The area is very diverse with extremes of wealth and poverty, wonderful parks and beaches and polluted industrial sites. We have Sydney airport in our midst and all the associated noise, traffic and pollution associated with its operations.

The area attracts huge numbers of workers, tourists, theatregoers, diners, gallery visitors and many others for business or pleasure. They come by bus, car, and train ferry, light rail or fly directly here.

It's also an area undergoing rapid change with more freeways and tunnels being built or planned, plus big increases in population occurring in the city, Green Square and Redfern and Waterloo.

Because of its status as a major centre of business, arts, tourism and recreation the area suffers from state and federal government interference in planning issues, often to the detriment of the local environment and infrastructure.