Newtown

Inner-city grit turned good. Indie cafes, Redfern Park's open green and a crowd that walks its dogs proudly. Close to everything, easy on four legs.

The Inner West at its scruffy best: craft breweries, multicultural eats and Cooks River trails where dogs rule. Come for the dumplings, stay for the off-leash runs.

The Balmain peninsula's leafy tip, with waterfront parks and ferry calm. Quiet, scenic and made for a slow harbour stroll.

The very tip of the peninsula, where ferries dock and Illoura Reserve hands you front-row harbour views. Tiny, historic and built for a slow waterfront wander.

Inner-west edge with Sydney Park's off-leash acres on one side and a craft-brewery strip on the other. Industrial bones, Newtown energy and plenty of green to burn off.

Leafy backstreets, off-leash pockets and a cafe scene that actually wants your dog there. Crown Street's the morning-walk MVP — coffee at one end, a tie-up spot at every other.

A harbour peninsula built for wandering: village pubs, waterfront parks and ferry views at every turn. Half of Balmain owns a dog, the other half wants to pat yours.

Cooks River wetlands and a big riverside reserve, with off-leash green close by. Walkable and made for a riverside run.

Art deco charm, leafy quiet and Beare Park's off-leash harbour lawn down the hill. The east's hushed corner, glamorous and genuinely dog-easy.

Cobblestones, harbour pubs and weekend markets under the Bridge. Sydney's oldest corner does history and a waterfront wander in one — dog by your side.