Renting in Sydney: something near green and water, something villagey, something near CBD

[Naomi from Manchester]

Ha ha, I love trying to surf but I'm a terrible, terrible surfer! Anyway, I''ll bear Concord in mind, it's been ages since I was there and I'm always happy to extend my list of favourite cafes.

[syd]

I think I am probably back to recommending you narrow down to one of the wider areas rather than suburb first of all. North, South, East or West? And then hone in on one of the regions. I daresay Eastern Suburbs is out of the question (unless an apartment is ok) and like wise the CBD suburbs due to budget. You might get something on Northern Beaches or North Shore in budget, easily Sutherland or Hills District. If you use domain, you can search on these wider areas and start to narrow down the options.

 

After taking a closer look at suburbs, I'm thinking Inner West and Hills are probably the closest match.

 

Another nice suburb close to the CBD is Greenwich though not sure about cost of rentals - could be expensive.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich,_New_South_Wales

 

 

Here is a link to rental properties - most of them may be flats though.

 

http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in-greenwich,+nsw+2065/list-1

 

You're right - again! It looks awesome. Have a look at this little gem: http://www.domain.com.au/for-rent/10-carlotta-street-greenwich-nsw-2065-10038826?sp=5

 

 

Alternatively for water and greenery, there are plenty of places on the Nepean River and Hawkesbury, but most of them are rural villages. I'm sure people do commute into the CBD from their, but driving you are looking at 1 hour on a good day, 2-3 hours on a bad day.

 

You also have some great places in the Blue Mountains, and if you are willing to commute by train, the Blue Mountains train runs regularly into the city and takes about an hour from Glenbrook. We live in Leonay which is at the bottom of the Blue Mountains, and on the Nepean River, it's a beautiful little village, although for some it's a little too close to places like Penrith which is notoriously bogan.

 

Thanks for the pointers. I'll have to do some digging into these. Haven't considered this properly yet.

 

 

Having said that, I'd nominate Oatley as the most village-y Sydney suburb I've ever seen. Before meeting my oh, I had lived in trendy inner-city Sydney for 20 years and was very reluctant to move to the burbs, which I saw as uniformly depressing! I was instantly charmed by Oatley's vast village green, clock tower, cafes and shops. There is even a pond with ducks, a river with a picturesque pedestrian bridge leading to a pub high over the water - and a train station to take you to the CBD in 40 minutes. It's also a short train ride to the beach at Cronulla. Your budget should be adequate there, but do avoid areas near the railway line (that's good advice in all Sydney burbs actually - the lines carry goods trains at night which are very noisy).

 

You'll find plenty of villages in the Blue Mountains but it's a long commute - well over an hour.

 

Look on domain.com.au and realestate.com.au to get an idea of rentals.

 

Checked out Oatley and it seems decent, though not quite Woollahra

 

I'd never heard of Melrose Park either - I thought it was an American 'soapie'! Just goes to show that there are still 'burbs with names I've never heard of, even after all this time living in Sydney. Now I've Googled it, I can picture the general area, and looking at the surrounding suburbs it might be OK. Some of those suburbs have stations and others have buses to the city. There's a ferry service isn't there, from Parramatta to Sydney? If it means commuting along Victoria Road, it means heavy traffic seven days a week.

 

Someone mentioned Breakfast Point, which I think may be over the Parramatta River from Meadowbank? (I have put a few '?'s' because I have not researched these places. I've been to Breakfast Point as I have a friend who lives there. It's one of the 'brand-new' suburbs?

 

Marisa mentioned Oatley which, as she says, has a 'village' like atmosphere, and has a railway station, which I think is vital. Camden is very pleasant, will every amenity EXCEPT a railway station! There's a huge amount of development going on out there too, new roads, new housing estates. My brother moved to Mt Annan so I have got to know the area a little better. Before he moved there, he lived at Picnic Point, which is a very leafy area, not really 'village-like', but pleasant, and with trains to the city from Panania and Revesby and East Hills.

