Erskineville

Erskineville is a residential suburb with a village-type atmosphere. It has a small shopping strip around the railway station and several popular bars and hotels including the Rose of Australia, the Imperial Hotel, the Erskineville Hotel, the Swanson Hotel and the Hive Bar. Erskineville is a popular location with residents because of its proximity to the city, cafes and village atmosphere. These features also make real estate expensive in this area, considering the small size of most properties. Erskineville Oval is located on the eastern border of the suburb. It also is the last outside area to receive water from the inner-city pipe-line.

The suburb was originally called after an earlier subdivision in 1846 in the south of Erskineville owned by Stephen Macdonald. The streets around the early Macdonaldtown subdivision are named after relations of the Macdonald family - Amy, Flora, Eve, Coulson and Rochford. Knight Street is named for Henry Knight, one of the earliest brickmakers in the district and the first mayor of Macdonaldtown. Devine Street is named for the first grant holder, Nicholas Devine

In the early twentieth century, manufacturing in the area diversified, and Erskineville became a resolutely working class inner city suburb, with a proud history of resistance, and a less proud history of street violence. After World War II, Greek and Macedonian migrants found it an affordable place to settle, near the city. From the 1970s, Erskineville underwent gentrification with new residents attracted to the village atmosphere, the excellent public transport links (three railway stations on two different lines within walking distance) and the proximity to Newtown. The gay and lesbian community were part of the first wave of gentrification and are still a component of the community. As the terrace houses were renovated, the narrow streets which were previously cobbled were covered in bitumen and speed-bumped and an urban forest of plantings grew in the streets and pocket parks.

At the 2011 census, there were 6,848 residents in Erskineville. 36.1% of people were born outside of Australia, with top countries of birth being England 6.7%, New Zealand 4.3% and Ireland 1.6%. The most common responses for religious affiliation were No Religion 45.2%, Catholic 20.4% and Anglican 10.6%. There was a high level of public transport use, with 40.8% of people travelling to work by bus or train. The main housing types were flats or units 53% and semi-detached or townhouses 41.8%. Just over half of residents (50.9%) were renting, compared with the national average of 29.6%.