Blocked ears do not politely wait for a GP referral, and audiologists in Sydney know it: most on this list let you book online the same week with no doctor's note required. Between them, the audiologists and ear clinics here have logged more than 900 Google reviews, and every one of them sits at 4.9 or 5.0, so the real decision is not who is good, it is who fits your ear problem and your suburb.
Short answer: The Audiology Place leads this page: an independent practice with clinics in Epping and Forestville, a 5.0 Google rating and hearing tests for children from six months old. The most-reviewed practice here is Earworx (4.9 stars across 400 Google reviews), with Hearlix, Sydney Earwax Care Clinic, Focus Hearing Clinic and Lions Hearing Clinic all holding perfect or near-perfect 4.9 to 5.0 averages. Most offer earwax microsuction without a referral, while a few lean toward full hearing assessments and hearing-aid fittings.
★ Featured Partner#1🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews
The Audiology Place
5.0★★★★★88 Google reviews
The Audiology Place is an independent audiology practice with two clinics in Sydney: Shop 3, 22-28 Cambridge Street in Epping, close to Epping Station, and Starkey Street in Forestville. It sees patients from six months old through to pensioners, and no referral is needed. The audiologists are Dr Signe Steers and Dr Nick Morrison. Both clinics are listed in the Australian Government's Hearing Services Program provider directory, so eligible pensioners and DVA cardholders can use their hearing voucher there.
The work covers hearing tests, earwax removal by suction, hearing aids from any brand, tinnitus, hyperacusis and misophonia, auditory processing assessments for children, pensioner and DVA assessments, workplace hearing tests and custom ear plugs, including plugs for musicians. The clinic also visits retirement homes. The practice says it is not owned by a hearing aid manufacturer or part of a chain, so it can recommend any brand, or no hearing aid at all. Appointments can be requested online or by calling 02 9315 8327.
What people praise
- Hearing tests for children from six months old
- Fits hearing aids from any brand
- Earwax removal by suction
- Tinnitus, hyperacusis, misophonia and auditory processing care
- Two clinics, in Epping and Forestville
- Hearing Services Program provider at both clinics
- No referral needed
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: The Audiology Place is the pick for families and for anyone who wants their hearing explained before anything is sold. Both of its clinics hold a 5.0 Google rating, with more than 90 reviews between them. One parent describes Dr Signe Steers turning a four-year-old's test into a game and getting the report out in time for an ENT appointment. One patient who had tried for weeks to book at another clinic was seen the same day; another says every step of the assessment was explained and an ENT consultation was arranged that confirmed the result. A patient who came from a large hearing company says the focus here was on diagnosis and understanding, not on selling hearing aids.
📍12/14 Starkey St, Forestville NSW 2087
#2🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews
Earworx
4.9★★★★★400 Google reviews
Earworx runs a Sydney CBD clinic offering microsuction ear wax removal without needing a GP referral. Its nurses use microsuction rather than ear rinses, and the clinic takes online same-day bookings. It operates as a medical clinic covering audiology, ENT-adjacent care and general nursing alongside its core earwax service.
What people praise
- Same-day online booking, no referral needed
- Staff explain the microsuction process step by step before starting
- Clean, modern clinic space with clear entrance signage
- Gentle technique reviewers describe as controlled with minimal discomfort
Worth knowing
- Focused mainly on ear wax removal rather than full hearing-aid services
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown96% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: The deepest review history of any audiology practice on this page and the easiest to book same day. A strong default if blocked ears are the immediate problem.
📍1 Jamison St, Sydney NSW 2000
#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews
Hearlix: Balmain's Independent Audiology Practice
5.0★★★★★163 Google reviews
Hearlix is an independent audiology practice in Balmain, run by university-qualified audiologists with over a decade of combined experience. Because it is not tied to a hearing-aid manufacturer, it offers hearing tests, hearing aid fittings and tinnitus management without steering toward one brand. Reviewers describe a personal, small-practice feel rather than a chain clinic.
