stretch545

Hi all

I'm due to go to Sydney at the end of March 2008 with my family on a 457 Visa and want some advice on where the best places in or around Sydney to live are.

My kids are 10 and 12 and we are happy enough living in the Suburbs. My commute will be to Central Sydney but on the South side of the bridge and I dont really want to commute for more than 45mins, but I suppose the most important thing is good state schools.

I've read the North is expensive and although the west is cheaper its less populated by expats than the South. The South (or the Shires as I think its called) is popular with expates and indigenous aussies.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

Red_V_Roger

With regards to the 'Shire'...in the 8 weeks we have been here we have 'lived' in Kirrawee and Gymea.

The whole Shire area appears quite nice. Certainly some good shopping areas in Miranda, Sylivania, Carringbar, etc. If you want to commute by rail (and it would be my suggestion for Sydney CBD, then you need to make sure that you are near the stations of Sutherland, Kirrawee, Gymea, Miranda, etc...

We were ‘put’ in Kirrawee – next area to Gymea (though they all run in to one) by my company when we came here at the beginning of September. It was a long stay B&B until we found a house to rent.

I guess its the first area you get to know that you are most comfortable with. So after 2 weeks we managed to find this rental in Gymea Bay (though its only sort of on the boarder with Gymea) like I say they all run in to each other.

We had to wait almost 4 weeks until it was ready for us and now we’ve been in 3 weeks. Our container was delivered here last Thursday.

We are very happy for the short time we have been here: To give you what we think are the good points:

1. Good rail links to major Sydney areas from Gymea station every 15 minutes at peak times, half hour at others – but line is currently being upgraded to allow more trains. This was very important for us because my wife cannot drive and must get to work by train. If I were you, I would consider the train for CBD - rather than the car.

2. Gymea has some reasonable decent shops, restaurants and cafes.

3. Gymea Hotel is about the nearest that you will get to a reasonable ‘pub’ – sorry it may not be on your priority list, but we like going out for a drink and pubs that are not just betting shops with beer licenses appear to be pretty rare.

4. We believe that there is a lovely netted sea/lagoon swimming area at the end of the road – but we have not been yet.

5. You are 10 minutes drive from the Royal National Park – which is really quite beautiful and has some lovely beaches and bushwalking.

6. Sorry we don’t have kids so cannot really give advice, but there do appear to be 2 or 3 nice looking schools just near here.

7. I work in Revesby (do not move there!) but the drive from Gymea takes about 20 – 30 minutes.

Down side – none so far

JustBecause

We are in the Shire also. I tend to feel it is a bit "cut off" from the rest of Sydney, probably because it does not have a major centre within it (nearest is probably Bondi Junction? only 1/2 an hour away) and I would normally expect from UK experience for a population the size of the Shire to have a major town for services etc This is not necesarily a bad thing as all the smaller centres are pleasant enough and only for certain specialist shops you need to venture further afield.

It has the advantage of not being built up on all sides: one side is beaches, there are many bays and another side borders a national park. It also has easy access to the West & South. Due to the topography there is plenty of opportunity to live in properties with fantastic views of either the water, City or countryside, as well as loads of suburban residential quiet streets.

We discovered recently it has a reputation for being an enclave of mainly "whites only", but I don't think that is seen as negative. It is because it is one of the last suburbs to suffer population pressure and get influxes of imigrants, and in a sort of feedback loop where there is a larger population density that attracts more immigrants because of the proximity of job availability.

NickyC

Sutherland Shire's main centre for shopping is at Miranda - it has the largest shopping mall in the whole of Sydney.

Also Hurstville is the next closest with a very large centre, and much closer than Bondi Junction.

Rosscarbery

Lots of people with school age kids on here live Upper North Shore or the Hills districts so could help with schools in those areas, I'm afraid I can't help with schools in the South of the city. In general the North Shore schools have a reputation for being fairly good, but that's hardly surprising in pretty affluent areas. I think a few recent arrivals with similar age kids are living in Drummoyne (Inner West) which is a nice area (my sister lived there for years) and fairly close to town. If you want a big place with a pool though it probably won't be for you.

