yorksinoz

Thanks for all the comments so far - it's useful to get some different viewpoints. I think we will end up in the Northern Beaches area - but will have to look at our budgets closely to see if we can afford a bit more on rent than originally planned. It may be that I'll need to find work sooner than expected too! The Shires sound lovely - but I just don't think we'd want to be that far south, when our few contacts in Sydney are north! I know what it was like driving from south London to north London at weekends to see friends/family and I don't want to go through that again!! Also, if the Shires are the equivalent to the Bayside here in Brisbane, then I also don't think it would suit us 100% - as we feel we probably made the wrong decision in choosing the Bayside, for various reasons.

We are very aware that Sydney is very different to Brisbane on all kinds of levels and accept that what we get for our money is going to be a lot less - but we are hoping that other aspects of our lifestyle will be just as good, if not better!

Undecided99 - do you have any knowledge of good schools around Avalon?

Undecided99

There are a couple of good public primary schools in the immediate area: my youngest goes to Bilgola Plateau Public School which I can thoroughly recommend and there is also Avalon Public School in the heart of Avalon which is also very popular. You mentioned Catholic schools - there is Maria Regina, also in the heart of Avalon, which goes up to yr 6. If you want to go down the private route there is also Northern Beaches Christian School which I've heard good things about and which goes right through from K to Yr 12 but that is over in Terry Hills. There are a few other private schools within a 20-30 minute drive but I don't have any knowledge of them.

As we only moved here a year ago and my children are 14, 12 and 9, I don't have any experience of the pre-schools so can't really give you any information on those but I do know there are at least a couple in the area, probably more, as there are so many young families here.

I'm not sure if you said whether you have girls or boys but there is an excellent ballet school in Avalon - one of the better ones in Sydney I think - which is thriving with not just ballet but modern dance, jazz etc. There are endless sports clubs - netball, football, rugby - and if you have budding athletes there is the Sydney Academy of Sport just down the road from us at Narrabeen which has amazing facilities. We're also really well catered for with art clubs of all descriptions - for young and old - as there is a very vibrant arts scene up here.

I think if you can cope with the commuting issue (or better still find a job locally!) it's one of the nicest places to live in the area (tho' obviously I am a bit biased as I have fallen in love with the place!).

emma75

We llive in The SHIRE IN ENGADINE, OH COMMUTES TO THE CITY EVERY DAY. i LOVE IT HERE, VERY FRIENDLY AMD YOU ARE NOT THAT FAR FROM THE CITY BUT ALSO FEEL ABIT RURAL. wE LIVE IN ENGADINE AND HAVE A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE WITH TWO BATHROOMS, TWO SEPARATE TOLIETS, A LAUNDRY ROOM AS BIG AS A BEDROOM AND A LOVELY POOL ALSO WITH A NICE SIZE BACK YARD. i WALK THE BOYS TO SCHOOL, THE OH WALKS TO THE STATION AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY HERE. I L,OOKED AT THE NORTHERN BEACHES AND KNOW FOR A FACT FOR THE RENT WE PAY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOT US A TWO BED UNIT. |i COULD THROUGHLY RECOMMEND IT HERE
eMMA

emma75

SORRY FOR THE CAPITALS AND THE SPELLING... i AM ON THE VINO