jrewing
Eats Squid
Haha. I like you
Where to live in Sydney?
- Thread starter Link
- Start date
jrewing
Eats Squid
I'm yet to find the perfect spot in sydney. An acre block on the northern beaches is my next bet. But ride on mowers just aren't tractors!!
ChopSticks
Banned
I fucking LOL'd at this
Firstly....are you buying or renting?
Forrestvillie is close to a few trails (Manly Dam, St Ives, Red Hill)
but abit of a pain to get into the city (up/down the valley of Warringah rd) and through Northbridge... and that traffic can be SHIT
As Elbo mentioned...if you want Cafe, trendy lifestyle etc...then you can't beat inner east/west...assuming you can afford it?
Geographical centre of Sydney is in Ermington....... and that will mean you are equidistant from all the trails Sydney has to offer.
If apartments are what you're looking for.... check out Meriton...they do Apartments all over Sydney.
Art Vanderlay
Hourly daily
Not an issue. He has a girlfriend, he will never have to cook.
bahahaha. wish I lived your life!
Hamsta
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I've stayed in Alexandria and Darlinghurst a couple of times over the past few years and both areas seem pretty good. Riding and walking distance to the CBD, Redfern Station was a short walk away and I think I could have taken the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly then ridden around the Dam if I had felt so inclined. Heaps of cafes, pubs, restaurants etc all within walking distance.
EDIT: I forgot to add that the good thing about Sydney is that the public transport network, whilst not super reliable, is fairly extensive which means I would try and live without a car. I was able to not bother with a hire car for a couple of months with relative ease. I have family there and they haven't owned a car in 15 years and 8 years respectively.
EDIT: I forgot to add that the good thing about Sydney is that the public transport network, whilst not super reliable, is fairly extensive which means I would try and live without a car. I was able to not bother with a hire car for a couple of months with relative ease. I have family there and they haven't owned a car in 15 years and 8 years respectively.
Last edited:
I reckon politics is your calling
Have you factored in that Sydney drivers, for the most part, are absolutely fucking useless? I'd rather ride drunk, at night, without lights, in the wrong direction down the centre of Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires than commute by bike in Sydney.
Anyway, my suggestion would be inner west - Alexandria, Newtown, Erskineville, Glebe, Pyrmont etc - basically anywhere where the inhabitants have the type of beards that irritate Johnny. The North certainly has the lion's share of good riding but I think it's less well serviced by the train network if you want to get around without a car.
Last edited:
scblack
Leucocholic
I would FAR rather ride in Sydney than any other place in Australia. Its genuinely quite rare that I have a concern with a driver in Sydney, as they are awake. Maybe aggressive, but at least usually properly alert. At least in Sydney you know you have to be assertive and they deal with that.
Country people never see riders so they have no clue of a cyclist.
scblack
Leucocholic
Some Sydney roads such as Pennant Hills rd, Pacific Hwy from Hornsby to city, and many other arterial routes I would not touch with a 10foot pole. you have to pick your roads in Sydney I do admit.
Slowman
Likes Dirt
Cremorne any day over Mosman. Mosman is absolutely dead after 4pm :laugh: I lived there for a short time with a GF and in winter if you're facing the harbour and down the hill a bit it is nippy until midday when the sun is finally high enough to send some warmth into the harbour. About the only thing with any life in it is the pub. Cremorne, yes Military Rd has some great restaurants and many to choose from. Still it's far from a village atmosphere.
Same GF we bought a house at Frenchs Forest and it was an easy ride to the city and at least there were trails almost on my doorstep down through Bantry Bay and across the Parkway and over to the Manly Dam loop. The only problem is it gets a bit repetitive. Good trail with a little bit of everything but it's only a 10k loop. Same with Redhill it gets old quick. Oxford Falls down to Deepwater Narrabeen is more firetrail than single track but there is more to discover. There are also a few trails out the back of Belrose/Davidson that end up down to the Cascades (yet another fire trail). But out of that lot when I was there only one decent singletrack loop, and probably less than 3k in length. The problem I found with the northern beaches was the good trails were just not extensive enough and too far apart. You could link them up but then the ride was almost like 50% on the road.
For geographic reference anything north of Military Rd (at least once you cross the spit) is the northern beaches, anything south is the north shore as far west as Lane Cove. I've heard places like Hornsby and Berowra referred to as upper north shore, what is that? A real estate salespersons' standing joke? Given that north shore refers to the northern shores of Sydney Harbour, that's stretching it a bit, don't you think?
If you are buying be extremely careful of anything built by Meriton. Check the Body Corporate meeting minutes especially for ongoing legal battles with Meriton for rectification works. Typically for shoddy waterproofing and subsequent water damage, collapsing brick facias and in some case incorrectly reinforced areas. Meriton is not the only offender here. This often results in extraordinary fee payments to cover legal costs on top of the usual body corporate fees. It can be a bottomless pit and when you go to sell...you have to lower the price to make it attractive so you lose on capital growth too. If you're renting, it's someone else's problem, you're laughing.
