Newcastle Living Magazine

Why Islington is Hot Property

The inner city suburb of Islington, once known for its ‘red light’ activities and bikie presence, has transformed from one of the least sought after Newcastle suburbs to a residential magnet. A working class suburb in the process of reinventing itself, it mirrors the shift in Newcastle from an industrial based to services based city in the 1990’s. As BHP closed down in the last two decades, the education and health sectors emerged as the city’s biggest employers. 

Novocastrians were slow to respond, but buyers moving to Newcastle for employment in these emerging sectors found a suburb that reminded them of Newtown or St Kilda before they were discovered. A popular comment from those moving to Newcastle has been ‘it’s less than five minutes from the city and another five to the beach – and it’s how cheap?’.

“Islington provides the cheapest access to the best inner city lifestyle Newcastle offers.”

Being the last Throsby Precinct suburb (Carrington, Maryville, Tighes Hill and Wickham) to take off and inexpensive compared to prestige suburbs a similar distance to the city, Islington provides the cheapest access to the best inner city lifestyle Newcastle offers. All with a flavour all of its own, plus capital growth of almost 20 per cent in 2021.

Although renovation and renewal has been in full swing in the last five years, a sizable portion of the original housing stock consisting of early 1900’s heritage weatherboard homes along with a sprinkling of late 1800’s brick and timber terraces has yet to be updated and extended, and it’s these properties are attracting a new wave of “new arrivals” – single people, couples, and young families as well as investors who want an entry point as close to the city as possible, at the most affordable price. 

Adding to these original homes has been the newly built apartments and renovated former wool stores. These provide Islington with one of the widest choices of housing options available in any suburb in Newcastle.