Moving to Sydney

There comes a time in every Tasmanian's life where they realise - I have to get the hell off this Island!

I've spent the past 3 years at Uni. I completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts, majoring in Theatre, and as worthless as the piece of paper is anywhere in Australia, it's doubly as useless in Tasmania, which has nothing but amateur Theatre companies and no film or television industry to speak of.

So in order to continue to chase the dream of stardom, a move has to be made.

But I need some advice from the lovely people of NSW who I will soon be calling 'neighbour'.

I'm hoping to be located, if not in Sydney itself, then in one of the suburbs that closely ring the city. But which one? There are seemingly hundreds of them.

I need your advice as to which suburb would a good place to be in regards to ease of transport and the like.

Any advice on anything in regards to the place would be more than helpful. So go nuts. Tell me all about the place I'll soon call home.

Well, look forward to meeting you in person at some stage :D

I live in Werrington, a bit less than an hour train trip out of Sydney. Some people say that Western Sydney is bad blah blah blah, but it depends on where. Where I live, it's not bad, haven't had any issues yet living here for 3 years. Most rental prices are fairly cheaper out this way too. Closer to the city you get, the pricier, and sometimes smaller, the places get. Public transport isn't that bad really.

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Originally Posted by 1AZRAEL1

Well, look forward to meeting you in person at some stage :D

I live in Werrington, a bit less than an hour train trip out of Sydney. Some people say that Western Sydney is bad blah blah blah, but it depends on where. Where I live, it's not bad, haven't had any issues yet living here for 3 years. Most rental prices are fairly cheaper out this way too. Closer to the city you get, the pricier, and sometimes smaller, the places get. Public transport isn't that bad really.

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Anyone would think you had shares in cityrail:D

Verno, I have to do a bit of collating of thoughts to properly answer your question.

what are you looking for in a place to live? near a beach, do you prefer busses or trains. how long do you want to be travelling when you travel.
How much "Character" are you looking for? do you want to live in an apartment, house or townhouse. will you have a car?

Do you prefer to be near pubs or clubs?
anything else you consider important in your choice of abode/suburb?

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Originally Posted by UltraMarginal

Anyone would think you had shares in cityrail:D

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No shares, just a really good job :p

which surburb? how about CBD??

To give you better suggestions, could you provide more info Verno?

Stuff like what you rate as most important in terms of facilities, shops, housing preferences, even things like restaurants, access to parks, beaches, bus vs. train etc.
Since I'm guessing that you'd like to be involved in something theatre-centric, the best bet would be the inner west or even just south of the CBD, but really you can get to both areas from anywhere as long as you have the patience.

Generally the closer to Sydney, the more you pay, and Sydney gets crazy stupid expensive really quickly. Closer to the city in any direction generally means older townhouses or apartments. However to get larger places means a big rise in travel times and costs.

Don't mean to sound negative about Sydney, but it has terrible public transport for a city of it's size and importance, an ineffective and extensive road network and unaffordable housing market or renters and buyers alike.

Without more information I can't be too specific, but generally you'll be wanting to avoid the northern part of Sydney (North Sydney, Northern Beaches) as they are expensive and not easy to get around with public transport as other areas.
I think the areas you'll find more appealing due to work and travel factors are quite busy due to their closeness to both the CBD and the big universities, but we'll help out as best we can.

Crickey, ok. I hadn't given it too much thought, but obviously the details are important.

Well, my girlfriend will probably get a transfer from the Coles she works at down here to whichever is the closest to where we end up living, which I'm assuming would be in the suburbs, as a Coles wouldn't be in the middle of the city. I could be wrong there though.

I'd live in any kind of place. At this stage it could be just myself and the GF, or a group of 5 of us looking for a place. 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom kind of thing.

No longer than a 30 minute commute into the city would be preferable I guess. I won't be bringing the car up so it'll be trains and such for getting around.

Is that enough to go on?

A list of where NOT to live is as good as one of where to.

I hear Kings Cross is full of 'life'. But might be too much for a little 'Tasmanian' to handle.:D

Just kidding. I hope it all works out well for you Verno.

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Originally Posted by Verno

Crickey, ok. I hadn't given it too much thought, but obviously the details are important.

Well, my girlfriend will probably get a transfer from the Coles she works at down here to whichever is the closest to where we end up living, which I'm assuming would be in the suburbs, as a Coles wouldn't be in the middle of the city. I could be wrong there though.

