trabonita Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 So I'm trying to research some nice areas outside of Sydney as financially I am never going to be able to afford the 'dream' living in or very close to Sydney! However, I would like to live within an hour or so of a city or at least close to a town and beach area. So where is nice? My husband is a podiatrist so wouldn't necessarily need to be near a city as there will be clinics in most towns I imagine. I have been to NSW a few years ago and visited a few places north of Sydney but it's such a huge area. If you could point me in the direction of some nice areas so I can look into them more. I realise everyone's tastes are different, would just like your opinions as it's very difficult to just look on a map when you know nothing about the area! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Central Coast Great beaches, some really nice areas, a heck of a lot cheaper than Sydney, Newcastle is a pretty good town and Sydney only 1.5 hours away if you really feel the need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 So I'm trying to research some nice areas outside of Sydney as financially I am never going to be able to afford the 'dream' living in or very close to Sydney! However, I would like to live within an hour or so of a city or at least close to a town and beach area. So where is nice? My husband is a podiatrist so wouldn't necessarily need to be near a city as there will be clinics in most towns I imagine. I have been to NSW a few years ago and visited a few places north of Sydney but it's such a huge area. If you could point me in the direction of some nice areas so I can look into them more. I realise everyone's tastes are different, would just like your opinions as it's very difficult to just look on a map when you know nothing about the area! Thank you! I think that an hour to the city still keeps you firmly within Sydney suburbs and associated prices and you would really need to be well over an hour away before you see that drop off. The good news as we tend to live around the edges and not in the middle, is that being within an hour of the beach is not quite as hard. I would probably agree with above and look at central coast, if work was an option, which for us is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trabonita Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 Thank you! Any views on the Gosford area? and any nice suburbs around Newcastle that I should look at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Thank you! Any views on the Gosford area? and any nice suburbs around Newcastle that I should look at? ' You might as well explore the whole area around Terrigal / Gosford, it is not that big so easy to look around and I don't think you need to pinpoint any one specific place in advance. Some of it will depend on where a house you like pops up as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Newcastle/Port Stephens/Hunter Valley area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie 2 Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Matcham, Central Coast near Erina, is really nice, as are the surrounding suburbs of Holgate, Wamberal and maybe Forresters Beach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugby Lad Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Plenty of places. If you want to be near the beach but don't need to be in Sydney you have a huge coastline to choose from. You say you want to be within an hour of a city - how do you define a city? Some prettty small places in NSW are called cities. I really like Newcastle. Hamilton is a nice suburb as are all of the beachside areas, a hell of a lot more bang for your buck than Sydney as well. The Central Coast is suburbia really, depends if you like that or not. Heard that some parts can be quite rough (from guys that work there but in my work we see the worst of any area.) Saying that there'll be tonnes of work for a podiatrist on the "Senile Coast". What about places like Coffs Harbour, Tweed Heads, Kiama, Batemans Bay, even The 'Gong etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Plenty of places. If you want to be near the beach but don't need to be in Sydney you have a huge coastline to choose from. You say you want to be within an hour of a city - how do you define a city? Some prettty small places in NSW are called cities. I really like Newcastle. Hamilton is a nice suburb as are all of the beachside areas, a hell of a lot more bang for your buck than Sydney as well. The Central Coast is suburbia really, depends if you like that or not. Heard that some parts can be quite rough (from guys that work there but in my work we see the worst of any area.) Saying that there'll be tonnes of work for a podiatrist on the "Senile Coast". What about places like Coffs Harbour, Tweed Heads, Kiama, Batemans Bay, even The 'Gong etc? Give Batemans Bay a miss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trabonita Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Thank you so much for the advice! lots to think about! I guess I would like to be an hour or so from Sydney if possible but otherwise I would be happy with a big town/small city not too far away like Newcastle. We are not city people so living in suburbia would suit us, I just don't want to be too rural. The whole area sounds lovely, I guess house prices and work will be the main thing but there does seem to be lots of suburbs that way in our price range. I have been to Coffs harbour before and loved 'Waterfall way' area and Bellingen so may even look up there too, although I did here this area might not be great for employment? Anyone have views on Wyoming, the houses I saw looked great but then I read something about a murder and several stabbings at a campsite???? This is the problem, it is hard to know if the affordable areas are 'good' areas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Woy Woy :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I'm not sure what you consider affordable but Thirroul, Austinmer, Bulli etc are a commutable distance to Sydney (most people use the train) and you have the Wollongong area close for shopping. There are lots of great beaches in the area as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Your husband may very well be able to get work outside Sydney, though the pay may be a bit lower (but not commuting has its own benefits of course!). If he's interested in public sector work, the jobs are not always ongoing, which can be a bit of a pain in the proverbial. Having said that, there are lots of 'oldies' on the Central Coast, so always scope for some 'clip and chip' if nothing else! There are a quite of lot of families too, so scope for any pods interested in MSK/sports work I would think. (Though I have to admit at this point that I no longer work in clinical practice.) Send me a PM if you want more info about work, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace5 Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Hi all I have the same question, but my occupation is secondary science teacher. I too don't mind suburbia, but would like to be near a nice beach and be able to visit a good city. