Norris1

Looks like job offer is coming to work in the central business district. Moving out with wife and child 4 yrs old. Really need to find out best affordable places to rent family friendly areas with commutable access to the business district, understand Sydney is very expensive any suggestions on areas to start a search ideally with rail links..

Bermudashorts

Most suburbs will be "family friendly" so you can't narrow the search down that way. Likewise most suburbs will enable people to travel into the CBD.

The main factor which will help you narrow down your choices will be the affordability one. Tis is different for all of us and you might need to give an indication of what you are thinking of for good advice and recommendations.

Bikergirl

and in addition to affordability your anticipated income and preferred house/apartment style will impact, along with your interests and hobbies etc

For us the requirements when we first arrived changed to something different once we have been here a short while. Our initial requirements were a house with garden close to the husbands job, that could be afforded on his salary alone and had good transport links to a range of areas whilst i was job hunting. No kids so schools were a consideration for us.

Less than two years on we wanted to be closer to the beach and bushland (type environment), were happy to not be so close husbands work and have more limited transport options for me (however i was specific that i didn't want to be traveling for more than 45minutes each way).

paddyo

As BS stated and Bikergirl amplified, there are laods of factors to take into account. Don't worry about schooling, there are few 'bad' schools and there will always be a 'good' one close to wherever you move to.
Is it PR or 457 Visa? If 457 Visa then you WILL have to pay $4500 per annum for public school attendance.
There are a multitude of suburbs around Sydney and only you and, more importantly, your partner can decide which is best for you. Do you want beach? river? inner city? outer suburbs?.....so many and Sydney is HUGE!!!! Your income will dictate your rental allocation, we set aside $500 per week before we arrived...then went for a 2 bed apartment which was $750 per week!! It really is difficult and your first home here will take some sorting...but...its just your first, go for a 6 month lease first off then if you don't like it or find a better suburb then you can move.
Use the www.131500.com.au website to find out 'average' commuter times for potential suburbs, trains and ferries will be accurate but buses will be traffic dependant.
We moved out here in 2008 when our son was 3, lived in Manly at first but now live down the south coast which has a direct train line into the city. But that suits us, it may not suit others (although the packed train platform at 0600 in the morning suggests otherwise!!). Ask lots of questions, form lots of ideas, but, one thing is for sure, until you actually get here none of it will really make sense! Good luck!

TheCreature

I don't know how you cope with the scenic railway from the Illawarra on a daily basis. It would do my head in.

paddyo

To the CBD its actually ok, until you get to Hong Kong...sorry, I mean Hurstville!. But now I have to work in Parramatta so go all the way in to Redfearn and then back out west again....not so good!
But there are regualr trains and a LOT of Sydney cbd workers live there so can't be too bad

TheCreature

I'm a bit further South than you and I guess that makes the difference. Given the relatively short distances involved, it just seems to take an age to get into Central.

ladyseagull

Hi, we are in the same position. Husband just been offered the chance of a job in Sydney and we are coming over in January to try and get stuff sorted. We have been living in Barcelona for the last 6 years and I am very nervous about the change but at the same time, I'm very excited. I'm sure there is loads I need to know and will probably be making a nuscience of myself over the next few weeks but I would appreciate anything anyone can tell me to help me with the move and the planning...oh my god, I'm stressed already !!!!

paddyo

Yeah I understand that, my neighbour actually drives to Sutherland and then gets the train, saves him 30 mins train time from not having to do the Helensburgh snake pass route!