Moving to Syndey 2012 - where to live?!

[JennyFreer]

Hi

My Husband has just been offered a job and we're looking to move out Sept/Oct this year. We have two small children, our son is 3 and daughter 19 months! Hoping to connect with a few people who are new to the area and get some much needed advice!

Top of our list of priorities at the minute is where to live!!! Wouldn't want my OH to have to commute more then an hour door to door and want somewhere family friendly, preferably within 10 min drive of the beach - rent wise we're looking at $1k a week max.......

Any advice greatly appreciated or just to say 'Hi'!

Jenny xx

[Val Tibenham]

Hi Jenny

Just wanted to say hello and welcome



Can't offer much advice on areas to live in Sydney as we're still in the Uk at the moment. I'll be following your post though as that is where we are hoping to move to at the end of the year. I'm sure another PIO memeber will be able to help.

Good luck with everything.

[MARYROSE02]

Hi

My Husband has just been offered a job and we're looking to move out Sept/Oct this year. We have two small children, our son is 3 and daughter 19 months! Hoping to connect with a few people who are new to the area and get some much needed advice!

Top of our list of priorities at the minute is where to live!!! Wouldn't want my OH to have to commute more then an hour door to door and want somewhere family friendly, preferably within 10 min drive of the beach - rent wise we're looking at $1k a week max.......

Any advice greatly appreciated or just to say 'Hi'!

Jenny xx

Have a look on www.domain.com.au at places to rent in your price range but also perhaps narrow it down to suburbs not too far from where your husband is going to be working. Depending on where that is, you can decide whether you want to live closer to the southern beaches - Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee, Maroubra, Cronulla, etc - Clovelly is good for kids as it has no real surf unless there's a bad storm - or northern beaches - Manly, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Narrabeen, Mona Vale, Newport, Avalon, Palm Beach, etc.

I love the beach but I prefer to live in the inner city in Surry Hills because so many facilities are close to hand and usually in walking distance. Bondi, Coogee, Clovelly, Bronte, are about 20 mins drive. Brilliant for commuting if you are working in the city too as you can practically walk! I rather like Leichhardt too just to the west of the city - about 5K out, with the same sort of character as the inner city but bigger homes.


But there are plenty of other areas that may suit you better and hopefully some people on here to 'spruik' them up to you!

Where is your husband going to be working anyway?

[JennyFreer]

Thank you for your replies!

Where are you living in the uk val? Keep in touch, will be good to hear how you are getting on!

Thank you for your advice Maryrose. We've looked at Clovelly - to be honest we've looked everywhere!! Was quite drawn to St Ives (mainly because housing looked more affordable!)although not sure what the commute would be like at rush hour? It says 21km, 30 mins but I'm sure that would be on a good day? My husbands job would be with the university of new south wales. Am going to go and search Coogee now, not looked at that yet!
X

[an1ta]

Hi

My Husband has just been offered a job and we're looking to move out Sept/Oct this year. We have two small children, our son is 3 and daughter 19 months! Hoping to connect with a few people who are new to the area and get some much needed advice!

Top of our list of priorities at the minute is where to live!!! Wouldn't want my OH to have to commute more then an hour door to door and want somewhere family friendly, preferably within 10 min drive of the beach - rent wise we're looking at $1k a week max.......

Any advice greatly appreciated or just to say 'Hi'!

Jenny xx

Hi and welcome.

We looked around when we got here, but was also told to look at the southerland shire by an Aussie that worked for in the UK. We drove to Cronulla and I fell in love with it from the min we got here, as did my kids, a few years older than yours.The placesto look at in the shire are, Cronulla, woolooware, Caringbah, gymea, theres a few more.
We went to the northern beaches and Manly, but it was not for me. We stayed in Bondi for the 1st 5 weeks and I found it very expensive and there was not a lot to do.
Coogee is very nice, not sure how much there is to do but I do like to go for the day, got some lovely beaches.
All I can say to you is have a good look around we can all tell you where we like the best, only you can decide were is best for you and your family.Also have a look at public transport. I think the shire is the only place that has the train service that goes right through to the city.

Hope this hepls and good luck Anita

[MARYROSE02]

If he's going to working at UNSW, I'd recommend you look at the area around the university itself - Kingsford, Kensington, Randwick, are all walking distance to the uni. He could even come home for lunch! Plus it's so much easier to immerse yourself in the life of the uni. Even Coogee and Clovelly are within walking distance although there's a steep hill up from the beach. I stayed at two of the residential colleges on Anzac Parade, which is the main road out from the city past the main entrance to the uni, when I first came to Sydney at Xmas 1978. I used to walk to Coogee sometimes, up through the uni to Randwick then down the hill to the beach. Even in the rush hour the drive from the beach suburbs would be only a few minutes. St Ives is a lovely area but it's on the 'wrong' side of the harbour for UNSW.

The inner city suburbs around Sydney itself might suit you too, Surry Hills (where I live), Glebe, Newtown, Camperdown. They are handier for Sydney uni and UTS but, in a way they are all part of a 'triangle' with UNSW.