BrianS

Ashfield Ashfield is only 8km West of Sydney’s CBD – its proximity to the city, its diversity and its wide leafy streets making it a sought after area for both singles and families wishing to make it their base for a good life in Australia’s largest city. The median house price is $1.6M (as at 23 October 2017) and you can secure a rental home for $500 per week upwards, or singles/couples could snaffle a basic rental flat for $400 - $550 per week. Properties sell very quickly here and the rental market tends to be very competitive, so best put your skates on if you’re in the market here! Employment and industry tends to be quite strong, with retail and hospitality dominating, as well as a range of infrastructure/construction works and two major NSW government departments calling Ashfield home. There are also many employment opportunities just a train ride away – with Sydney’s CBD in one direction and the fast-growing other ‘city’ of Parramatta in the other direction a reliable express train ride away. There is a growing and diverse community settling in here, with the Indian, Chinese, Korean, Italian and many other communities settling into the area over the decades, as well as within recent years. There is a safe and friendly feeling to the area – something you don’t always feel throughout other suburban centres of Sydney. Each year Ashfield Park hosts the Carnival of Cultures – to celebrate and partake in the area’s multiculturalism. Held in approx. March each year, with much food, performance and celebration to feast on – well worth a visit! Ashfield train station Some recently created murals have enhanced the area - providing colour and volume to many once-dull facades. Particularly impressive is Guido van Helten’s mural adorning the side of a building on busy Liverpool Road. Mural by Guido van Helten Wide leafy streets dominate the area north of the railway station – and if you steer clear of the current building works for the Westconnex motorway (!) you can explore some pleasant and quiet leafy streets. Housing is predominantly a mix of flats/units/semi-detached and stand-alone housing, with many historic residences on larger blocks amongst the density of the majority of the suburb. Road connections are very good from this area, with Parramatta Road close by, Liverpool & Canterbury Roads taking you to key areas further Southwest from Ashfield and quick drives further into Sydney (depending on the peak hour struggle of course!). Ashfield is also on many and varied bus routes – Burwood, Five Dock, Hurlstone Park, Hurstville, Strathfield amongst many others make this a favoured base from which to explore suburbs and shopping precincts in many directions. Dining in Ashfield provides a wide array of options; Korean, Chinese, Indian, Lebanese and the usual array of takeaways just a stroll around the shopping precinct along Liverpool Road and within Ashfield Mall. Ashfield Mall provides a wide array of clothes and food options – as well as the big three supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths and Aldi). The food hall within provides some quality quick eats too if you’re on the hop! Liverpool road is also dotted with many fresh produce stores vying for your dollar – many bargains can be had here for fresh Asian greens and Indian groceries to jazz up your home-cooked meals. Liverpool Road Ashfield You’re also just a short train raid away from Burwood – a fantastic shopping and eat street – and the major Westfield shopping complex with all you’d need pretty much in the one spot. A bit further along the line is Sydney Olympic park – with a mix of major international music and sport events there’s never a dull moment within that precinct. Beautiful Ashfield Park, with a cosy bowling club (cheap dining and drinking!) and gorgeous rows of old palm trees makes for a very attractive place to exercise, socialise and relax – taking in the passing parade of walkers and dogs. Pratten Park (for cricket fans!) and Allman Park, south of Ashfield central business district also offer a wide range of sport, relaxation and recreation options. Ashfield Park The Ashfield library is well-appointed and hard to beat for a very wide range of reading, papers, DVDs, music and a variety services to assist in research projects, study, writing, data and printing/scanning needs. Neighbouring Haberfield, with its historic houses, shop facades and generations of quality Italian dining/pizzerias is just a short stroll away of an evening. It also contains a number of attractive parks, gardens and a small clutch of attractive retail and café options. Ashfield Park Well-served with public and private schools and proximity to a fine aquatic centre makes Ashfield an attractive area of Sydney, not to mention the array of buses, light rail quite close by and a mix of express and all-stations trains to take you in many directions to connecting inner city and outer metro / country rail services. I’m reliably informed Ashfield Public and Ashfield Boys High Schools are very good quality local public education facilities. De La Salle College in Ashfield and Joan of Arc Catholic Primary in Haberfield appear to be good picks as far as private education is concerned. Wests Ashfield Leagues Club is the major club within the vicinity – with Club Ashfield also doing a brisk trade on the Northern side of the railway line. Ashfield Bowling Club (as mentioned) resides in picturesque Ashfield Park. The Ashfield Hotel and the Crocodile Farm Hotel (!!), both on bustling Liverpool Road are the choices as far as pubs are concerned. There’s a range of mid-priced pub food and reasonable prices at the Ashfield Hotel – and it appears to garner the most interest from locals as the ‘go to’ basic spot for a drink and a meal. There are further plans afoot to make the suburb an increased transport hub and transport corridor, bringing with it more convenience, density and value. This is a double-edged sword, but on the whole should provide a positive transition and future for what is a very attractive and diverse place to call home.