Nestled inside the City of Parramatta, Epping is a suburb full of character and undergoing a huge urban renewal. Spend a day exploring the streets and sites of Epping to really see all that this suburb has to offer.
Start the day off, by travelling into the Epping town centre. The Epping train station is located right at its doorstep with the town centre split into two.
Look up and take in all the new developments happening in the area. Taking note of the historic buildings contrasting from the new developments in the background. The emerging vibe is really cool and the back streets have some really classic federation styled homes. The contrast between old and new is vivid and striking and the town centre has a buzz of thriving cafes, restaurants, and eateries. The streets and alleyways in the town centre are dotted with street art. Keep your eyes out for some eye-capturing pieces!
After finding your bearings in town, head down Oxford Street to the recently opened, hole-in-the-wall café Common.
Continue up Oxford Street away from the station and pass what was formally known as the School of Arts and is now the Epping Community centre, a historic centrepiece of Epping since 1909
After building up an appetite for lunch, head over to the very cool The Rusty Rabbit, Epping. With four locations over Sydney, The Rusty Rabbit have cemented themselves as a Sydney staple. The Rusty Rabbit serves a selection of breakfast and lunch foods, as well as fresh juices and smoothies. They are famous for the fun vibe they create and they have this really cool mix of of branded apparel and FUNKO toys for the die-hard fans.
Once you’ve finished feasting, its time to head up into North Epping to the Lane Cove Valley to explore some of the National Park nearby. A quick 5-minute Uber from The Rusty Rabbit takes you to the Boundary Road fire trail, which leads into a number of bushwalks within the valley that can take you all the way to Thornleigh, Cheltenham or Pennant Hills. If time is limited, we would recommend the Whale Rock walk. A simple return walk of about 15 minutes, you get to see the wild flora and fauna of the valley, as well as an incredible natural rock formation that looks strikingly similar to a whale.
If you’re feeling inspired after walking through the bush, we would definitely recommend organising a visit or workshop at Gallery 11:11. Established in 2019 in the leafy suburban streets of North Epping, Gallery 11:11 is owned and operated by Melony Kara Smirniotis – an established artist and member of the local Community. The gallery hosts a number of exhibitions and workshops throughout the year and provides the community with a positive space to learn, teach and create alongside like-minded individuals.
After being invited inside, we were truly blown away by the talents of Melony and her works, especially after just spending time in the very same environment she paints.
With an already busy 2021 schedule, the next exhibition is featuring arist Jane Latella opening on February 20th and running through till the 5th of March. Check it out!
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