Westleigh - anyone out there?
Dec 13th 2012, 2:24 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: Pyrmont, Sydney
Posts: 9
Westleigh - anyone out there?
Hiya, we are thinking of moving to Westleigh - it looks very nice, has a great park for the kids...kids will find friends - yipee! What about the mums and dads though? Any ex-pats on the forum live there? Is there a good community spirit, do people mix? I see there isn't a local pub or anything like that (don't get me wrong, I am not a drinker myself), but where do folks meet and socialise? In the park with their kids? Do neighbours talk to neighbours there?
Please someone, put my fears at rest!
Thanks for reading and any comments!
Please someone, put my fears at rest!
Thanks for reading and any comments!
Dec 13th 2012, 9:14 am
#2
Cup of tea, Father?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Underground, overground, wombling free
Posts: 6,895
Re: Westleigh - anyone out there?
We're in Thornleigh. 
And have lived in both Normanhurst and Hornsby since moving oop north from the inner west (we used to be in Leichhardt). It's definitely a family-friendly place and we're very happy up here. Although it is a bit of a change from the other side of the bridge! My children are 4 and a half and nearly two. First Born goes to a community preschool two days a week and we've met people that way; I'm on the preschool committee. I also take the Gorilla to playgroup once a week (and am on the committee there, too. Serial committee member.) and we've met lots of people that way. The people I've met have mainly been because of the children! So at the park or at swimming lessons or wherever. Oh, and at Pennant Hill's library story time. That's really popular. I don't drink, so we don't go to pubs all that often. We tend to head to the Blue Gum at Waitara, if himself feels that way inclined. Our neighbours have been pleasant enough to say hello to, but they're much older than us (with adult children), so we don't have that much to do with them. I guess that depends on you and your neighbours!
HTH.
And have lived in both Normanhurst and Hornsby since moving oop north from the inner west (we used to be in Leichhardt). It's definitely a family-friendly place and we're very happy up here. Although it is a bit of a change from the other side of the bridge! My children are 4 and a half and nearly two. First Born goes to a community preschool two days a week and we've met people that way; I'm on the preschool committee. I also take the Gorilla to playgroup once a week (and am on the committee there, too. Serial committee member.) and we've met lots of people that way. The people I've met have mainly been because of the children! So at the park or at swimming lessons or wherever. Oh, and at Pennant Hill's library story time. That's really popular. I don't drink, so we don't go to pubs all that often. We tend to head to the Blue Gum at Waitara, if himself feels that way inclined. Our neighbours have been pleasant enough to say hello to, but they're much older than us (with adult children), so we don't have that much to do with them. I guess that depends on you and your neighbours! HTH.
Dec 13th 2012, 8:25 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Bristol, UK --> Copacabana, NSW
Posts: 186
Re: Westleigh - anyone out there?
Hiya, we are thinking of moving to Westleigh - it looks very nice, has a great park for the kids...kids will find friends - yipee! What about the mums and dads though? Any ex-pats on the forum live there? Is there a good community spirit, do people mix? I see there isn't a local pub or anything like that (don't get me wrong, I am not a drinker myself), but where do folks meet and socialise? In the park with their kids? Do neighbours talk to neighbours there?
Please someone, put my fears at rest!
Thanks for reading and any comments!
Please someone, put my fears at rest!
Thanks for reading and any comments!
Dec 13th 2012, 9:39 pm
#4
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: Pyrmont, Sydney
Posts: 9
Re: Westleigh - anyone out there?
We're in Thornleigh. And have lived in both Normanhurst and Hornsby since moving oop north from the inner west (we used to be in Leichhardt). It's definitely a family-friendly place and we're very happy up here. Although it is a bit of a change from the other side of the bridge! My children are 4 and a half and nearly two. First Born goes to a community preschool two days a week and we've met people that way; I'm on the preschool committee. I also take the Gorilla to playgroup once a week (and am on the committee there, too. Serial committee member.) and we've met lots of people that way. The people I've met have mainly been because of the children! So at the park or at swimming lessons or wherever. Oh, and at Pennant Hill's library story time. That's really popular. I don't drink, so we don't go to pubs all that often. We tend to head to the Blue Gum at Waitara, if himself feels that way inclined. Our neighbours have been pleasant enough to say hello to, but they're much older than us (with adult children), so we don't have that much to do with them. I guess that depends on you and your neighbours!
HTH.