 

I don't know where to recommend to live, close to the CBD, with that 'village' atmosphere. Surry Hills, my own suburb, perhaps, no green belt, but some nice parks which are also 'dog-friendly', if you can afford to rent a terrace house. somewhere in the Inner West? Leichhardt? Lilyfield? Or perhaps further north in Lane Cove?

 

 

Thanks for the extra options! Funnily enough, I've been looking at inner west in those three L-areas. Some very nice options on the Lane Cove and Lilyfield side. One or two options in Leichhardt too

[Marisawright]

After taking a closer look at suburbs, I'm thinking Inner West and Hills are probably the closest match.

 

Thanks for the extra options! Funnily enough, I've been looking at inner west in those three L-areas. Some very nice options on the Lane Cove and Lilyfield side. One or two options in Leichhardt too

 

Ah, now I'm getting a clearer picture. When you said you wanted village-y and mentioned Camden, I was picturing a tranquil English-village-style place - but it sounds like what you really like isn't a quiet village at all, it's a buzzy, trendy, leafy, upmarket inner-city suburb with cafes, restaurants, a boutique butcher and an artisanal baker!

 

Woollahra is lovely but it is very ritzy and therefore a bit stuck-up. Also out of your price range of course. Lilyfield, Annandale, parts of Glebe could work. Be aware that parts of Leichhardt and Stanmore are directly under the flight path for Sydney airport - if you find anything affordable in those areas, that's probably why. People who can't afford those suburbs are moving out to Dulwich Hill and Marrickville - grungy but becoming popular with the hipster set.

 

On the North side, Neutral Bay or Crow's Nest. Could be a challenge on your budget. Not Lane Cove or Greenwich though - if you were my age (60's) I'd say yes, but if you're not ready for the blue-rinse set then I'd say no.

[syd]

Ah, now I'm getting a clearer picture. When you said you wanted village-y and mentioned Camden, I was picturing a tranquil English-village-style place - but it sounds like what you really like isn't a quiet village at all, it's a buzzy, trendy, leafy, upmarket inner-city suburb with cafes, restaurants, a boutique butcher and an artisanal baker!

 

Woollahra is lovely but it is very ritzy and therefore a bit stuck-up. Also out of your price range of course. Lilyfield, Annandale, parts of Glebe could work. Be aware that parts of Leichhardt and Stanmore are directly under the flight path for Sydney airport - if you find anything affordable in those areas, that's probably why. People who can't afford those suburbs are moving out to Dulwich Hill and Marrickville - grungy but becoming popular with the hipster set.

 

On the North side, Neutral Bay or Crow's Nest. Could be a challenge on your budget. Not Lane Cove or Greenwich though - if you were my age (60's) I'd say yes, but if you're not ready for the blue-rinse set then I'd say no.

 

Thanks for the blue rinse alert - that could've been a close call! LOL.

 

I'm still after a village atmosphere, but one that feels like history in a heritage sense more than a 70s sense. I get the 70s vibe from the pics I've been able to find of Oakley, but of course very difficult to tell simply from photos. Woollahra looks like it has the makings of a village feel in terms of its architecture, and really the butcher, baker and candlestick maker are nice extras that I'm not too fussed about, though being able to choose the thickness of lamb chops wouldn't be a bad thing Seriously though, the only reason for looking at Leichhardt and others are because of their proximity to the CBD and somewhat of a leafy existence - and Centennial Park isn't far either.

 

These are the photos that made me think Woollahra ticked the village boxes:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Woollahra+NSW,+Australia/@-33.888384,151.23724,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s117640486!2e1!3e10!6s%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fstatic.panoramio.com%2Fphotos%2Fsmall%2F117640486.jpg!7i5760!8i3840!4m2!3m1!1s0x6b12add9dcc19089:0x5017d681632d0d0!6m1!1e1

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Woollahra+NSW,+Australia/@-33.886858,151.252803,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s1946741!2e1!3e10!6s%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fstatic.panoramio.com%2Fphotos%2Fsmall%2F1946741.jpg!7i2304!8i1728!4m2!3m1!1s0x6b12add9dcc19089:0x5017d681632d0d0!6m1!1e1

