Australia · State of New South Wales · Sydney
Surry Hills, Sydney — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Surry Hills is an inner-east suburb of Sydney, immediately south-east of the central business district. Its steep grid of Victorian terraces climbs between Crown Street and Elizabeth Street, packed with cafes, wine bars and small restaurants. Once a rag-trade and printing quarter, it is now one of the densest, most walkable pockets of the inner city. Locals simply call it Surry.
About Surry Hills
Where to stay in Surry Hills
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
Staying in Surry Hills means a walkable inner-city grid, not the harbour sights. Crown Street and Bourke Street form the main eating strips, lined with restaurants, wine bars and late-night pubs. The central business district is one train stop or a short walk away, and Oxford Street's nightlife runs along the Darlinghurst edge.
Beds here lean boutique. Rooms are limited, so for large hotels look to the neighbouring Sydney city centre.
About Surry Hills
What are the main landmarks in Surry Hills?
Surry Hills is defined by its streets, not one big monument. The Brett Whiteley Studio fills a former warehouse on Raper Street, keeping the painting studio of Sydney artist Brett Whiteley much as he left it. Live theatre has a home at the Belvoir St Theatre.
Two-storey Victorian terraces line Crown Street and Bourke Street, and their cafes are the real draw. Grand museums lie north, in the central business district.
What is the history of Surry Hills?
Surry Hills grew up as a working-class inner suburb, its slopes covered with tightly packed terrace houses built for labourers and their families. For much of the twentieth century it was the heart of Sydney's rag trade. Poverty marked it for decades.
As the clothing factories closed, their old warehouses drew artists, designers and small restaurateurs. That change made Surry Hills one of the inner city's most sought-after quarters.
Where is Surry Hills?
Surry Hills sits directly south-east of the Sydney central business district. Darlinghurst borders it to the north, while Redfern lies across Cleveland Street to the south, and Chippendale and Haymarket edge it to the west. Moore Park and Paddington adjoin it to the east.
Cleveland Street and Elizabeth Street frame its lower edges.
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Updated July 2026