paul2542

Would always recommend the Shire. We have lived in Cronulla for over 3 years now and absolutely love it. So many nice areas in the shire, great beaches in Cronulla and a nice beach town feel. Miranda Westfield within easy reach and the Royal National Park on your doorstep.

Tempe is pretty close, but the traffic can be the issue. I work at the Airport which is very close but start at 6 so takes me around 25 minutes from Cronulla. It has taken me over an hour on the very few occasions ive gone in later. The train from Cronulla is around 40 minutes and down to 25 minutes from Sutherland. The commute is worth it though, no better place to be around the weekend especially for families.

Hi, my partner and I (25 and 27) moved to Sydney in September 2014 and have settled in 'the shire', specifically Caringbah.

 

I'm lucky to work with some great people but none of us live anywhere near eachother to hang out outside of work. It's a bit of an awkward age to meet new people in a completely new place (i.e. no longer in education but also don't have kids to befriend other parents etc.) so hoping to make some friends locally.

 

If anyone is in a similar position, it would be great to hear from you!

 

Hazel

Hi,

We're in Cronulla and have a few friends in Caringbah/Miranda area (all English).

Great area to live, but most people I know are located in areas that make it difficult to meet up. Im lucky to catch up with some friends more than a few times a year!

Ive recently been looking for a new job and had 6 interviews in the last few weeks, and I never heard back from 4 of them. Considering a couple of those where 2nd interviews im shocked and abit bemused. Its bad enough being rejected, but feels alot worse when they can't even be bothered to take 1 min to call you. I get that its a tough job market, but it don't get why you wouldn't call someone. Ive conducted heaps of interviews in my current role and not once have I failed to contact someone.

Is this the norm or am I missing something?

We've been for the last 3 years. I really enjoy it. Yes its expensive but thats to be expected. We got vastly reduced tickets, so saved abit there. The food is expensive, but its not all rubbish you can find some decent stuff if look around. We spent heaps of time in Woolies food dome and ate so much. Had a few drinks in a couple of the bars, and did some wine tasting. Easy to get to with the free transport, they have the special event buses which we got direct from Cronulla. There's plenty to do for all ages and always something going on. The stuff happening in the main stadium in the evening was really good and the fireworks finale was pretty decent.

No family here. Moved over to Australia for my Aussie Fiancee who is from the NSW South Coast. Decided to move to Cronulla as I loved the place and being close to the beach. We never knew anyone here before we moved here. I'm a permanent resident now, but back at the point where im finding it tough again. Been seriously considering going back lately. After 2 years living here, I really miss that circle of close friends. Don't really have many here, not through lack of trying though.

Nowt wrong with Bolton mate, they breed us tough and we learn early never to fall at the first hurdle,, umm, maybe thats our secret to success during migration,lol..

We did have a member once who did return and she later said as soon as she arrived at the Train station, she knew she had made a mistake,lol

 

Cal x

Sorry cant agree, lol. Dont like Bolton or Wigan (where im from) and dont want to go back there ever!!!! Although I am a Bolton Wanderers fan, so I wouldnt mind going to the Reebok again,

The weather is great at that time of year and the water is definitely warm enough. The last time we went was in September and were heading back there at the end of October. Spending a few nights in Cairns before heading up to Port Douglas. The flights and accommodation that we booked are very reasonably priced. Very nice area and cant wait to head back. Theres plenty to do in all areas, but we start off in Cairns and do the Great Barrier Reef trips and a few other touristy things. A trip to Kurunda is well worth it, you can take either the scenic railway or the Skyrail (cable car) up to Kurunda. Port Douglas is a nice resort area, and that the relaxing part of the holiday for us. Have a look at Palm Cove aswell, just north of Cairns.

Bolton :confused:

Can understand why you wanted to leave there, lol. I came from Wigan and have zero desire to ever go back (well apart from to see family that is).

Hi All,

 

I have been here awhile now but the things that I really miss about the UK is quality beer in local pubs in the village and the late summer evenings. Everything else forget it.

 

Cheers Mutty

Thats what I miss the most!!!

Useful for NRL news but not for much else

Hi All,

 

This is something that I have been wondering about for a while and asking my workmates etc for a while but was wondering what you guys thought on the subject. is

 

I live in the Sutherland Shire and am looking for some new places to go for food with the kids. Can you recommend anywhere? So far my suggestions are as follows but as my kids are 6 and almost 4 they are quite demanding and still need trained in how to behave when out, otherwise it is not exactly fun for me and Mum!

 

I would love a Buffet Chinese like Jimmy Chungs back in the UK where the kids can try new stuff, as google seems to have only recently moved to these shores the web is less than helpful!

 

Best so far I think is:

 

Taren Point Hotel - has a kids soft play that is small, it has a nice menu, fairly reasonable, has a shuttle bus but is a bit out of the way and not near anything else.

 

Tradies Gymea - small menu but nice place. Not as cheap as I remembered (was there last night and underwhelmed) they have a great kids club which is $5 for an hour and three quarters. Not been to the one in Caringbah as it is Chinese and my family won't go unfortunately.

 

Caringbah Hotel - Ok food and reasonably priced, They serve pints!

 

El Sol - was nice for the family although not much to occupy the wee ones. Mexican is not everyones cup of tea as my three yr old told me by pushing her plate off the table.

 

Suggestions very welcome!

 

S

x

I didnt realise how bad Cronulla was for families eating out until some of my friends came over for a few weeks last Feb. We struggled a lot, she has 3 kids aged between 4-9. Mainly due to the poor or lack of menu choice for kids. Tradies Gymea is expensive imo, the same as Cronulla RSL. Never eat in either of them. For such a large area I really think its lacking in some good family restaurants.

