With its gorgeous landscapes, healthy lifestyle, and economic opportunities, it’s no accident that Sydney ranks as a perennial favourite on various listings of the world’s most liveable cities. The inner city villages of Pyrmont and Ultimo are among Sydney’s most dynamic and liveable regions. Within the precinct’s boundaries, you can find some of the city’s best schools, universities, libraries, healthcare facilities and commerce.

The area’s reputation as an inviting, habitable place predates the official rankings of modern economic pundits and real estate experts. Long before European settlement, the coastal Eora tribe of Indigenous Australians inhabited Pyrmont.

The area’s Aboriginal name was ‘Pirrama’ and, to this day, the road and park that line the Pyrmont waterfront carry that same name. To the Eora people, the place we now call Darling Harbour was known as ‘Tumbalong’, meaning a place where seafood is found. The shores were littered with oyster shell remnants and other shellfish remains, amassed over thousands of years. For this reason, European settlers called the area Cockle Bay.

The neighbourhood has undergone significant transformation in recent years. Twenty years ago, less than 3,000 people lived in Pyrmont and the area was home to a small workforce of less than 5,000. Between 2007 and 2012, an employment boom saw around 10,000 new jobs created in the area. By 2012, the precinct had 13,850 residents per square kilometre, making it Australia’s most densely populated suburb.

Now, with an influx of media conglomerates, IT businesses, and digital startups, the precinct has become one of the largest employment hubs in NSW. The emergence of a vibrant startup community has prompted several entrepreneurial hubs and co-working spaces to set up shop in the precinct, including Whatso Workspace in Pyrmont and Ultimo’s Vibewire and Fishburners.

Education is another significant social and economic driver for Pyrmont and Ultimo, with Sydney TAFE, UTS and Notre Dame University all within the precinct’s borders.

Meet some of the businesses, healthcare providers, community organisations, and educational institutions that make the Pyrmont-Ultimo precinct such a popular place to call home.