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Woollahra+NSW,+Australia/@-33.8839792,151.2388179,3a,75y,32h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1slc0C5CfGNhoGzPTfggvsrw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dlc0C5CfGNhoGzPTfggvsrw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D32.140976%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x6b12add9dcc19089:0x5017d681632d0d0!6m1!1e1

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Woollahra+NSW,+Australia/@-33.8889773,151.251105,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s-SpRhYAA3mlg%2FVJyqts1qkdI%2FAAAAAAAAHck%2F5eocvlcFBOE!2e4!3e12!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-SpRhYAA3mlg%2FVJyqts1qkdI%2FAAAAAAAAHck%2F5eocvlcFBOE%2Fs203-k-no%2F!7i4128!8i2322!4m2!3m1!1s0x6b12add9dcc19089:0x5017d681632d0d0!6m1!1e1

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Woollahra+NSW,+Australia/@-33.887995,151.238235,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s-JtGPMji3UmI%2FVHadDBTNvlI%2FAAAAAAAAwJ4%2FUGD2NgXeEjk!2e4!3e12!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-JtGPMji3UmI%2FVHadDBTNvlI%2FAAAAAAAAwJ4%2FUGD2NgXeEjk%2Fs203-k-no%2F!7i2592!8i1936!4m2!3m1!1s0x6b12add9dcc19089:0x5017d681632d0d0!6m1!1e1

 

So please help point me in the right direction with this in mind. Villagey is still on my list!

 

P.S. Thanks for the flight path heads up. Definitely something I don't want to be lumped with, especially when first moving to a new country!

[Marisawright]

Thanks for the blue rinse alert - that could've been a close call! LOL.

 

I'm still after a village atmosphere, but one that feels like history in a heritage sense more than a 70s sense. I get the 70s vibe from the pics I've been able to find of Oakley, but of course very difficult to tell simply from photos. Woollahra looks like it has the makings of a village feel in terms of its architecture, and really the butcher, baker and candlestick maker are nice extras that I'm not too fussed about, though being able to choose the thickness of lamb chops wouldn't be a bad thing Seriously though, the only reason for looking at Leichhardt and others are because of their proximity to the CBD and somewhat of a leafy existence - and Centennial Park isn't far either.

 

 

 

I recommended Oatley, not Oakley! Huge difference, but it sounds like you're determined to be very close to the CBD.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by a village atmosphere now. I'd pictured it as everyone-knows-everybody-else, friendly shopkeepers, sense of community, tranquil setting - which is something you don't get in the inner suburbs of Sydney.

 

I honestly don't think you can get a "feel" for anywhere from photos. I lived in Paddington and Edgecliff for several years and while I like Woollahra, I would never call it a village - unless you think places like Chelsea or Knightsbridge have a village feel. Lots of inner city suburbs have exactly the same architecture and leafy streets shown in those photos, that's typical old Sydney.

[syd]

I recommended Oatley, not Oakley! Huge difference, but it sounds like you're determined to be very close to the CBD.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by a village atmosphere now. I'd pictured it as everyone-knows-everybody-else, friendly shopkeepers, sense of community, tranquil setting - which is something you don't get in the inner suburbs of Sydney.

 

I honestly don't think you can get a "feel" for anywhere from photos. I lived in Paddington and Edgecliff for several years and while I like Woollahra, I would never call it a village - unless you think places like Chelsea or Knightsbridge have a village feel. Lots of inner city suburbs have exactly the same architecture and leafy streets shown in those photos, that's typical old Sydney.

 

Apologies, Oatley it is. Tranquil setting is exactly what I'm after. Think Canterbury (Kent), but closer to the city. I'm going to have a much closer look at Oatley now, because it seems I may have judged it too quickly.

 

When you say 'old Sydney', what suburbs would that include? Perhaps that's a good ring fence for me to be looking at.

 

Thank you for taking the time to respond, I really do appreciate it very much.

