The area encompasses the suburbs directly south of Central Station or more specifically Cleveland Street leading all the way down to the Airport and fall west of the Eastern Distributor but east of the Alexandra Canal.

The area starts with Redfern then continues down through Eveleigh, Waterloo, Zetland, Alexandria, Beaconsfield, Rosebery, Eastlakes (West of Eastern Distributor) and ends in Mascot.

This area corresponds to the southern portion of the cadastral Parish of St George,[10] from which the region derives its name.

In some instances the whole cadastral Parish of St George (both north and south) is grouped together and considered the inner south-west due to its geographical location from Sydney CBD.

The Sutherland Shire is 26 kilometres (16 mi) south of Sydney central business district, and is bordered by the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, and Georges River Council local government areas.