There are more trails in the Sutherland Shire and in certain parts you'll get a communal atmosphere with good riding on your doorstep. Again, always wishing there was more good loops of singletrack, there are a few good ones around here and there, but it is often quite possible to link them all up without having to ride on the road. You might have to cross one or two here and there but that's about it. I can link up the RNP trials with Woronora Dam and Menai for 80kms and only about 2km on the road. I grew up here and always return. Alas it isn't all that close to the city, though I have commuted to the city and know plenty of others that have too. It may be longer but it is a flat ride so it's pretty easy going until you get a southerly buster for your homeward journey!
ChopSticks
Banned
Ultra Lord
Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Inner west is pretty cool for café culture, and the plethora of rad bandness kicking around is pretty rad. Its a 40 odd minute train trip to RNP. Trails are abit light on single track but whats there is ok. But you will be paying through the nose for rent, but that's to be expect to live somewhere as close to the city as this. From dullwich hill to city is 20 mins by very,very lazy bmx bandit action.
Well, who would have guessed it - ask a question on RB and receive a diverse range on strongly held opinions in reply. All very helpful though - you're a far better resource than talking to an estate agent. Based on what has been said, answers that meet my criteria can be grouped into two categories, essentially:
1) lower north shore = average culture but more bush and nature near-by for walks/jogging, and some riding near-ish, though not the best riding (plus something about limited sunlight?)
2) inner west/Alexandria/Waterloo etc = good cafe culture and public transport links to riding via train (possibly to Sutherland closest?), but little to no bush or nature in the immediate area for evening walks/jogs etc.
From my looking around, price seems fairly similar between the two options. And so RBers, you have, unfortunately, carved up the city into two categories that neatly divide my GF and I. I want north of the harbour for all the reasons above, and vice-versa for my GF. Interesting times ahead.
Just to clarify a few things - I'm looking to rent, not buy - though I'll be buying in the next year or so and ideally a want to rent in a place that will be a test run as to whether I want to buy there permanently. I would never buy off the plan - with Meriton or otherwise.
Oh, and while I'm very touched by the concern shown for my wellbeing, rightly or wrongly, I'm not at all phased by riding on Sydney roads. I'll find a safe route to get to the office and make it work. It's distance that is key - I don't want to ride more than 45mins each way (I often work late and riding an hour home at 11pm is a b*tch).
Anyone with more thoughts/comments on the above?
1) lower north shore = average culture but more bush and nature near-by for walks/jogging, and some riding near-ish, though not the best riding (plus something about limited sunlight?)
2) inner west/Alexandria/Waterloo etc = good cafe culture and public transport links to riding via train (possibly to Sutherland closest?), but little to no bush or nature in the immediate area for evening walks/jogs etc.
From my looking around, price seems fairly similar between the two options. And so RBers, you have, unfortunately, carved up the city into two categories that neatly divide my GF and I. I want north of the harbour for all the reasons above, and vice-versa for my GF. Interesting times ahead.
Just to clarify a few things - I'm looking to rent, not buy - though I'll be buying in the next year or so and ideally a want to rent in a place that will be a test run as to whether I want to buy there permanently. I would never buy off the plan - with Meriton or otherwise.
Oh, and while I'm very touched by the concern shown for my wellbeing, rightly or wrongly, I'm not at all phased by riding on Sydney roads. I'll find a safe route to get to the office and make it work. It's distance that is key - I don't want to ride more than 45mins each way (I often work late and riding an hour home at 11pm is a b*tch).
Anyone with more thoughts/comments on the above?
AzonicNick
Likes Dirt
The reason we moved from the inner-west to Cremorne etc came down to the fact that we could get a nicer apartment for the same price. Most the the apartments around the North Shore are older but that isn't a bad thing! They are larger and solid so keep that in mind too.
We still go to Newtown and Glebe a fair bit! If you time it right the traffic isn't a big problem, you learn quickly when to avoid Military Rd etc!
We still go to Newtown and Glebe a fair bit! If you time it right the traffic isn't a big problem, you learn quickly when to avoid Military Rd etc!
Ultra Lord
Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Nut up, move to the inner west and be another cute couple running around Sydney park. Preferably with a mutant mouse (little dog).
The housemate commutes to Hornsby for work every day and it takes him 30mins in the morning, so getting to good trails up north isn't that much of a stretch (as long as you can drive). What would you rather? A more suburban area or get all yuppy up in this bitch?
Now that I think about it up north isn't sounding too bad.
The housemate commutes to Hornsby for work every day and it takes him 30mins in the morning, so getting to good trails up north isn't that much of a stretch (as long as you can drive). What would you rather? A more suburban area or get all yuppy up in this bitch?
Now that I think about it up north isn't sounding too bad.
Elbo
pesky scooter kids git off ma lawn
One thing I'd add is to be mindful of things like aircraft and train noise depending on where you decide to rent too. I lived next to a train line in Epping for a year and the freight trains rattling the windows at 2am got old really quick.
This map shows the noisiest areas for aircraft.
ChopSticks
Banned
dont forget to factor in toll costs of going over the bridge (LCT & M2)........ a few dollars a day can really add up
noise wise.... yes it might be a bitch...but once you live there long enough, you dont notice noise as much as you'd think
noise wise.... yes it might be a bitch...but once you live there long enough, you dont notice noise as much as you'd think