I'd live in any kind of place. At this stage it could be just myself and the GF, or a group of 5 of us looking for a place. 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom kind of thing.

No longer than a 30 minute commute into the city would be preferable I guess. I won't be bringing the car up so it'll be trains and such for getting around.

Is that enough to go on?

A list of where NOT to live is as good as one of where to.

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if you are looking at the CBD it is hard to find a 3-4 bedroom place, but they do exist you just have to keep checking the Real-estates. but there is alot of 1-2 bedroom units but they do come at a higher rental price. just depends on how much a week you can afford.And don't forget that the closer to the CBD the higher the Rental prices.

if you are looking at 1-2 bedroom units or 3-4 bedrooms and a yard, from your description Verno you are looking at a place around Parramatta,Ryde, to the west of Sydney, about half an hour by train. I think.( ask 1Azrael1 about that not to sure, but would be close i think.) Rental prices are fairly cheaper than the CBD but you do have the commute. like me and 1Azrael1 we live in the Penrith suburb and i pay about $250 a week for a 3 bedroom house in a complex, but the down side is that we are 1 hr from CBD.

if you were going to go North and have the same 1-2 bedroom units, 3-4 bedrooms with a yard you are looking at places like Chatswood,Epping, they would be similar in prices to, i think. but they would have to be about 1/2 hr from the CBD. not to sure.(again speak with 1Azrael1 he is our resident expert on this matter as he works for Cityrail.)

if you were to go South and find 1-2 bedroom units or 3-4 bedroom houses places like Bankstown, Hurstville.( would be your best bet i think, these would have fairly cheap rentals as well.Maybe Hursty can help you out there.)

if you have the money and want just 1-2 bedrooms to the North east and South east then places like Manly, Bondi, are the place, but be prepared for ridiculous rental prices. I work in the South east (Bondi area) of the CBD and a mate from work rents a 1 bedroom apartment for $600 a week.( but it is right next to the beach. would have to say that would be expected in the North east (Manly) area as well but not sure on that one.)

As for your GF finding a place to work there are Coles supermarkets pretty much every where in Sydney. there is not a suburb that would not have one.

Pretty much comes to this affordability, travel, moderate temperatures and lifestyle. you have to ask your self these questions. plus get on to the real estates up here and tell them what you are looking for. But don't forget to keep those things in mind.

i would love to give you a rundown on areas not to go, but i think you make what the area you live in your own perception of what it is. Plus i don't think any of our members in the areas i would list would agree.

hope that this helps a little bit and hope you find something soon.:)

i_amtrunks is right - Sydney's public transport and road networks are complete rubbish compared to other capital cities. The problem is that our roads were built over old animal trails instead of just building grid roads over it like they did in Melbourne and Adelaide^designed by a lobotomised retarded monkey in a straitjacket with a crayon shoved up its nostril, tied to a spinning record player which in turn was strapped to the back of a drunk running cheetah with diminished vision in its left eye.

Check out Sydney's rail networks and try to live in (or near) a suburb that has a train station and is on the same line as where you're going/intending to work so you don't need to change lines. If you're not sure where you'll be working, you might want to stay near one of the "hubs" such as Central or Strathfield - the latter being cheaper, but still rather expensive compared to other suburbs. But you might be able to live in a nearby suburb like Burwood or something. Anyway...
CityRail

Once you've learnt to loathe Sydney's transport and roads, then you have become a true Sydneyite! :D

I may be biased but the lower North Shore is the nicest place to live close to the city.

what Crankcase76 said is pretty right. to add from personal experiance:

living in the eastern suburbs makes it pretty easy to get to some of the beaches by PT (Buses)

Around the East and the inner west, the only way to really save much on rent is to rent a house with a bunch of people, and it'll be an old place too (50 to 80 odd years). 2 bedroom apartments below about $400 or $500 a week are starting to get rather old and poorly kept.

My Wife and I lived in a nice fairly large 2 bedroom apartment near chatswood for just over $500 a week. Chatswood is about 20 to 30 minutes out of the city by train.

South of the city there is a lot of new apartment block development, I'm not sure what the prices are like but there has been a masive boom in the area.

Newtown is expensive and kind of bohemian (a bit). also the best coffee shop in sydney.

there are express bus lanes along many of the major roads into the city. Parramatta road, Anzac Parade, and over the bridge from lane cove road. These really cut down travel time into the city.