[Marisawright]

Apologies, Oatley it is. Tranquil setting is exactly what I'm after. Think Canterbury (Kent), but closer to the city. .

 

 

Have you been to Sydney before? I ask, because if you're looking for an equivalent to Canterbury, then I'm bewildered why you'd expect to find it within the inner ring of suburbs. Would you expect to find Canterbury in the inner suburbs of London? If not, why would you imagine Sydney is any different? It's a big bustling city. Because Sydney is so leafy, you will often find surprisingly quiet backwaters in most suburbs, but quietness is prized - you'll find the cheaper houses are on a busy road, or next to the train station.

[syd]

I've never been. Busy with plans to move over before Feb. But let's talk Sevenoaks then, rather than Canterbury. Bigger than a village, for sure, but still extremely leafy, spacious and tranquil, with some really affordable pockets, and not all that far from the city.

[Marisawright]

I've never been. Busy with plans to move over before Feb. But let's talk Sevenoaks then, rather than Canterbury. Bigger than a village, for sure, but still extremely leafy, spacious and tranquil, with some really affordable pockets, and not all that far from the city.

 

But it's still outside the M25, and a 45 minute commute to the CBD! It's in Kent, not in London or even Greater London. All the places everyone has mentioned are still in Greater Sydney, just like Catford or Peckham or Kensington are in Greater London. Can you name anywhere IN London that has the villagey feel you're after?

 

I feel like you're imagining Sydney as a much smaller place than it actually is.

[syd]

But it's still outside the M25, and a 45 minute commute to the CBD! It's in Kent, not in London or even Greater London. All the places everyone has mentioned are still in Greater Sydney, just like Catford or Peckham or Kensington are in Greater London. Can you name anywhere IN London that has the villagey feel you're after?

 

I feel like you're imagining Sydney as a much smaller place than it actually is.

 

You're probably quite right about the last part. I'm starting to come around, though, as we continue the discussion (and I continue the search - never looked at so many maps in such a short space of time).

 

As for something within London itself, how about Kingston or Richmond?

[Marisawright]

You're probably quite right about the last part. I'm starting to come around, though, as we continue the discussion (and I continue the search - never looked at so many maps in such a short space of time).

 

As for something within London itself, how about Kingston or Richmond?

 

Would you call them suburbs of London, or outlying towns?

[syd]

Agree about them being outliers, but the ease of travel into the city balanced with the look and feel of the neighbourhood is something similar to what I'm hoping to find. I know it's not just a matter of copying and pasting, because it's an entirely different country. Just trying to give an idea of the context of what would tick all the boxes for me. Not that I'm expecting ALL of them, just giving a comparison that might make more sense than trying to describe things in abstract terms.

[Marisawright]

Well that's the comparison I'm trying to explain. Sydney's suburbs are just that, suburbs. To find outlying villages and towns like Kingston, you have to go beyond Penrith in the west, Sutherland in the south and Hornsby in the north. You will find some lovely suburbs closer in but they were never villages in their own right so don't have that feel.

[Bungo]

I recommended Oatley, not Oakley! Huge difference, but it sounds like you're determined to be very close to the CBD.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by a village atmosphere now. I'd pictured it as everyone-knows-everybody-else, friendly shopkeepers, sense of community, tranquil setting - which is something you don't get in the inner suburbs of Sydney.

 

I honestly don't think you can get a "feel" for anywhere from photos. I lived in Paddington and Edgecliff for several years and while I like Woollahra, I would never call it a village - unless you think places like Chelsea or Knightsbridge have a village feel. Lots of inner city suburbs have exactly the same architecture and leafy streets shown in those photos, that's typical old Sydney.

 

I could not agree more, this is what I have been trying to say as well. Looking for an Englishy village feel in Sydney, close to the CBD and on a tight budget is unrealistic. OP should stay in UK if village feel is required, everything OP wants is to be found in England, not Sydney.

[Skani]

I feel like you're imagining Sydney as a much smaller place than it actually is.

 

Syd, I think Marisawright is correct. It is difficult to reconcile your ideal image with the reality of Sydney. Greater London is 1,500 square km, Greater Sydney is 12,000+ square km - with poorer public transport infrastructure.

