We are hoping to be in Sydney in 2013. I'm busy looking at suburbs suitable to our lifestyle, budget.
We have 2 girls; nearly 3 and 5 1/2 and are hoping to be near a beach, park, river or anywhere family orientated.
Have you any advice for me regarding reasonably priced, safe suburbs to concentrate on.

Where are you likely to be working? Sydney is huge so a starting point would be good

You might need to tell us a bit more, like where you think you will be working and as we don't know your lifestyle or budget it is hard to comment in those respects too.

As Sydney is by the coast like most Australian cities, nobody is really a long way from the beach, however if you mean you would like to be really close to the beach well this usually means expensive not reasonably priced.

Like the others suggest, you are throwing out a pretty broad question.

Beach - anywhere east, Parks - all over, Rivers - see a map, Family Orientated - just about everywhere, Reasonably Priced - away from the beach and rivers

Just to give you an indication of recent shootings in Sydney, this is where they have mostly happened - http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-shootings

That's not to say these areas are unsafe - people generally know their shooter.

Perhaps Polly's question is a good place to start then look at easily commutable areas from there.

Budget and lifestyle choice are a better way to start. There are some very boring very safe suburbs.

Yes guys are right.

Nearly everywhere here is mega safe. And boring also goes with it if you move to the burbs

We're moving back to Cremorne. Near beach, close to city but its pricey. Depends on your budget too etc

If you're from Eton maybe not

Looks like the MIL has had her AK47 out again.

There were a couple of murders in cremorne while I lived there and a cash machine was blown up. Not the safest place in the world.

Live life dangerously and dress up as an ATM.

Really an AK47?

We all know a MIL can take out a group of gansta's with their tongue/mouth at 40 paces

Well mine can strip them of their dignity with just "the look".

The guy was targeted. You're not going to get much safer unless you lock yourself away from the whole world. Put it that way

Australia in general with all the laws and being a nanny state is miles safer than the UK. But if you're going to compare Punchbowl to Kensington then maybe now. Apples with apples etc

I see absolutely no evidence whatsoever that Australia is even slightly safer than the UK let alone miles safer. It isnt backed up by crime figures so I'm not sure what you base that on ? There was 1 (one) reported crime in our village last month

I'm sure you used that joke recently on another thread....still funny though