Redfern & Waterloo

Things to do

The beautifully converted former Eveleigh rail yards, now known as Carriageworks, is the creative heart of this neighbourhood. The multi-venue arts and performance space hosts events throughout the year, including theatre, music, dance and festivals. You can also pick up fresh seasonal produce every Saturday at the bustling Carriageworks Farmers Market.

107 Projects is a community-led creative hub that hosts exhibitions and performances from young creatives. Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern offers courses in Indigenous dance and theatre. You can learn about the Aboriginal community’s deep connection to the area on a walking tour with the Australian Performing Arts Market.

Carriageworks Farmers Market, Eveleigh

Walking and cycling tours are a great way to uncover the area’s fascinating heritage and history. Join Culture Scouts on a Chippendale and Redfern private walking tour; Local Sauce Tours to discover the area's small bars and street art; or Sydney Architecture Walks on a bicycle tour, which will take you through the backstreets of Redfern and several other inner-city neighbourhoods.

You’ll find plenty more attractions in Redfern and Waterloo, from flourishing galleries such as aMBUSH and warehouse outlets for bargain buys to interior design stores such as Chee Soon & Fitzgerald. Browse local shops for curated designer homewares at The DEA Store, boutique wines at Vine Providore and hard-to-find international lollies at Redfern Convenience Store.

aMBUSH Gallery, Waterloo 

Eat & drink

Redfern’s small bar game is good. You’re spoilt for choice on the eastern side of Redfern Station. Options include gin joint Moya’s Juniper Lounge; Mjolner, a fun whisky bar inspired by Thor; and The Noble Hops for craft beer. There’s also Arcadia Liquors, The Bearded Tit, The Dock, Hustle & Flow, Bart Jr, Misfits and The Tudor Hotel.

No matter your budget or cravings, there’s many great restaurants and cafes. Kepos Street Kitchen is renowned for Middle Eastern food, Club Fontana does Italian by the same team behind Don Peppino's, Redbird dishes up modern Chinese and Cafe Kentaro offers a Japanese/Aussie cafe mash up. Three Williams is your go-to for all day brunch, head to RaRa for ramen and Bush for burgers.

Mum's favourite brekkie at Kepos Street Kitchen

For baked goods, you can’t look past Breadfern. While great coffee can be found at Baffi & Mo and Wah Wah Lounge.

The new South Eveleigh drinking and dining precinct, found in beautifully converted railway sheds, is also worth a visit. Among a slate of eateries, there’s a no-waste bar called Re, an outpost of the Scottish BrewDog craft beer chain and celebrity chef Kylie Kwong’s new restaurant Lucky Kwong, as well as a community rooftop garden that features Indigenous edible, cultural and medicinal plant species.

Re- Bar, Redfern

Getting there

Getting to Redfern and Waterloo is easy by public transport. You can take a train from Town Hall in the city centre and alight at Redfern or Waterloo stations, or catch one of many buses.