d4ddyc00l Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 As I've now been offered a job at Woolworths head office (woohoo!!) I'm seriously in need of some location advice. I've been looking around the Gosford, Woy Woy, Wyong areas, so please can you give me your opinions on these areas. We aren't bothered about being near the city, and would rather be near nice beaches and parks etc. From what I've seen online there are some amazing places around these areas. I need to be able to commute to Bella Vista five days a week, and would be prepared to do up to 1.5hrs max, although I'd prefer to keep it around the hour mark if possible. It would also be good to have good public transport links into the city and surrounding areas for my wife and kids. Any help greatly appreciated :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I cant help with NSW, sorry, but congratulations on the job offer and lots of luck with everything Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 That area is known as the "Central Coast", so have a look for previous threads with that phrase, lots of them cover good/not so good areas to live and commuting The commute can be a pest - the F3 freeway is OK but it gets lots of accidents because of very heavy traffic and some severe gradients. But if it's running, it's quick enough. And Pennant Hills Rd in Sydney is a pain, again it flows most of the time but it's very heavily loaded, particularly with trucks. Plenty do it though The Central Coast has tons of lovely coastline. I don't know it very well, some parts of it seem really quite nice to me (eg Terrigal which feels like a nice coastal town), other bits feel to me like faceless suburban beachside sprawl (like around The Entrance). Some parts of it get a bogan rap which seems unfair to me from what I've seen - think a lot of it is Sydneysider snobbery Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I live on the Central Coast, and without wishing to offend anyone, I have to say that at the moment Gosford isn't considered by many people to be the best place to live. However, there are lots of very nice suburbs. Ourimbah is quite popular with commuters because it is close to the F3 and has a train station (though not all trains stop there), and Kariong is also popular because of its proximity to the freeway. I've always thought that East Gosford looks like quite a nice suburb - it has some nice little shops and is very close to Gosford itself (which is where all trains stop). Point Clare is on the train line and is quite an attractive little community too. I don't know so much about Woy Woy, though several of my in-laws live in that area, it seems nice enough and of course is also on the train line; though not on the F3. There are lots of nice coastal suburbs - whilst some may at first seem 'faceless' some of it's about 'local knowledge' - there are some lovely beaches between Terrigal and The Entrance, but not all of them are right off the main road so their attractions aren't always obvious. Their downside for commuters is that it takes additional time to get onto the F3, and the train line doesn't go that close to the coast. I don't commute to Sydney, so I can't really help you on that front, but do be aware that the F3 can be a bit of a nightmare - with accidents and only having 2 lanes each way if something goes wrong it brings things to a grinding halt. As for the 'bogan' thing - there are discreet pockets of deprivation and associated problems, but on the Coast such areas often sit nestled between very respectable communities so it's a question of figuring out where not to live. I do think that some of the 'bogan' comments and opinions come from those who've moved up here from Sydney, and who think that everywhere should be like the North Shore or Terrigal. It's easy to forget that a lot of Coasties have lived up here all their lives, from the days before the F3 and when the area was 'regional NSW'; before the days of people sipping lattes on the seafront and high rise hotels with ocean views. So, not everyone feels the need to conform to the 'cultured' norms of people who work in the city - personally I don't mind at all seeing people with mullets and singlets enjoying a barefoot stroll through the shopping centre, long as they're not forcing me to join in! Not all bogans are dole-bludgers - for some it's a style choice and a way of life, and I like to think that on the Central Coast most people aren't too worried about what other people are wearing. (I really hope so, because I'm not exactly a fashion queen myself!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie 2 Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 F3 in peak is a nightmare - almost a parking lot. To get to Bella Vista, which is in the Hills District, you could have the best part of an hours drive once you leave the F3. Even if you took the train and got off at Epping and caught the bus to Bella Vista,no trains, it is not a commute I would do 5 days per week. You would be much better living around Bella Vista, great schools if you need them, and spending your weekends on the Central Coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbclark Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 We live in Bella vista and my husband works at woolies head office so can help on local info but not central coast. We decided to live local to the office and love the fact that he has no commute but it is still only an hour to get to numerous beaches at the weekend feel free to send us a message via here if you want more info We have twins b/g who are 6 and go to a great local school and as others will tell you The Hills district is a good place to live with a family. Sarah (jon's wife) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbe2005 Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 curious, but your signature says WA SS granted, and now you're moving to Sydney? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d4ddyc00l Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 curious, but your signature says WA SS granted, and now you're moving to Sydney? I'm curious as to why you're curious. As I said in the reply to the PM you sent asking the same thing, I've applied for loads of jobs in WA but none have come off. I'm not turning down a job offer just because its in NSW. Also I would have loved to live in WA as I have family there, but job security comes first, and I'm sure the WA govt would rather me employed in NSW than unemployed in WA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I'm curious as to why you're curious. As I said in the reply to the PM you sent asking the same thing, I've applied for loads of jobs in WA but none have come off. I'm not turning down a job offer just because its in NSW. Also I would have loved to live in WA as I have family there, but job security comes first, and I'm sure the WA govt would rather me employed in NSW than unemployed in WA. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d4ddyc00l Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 Thanks to everyone for their advice. We're now thinking of looking around the Bella Vista area, and after a quick look last night, rentals seem pretty reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d4ddyc00l Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 We live in Bella vista and my husband works at woolies head office so can help on local info but not central coast.We decided to live local to the office and love the fact that he has no commute but it is still only an hour to get to numerous beaches at the weekend feel free to send us a message via here if you want more info We have twins b/g who are 6 and go to a great local school and as others will tell you The Hills district is a good place to live with a family. Sarah (jon's wife) Hi Sarah, Thanks for the info, and I'll definitely be sending you a PM for more help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Thanks to everyone for their advice. We're now thinking of looking around the Bella Vista area, and after a quick look last night, rentals seem pretty reasonable. That makes much better sense than living on the Central Coast - not that there's anything wrong with it there, but there's no direct public transport (I don't think?) and it's at least an hour's drive. Find yourself a home at Castle Hill or Baulkham Hills or Bella Vista itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W8ENN Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Castle Hill, Kellyville you'll have all you need around you and some really nice houses in the area. We live in Kellyville Ridge and can be at most local beaches in 45 mins to 1 hour. Good motorway links on your doorstep so easy to get everywhere. If you want some real estate contacts just let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Yes glad you have had a re-think. It would be utter madness to try to commute from Central Coast to Bella Vista five days a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d4ddyc00l Posted April 7, 2013 Author Share Posted April 7, 2013 Yes glad you have had a re-think. It would be utter madness to try to commute from Central Coast to Bella Vista five days a week. Thats why this forum is so good! All these things that look good on paper in reality are not so good! It really is amazing how much help you can get from everyone on here :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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