Traditionally spring and autumn in sydney are beautiful and temperate, winter can get very cold at night, especially in older brick buildings from early last century. and summer can be hot for the same reasons.
lately though it's been cold and wet for the last 4 months. :(.

Major shopping centres that I am at least a bit familiar with are: Eastgardens, Chatswood (westfield and the chase), Macquarie, Bondi Junction, Parramatta, Miranda and the CBD. there are plenty of others but they are the larger ones that come to mind.

if you're researching public transport times from place to place the cityrail website is very good.
www.131500.com.au

Randwick, Kingsford, Bondi Junction, Chatswood, are all about a 30 minute commute into the city. main stations in the city are Town Hall, Wynyard and Central.

The older suburbs tend to be a bit more tightly packed, especially the inner west, north of the bridge is a little more leafy, as is the western and southern suburbs. Most areas of sydney have parks and sports fields not too far apart.

Where Not to live really depends on what you like in an environment. ie: maroubra is the best swimming beach, Coogee is the sunbathing beach :eek:, and Bondi is the shopping beach. Bronte Beach isn't much of a beach but there is good snorkelling/Diving I think. descriptions like that cover all of Sydney.

Parramatta is considered the geographical centre of the city but it's a solid hour from the CBD>
Hope that helps a bit. :confused::D

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Originally Posted by Verno

There comes a time in every Tasmanian's life where they realise - I have to get the hell off this Island!

I've spent the past 3 years at Uni. I completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts, majoring in Theatre, and as worthless as the piece of paper is anywhere in Australia, it's doubly as useless in Tasmania, which has nothing but amateur Theatre companies and no film or television industry to speak of.

So in order to continue to chase the dream of stardom, a move has to be made.

But I need some advice from the lovely people of NSW who I will soon be calling 'neighbour'.

I'm hoping to be located, if not in Sydney itself, then in one of the suburbs that closely ring the city. But which one? There are seemingly hundreds of them.

I need your advice as to which suburb would a good place to be in regards to ease of transport and the like.

Any advice on anything in regards to the place would be more than helpful. So go nuts. Tell me all about the place I'll soon call home.

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I moved to Belmore (Bankstown area) because it was very central and affordable area. It is close to the city, Parramatta (2nd CBD) and a straight forward train ride to work (20 minutes). Before that, it was a reasonable drive to work. Reasonable rent costs by Sydney standards and central location. Never had an incident there when it comes to crime.

Parramatta is also good. Easy access to the city and most likely, work. However as of late, it has been rather crowded and due to demand, rent prices have gone up high. There is also a bit of crime there from what I hear but nothing has ever happened to me there.

If you are to enter the performing industry, you are most likely going to end up working in the city or near. Again, the Bankstown area or Parramatta would be suitable locations as you have easy access to the city. However Belmore is a fairly short drive away from Newtown which has the Enmore theater.

Just note that anything close or in the city will be costing you about $600+ per week for a tiny studio apartment - Sydney rent prices are ridiculous due to demand. You are better off living in the suburban area near a train station with a direct line to the city.

As Gok so colorfully illustrated, Sydney roads and public transport system still works under the assumption that people use the Horse and cart to get around. Although the Sydney suburban area is actually fairly small when it comes to area, it can take you an hour to drive just 15 km during peak hour. Trains can be tolerable (at best) when you have a direct line access to your work place so keep that in mind too.

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

i_amtrunks is right - Sydney's public transport and road networks are complete rubbish compared to other capital cities. The problem is that our roads were built over old animal trails instead of just building grid roads over it like they did in Melbourne and Adelaide^designed by a lobotomised retarded monkey in a straitjacket with a crayon shoved up its nostril, tied to a spinning record player which in turn was strapped to the back of a drunk running cheetah with diminished vision in its left eye.

Once you've learnt to loathe Sydney's transport and roads, then you have become a true Sydneyite! :D

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love the passion there Goki, especially the part where the roads are built over old animal trails. so true as a dude who works on roads in Sydney. i agree the roads are just CRAP.

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

Check out Sydney's rail networks and try to live in (or near) a suburb that has a train station and is on the same line as where you're going/intending to work so you don't need to change lines. If you're not sure where you'll be working, you might want to stay near one of the "hubs" such as Central or Strathfield - the latter being cheaper, but still rather expensive compared to other suburbs. But you might be able to live in a nearby suburb like Burwood or something. Anyway...
CityRail

Once you've learnt to loathe Sydney's transport and roads, then you have become a true Sydneyite! :D

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^^That.

Here is the network map. http://www.cityrail.info/stations/pd...etwork_map.pdf

The southern line that heads down to waterfall would be my pick. Waterfall is about an hour from central on an all stops train. I reckon if you were working in the city somewhere like Sutherland would be a good bet.

HTH

Yeah, Parramatta is pretty good value - I've lived there twice. It's more bogan (chav) than the CBD though. Newtown has mad Thai food! :D

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Originally Posted by UltraMarginal

My Wife and I lived in a nice fairly large 2 bedroom apartment near chatswood for just over $500 a week. Chatswood is about 20 to 30 minutes out of the city by train.

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Chatswood is nice. Lived there for two years & in Lane Cove for five. Lived in Forestville for 20 years so yeah the North shore/beaches is where it is at :)

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Originally Posted by UltraMarginal

there are express bus lanes along many of the major roads into the city. Parramatta road, Anzac Parade, and over the bridge from lane cove road. These really cut down travel time into the city.

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I drove across that bloody bridge nearly every day for years. What a nightmare anywhere from 30-90 minutes travel time from the Cove to Mascot. My worst trip was 3 hours on a Friday night :mad:

It should be noted to take everything we all say with a grain of salt, each Sydneysider has soft spots for certain areas, and (generally) unreasonable / very reasonable hate for others! :D

Living nearish to a train station is a very good point if you need to live further out from the city.

With the half an hour restriction, that rules out everything further west than Parramatta (Parra is probably 40 minutes but is a good cut-off point), All the Hills district is out (nice area, but expensive and probably the worst to get into the city from). Anything north of Chatswood is out and South of Mascot through to Canterbury.

Suburbs in that Goldilocks zone to avoid: I'll leave my personal bias out as best I can!
- Lakemba, Campsie (And areas in the Yagoona-Punchbowl area which is further out) as that is the current drive by shooting capital of the city. Not a true reflection on the suburbs but best to avoid.
- Mascot and the general Botany Bay area due to the airport.
- Glebe, Annandale and Camperdown. Great places to visit, good food but crazy priced for what you get.
And depending on your feelings towards Uni students you my want to avoid the Randwick area!

I'd suggest doing some real estate searches for the inner city and surrounds and see what areas strike you and then maybe ask us for the lowdown on them.

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Originally Posted by Prowl

I drove across that bloody bridge nearly every day for years. What a nightmare anywhere from 30-90 minutes travel time from the Cove to Mascot. My worst trip was 3 hours on a Friday night :mad:

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I only said it was good if you were on an express bus in the bus lane:p:cool:
or on the train, as long as the train doesn't break...

Ok, so to compile a list of possible suburbs in, as Trunks put it, the Goldilocks Zone, that you guys have recommended:

Parramatta
Ryde
Bankstown
Chatswood
Epping
Manly
Bondi
Newtown
The Lower North Shore
Belmore
Sutherland
Canterbury
Randwick
Kingsford

They're all in about the 30-40 minute commute range, right?

Thanks for your help on this too lads, it's greatly appreciated.

that's about it Verno, best bet is to get onto the real estates up here and look at places in those areas. good luck in your search to finally become a New South Welshman,:cool: and will be cool to meet you when you get up here dude.:D

Yes indeed. I can finally put a few faces to all the names.

A few other places to look up:
Newington
Concord
Croydon
Canada bay
Five Dock
Lilyfield
Leichardt
Stanmore
Summer Hill
Ashfield
Alexandria
Erskinville

And you may want to avoid: Bondi, Maroubra, Mascot, Pyrmont, Glebe, Double Bay, Coogee, Randwick for various reasons including, but not limited to :price, value, tourists, idiots, airplanes, uni students and hovels! :D

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Originally Posted by UltraMarginal

I only said it was good if you were on an express bus in the bus lane:p:cool:
or on the train, as long as the train doesn't break...

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I had no choice unfortunately as I have to use my car for my job. Some days I would get off at Artarmon & work from home thats how bad it was :)

Not much I can add that hasn't already been said. Sounds like somewhere in the inner west would ideal for you given your reasons for moving but yeah, gotta weigh up the financials of that. If you look at the cityrail map, I live about a 5 minute drive from Seven Hills station on the Western Line. I got a train to Town Hall in the cbd last night, takes about 50 minutes from here, but that was also a stop-at-every-stupid-backwater-station-non-express-train...

