Tips for becoming familiar with the Inner West

If you're a new resident to Sydney's Inner West suburbs, getting to know the local neighbourhood can be a daunting experience. There are so many new places to see, people to meet and things to do - it can be difficult to know where to start!

But there are plenty of ways to shake off this new-neighbour-feeling and begin to be a part of the community.

Get the pavement under your feet

Go out and about as often as possible and begin soaking up the local landmarks. Regardless of where you live, there are bound to be a number of interesting, new things to see throughout the region.

From markets, parks, shopping centres and art galleries, there are many great activities on offer in the Inner West suburbs. Spend your weekends soaking up the local culture and becoming an organic part of your new environment.

Look out for posters

In metropolitan areas, there are always interesting things happening. One of the best ways to find out about the grassroots events taking place is to keep an eye out for posters plastered across the walls of public areas.

Music gigs, theatre productions, exhibitions and more - all of these things can be found simply by looking around as you make your way through the suburbs. Local notice boards are also a great way of finding community interest groups in order to begin socialising.

Find the essential landmarks

Knowing where things like the local police station, hospital and fire department are all great pieces of information to have. Ask your agent for a rundown about the location of essential amenities and be sure to check them out in person, just to have them stored in your mind.

This has the added bonus of making you a source of information for others in the area. Next time a tourist or new neighbour asks for one of these places, you can answer like a pro and officially feel like an integral part of the Inner West community.