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I would avoid Wollongong, not great i thought, and seems like quite a few murders. Along the southern coast is lovely though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kapri Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) If your husband can get work, I recommend Newcastle / Lake Macquarie. We have beaches, bush, lake and its a small city and easy to navigate. I like to visit Sydney but I wouldn't want to live there. Its easy to go for the day from Newcastle, it's only 2 hours tops. Not commutable though. Edited July 30, 2013 by Kapri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 If your husband can get work, I recommend Newcastle / Lake Macquarie. We have beaches, bush, lake and its a small city and easy to navigate. I like to visit Sydney but I wouldn't want to live there. Its easy to go for the day from Newcastle, it's only 2 hours tops. Not commutable though. Used to put my ski boat in at Toronto. All the Williamtown lads and ladies ski'd to Rathmines RSL for a beer or two, then ski back. The 70's military days really were hard to handle, let me tell you...................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattybe Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I have just come back from a reccie and spent a fair bit of time round central coast. Lots of lovely places around lake macquarie..warners bay , speers point eleebana. Pretty much everywhere from newcastle down to the entrance on the coast is nice too. Pelican, Caves beach , Woy Woy. We fell in love with Newcastle...Merewether, Hamilton etc..it had a lovely feel..friendly town. It was a breath of fresh air after being around Brisbane and driving down...we were so fed up with the "westfield effect".. I.e. a freeway then a pull off to (red roosters, mcdonalds, coles)..awful for us..no town or community feel for us in them places. Newcastle seems just a perfect fit for us... Good schools, nice community feel, great beaches. We did goto Wollongong..some nice areas but the town centre seemed a bit jeremy kyle..wasnt too impressed but then walked along the coast and met some lovely people. The above is just my opinion and not meant to offend. Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kapri Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 (edited) Thank you so much for the advice! lots to think about! I guess I would like to be an hour or so from Sydney if possible but otherwise I would be happy with a big town/small city not too far away like Newcastle. We are not city people so living in suburbia would suit us, I just don't want to be too rural. The whole area sounds lovely, I guess house prices and work will be the main thing but there does seem to be lots of suburbs that way in our price range. I have been to Coffs harbour before and loved 'Waterfall way' area and Bellingen so may even look up there too, although I did here this area might not be great for employment? Anyone have views on Wyoming, the houses I saw looked great but then I read something about a murder and several stabbings at a campsite???? This is the problem, it is hard to know if the affordable areas are 'good' areas! Maybe do a bit of research on Newcastle. I've only been here a few weeks and took a risk as I'd not been here before, but I definitely made the right choice. Edited July 31, 2013 by Kapri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trabonita Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Thanks for the great replies everyone! I hadn't really considered Newcastle but it is now starting to sound like a good option too. Can anyone suggest some nice suburbs to look up? someone mentioned Hamilton, but that looks out of our price range, I'd like to get a 3/4 bedroom home for <$450,000? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Newcastle was an interesting area. Very up and down. Hamilton was a very nice area though and newcastle beach is nice. City Centre seemed to be dying a death when I was there, lots of closed down/boarded shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duffy Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 We've moved to Bathurst, which is about 2.5 hours from Sydney over the Blue Mountains but there is a daily 'commuter' train. We came in December with the intent if only staying a few months while we settle into Oz and look for work with the aim of going to Sydney - it is much cheaper to rent here and we wanted to have some decent family time and make our meagre savings last longer before embarking on full time work again. Everything has gone so well that we have decided to stay. The schools are excellent, everything is close and there are some great affordable properties. There are a lot of people moving here (it's a city with 40k people - they are very proud of reaching that milestone!) and most of the people I have met have moved from Sydney due to affordability and proximity. Sports is good and there's a university. There's no beach, but a lakes and a big dam close by and many people have their own boats (and pools). Moving from London, it's a big change and I can't deny I miss the city, but with kids it has definitely been the right choice so far....and we've been to the beach on camping trips several times already! Good luck with your decision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie 2 Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Not beachside but I love Glen Innes and the surrounding country side. Beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacticenurse Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Anyone know much about Shoalhaven NSW? Any info good.. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob Chorley Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Newcastle, definitely Newcastle. There is a high speed train line into Sydney, property is less expensive that most places within commuting distance of Sydney and it is an actual functioning town rather than a great sprawling mass of crappy boxes. Enjoy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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