What people praise
- Independent of hearing-aid manufacturers, so recommendations are not brand-locked
- Reviewers highlight a warm, unhurried, family-like approach
- University-qualified audiologists with over 12 years of combined experience
- Detailed explanations during hearing tests and consultations
Worth knowing
- Smaller review base than Earworx
- Inner West location may be a longer trip from the CBD or northern suburbs
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown99% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: The strongest pick for a full hearing assessment or hearing aid fitting from an independent practice, backed by a perfect 5.0 average.
📍372 Darling St, Balmain NSW 2041
#4🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews
Sydney Earwax Care Clinic
5.0★★★★★151 Google reviews
Sydney Earwax Care Clinic runs a Park Street CBD clinic focused on microsuction ear cleaning, open into the evening most weeknights and Saturday mornings. Its practitioners walk patients through before-and-after images of the ear canal during treatment. The clinic positions itself as a faster, more affordable alternative to seeing an ENT specialist for routine wax buildup.
What people praise
- Extended weekday hours to 7pm plus Saturday morning slots
- Practitioners show before-and-after ear canal images during the visit
- Same-day appointments available, including for interstate visitors
- No hard sales pressure toward hearing aids, per reviewers
Worth knowing
- A reviewer flagged the price as on the higher side for the service
- Nurse-led earwax care rather than a full audiology assessment
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown99% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: A dependable CBD option when you need ear wax cleared fast and outside standard business hours, though ask about pricing upfront.
📍Level 8/60 Park St, Sydney NSW 2000
#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews
Focus Hearing Clinic Sydney
5.0★★★★★70 Google reviews
Focus Hearing Clinic operates from Crows Nest and provides hearing assessments, hearing aid fittings and ongoing checkups, including cerumen (earwax) removal as part of routine visits. Reviewers describe multi-year relationships with the same audiologist, from an initial GP-referred assessment through years of annual reviews and hearing aid adjustments.
What people praise
- Reviewers describe years-long ongoing relationships with the same audiologist
- Detailed hearing tests using in-ear camera imaging
- Some follow-up adjustments and cleaning provided at no extra charge
- Covered by health fund ancillary cover for some procedures, per a reviewer
Worth knowing
- Smaller review base than the clinics ranked above it, though every review is positive
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown99% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: Best suited to ongoing hearing aid care rather than a one-off wax removal, with reviewers describing genuine long-term relationships with their audiologist.
📍Ground Floor, Suite 2/81 Alexander St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
#6🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews
Lions Hearing Clinic | Sydney
4.9★★★★★66 Google reviews
Lions Hearing Clinic Sydney, part of the not-for-profit Ear Science Institute Australia, provides hearing tests and hearing aid services from its Macquarie Street practice. Reviewers describe walk-in help for travellers and long-running client relationships going back to when the clinic operated as Value Hearing. Appointments can be booked online in a short guided form.
What people praise
- Reviewers describe free on-the-spot help for hearing aid issues, even for visitors without an appointment
- Staff take an unbranded approach rather than pushing one hearing aid maker
- Long-standing client relationships spanning several years
- Simple online booking form
Worth knowing
- A reviewer noted the current Macquarie Street site is less convenient than the former George Street location
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown94% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: A solid choice for hearing aid servicing and walk-in help, backed by a not-for-profit hearing institute.
📍Ste 204, Level 2/135 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
7 Your business here
Get listed on this page, in front of local customers already searching for you.
Claim this spot ›
Health information disclaimer: This directory is informational only and not medical advice. Rankings reflect publicly available Google ratings and review volume, not clinical outcomes. Verify any practitioner’s credentials and registration with the relevant medical board before booking.
How we score
Every rating and review figure on this page comes from public Google data as of the date shown, not opinion or payment; the Medicare and Hearing Services Program figures come from the government sources named under the cost table. Rating is the practice’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many patients have rated them, ranked against other Sydney audiologists. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.9 from hundreds of reviews carries more weight than a 5.0 from a few dozen. Recency reflects how recently patients are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.
How much does an audiologist visit cost in Sydney? (2026)
Medicare pays a rebate on diagnostic hearing tests done by an audiologist, as long as a doctor has asked for the test in writing, and since 1 March 2023 that request can come from your GP. The rebate is tied to the Medicare schedule fee, not to what the clinic charges, so expect to pay a gap. Medicare’s audiology items pay toward tests, not toward buying hearing aids.
Holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, a DVA Gold Card or a DVA White Card for hearing conditions, aged 21 or over, can apply for the government’s Hearing Services Program, which covers hearing assessments and fully subsidised hearing aids for those who qualify. Hearing aids bought privately usually fall under private health extras cover, where benefits, limits and waiting periods differ by fund and policy. None of the practices on this page published its own fees, so ask each clinic what you will pay after any rebate.
| Job | Typical price |
|---|
| Full hearing test with cochlear tests, on a GP referral (MBS item 82318) | Medicare schedule fee $58.15, rebate $49.45 |
| Middle ear test, tympanometry (MBS item 82324) | Medicare schedule fee $19.15, rebate $16.30 |
| Audiology visit on a GP chronic condition management plan (MBS item 10952) | Medicare rebate $63.40, within 5 allied health visits a year in total |
| Hearing aid maintenance under the Hearing Services Program, fully subsidised aids | $55.55 a year including GST (2026-27) |
Medicare fees and rebates from the Medicare Benefits Schedule, current from 1 July 2026. The maintenance fee is from the Hearing Services Program 2026-27 fee schedule. Clinics set their own fees.
Serving all of Sydney
The audiologists above cover the Sydney CBD, Balmain and the Inner West, Crows Nest and the Lower North Shore, plus Epping and Forestville further north. Searching for an audiologist near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number and address so you can find the closest clinic fast.
What to ask before you book an audiologist
- Do I need a GP referral, or can I book directly?
- Is this appointment for wax removal, a hearing test, or a hearing aid fitting?
- What method do you use for wax removal, and is it covered by private health ancillary cover?
- Are you independent of hearing aid manufacturers, or tied to a specific brand?
- How long is the appointment, and what happens if more than one visit is needed?
- What are your current fees, and is a Medicare rebate available?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral to see an audiologist in Sydney?
Not to book. Several clinics on this page, including Earworx and Sydney Earwax Care Clinic, take direct bookings for ear wax removal, and The Audiology Place says no referral is needed for its appointments. To claim a Medicare rebate on a diagnostic hearing test, though, you need a written request from a doctor, and since March 2023 that can be your GP.
What is the difference between ear wax removal and a full hearing test?
Ear wax removal, usually done by microsuction, clears blocked ears and is often the faster, cheaper visit. A full hearing test, done by a qualified audiologist, assesses your hearing range and can lead to a hearing aid fitting if needed.
What should a full hearing test include?
A free screening only tells you whether you might have a hearing loss, so ask which one you are booking. A full diagnostic assessment usually covers your hearing history, a look into the ear canal, a middle ear test (tympanometry), tone tests by air and bone conduction, and speech testing, ideally in background noise as well as in quiet. You should leave with your results explained and a copy of your audiogram, and when a doctor referred you, Medicare rules require the audiologist to send the results back to that doctor.
What do pensioners get under the Hearing Services Program?
Australian citizens and permanent residents aged 21 or over who hold a Pensioner Concession Card, a DVA Gold Card or a DVA White Card for hearing conditions can apply. The voucher is valid for five years and covers a hearing assessment, fully subsidised hearing aids if your hearing loss meets the program’s threshold, and follow-up appointments and reviews. You can pay the difference for a higher-technology aid, and an optional maintenance agreement for fully subsidised aids costs $55.55 a year in 2026-27. A Commonwealth Seniors Health Card does not qualify on its own.
Does private health insurance cover hearing aids?
Hearing aids are usually an extras benefit, and not every extras policy includes them. Benefits, limits and waiting periods differ by fund, so before you book ask your fund whether your policy covers hearing aids, how much it pays, how often you can claim and whether you have served the waiting period.
The bottom line
For a quick, no-referral fix for blocked ears, Earworx’s same-day CBD booking and deep review history make it the safe default. If you need a full hearing assessment or are considering hearing aids, Hearlix or Focus Hearing Clinic are the stronger calls, and The Audiology Place suits families, with hearing tests for children from six months old at its Epping and Forestville clinics. Confirm referral requirements and fees with the clinic before you book.
