plantpot

Is it overpriced in your opinion for a 3 bed place or really convenient and fun for a family?

No schools needed but a decent nursery would be a plus....

emigratingherberts

Overrated in my opinion with lots of units and not many houses. There are plenty of nicer beaches all over Sydney.

NickyC

Bondi is convenient and there are plenty of families living in the area. However, there are certainly nicer beaches/suburbs around.

Checkout Bronte which is a nice suburb (I lived there for many years) that has more of a family feel than Bondi. It has far fewer apartment blocks and no pub (which attract a louder, younger element). Also Coogee (where I live now) which is a bigger suburb, has a good beach for kids and plenty of community spirit.

asher

at the weekends the roads around Bondi become badly congested with people visiting the beach and bondi junction shopping centre.
Bondi beach is overrated as previously stated there are nicer beaches such as Bronte I know a few singletons who live there and love it.

Nu-Shooz

I loved visiting Bondi beach and the shops. But only for a visit.

IvanM

Bondi is great to live at and very convenient. It has a wonderful diverse community and an unrivalled range of places to eat. 3 Bed places are rare as hens teeth and the quality is not great. According to the herald prices are now coming down even in Bondi and the other beach burbs.

Bronte is quieter and nicer with less of a range of cafes etc but much more family orientated. Bondi (and Coogee) has far more rented properties and areas can be noisy at night. Clovelly, Waverley, Bellevue Hill maybe good alternatives for you.

Coogee also has 2 of NSW most violent pubs. Not sure why and I was suprised they beat the Bondi hotel to that dubious honour.

Bondi Public School (primary) is not so great and parents try and get their kids into private or Bronte. The secondary school is not too great either but that is an issue with the Eastern Suburbs.

By nursery I presume you mean childcare for preschooolers. For under 2s the waiting lists are 2 years or more. For over that you would do well by contacting Waverley council. I cannot answer your question about the quality as our littlun has been too ill to put in childcare.

I love living here but as my family has expanded I will be leaving for more affordable burbs. It is with great regret I will be leaving as I have enjoyed the beach life, community and the Bondi behind Campbell Parade that tourists don't see.

plantpot

Thanks Ivan, I do mean preschool maybe two days a week or so from aged 3/4...

Bronte sounds nice too...what suburbs will u be heading to if you dont mind me asking?

Can u also tell me what constitute the Eastern suburbs....

PP x

IvanM

Best way to explain is to jump onto www.realestate.com.au and search by map. Jump to the city map and click on Eastern Suburbs.

They include some of Australia's most wealthy, gayest and cosmopolitain suburbs as well as some deprived areas such as Maroubra which has the infamous Bra boys gang and lots of little hoodies running riot. I saw some 3 bedders there that looked good value but were in the middle of a council estate and across the road from a burnt out playground.

I will be heading up the North Shore line in search of a decent school and some space. Relative to Bondi the food will be crap and no beach.

Best way to find out about preschools would be to head to one of the playgroups. My wife takes my son to the ones on Brighton and Wairoa. One is in the church and the other in the Early Childhood Health centre.

I am told Cranbrook has a good preschool but good luck getting in.

plantpot

Thanks Ivan, Its the same here with schools, pre schools etc.
I would do playgroup for a year or two anyway til child is 4 so I am not desperate to work or for preschool iyswim, just wanted to know options available to me.

North Shore? Will now look it up, guess you need a car there (or should I say one each?)

Do you drive 2 cars or did your wife and child use public transport?

Thanks again for you replies. Invaluable.

PP

IvanM

North Shore is good for getting into Sydney and the rest of the North Shore line.

In Bondi we are a one car family as the Mrs doesn't drive and we get by OK. We still need the car for large grocery shopping but you can walk to most stuff you need around here without having to go up to the junction. It is one reason we have stuck around so long as the Mrs can go to playgroup, get fresh fuit and veg and other small supplies without needing to drive. She can also take the toddler to the parks and beach in the stroller.

The main time I have needed to drive her is for hospital appointments when she was heavily pregnant.

When we move and the Mrs is less sleep deprived I hope she will drive. The other thing about Bondi is that it has a large transient population that loves living there but has to move for space.

Good luck with everything and hope you find what you want.