 

Concepts of distance are very different in Australia. It would probably be a good idea to book a holiday let for several weeks when you first arrive to give yourselves a chance to explore the reality.

[syd]

Thanks for the additional feedback. I think you're right - the distances on the map don't do the real distances justice.

 

For the record, I'm not in or from the UK, so I can't 'stay in the UK ', Bungo. I've referred to spots in the UK because this is the PomsInOz forum and I thought using those reference points would be useful to illustrate what I was after.

[Marisawright]

Thanks for the additional feedback. I think you're right - the distances on the map don't do the real distances justice.

 

For the record, I'm not in or from the UK, so I can't 'stay in the UK ', Bungo. I've referred to spots in the UK because this is the PomsInOz forum and I thought using those reference points would be useful to illustrate what I was after.

 

OK, so where are you? If you're not familiar with Sevenoaks or Kingston either, then you could be giving us a completely wrong picture of what you're looking for. Some of us have travelled, you know - you might find there are people here who are familiar with your country and would understand examples from there.

[syd]

I've also travelled, and know both Sevenoaks and Kingston extremely well. There's nothing that compares to them in South Africa, where I live.

[Marisawright]

I've also travelled, and know both Sevenoaks and Kingston extremely well. There's nothing that compares to them in South Africa, where I live.

Aha, South Africa! You'll find many similarities with Australia, depending where in particular you're from. I lived in Swaziland for three years and travelled a lot in SA, that was 30 years ago though.

 

You won't find anything like Sevenoaks or Kingston in Australia, either. I wonder if you're assuming Australian cities are like British ones - they're not, in fact they're far more like South African ones.

 

In Britain, cities started out fairly dense and small, and as they grew they swallowed up surrounding villages and even small towns. Many of those villages/towns manage to retain some village vibe when they're swallowed. Also, since many of those villages are long-established, they have quaint old centres which (if they're lucky) have been preserved.

 

Australia did not develop like that. Because of the hostile terrain, settlers started in the city and stayed in the city. A few outposts were created - in Sydney, they are Parramatta, Windsor and Richmond - but otherwise, growth started in the centre and grew outwards. Until the mid 20th century, Australians didn't value their old architecture - after all, very little was more than 100 years old - and as the city grew, it was simply knocked down to build grander houses. The only reason lovely suburbs like Paddington survived is because they were slums at the time and no one wanted to live there! (Paddington today is a highly sought-after suburb, with lovely terraced houses covered in wrought iron - but it's out of your budget).

 

By the way if you want to feel at home, you'll find a large South African population (mostly Jewish), around the St Ives area. Again, it's a quiet family-oriented area so maybe not what you're looking for.

[syd]

Aha, South Africa! You'll find many similarities with Australia, depending where in particular you're from. I lived in Swaziland for three years and travelled a lot in SA, that was 30 years ago though.

 

You won't find anything like Sevenoaks or Kingston in Australia, either. I wonder if you're assuming Australian cities are like British ones - they're not, in fact they're far more like South African ones.

 

In Britain, cities started out fairly dense and small, and as they grew they swallowed up surrounding villages and even small towns. Many of those villages/towns manage to retain some village vibe when they're swallowed. Also, since many of those villages are long-established, they have quaint old centres which (if they're lucky) have been preserved.

 

Australia did not develop like that. Because of the hostile terrain, settlers started in the city and stayed in the city. A few outposts were created - in Sydney, they are Parramatta, Windsor and Richmond - but otherwise, growth started in the centre and grew outwards. Until the mid 20th century, Australians didn't value their old architecture - after all, very little was more than 100 years old - and as the city grew, it was simply knocked down to build grander houses. The only reason lovely suburbs like Paddington survived is because they were slums at the time and no one wanted to live there! (Paddington today is a highly sought-after suburb, with lovely terraced houses covered in wrought iron - but it's out of your budget).

