kathytim

Hi all. We are hoping to be settled in Nowra before Christmas (visa permitting) and want to start researching schools for our 5 year old daughter. Can anyone offer any views or advice on good schools for this age group in the Nowra area (state run or private)?

Cheers

gozzey

Hi there

We are off to Nowra next year also. I have been told that the North Nowra school at Illaroo road is supposed to be quite good. 'Hutch' who comes on here quite often is probably the best one to speak to as he lives on the South Coast.

Good Luck!

Hutch

Best public school in the area by a loooooooooooong way is the one my son goes to in Berry (it being Berry Public School ) which is 10 miles away. Quite a few kids from Nowra attend (there's even a free bus). They aren't nearly as arsey about catchment areas here - we live 7 miles away from the school and Josh gets the bus in with no dramas.

Hutch

You guys both moving to Nowra on navy business perchance?

gozzey

Hello Hutch

We are going through the Navy route, yes. We actually visited there in April, loved the surrounding areas, Nowra was itself reminded me of Yeovil. We stayed in Huskisson which was lovely.

Hutch

I kept getting asked if I was navy when I was buying all the stuff for our house - quite a few British expats out that way - indeed several of them go to the surf club here in Shoalhaven Heads. Huskisson's great - if I was working in Nowra I'd certainly consider living there.

Incidentally - the Nowra Anglican College (www.nac.nsw.edu.au) has a very good reputation too. Bit too 'churchy' for us, though we may be hypocritical sods and send our son there when he's of secondary school age.

kathytim

Hi there Hutch, Yes we are going with the navy to. Any information you can give us about schools for our 5yr old, colleges for our 17yr old and best areas to live would be fantastic. Oh' and clubs and hobbies for my car mad 17yr old teenage daughter would be much appreciated. She has alredy done 1st yr mechanic course and may continue out there or she may switch to IT.

deano66

Hi - I can't shed any light on your original question but just thought I'd add that we spent most of April in and around Jervis Bay, Sanctuary Point, Vencentia, etc and thought it was fantastic. A bit 'Dawlish Warren' in places but if there are finer beaches in the world than Murray's, I'd like to know.

Very jealous

Hutch

You're spoilt for choice in terms of location. North Nowra's probably the nicest bit of the town itself - it just depends what you're looking for in terms of house size and price. To the south you've got Huskisson and Vincentia - both lovely and situated right in lovely Jervis Bay - property is surprisingly well priced there. Cambewarra is a short drive north from town and has some stunning properties nestling at the foot of Berry Mountain - though it's somewhat lacking in amenities. Then there's Berry, Shoalhaven Heads (where I live), Gerroa and Gerringong all to the north. Wouldn't have thought you'd want to go much further north than that. Over to the east are Greenwell Point and Culburra - both well worth a look.

Best schools for the little 'un are the Anglican college in North Nowra and Berry Public (where my son goes). In terms of colleges, there's the TAFE in Nowra, which do a couple of mechanic related courses, or there's Wollongong which has plenty of excellent colleges and of course the uni (all a cheap train ride from Bomaderry or Berry stations).

There's quite a few car clubs in the area and of course the speedway.

Hutch

Tis bloody nice. Last time we were there, we were eating a picnic on the beach when the local pod of dolphins decided to play about 30 metres off the shore.

deano66

Us too! - plus we had a Ray come visit as well. Party was curtailed when a flock of Bluebottles came riding in.
(whats the collective noun for jellyfish?)

kathytim

Thanks hutch,
Very helpfull, especially as we are going out blind, having never been to Australia. Been getting all our info via internet, tv, magazines and little snippets off various friends who have already gone out. People seem to be leaving Britain like rats leaving a sinking ship!!

Hutch

Yea, bloody bluebottles - they wash up on Seven Mile Beach in huge numbers. Cracked me up actually - was reading the BBC News website and the fact that a single bluebottle landed on a beach on the Cornish coast, made it to the front page!

No worries. It's a nice area with excellent connections all over the east coast. Couple of hours in peak traffic to Sydney, couple of hours to Canberra, 45 minutes from Wollongong, 30 minutes from the Shellharbour shops, heaps of national parks and beaches.

cornish

where you live may be a factor in considering schools as catchment is zoned, As you are navy the main housing is in worrigee , north nowra , bomaderry and west nowra.there are defence education assistants in schools at Illaroo rd public, nowra public and st michaels catholic primary.their role is to settle and support defence children during relocation and afterwards if they need help in class. Illaroo road is probably the best school in the area. constantly does well in inter schools competions academically and in creative arts, sports and public speaking ,often reaching state finals. it has the area gifted and talented classess for yr 5 & 6 students too which is why many parents select it over the local private schools ( nowra anglican, st michaels catholic and nowra christian school) some families choose state primaries then go private for secondary.
Hutch is right, Berry is a very good school, but it is a long trip out for a kindy child and she probably won't live near any of her new friends. I suspect that the families who do travel out from nowra live in the catchment for bomaderry public school and dont want to send their children there.or live in the rural parts just north of town .the best thing to do is to visit as many schools when you get here and see how you think your daughter will fit in. although as you are probably coming at the end of the year getting an out of zone place for the new school year may be more difficult. do you know anyone here already they might give you some ideas? or talk to the defence families office staff who are so helpful.good luck with your visa.

kathytim

Hi there Cornish, Thankyou for that We will keep your comments in mind, there very helpful.