Living in Sydney

[Milky]

Hey all,

Barring major failure in my studies this year, I have a got a graduate position in Sydney for February next year. Work is in the centre of the centre of town, and I probably need a place to live. I've never been there before and don't know much about the suburbs/transport/accommodation costs and so on. Are there any of you who have lived in Sydney/visited for a while who can help me out with some info? Are there places I should avoid, horribly expensive suburbs, issues with leaky buildings etc? I have heard that the western suburbs are a bit dodgy... I imagine I will be using public transport rather than driving or riding, at least for the first while I am there, so living in relative proximity to trains or ferries would help.

[Hillbilly]

Sydney is very, very expensive. The trains suck as well. They have been rated as the worst in the world. However, that's Sydney. Many people now opt to live on the Cental Coast, which has realistically priced accomodation,and is only an hour by train to Central. It's wierd cos the city transit system is shocking, yet the north western lines to Newcastle or good.

Wages/salaries are excellent. However, Howard has introduced Industrial Laws that mirror those introduced by the National Paty in '91. OK, the Cental Coast of NSW includes, several places to avoid, namely Gosford & Wyong due to the high drug problem. A great place to move to is WoyWoy, or Eumina Beach or Ettaloang Beach. Great ride to the train station and lotsa bikers. You won't be using your wet weather gear much, but when it rains, (which isn't often) it rains hard!

That's why I live up here in Lake Macquarie. I drive sth to work in Ettalong which is 80km away. (I work split shifts and finish at 10.30 - the money's awesome) The F3 is the main freeway and is 3 lanes wide till Wyong. It's nth and sth bound lanes are separated by a wide grass/bush strip. That's if you want to ride to Sydney. You can rent a 3brm house or apartment from $250 a week. You'd be lucky to get a bedsit in Sydney for that, depending on how close you want to be to the CBD.

Anyway, it's just a suggestion as an alternative, and perhaps you'd enjoy the more relaxed and chilled out attitude of people on the Central Coast. There's going to be a new Kawasaki dealership opening in Gosford soon too. Look out for "specials" such as the ER-6F for around $9k. (trying to compete with the GS500F market). BTW, ORC are horrendeous! You're looking at around a grand. There's CTP, or Compulsory Third Party insurance, (because there's no ACC) + full insurance + rego + "pink slip" (CTP) inpection fee. You'll need to change your licence to a NSW one after 3 months too. No WOF tho!

[Hillbilly]

That's right, I always get those two mixed up. At least it's only once a year. QBE seem to give the best rates/quotes for bikes, although if you've been riding/held a full licence for more than 3 years, Shannon's will give you an outstanding price.

[Big Dave]

I spent my first 23 years there and my family is still there. It will always be 'home'.
It's now bigger than the entire population of NZ in one area. Wonderful place to visit, but I have no desire to live there again - great while you are single, too big for me now.
Worth a look, great experience, keep your exit options open.
and be ready for the kiwi-sheep-shagger rubbish. Anything with 'convict' in it works and you can move forward.

Ultimately places are what you make them. Personally I've done better in AKL.

[What?]

Some of the western Sydney suburbs are a bit dodgy, but really not that bad. Avoid Kings Cross, Cabramatta, Bankstown, Fairfield, some of the suburbs around Liverpool, although a lot of the newer estates are ok. Campbelltown has a few dodgy areas...

And Redfern - very dodgy...

[Kflasher]

Camped out in Merricville (south) while back, rent was ok, you could get appartment for similar cost inner city now due to over supply. Cost of house in area was 450-600k for 35-40sqm
Public transport is good, biker frendly parks inner city as well.

[Big Dave]

Camped out in Merricville (south) while back, rent was ok, you could get appartmentl.

That would be Marrickville?

[Kflasher]

That would be Marrickville?

HeHe yeah I tend to get things frack to bunt

[Krayy]

I lived on the North Shore in a suburb called Wollstonecraft, which is 3 stops north of the bridge by train and 15 mins from city centre on a bike. 2 stops from there to Chatswood shopping centre (biggest on N Shore). Farkin convenient and quiet to boot. I love Sydney trains. And the ferries. Driving sux ass.

[SPman]

A great place to move to is WoyWoy,

Didn't Spike Milligans mother live in Woy Woy?

[Winter]

Hey all,
Are there places I should avoid, horribly expensive suburbs, issues with leaky buildings etc?

They may leak, but you'll never know. Australia has no water!

You'll get mighty thirsty.

[vifferman]

2 stops from there to Chatswood shopping centre (biggest on N Shore). Farkin convenient and quiet to boot.

Say, wha...?
I live in Chatswood, on the North Shore! And yes, it is convenient, and quiet, and handy to the ferries.
But it's in D'Auckland, not Seeedneee.

[Milky]

Sydney is very, very expensive. The trains suck as well. They have been rated as the worst in the world...

...That's why I live up here in Lake Macquarie.

Trains that are worse than in Auckland? I don't believe it.

Macquarie seems to be everywhere in Sydney - Macquarie train station, Macquarie University, Macquarie St and now Lake Macquarie. Are they really that much of an institution, or is there some other reason why things are called macquarie?

[Big Dave]

Trains that are worse than in Auckland? I don't believe it.

Macquarie seems to be everywhere in Sydney - Macquarie train station, Macquarie University, Macquarie St and now Lake Macquarie. Are they really that much of an institution, or is there some other reason why things are called macquarie?

Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB (31 January 1762[1] – 1 July 1824), British military officer and colonial administrator, served as Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of that colony. Historians assess his influence on the transition of New South Wales from a penal colony to a free settlement as being crucial to the shaping of Australian society.

Trains have drug sniffer dogs, their own police force, and a shocking rep for being on time. I still use them when thar.

[xwhatsit]

As an ex-kiwi-expat-ex-Brisbanite I have a fairly low opinion of Sydney. It's got much of the same problems as Auckers, but less charm (a completely one-eyed view, as I'm a parochial kiwi).

But you can make a shit load of money there, as it sounds you're about to find out (graduate jobs ftw).

Living costs are high, probably worse than Auckland, but not by too much; however wages are astronomical. My family looked at moving there, however settled on Brisbane, as living costs were much lower compared to both Auckland and Sydney, however wages were still pretty good (even if they were about half of Sydney).

Save your pennies, then when you get sick of the crime and congestion and angry drivers move to Brisbane.