Moving to Sydney to work in CBD - best/cleanest areas?

SlavOz on 21/12/2019 - 13:55
Last edited 21/12/2019 - 14:03

Been back and forth between Sydney and Melbourne for the last few years, mainly due to shifting careers and family arrangements. Now, I've been offered a dream job in the CBD which will require me to live there in close proximity to the city.

So what are the best areas to rent (preferably an apartment) that are within 20 minutes train/bus/bike ride to the city? What are the worst ones? Budget is anything under $550 a week.

Ideally, looking for something that is central but not right in the heart of all the chaos (I can't deal with excessive noise and air pollution). First places that came to my mind were Strathfield, Burwood, and especially Wollstencraft for the nice coastal views. I don't know much about city life so I'm happy to hear other people's wisdom.

If it makes a difference - I'll be travelling back to the West quite regularly as I have friends and family there, so any place that is still relatively accessible to the M4 would be worth a look too.

Mod note - there are some slightly similar nodes but I feel like I have specific requirements which warrant a new one.

Home & Garden New South Wales Sydney

Comments

  • cypher67 on 21/12/2019 - 14:02

    Budget and expectation of size of house/unit?

    • SlavOz on 21/12/2019 - 14:05

      Sorry - amended OP to clarify.

  • battler on 21/12/2019 - 14:07
    • Wollstencraft for the nice coastal views ?
      Inward to harbour at best
  • bobbified on 21/12/2019 - 14:29
    +6

    I can't deal with excessive noise and air pollution

    But you drive a mustang! ;p

    so any place that is still relatively accessible to the M4

    Pretty much anywhere along that Parramatta Road corridor - you've already got Burwood and Strathfield in mind and I think anywhere between those suburbs and the city would be perfect. Five Dock, Ashfield.. There's also Chippendale that's close the city and still M4-accessible.

    • D C on 21/12/2019 - 14:46
      +3

      Now who down-voted that…

    • Debuting on 21/12/2019 - 15:28

      Yeah, recommend Chippendale if you want a better experience. I forgot to mention that most newer apartments are insulated quite well from noise.

      However, if you need more than 1 bedroom, the budget will need to be stretched a lot more…

    • brad1-8tsi on 23/12/2019 - 15:36

      But if he needs car parking and has a nice car then Chippendale isn't the answer.

  • D C on 21/12/2019 - 14:45
    +12

    Best make sure the route doesn't include any roundabouts. Can't have you getting to work or home all road-raged out.

  • universe on 21/12/2019 - 14:56
    +2

    Wolli Creek

  • Stewardo on 21/12/2019 - 14:58
    +2

    I thought the CBD was moving to Badgerys Creek?

  • MS Paint on 21/12/2019 - 15:01

    Need a garage?

    • SlavOz on 21/12/2019 - 17:30

      Yep, my search on Domain is set for enclosed parking. Absolutely essential.

  • Peter Enis on 21/12/2019 - 15:15
    +4

    You should be able to save by getting a place without a kitchen since eating out is such good value.

  • Meho2026 on 21/12/2019 - 15:55

    Rozelle and Balmain are good suburbs 10 mins on a bus from the CBD, theres a ferry from Balmain east. Its 10 min drive to M4.
    If your single and like going out there are better options than Burwood and Strathfield.

    • SlavOz on 21/12/2019 - 17:29

      Yes single and hunting, I know Burwood and Strathfield aren't social hotspots but they're still close to the places that are (I guess). What would you recommend for more social life on my doorstep?

      • [Deactivated] on 21/12/2019 - 22:33
        +11

        single and hunting,

        That expression is so cringey.

      • Meho2026 on 22/12/2019 - 02:48

        Erskinville, Newtown, Stanmore, Redfern, Surry Hills are better for going out but they feel like inner city suburbs and you said you dont want busy city vibe.
        Rozelle and Balmain are very close to the city but more village in the city feel.
        Paddington, Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay are like that too and they are close to the cross city tunnel which will get you to the M4 in about 15 mins.
        Of course theres other good areas but for M4, city commute and nightlife those are good options.

  • nfr on 21/12/2019 - 16:39

    Why not just live in the CBD?

    • SlavOz on 21/12/2019 - 17:27

      Price (particularly as I need a car spot), bad asthma so I can't be smack in the middle of the chaos due to condensed poor air quality, and I prefer to have some free space around my building for general movement in and out as opposed to being right on a busy strip.

      • ChillBro on 21/12/2019 - 18:05
        +2

        Since you have asthma, with all the bushfire smoke lately I suggest you bring along a n95 mask or better if you're coming to Sydney regardless of where you end up renting.

        • SlavOz on 21/12/2019 - 18:30

          Last time we had fires this bad in Sydney I was still living in the West and even there I was needing a mask.

      • brad1-8tsi on 23/12/2019 - 15:38

        All of Sydney has crap air - city no worse than other places even when there are no bushfires.

        • SlavOz on 25/02/2020 - 18:57

          That's just not true. You can't say that the air quality in the CBD would be the same as the air quality up in the Blue Mountains.

          • brad1-8tsi on 10/03/2020 - 13:29

            @SlavOz: Sorry, been on holidays.

            It is. The air in Sydney metro circulates in a clockwise circular pattern. We used to get some shocking air quality when I worked at Campbelltown. Worse than the CBD.

            Greater Sydney stops at Emu plains doesn't it?

      • lint on 24/02/2020 - 11:20
        +1

        There is a lot of assumption that the air quality is worse in the CBD, but do we know that this is definitively the case in Sydney?

        For example, if you were to look at the current hourly AQI, the readings for Cook and Phillip are the among the lowest for metropolitan Sydney (with the caveat that the PM10 and PM2.5 sensors are down right now.)

        https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/air-quality/current-air-quality

        The same is the case for the latest daily AQI:

        https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/air-quality/current-air-quality/…

        EDIT: Looking at daily readings this month, Cook and Phillip consistently has among the lowest AQI, with some exceptions. I would hazard a guess that the assumption the CBD has more air pollution is wrong.

  • Changskies on 21/12/2019 - 17:52
    +1

    Remove Strathfield and Burwood out of your list. They are a nightmare, far from quiet.

    I would say look towards northbound if you are seeking somewhere quiet.

  • serpserpserp on 21/12/2019 - 18:45

    Double Bay.

  • