car is simple, particularly if you are able to quickly make your way to the M5 motorway, from which the whole city should be accessible in under an hour.