Car Rental Bankstown Downtown

Welcome to Bankstown, just 45 minutes from the bustling heart of Sydney’s CBD in the south-western pocket of the city. Bankstown is home to one of the most culturally diverse communities in Australia, reflected in the wide variety of restaurants, cafes and eateries in the area. In addition to English, on the streets you may hear around 60 different languages being spoken.

The honest-to-goodness charm of Bankstown may seem far from the bright lights of central Sydney. Yet some notable Australian luminaries hail from this unassuming suburb, including Test cricketing twins Steve and Mark Waugh, along with singer and Idol celeb, Casey Donovan. Former Prime Minister Paul Keating (one of Australia’s most colourful politicians), is also a son of Bankstown and has a local park named in his honour.

The main hub of Bankstown is the Bankstown Plaza with its commercial business district clustered around the nearby railway station. Bankstown is also known as a base for major industrial operations including aviation and engineering. The Bankstown Airport has the capacity to handle up to 200 passengers an hour and is also a business park. Flight training and maintenance take place here, and it once played a role as a strategic base for the US Army Air Forces during World War II. The Australian Aviation Museum opened its doors at Bankstown Airport in the mid 90s, supporting a rich aviation heritage. While it recently closed, there are plans to restore the museum at nearby Camden aerodrome.

So whether you’ve come to Bankstown for business or pleasure, your hire car will get you around the area and beyond in a breeze.

Tour Bankstown and Greater Western Sydney in your hire car

You may be surprised that colonial history of some significance took place in Bankstown – and here’s a particularly gory piece of it. Local landmark, the Bankstown Reservoir, was once used as a hanging site for bushrangers. This arched water tower, situated on the Hume Highway, is a heritage-protected structure and currently services a large area of south-western Sydney. 

Bankstown’s excellent location makes it a great take-off point to visit Greater Western Sydney and the gorgeous green spaces to the south. But before you drive to your destination, we recommend you sample some local fare. 

For a delicious bowl of northern-style Vietnamese pho, you can’t go past An Restaurant on Greenfield Parade. Perhaps it’s the well-brewed stock that makes it one of Sydney’s oldest and most praised pho places. To enjoy a taste of the Middle East, you can grab a quick kebab or make it a Lebanese Feast (award-winning eatery Al Aseel has been tempting taste buds for over 20 years). Or for something out of the ordinary, try a Sunday lunch of authentic specialties at the Lithuanian Club. Relax in the RSL-style vibe with a plate of tasty mushroom dumplings or a comforting Kugelis (grated potato bake) that will easily fill you up. 

Drive beyond Bankstown in your hire car 

Get out of town and head south to the Royal National Park. Just a short 30-minute drive, and you’ll be among the trees, fresh air, quiet beaches and scenic coastline that extends all the way to Wollongong. ‘Nasho’, as the locals love to call it, was proclaimed in 1879 – making this one of the oldest national parks in the world (beaten only by Yellowstone in the States). Whether you’re camping, picnicking, bushwalking, bike riding, row-boating or swimming, remember to tread lightly. The flora and native wildlife here are some of the last remaining species in the region. Take your time to explore cliffs, heathlands and deep river valleys, rich with birdlife, echidnas and wallabies. Return to Bankstown feeling renewed after a great time away in your hire car.