I presume you're aware that you will have to pay something like $4,500 per child per year for public schools on a 457 visa unless you can get your employer to include it as part of the package.

We're in St. Ives (OH's commute to the city is around 45 minutes) so if you want any info about schools around there feel free to PM me.

Possums

We've got friends in Randwick I love it there really nice park accross from them

Forest tim

The Norther Beaches are where you want to live. Good safe family area, good schools, lots of ex pats to meet and not too far from the city. Commute ranges from 45 mins to an hour at max. Dont know wnayone who has come from the uk and said that they have made a mistake moving here. Had friends who lived in Randwick and the Shire and so have a decent knowledge of both areas. Didn`t particularly like either place for very differenmt reasons. The N beaches defineltly beats both in my estimation. Happy to let you know more if you want to.

warponydestroyer

Hi Tim

The wife also has her heart set on northern beaches for a while. Regarding the comute is the 45 mins to an hour - on public transport (bus) or by car?

Ta.

Astronaut

Forest Tim,

But isn't the commute into CBD a nightmare from the Northern beaches. No trains so bus connections to train/ ferry or driving options only, which makes the 45 minutes travel time criteria impossible?

We're looking at this same question and would dearly love the Northern Beaches to be a viable option for us, so a positive answer would be very welcome!

Rgds
A

DrWho

Manly Ferry... Get the JetCat and it's only 15 mins to Circular Quay... If you have to commute to a city centre to work, this just about has to be the best way anywhere to do it...

Astronaut

Agreed - if you live in Manly, yes! But if you live further afield in the northern beaches (say Collaroy) doesn't it take 2 buses to get to Manly Wharf? Most buses head to the city via The Spit rather than going to Manly I thought?

How far north can you be in the Northern beaches and still make the commute to CDB workable, and via what route?

charliegirl

Most people on the northern beaches either drive to work or catch the bus. Depending on where you live, the bus can take 90minutes (from Palm Beach) to around 60 minutes from Mona Vale.

I would not take the bus to Manly and then a ferry. That would be adding more time to your travel journey. Yes, the ferry trip is divine but would not be worth the hassle. If you just miss the ferry, you then have to wait about 30mins for the next one!

As for the JetCat, that could be scrapped soon. A new report on privatising Sydney's ferries came out this week suggesting the JetCat be ditched because it was unpopular. And it's tooooo expensive.

MartinH

You also need to distinguish between northern beaches and north shore. There are some very nice suburbs on the north shore that all lie on a direct line into Sydney i.e. Gordon, Lindfield, Pymble, St Ives.

However give the proximity to the rail line and the beaches they are v.v. expensive.

JustBecause

Yes, but they do not have the variety - no equivalent to Mothercare and no wholefood shops for example. I know these are available in other areas but it's not the same as being able to park the car in one place & get everything in one go.

Forest tim

The commute from teh Norther Beaches depends on the suburb you live in and the area is loosley defined in terms of geography. At one end you have the Spit Bridge that leads to Balgowlah and Seaforth and moving forward from that there are loads of other suburbs that sort of fan out. All of them very family friendly and having access to good schools/shops/beaches etc.

I commute to work everyday by bus (no trains) and would therefore not choose anything too much further north than Narabeen and even that is on the extreme side. Forget the ferries unless you live in Manly - too much hastle getting on a bus then off etc. BTW if you have a family and want a house i would not spend too much time looking at Manly. Its more of a back packers/come singles/rich persons place.

the inner suburbs of the norther beqaches are excellent and priced a bit more cheaply e.g Allambie, Beacon Hill, Frenchs Forest, Forestville. The commuting times from these burbs range from 35 mins for Forestville to 45-50 for Beacon hill. The fact is you get used to it and its definely worth the effort to live here.