Tempe

The little Sydney suburb of Tempe, just 12km or so from the city, has the distinction of backing onto Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport, with only the narrow Alexandra Canal between Tempe's homes and the tarmac. So, you'll need to steel yourself to absorb the roar of the jets as they lumber overhead here. There's a beaut little golf course just down the road (where, again, the planes howling by can shorten up your backswing) and Botany Bay, with its long beach, calm waters and teeming weekend crowds, is about two kilometres to the east. Tempe is a suburb in the Marrickville municipality which, at a mere 16.45 sq km, is one of the smallest local government areas in Australia. For many years one of the suburb's uglier landmarks, the Tempe tip, is about to undergo its ultimate reincarnation. After years of footing the bill for expensive regeneration, the council and a partner chosen from among some of the nation's largest property and development companies are about to redevelop the 40ha site as a joint venture.