And have lived in both Normanhurst and Hornsby since moving oop north from the inner west (we used to be in Leichhardt). It's definitely a family-friendly place and we're very happy up here. Although it is a bit of a change from the other side of the bridge! My children are 4 and a half and nearly two. First Born goes to a community preschool two days a week and we've met people that way; I'm on the preschool committee. I also take the Gorilla to playgroup once a week (and am on the committee there, too. Serial committee member.) and we've met lots of people that way. The people I've met have mainly been because of the children! So at the park or at swimming lessons or wherever. Oh, and at Pennant Hill's library story time. That's really popular. I don't drink, so we don't go to pubs all that often. We tend to head to the Blue Gum at Waitara, if himself feels that way inclined. Our neighbours have been pleasant enough to say hello to, but they're much older than us (with adult children), so we don't have that much to do with them. I guess that depends on you and your neighbours! HTH.
Dec 13th 2012, 9:40 pm
#5
Just Joined
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Joined: Nov 2012
Location: Pyrmont, Sydney
Posts: 9
Re: Westleigh - anyone out there?
Thanks for this...maybe we need to get a dog and get our kids some pals? lol
Dec 14th 2012, 7:36 am
#6
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,555
Re: Westleigh - anyone out there?
Its God fearing country and drink is Satan's poison
The area has a good community spirit, good schools (both private and public), good doctors, struggling local public hospital, large private hospital, hell on earth (massive Westiefields) and in Hornsby there are good train links. Rush hour traffic is not great and the Pacific Highway and Pennant hills road are car parks.
Coffee and food in the area is poor when you have lived in the Eastern Burbs and the city.
There are good parks, bush walks, proximity to Fagan Park, Hawkesbury River, Wisemans Ferry, central coast etc.
Main bugger for me is I my main client is near Mascot.
The area has a good community spirit, good schools (both private and public), good doctors, struggling local public hospital, large private hospital, hell on earth (massive Westiefields) and in Hornsby there are good train links. Rush hour traffic is not great and the Pacific Highway and Pennant hills road are car parks.
Coffee and food in the area is poor when you have lived in the Eastern Burbs and the city.
There are good parks, bush walks, proximity to Fagan Park, Hawkesbury River, Wisemans Ferry, central coast etc.
Main bugger for me is I my main client is near Mascot.
Hiya, we are thinking of moving to Westleigh - it looks very nice, has a great park for the kids...kids will find friends - yipee! What about the mums and dads though? Any ex-pats on the forum live there? Is there a good community spirit, do people mix? I see there isn't a local pub or anything like that (don't get me wrong, I am not a drinker myself), but where do folks meet and socialise? In the park with their kids? Do neighbours talk to neighbours there?
Please someone, put my fears at rest!
Thanks for reading and any comments!
Please someone, put my fears at rest!
Thanks for reading and any comments!
Dec 27th 2012, 11:03 am
#7
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: Pyrmont, Sydney
Posts: 9
Re: Westleigh - anyone out there?
Hi - just wondered what playgroup you take your kids to? I have looked up playgroup NSW and see there is one in Thornleigh and Pennant Hills. I will head along to these in Feb when we move into Westleigh. What ages do the playgroups cater for? The city playgroups are mostly for babies, but I have a 3.5yr old and a 1yr old - will the 3.5yr old have other kids to play with at playgroup? Many thanks again & maybe meet you soon?!
Jan 4th 2013, 10:38 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 59
Re: Westleigh - anyone out there?
My wife, two yr old augther and I lived in Westleigh for about a year.
Lovely kids park, dog exercise park as mentioned and generally very "nice".
I did find it a little too sterile though. The Westleigh shopping centre should be bombed too- horrid horrid place with few shops and crap ones at that. There's one "Italian" restaurant, one Chinese take away and erm....that's about it. The small Franklins supermarket is poor. Its straight out of the 70s. Yes, there is not one bar or pub.
There is one doctor/ GP.
There's apparently a good pre school/ kindergarten near the park now too. Our daughter was too young when we were there.
I personally thought ppl were quite insular. There wasn't much interaction on our cul de sac between neighbours really. Could have just been our street though.
We did most our shopping either at Thornleigh or Hornsby or online.
Bus services are good and you're only a short ride from the main northern rail line for the city. Approx 45 mins from Thornleigh stn to Wynyard.
Is it a nice place to live? Yes!
Would I live there again? No....
Lovely kids park, dog exercise park as mentioned and generally very "nice".
I did find it a little too sterile though. The Westleigh shopping centre should be bombed too- horrid horrid place with few shops and crap ones at that. There's one "Italian" restaurant, one Chinese take away and erm....that's about it. The small Franklins supermarket is poor. Its straight out of the 70s. Yes, there is not one bar or pub.
There is one doctor/ GP.
There's apparently a good pre school/ kindergarten near the park now too. Our daughter was too young when we were there.
I personally thought ppl were quite insular. There wasn't much interaction on our cul de sac between neighbours really. Could have just been our street though.
We did most our shopping either at Thornleigh or Hornsby or online.
Bus services are good and you're only a short ride from the main northern rail line for the city. Approx 45 mins from Thornleigh stn to Wynyard.
Is it a nice place to live? Yes!
Would I live there again? No....