We just moved to Cronulla last week and it's beautiful! So many things to do outdoors with little kids - and that's winter!!!! People are friendly and for the most part look happy and positive.

Wait till summer then, this last week has to be the coldest its been all year. If you like it now, you'll love it in summer. So much to do and such a great place to be around.

I would be as likely to fly with Malaysian Airlines as any other airline. This was just a horrible tragedy, it could have happened to any Airline.

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We live in Cronulla and love it. It is expensive but being so close to the ocean is priceless.

It really is. I do love being on the waterfront within a matter of minutes. Its also great being so close to the national park, and within easy access down to the South Coast.

I like living in the shire but is quite expensive. Absolutely love Cronulla and would recommend it to anyone but its not the cheapest place to live. Its a great place to be all year round really.

:dull: My first post and it's right when we are about to jet off! It's difficult to describe how it feels right at this very last part in the UK but what I do know is I'm feeling quite worried about jobs, schools, renting with little proof of income as we don't even have jobs lined up yet and lots more, just wondering time frames for others in NSW for these types of things for those who aren't/weren't sponsored by an employer?? 

Great that your living in Kiama. Absolutely love it there and would move there tomorrow if I could. Staying in that area for the long weekend coming up.

bump

Its not not that easy if you are Billy no mates sitting on ya own in a bar , and if you went up to someone they going thing you are a right fruit cake .

 

It it may appear that way that people don't make the effort , I assure you they do , and too much of a effort , a lot of people have family here , easier for them they make friends through them . Everything is so spaced out people you like and get on with live miles out the way . In some cases .

 

I would never dream of going in a pub on me own , to get talking to folk . A bloke maybe would not bother about doing that , but a woman would . On the trains you smile at people , to acknowledge them it's like they stare straight through you lol , it's easier if you have family here or young kids not so easy when ya oh is at work , I've been sit in cafés on my jack jones , felt a right idiot , try make conversation , but people are too wrapped up in their own little social circles , there isn't no room for you . However I've just been talking to a aussie and she was telling me a few things where go and stuff , lovely she was , but that will just be a case of a hand wave and a hiya when you are out if seen again . I entertain myself most days , it's got me like that , I always find something to do , but I do miss family and friend get together so back in uk . So ya see it's not that people don't try it's who they already know and escalates from there meeting peeps .

Completely agree, its not like none of us make an effort. The friends I do have in Sydney live quite far away. I went seeing one last month and it took me almost 2 hours to drive up there.

Hi I know what you mean it's so hard harder than I thought...I thought it would be easy ..I have been here since January living in Sutherlandshire..NSW.. I had a massive social life at home but haven't really met many people here yet..I'm not working but I know when I do it will get easier(had an interview last wk). A massive part of my life at home was work.. I have 2 children but both at school (9 & 12) don't really see many of the mums at school.. I've joined the gym kids in activities. Etc so hopefully will meet more people.. I have friends in perth and Brisbane they say to hang in there it does get easier!!!!

Seems like so many have gone through/going through the same thing. Kind of makes you feel a little better.

Agree 100% with this, stay true to yourself what ever you do.

 

Trying to force the issue is likely to produce a few 'friendships' with people you don't genuinely like, whereas if you're being your natural self, doing the things that interest you, chances are you'll meet like minded people that you can click with. When the time is right, friends will come.

Completely agree, and I keep needing to remind myself of this but lately its just an issue that's getting me down.

I'm going to go against the grain a little bit here, and suggest that you don't go out any more than you want to. We moved over to Aus 5 1/2 years ago, and for the first 9 or so months I heaped a whole ton of pressure on myself to get out and meet new people. I had family members pressuring me too, telling me that I had to go out and meet new people, and although I did meet people, it was like you said - nothing more than small talk. I started to feel depressed (I have suffered with depression on and off for 20 years, so I know that it was depression), and stopped going anywhere. I became totally withdrawn, and although I have never felt homesickness, I did wonder if we had done the right thing, since everything was harder to do.

 

I actually realised (I think that someone on PIO pointed it out to me) that it had taken me 34 years in the UK to find the friends that I had, and that I wasn't going to have replaced them all in the short time that I had been here. I stopped forcing myself to go to places that I didn't want to go (just in case I might make a new friend), and started to go to places that I had to go (like school with the kids), and places that I wanted to go, not to meet people but just because it was something that I enjoyed. Once I took the pressure off myself, I started to relax and enjoy life again, and actually I started to make friends, some of which are the best friends I have ever had. I wonder now, looking back, if maybe I came across as being a little bit desperate and needy, and that put people off a bit.

 

If you enjoy yoga, go to yoga, but go because you enjoy the exercise and not to meet new people. Once you start going routinely to places and start to enjoy it, people will gradually become friends. It does get better, but it takes time. I would say that I had been here for maybe 18 months before I started to make what I would call friends.

 

Having been there, I do understand how hard it can be, but you will get there.

I think this is the problem im having the at the moment. Putting too much pressure on myself and then getting down about it. I dont know why, but this last few weeks its really hit me hard and just seems to keep getting me down. Ive been really enjoying my time here and dont want to go back to the UK, but its feeling like an issue now.

Yeah I'm looking forward to all that, will have to pick a team carefully!

Go for the Sydney Roosters :-)

Great the World Cup is on SBS, thought it would all be on FOX Sports. Very happy I can watch all the games now.

Been living in Cronulla a while now, and haven't really managed to meet many people. Probably doesn't help that I work in the Eastern Suburbs though. So are there any members on here living in the Shire?

Looks great, Sydney Harbours not a bad place for one, even if it isn't Spain, lol.