 

By the way if you want to feel at home, you'll find a large South African population (mostly Jewish), around the St Ives area. Again, it's a quiet family-oriented area so maybe not what you're looking for.

 

This makes a lot of sense, and helps put things in proper perspective. I think because I think of it as first world, I put UK and Aus in the same boat, which isn't reality at all - it's like comparing San Francisco and Paris. I'm sure that it will all become even clearer when I step off the plane and start exploring.

 

I've heard a lot of SA peeps heading out St Ives way, but I'm not looking to congregate with any particular people. I just want to live somewhere that's comfortable, beautiful and convenient to get to and from

[Naomi from Manchester]

Good luck with your search, Syd! The city hobo website is quite amusing and gives you a bit of a feel for a lot of suburbs, just google 'city hobo sydney' and explore the site.

[MARYROSE02]

Aha, South Africa! You'll find many similarities with Australia, depending where in particular you're from. I lived in Swaziland for three years and travelled a lot in SA, that was 30 years ago though.

 

You won't find anything like Sevenoaks or Kingston in Australia, either. I wonder if you're assuming Australian cities are like British ones - they're not, in fact they're far more like South African ones.

 

In Britain, cities started out fairly dense and small, and as they grew they swallowed up surrounding villages and even small towns. Many of those villages/towns manage to retain some village vibe when they're swallowed. Also, since many of those villages are long-established, they have quaint old centres which (if they're lucky) have been preserved.

 

Australia did not develop like that. Because of the hostile terrain, settlers started in the city and stayed in the city. A few outposts were created - in Sydney, they are Parramatta, Windsor and Richmond - but otherwise, growth started in the centre and grew outwards. Until the mid 20th century, Australians didn't value their old architecture - after all, very little was more than 100 years old - and as the city grew, it was simply knocked down to build grander houses. The only reason lovely suburbs like Paddington survived is because they were slums at the time and no one wanted to live there! (Paddington today is a highly sought-after suburb, with lovely terraced houses covered in wrought iron - but it's out of your budget).

 

By the way if you want to feel at home, you'll find a large South African population (mostly Jewish), around the St Ives area. Again, it's a quiet family-oriented area so maybe not what you're looking for.

 

When I had my stop over in Johannesberg, I thought 'This is just like Sydney,' except there is no razor wire along the tops of fences and walls, and you can go for a walk after dark in most parts of Sydney, and you do not need to look over your shoulder when you are stopped at a red light and wonder if you should ignore the light and carry on.

 

I wish South African would swap places with Australia so it would be a ten hour flight across two time zones. I like South Africans, finding them very similar in outlook to Aussies, but I would be afraid to live in South Africa.

[syd]

When I had my stop over in Johannesberg, I thought 'This is just like Sydney,' except there is no razor wire along the tops of fences and walls, and you can go for a walk after dark in most parts of Sydney, and you do not need to look over your shoulder when you are stopped at a red light and wonder if you should ignore the light and carry on.

 

I wish South African would swap places with Australia so it would be a ten hour flight across two time zones. I like South Africans, finding them very similar in outlook to Aussies, but I would be afraid to live in South Africa.

 

Have you ever been to Cape Town? Beautiful, beautiful city. It's sad that our exchange rate is plummeting, our government is (on the whole) corrupt, and we have limited job opportunities (affirmative action, which is needed, leaves many of us unemployable). It's an awesome country but it needs new management. And that, unfortunately, is not coming anytime soon.

[Marisawright]

Have you ever been to Cape Town? Beautiful, beautiful city. It's sad that our exchange rate is plummeting, our government is (on the whole) corrupt, and we have limited job opportunities (affirmative action, which is needed, leaves many of us unemployable). It's an awesome country but it needs new management. And that, unfortunately, is not coming anytime soon.

 

Swaziland was a tough place to live so we spent many weekends and holidays in SA, including a road trip all the way to the Cape, which was beautiful. Loved the Garden Route! I think South Africa has Australia beat in many ways, I miss it a lot - it's such a pity the country is such a basket case.

[syd]

The Garden Route is incredible! Agree, the poor old country is not in good shape at all.