barnsleylass

Hi,
My husband has just been offered a job in Sydney so we are moving over (finally!!) in 3 months time. After lots of research looking at places to live we have settled on Stanwell Park as it is commutable to the city and seems fairly quiet. We live in a rural coastal community in the UK so want something similar in Oz.
Does anyone else live there/close by? Anyone have experience of the local public school? We have 3 kids so this is pretty important. My main concern (as a stay at home mum initially) is meeting people so any advice on playgroups etc would be hugely appreciated! It's scary stuff

Many thanks
Sally

paddyo

Hi Sally, we live in Bulli a few suburbs further down the coast.
I'll start by saying that I like Stanwell Park due to its position on the beach and just outside the National Park. But......one thing I have noticed is that aside from the beach, there is not much else there. No pub, no supermarket, no nothing. Some people like that however but knowing the area as I do and speaking to others who live there the idyll can wear off after a while.
It is very much a 'old natives vs new migrants' suburb and can be hard to break into but make of that what you will. It is expensive to buy, you NEED a car, but would I live there? Yes.....why?......because knowing what I do I would stock up on wine...lots of it!!

renth

Great place for Hang gliding and paragliding. That's where I did my first big flights. The national park is good too.

Beoz

Its a beautiful spot..... pity about the commute...... I do like that part of the world between the national park and the Gong

Red_V_Roger

That's a very long commute if you intend to do it every day. By train is going to be about 1 1/2 hours each way and by car well over 2 hours if you hit the traffic going in and out.

Would suggest further north like Heathcote, Engadine, Loftus.

scrubbedexpat098

what he said, we're a bit further south than paddyo but it is a beautiful spot.

barnsleylass

Thanks for the advice!

We have looked at the commute and the morning train takes just over an hour which my husband seems fine with. I'll take a couple of years off work to get the kids settled.

A couple of people have mentioned now that Stanwell Park can be a bit hard to 'break into' socially so that is a slight worry. When you mention 'natives vs' new migrants' do you mean there is an even split of each? I'm hoping having young kids will help.

We have looked at suburbs further north & south but we need to be near a beach. We practically live next to one in the UK and it is a big part of our lives so not willing to compromise on that. The northern beaches (which we know fairly well having stayed in Manly & Avalon previously) are just a bit too pricey and the bus commute would be a concern too.

Anymore suggestions welcome though - nothing is set in stone just yet!

Sally xx

Beoz

Yeah. Manly and avalon are a long way apart in distance and in cost. In avalon you my feel a little less isolated than in stanwell.

Bermudashorts

You would commute from Stanwell Park but are concerned about a bus journey from Manly or Avalon.

Stanwell Park to CBD - 58kms
Avalon to CBD - 38kms
Manly to CBD - 14 kms.

I commute from Northern Beaches (22kms), there are loads of buses, I always have a seat and it is the easiest commute I have had in my working life. Been doing it for nearly 3 years now.

I have looked into living further out, for better value of money, but really I think that commute is too far from the south coast. It might be just over an hour on paper, but add in your time for getting to station, waiting for train, getting to office and you could be pushing 2 hours before you know it.

Beoz

I was thinking exactly the same thing.

Red_V_Roger

Cronulla could be an option, on the beach - much faster than Stanwell Park if you get the right train , though I guess the house prices are a lot higher.

Having travelled in to Sydney many times by train myself from Sutherland/Loftus (so much closer in, but on the same line as Stanwell Park) and my wife having done it for the last 6 years...there's no way either of us could tolerate going all the way from further south everyday...and Stanwell Park is much further. You're OK going in to the city (and likewise after on the the return) until you get to Hurstville and then the madness starts. Many people getting on from here onwards to the city are Asian and anyone that has been to China/India/Hong Kong/Etc will know that train travel there and the attitudes and behaviour of those travelling is very different to the UK.

Its not pleasant!

scrubbedexpat098

I'm in Wollongong and commuted to Sydney for afew years whether by car or train, makes for a long day, specially when it all goes tits up. However, if you've fallen in love with a place that means that extra commute, then I reckon go for it. What's the point of living round the corner to work if it's not where you want to be??

Red_V_Roger

[QUOTE=stevenglish1;10749213]I'm in Wollongong and commuted to Sydney for afew years whether by car or train, makes for a long day, specially when it all goes tits up.[QUOTE]

Certainly one of my wife's issues...its alright saying on the train timetable, but how often does it every run right? And when it goes wrong on the line south of Sutherland, it seems to really go wrong.

Even more so...few business are within reach of Central Station, which means changing potentially to another train as well!

But on the positive side, as a place we really like Stanwell Park...I don't want to be negative about the place itself.

Beoz

I hear you ..... I pick up a train from Town Hall to North Sydney that comes from somewhere in the west. The deep throated sniffing, the un-maintained coughing, the smells (especially in summer). ...... its quite horrific to the point that I now drive.

barnsleylass

Hi,
Again thanks for the helpful comments. We used the 131500.com.au website for the journey times so not sure how accurate these are. It came back as 2+ hours for the bus into the city from Avalon. Manly too pricey and we don't feel the right place to bring up the kids. We have also considered North Narrabeen and Elanora Heights but obviously 4 bed rentals fairly pricey (we have 3 kids and need space for family to stay).
We've visited Cronulla a couple of times before and have family friends in Lilli Pilli but we didn't get the right feel about the place. Not sure why.
Basically our key points are - near the beach, small/friendly community, good public school, around $750 max for 4 bed house, commutable to Sydney for husband. His place of work will be 5 mins walk from Town Hall.
Maybe such a place doesn't exist but we thought Stanwell Park to be the closest match?
Sally xx