After soaking up the Parramatta Greek Festival, I had a spare day in Sydney — and figured it was the perfect excuse to explore the city’s street art scene. Newtown has a reputation as one of Sydney’s coolest street art hotspots, so I headed there with a few murals in mind and absolutely no real plan.
What followed was a spontaneous street art odyssey. I wandered through Newtown’s colourful streets, stumbled across unexpected murals, and eventually found myself at the University of Sydney, face-to-face with the Greek god Hermes. I knew he was waiting in the university’s museum — but I had no idea my street art walk would take me there.
The funny part? I’m a University of Sydney graduate, yet this was my first time setting foot on campus. And the day began with a pretty perfect sign: as soon as I stepped off the train, I spotted a huge advertisement for The Odyssey staring right back at me.
In this Newtown street art guide, I’m sharing some of my favourite murals, the unexpected discoveries along the way, and how one aimless walk through Sydney’s street art hub led all the way to Hermes.
Newtown Street Art Guide: Where to Find the Best Murals in Sydney
I’m not giving away the exact addresses of every mural — part of the fun is finding them for yourself. But I can tell you I explored plenty of the side streets branching off King Street, Newtown’s main strip.
I walked out of Newtown Station, cut through a laneway, and arrived at King Street with a choice to make: left or right. I turned right and started exploring.
The first discoveries? A few murals that didn’t exactly blow me away. There was an “I Have a Dream” mural that felt a little tacky to me — though someone apparently wants it heritage-listed. Then I passed a Mona Lisa-inspired piece in a side street that looked like it had been part of the wall forever. I also spotted a mural of Africa along King Street. None of them quite made the cut for my Newtown street art guide.
So where were the murals worth stopping for?
Then I saw her: a striking blue-faced woman, and finally, a mural that made me pause. There’s real artistic skill in this piece — the colour, the detail, the whole vibe. It was the first artwork on my Newtown wander that truly caught my eye, and a reminder that the best street art is often tucked away just off the main drag.
Then a bit later this motorbike rider mural rolled into view — and finally, Newtown was bringing the goods. I stopped in my tracks: Now that’s cool. Up until then, my Sydney street art odyssey had been a bit hit-and-miss, and I was genuinely wondering if I’d taken a wrong turn. This mural was the first sign I was right where I needed to be.
This Desmond Tutu mural in Newtown really made me stop and think. It’s a powerful reminder that staying neutral in the face of injustice isn’t always harmless. Sometimes, saying nothing is part of the problem.
Even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have a spot in Newtown’s street art scene. Just off King Street, on Queen Street, I came across this fun mural celebrating everyone’s favourite crime-fighting turtles. Didn’t expect to run into them on my Newtown street art walk, but that’s part of the fun.
I kept wandering — and somehow ended up at the University of Sydney. Total happy accident. No map, no plan, and absolutely no idea I was even getting close. One minute I was exploring Newtown’s street art, the next I’d stumbled onto the university campus. That’s the magic of a spontaneous Sydney wander.
I knew Hermes was on display at a museum at the University of Sydney, so I asked around and tracked him down. Of course, I had to get a photo beside the Greek god — that’s the one in the feature image.
The museum is well worth a visit, and you can easily spend an hour exploring. There’s also a café on site, making it a great spot to stop for a coffee.
I asked someone at the museum if there was any street art around campus, and she told me about the University of Sydney Graffiti Tunnel. So, obviously, I had to check it out. I went for a wander and found a colourful little gem hidden under the campus.
After wandering around the University of Sydney, I turned around and headed back towards Newtown to continue my street-art hunt. Then I spotted this Cleopatra mural — and it stopped me in my tracks.
Cleopatra, the Macedonian queen of Egypt, looks absolutely otherworldly here. Bold, striking and worth searching for, she was easily one of my favourite finds on my Newtown street art walk.
Just around the corner, on the same building, there was even an astronaut mural!
This Perfect Match mural was one of my must-sees — and I actually found it! I was so relieved, because it’s every bit as striking in person. A Greek goddess faces an eagle (Zeus, perhaps?), while an angel turns her back on them. The eagle was so easy to miss at first — I only spotted it properly when I looked back at my photo. Definitely one of the coolest murals I found.
This Newtown mural has a backstory. It replaced an older mural of an archer. I looked up the original and wished I could’ve seen it in person. The new mural shows a girl listening to a tin-can phone. Maybe there’s a hidden message in it, too.
A mural of the Three Witches — also known as the Weird Sisters — caught my eye in this big Newtown park. I only managed to fit two of them in the photo, but even a glimpse gives you an idea of how cool the mural is.
Next to the sisters, another piece of street art caught my eye: a golden koala mural!
Just around the corner on Australia Street, I stumbled upon a mural with a distinctly ancient Greek vibe: The Lyre of Orpheus. Its myth-inspired figure is none other than Australian music legend Nick Cave.
The Lyre of Orpheus mural blends ancient Greek mythology with Australian culture, featuring classical columns and a koala alongside Nick Cave. On the other side of the roller door was a kangaroo!
Near the railway lines, I wandered into a grittier corner of Newtown. The Super Beast mural added a menacing touch to my Newtown street art walk.
Here’s another Newtown mural I was hoping to find: It’s Like a Jungle Sometimes. I got lucky — and spotting it in person made my day.
Then the murals took on a more graffiti-inspired style, reminiscent of Melbourne’s Hosier Lane. This one features the Pink Panther alongside Speedy Gonzales.
To finish off my Newtown street art guide, here’s A Rising Tide — a striking mural that sums up just how much great street art this awesome part of Sydney has to offer.
Hopefully, this Sydney street-art guide has inspired you to take your own Newtown art odyssey. I wrapped up the day with a burger and cider — tired feet, happy mood, no regrets.
Spotting Hermes at the University of Sydney was a real highlight, along with the incredible murals scattered throughout Newtown. Set aside an afternoon, hit the streets, and see where the art takes you.
This one-day Sydney guide also points you to some cool street art around the city. If you’re into murals, check out Port Adelaide’s Wonderwalls too. It’s in Adelaide, but that’s a great excuse for another street-art trip. Need more inspiration? Check out this Adelaide street-art guide.
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