where is a family area to settle in Sydney?

we were granted our visas on Monday and we are excited about validating them next summer. I am a teacher so we will spend 5 weeks next summer looking around. My husband works in insurance and has contacts in Sydney, but we are not clued up on the best areas for young families. I am 31 and myhusband is 32 and we have 2 children, a 3 year old and 4 month old. some friends of ours suggested Terrigal but that seems too far from Sydney. Can anyone recommend areas closer? I've heard Coogee is good and Kingsford? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

From excited and aprehensive Tinkerbell

Sutherland Shire, 45 mins from the city. Some beautiful beaches in the National Park and further south. Cronulla also has some nice beaches but can be very busy in the summer. Miranda Westfield will meet all your shopping needs !!

Hi Tinkerbell

That really is a bit too broad a question to answer properly. Do you have an idea of budget, work location and preferred commute times, any particular preferences eg strong wish to be near the beach, public transport needs etc?

The main/best known family area in Sydney with large houses with pools etc would be the Hills District (around Castle Hill) but there are so many more. Terrigal is definitely too far - it's not in Sydney.

If you are able to give us a bit more detail we can help you a lot better.

Cheers

S

I like the area where my brother lives - Picnic Point - about 40 mins south west of the city. with a good train service, shopping, schools, I guess homes are around $700,000 and up. Of course if you can afford to live by the sea, then go for that.

The further you go from the city, the hotter it gets in summer, and the longer it takes to commute and sometimes the transport system is poor.

I am assuming you dont have a teaching position - just a heads up that getting one in NSW can be nigh on impossible especially in the sort of places that people actually want to live in. If you are secondary Maths/Science you will stand a better chance but otherwise if you hope for a permanent position you will basically have to go where they send you and that could be out at Woop woop where most Aussie teachers dont want to raise their families.

Second vote for Sutherland Shire here. We have been here for almost three years, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. It has everything that you would need and is very family friendly. There are beaches in Cronulla but we prefer the beaches in the Royal National Park. It is handy to the airport, only about 50-60 minutes drive to the centre of Sydney (or there is a good train service), near to the beautiful Illawara area, has shopping, cinemas, bowling, lots of outdoor play areas, good schools, very green and leafy etc etc.

The Sydney Hills is known as the family area for raising kids. Checkout http://www.livesydneyhills.com.au. Great private and public schools, shopping etc.

sorry for being vague, perhaps I don't really know. We currently live near the beach and my 3 year old loves it, so potentially would love to be by the beach. We will rent our house out so we won't have collateral to bring over from a house sale. my husband says he doesn't mind commuting for up to 45 mins on the train which is what he does now. i have been to castle hill before but its not near a beach. is coogee any good? i know the northern beaches are very expensive so that would be a no goer. Any more thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.

tinkerbell

Coogee is OK, a bit like Bondi in that it's very popular with plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, etc, probably about 30 mins from the city by bus, but it's not a cheap area to rent/buy. I'm a little vague about prices but I imagine there are places on the Northern Beaches where you could rent/buy for less?? Narrabeen perhaps??

Depending upon your budget you could think of living in the inner city like I do in Surry Hills. Some people with families like this kind of living, smaller gardens and terrace homes but compensated by closeness to the city, public transport, things to do on your doorstep.

sorry for being vague, perhaps I don't really know. We currently live near the beach and my 3 year old loves it, so potentially would love to be by the beach. We will rent our house out so we won't have collateral to bring over from a house sale. my husband says he doesn't mind commuting for up to 45 mins on the train which is what he does now. i have been to castle hill before but its not near a beach. is coogee any good? i know the northern beaches are very expensive so that would be a no goer. Any more thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.

 

tinkerbell

Your right that Castle Hill is not near the beach. Coogee is also expensive and is very cosmopolitan inner city style living with lots of apartments. Great if you need to be near the beach. North shore around Dee Wye would also be ok.