It’s the Sydney suburb known for shootings and gangs. Now it’s finding a new identity
“Crime happens everywhere across Sydney, and when something small happens here, it gets a lot of attention,” she says. “What people don’t see is the positive side: the hardworking families, the small businesses, the community centres that help people every day. There’s a lot of good here.” Sitting south of Parramatta, where nearly three-quarters of residents speak a language other than English at home, is a suburb finding a new identity. The old side, shaped by mid-century housing commission homes and waves of migration, is slowly being replaced by families and younger people moving into luxury apartments. One block tells the story. Across from a shopping centre sits a family-owned Lebanese bakery and restaurant, Hrt 2 Hrt. The business has operated from the same location for 30 years, evading development, which has inched right up against its walls.