Be keen to catch up at some point when you're around too.

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Originally Posted by Verno

Ok, so to compile a list of possible suburbs in, as Trunks put it, the Goldilocks Zone, that you guys have recommended:

Parramatta
Ryde
Bankstown
Chatswood
Epping
Manly
Bondi
Newtown
The Lower North Shore
Belmore
Sutherland
Canterbury
Randwick
Kingsford

They're all in about the 30-40 minute commute range, right?

Thanks for your help on this too lads, it's greatly appreciated.

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You'll find that some of these places are a _lot_ dearer than others - the Lower North Shore, Bondi & Manly in particular. Some (Belmore, also Lidcombe which hasn't been mentioned) are much cheaper.

Some have excellent Public Transport (Canterbury, Newtown, Chatswood, Sutherland). Some have poor PT (Bankstown is a LONG PT trip to the city - over 40 mins and not a nice area really, Kingsford is a fairly long bus trip, Ryde has no trains - look at West Ryde or North Ryde instead).

Some can group together - Chatswood is on the Lower North Shore (which is a region) - Randwick & Kingsford are quite close together as are Ryde & Epping. There are Coles pretty much everywhere. Including two in the CBD, for what it's worth.

My 2c - if you're looking for a cheaper suburb with good transport that's not too far from the city I'd look at either Ashfield, Lidcombe, Sutherland, Kogarah, Mortdale/Penshurst (they're next to each other). If you're willing to pay a _little_ more and a little closer you could look at Newtown/Erskineville/Alexandria, Canterbury, Ashfield, Marrickville/Dulwich Hill.

There's nowhere in the middle ring that's inherently dangerous, though Auburn, Riverwood, Lakemba, Punchbowl & Bankstown are somewhat less savoury. Do NOT live in Sydenham/St Peters unless you like the sound of jumbo jets overhead all day long.

Trent touched on the southern train line to Waterfall (techically the "Illawarra" line). I've lived on this line my entire life & it's pretty good with frequent trains (especially Kogarah, Rockdale, Hurstville & Sutherland - all of which are good suburbs, but Sutherland is the least expensive). The Bankstown line (Bankstown, Campsie, Lakemba) is slow with unsavoury types. The Western (Parramatta, Lidcombe) & Inner West (Newtown, Ashfield) lines are also good although the Western line can get overcrowded. Chatswood is on two lines, is also a good option (although it's relatively expensive). Bondi, Manly, Randwick & Kingsford are bus only.

Parramatta is relatively cheap considering its convenience as Sydney's second CBD. Ashfield gets aircraft traffic too - I used to live there when I was a toddler - my brother and I would run out to the balcony and get all excited any time an airplane flew over. :D

I work near mascot and used to stay in the inner west surburbs.

I find the inner west area like five docks, ashfield, maverickville, etc area more noisy compare to Mascot as planes dont fly directly over Mascot althought its near the airport. Planes are low and the sound dont travel far, so you dont really hear them much.
Trains are more noisy then the planes though.
There are lot of new units at Mascot though. For price, just browse around domain or real estate.

A suggestion is to fly in for initial survey yourself, book one or two night hotel/backpacks... then walk around CBD, rent a room or share a room for a week or two. You will see lot of posters/flyers all over the city stick on light/lamp post, traffig lights, etc... Go around the town to look for the surburbs you would want to stay, walk around check out the shops... check domain or real estate for pricing and see if you can get something or not. Once you manage to rent somethign then you get all your stuffs and get your partner and friends to move over.

Or you can just go do some internet survey, secure a place or just move down without doing the initial survey.

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Originally Posted by 1AZRAEL1

No shares, just a really good job :p

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hmmm you know I just saw a Cityrail train personnel in the guards carriage who looks just like you in the Western Line when I got off at Blacktown the other day ......

Well, looks like were loosing one member in Tasmania then, geographically :) Best of luck in your move Verno. but yeah the guys already pretty much have mentioned a lot here.

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Originally Posted by liegeprime

hmmm you know I just saw a Cityrail train personnel in the guards carriage who looks just like you in the Western Line when I got off at Blacktown the other day ......

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I could probably bet it was me haha.