Tr1boy

Both of my sons were born in Mona Vale hospital (I still don't know how that place hasn't been 'developed' yet!).

I wouldn't recommend going past Newport as once you have 'the bends' to contend with, that adds some serious commuting times. Newport is nice, getting a bit 'sprawley' now compared to 15 years ago but where isn't?

OP doesn't say how many kids they have but could get expensive up there depending what size of property. Telecommuting has made the Nthn Beaches a better prospect now than it was a few years ago.

I commuted every day from Nth Narra to Nth Syd for 10 years or more, it can be done to the City but depending on my home life, I wouldn't want to do it any further than that TBH.

Great area though

Beoz

Yep. Not much point living on the insular peninsula if all you see is the inside of a bus

Good area though.

FXpert

you can drive (which I do once or twice a week, but the bus is actually quicker!

Bermudashorts

I lived and commuted from Collaroy every day for five years, would be easily an hour in busy traffic but in the morning I managed to avoid much of that by going early. No way to avoid it in evening though as rush hour lasts about three hours! I may have considered Newport or Avalon, but I think need to be prepared for an 80-90 minute journey if travelling peak time.

Agree wholeheartedly with your comments on the area, we thought of North Shore Pymble, Gordon etc and they are nice but found them too suburban for us, nobody out and about unlike the beach suburbs which are always buzzing.

Tr1boy

This is why I reckon Lane Cove is a good option. Pretty close to City and the tech areas. Also, rather than a strip of shops, it has two 'squares' one much larger than the other and a pretty good feel at night with the restaurants and cafes facing each other. Plenty of people about a bit later at night (not so much in winter) and good community feel.

I hear good things about the schools also. Nice areas to walk. We moved from North Narra to Lane Cove when my company moved from Nth Syd to Riverside Park. The congestion getting from Wakehurst Parkway onto Warringah Rd got too insane (same with Mona Vale Rd where it meets Pac Hwy/Lane Cove Rd.

Man, I missed that surf though!

Beoz

Just live in the Eastern Suburbs. For a newcomer who's likely to rent its just easy, convenient, by the beach, and has a plethora of cafe's, shops, and niceties. Rent hasn't risen in the Eastern subs for number of years. Buying .... well how deep are you pockets. Same goes for anywhere, Northern Beaches, Lane Cove, you might be able to pick up a deal in Penrith ... ouch

Louloulou

Many thanks!

Wilderspool

I've worked in Sydney for 20 years as a Relocation specialist, having previously worked in the same career in the UK. In my professional opinion no where in Sydney, or for that matter Australia, has a UK style village feel.

Louloulou

Many thanks! It is proving to be a bit of a difficult task

Tr1boy

I think one of things people don't realise, or at grasp the magnitude of, is just how big Sydney (and Melb for that matter) are. You can talk about 'villages' and 'communities' until the cows come home (which they won't!) but in this context, you are always talking different parts of the same city. You are always in the greater Sydney or Melb area.

There is no obvious separation as would occur for instance between some places in the UK and Europe. To work and live efficiently in Sydney, you will always be looking at the least worst option/compromise within the confines of a city and its surrounds.

Some may argue that that are a couple of parks or some wooded areas etc (Terrey Hills for example) but in the grand scheme, you aren't going far before you're hitting all the same issues everyone else has and unless you are going to use those suburbs to sustain your income (nice but rare), this will always be the case.

People in Oz use the word 'village' and I've raced in a few rural locations where it gets closer to the traditional meaning but there aren't many.

You're not going to find an Oz version of 'Middlecoddlintonwallopsworthy' in Sydney. So comparisons to the UK are pretty redundant but what you can do is look for the best elements of what you want withing the context of how Sydney is constructed and laid out.

Bermudashorts

I agree with last couple of posters. The concept of finding a village in Sydney is one that I just cannot relate to. It is a big sprawl, it is made up of suburbs not villages and you will not notice when one suburb ends and the next one starts. It is not like in the UK where you have a village, drive on open roads and then clearly enter the next village.

the Sydney suburbs are grouped together though, Northern Beaches, North Shore, Eastern Suburbs, inner West etc. I would start by picking which of those general areas you would like. You don't need to pick a particular suburb within it in advance, you would probably like to look at places in several neighbouring suburbs.

Beoz

Agree. You want a UK village. Move to Berry NSW. You won't be in the big smoke.

Mark_Tor

Lane Cove -convenient to the city, North Sydney or Macquarie park if that's where you'll work. Nice village atmosphere, mix of small and larger shops, supermarkets etc, selection of restaurants and cafes, good community facilities,

paddyo

But even that is changing now, new developments sprining up, major bypass going around it. The central road through the town is still its major draw card. Gerroa nearby is still a village as is Gerringgong (just) as is Kangaroo Valley but the 'village feel' will not be anywhere near the same as UK.

Crystaltipps

We loved Kirribilli for its village feel. It has a fabulous neighbourhood centre which brings old and young everyone together. I can err on the side of shy-ness but Kirribilli forced me out of it! I think it's the fact that most people live in apartments as oppose to houses on sprawling plots. I had friends from Aus, Europe, the States and India, it's like a proper melting pot. Oh dear...I sound like I work for the Kirribilli marketing board!

All the best with your decision.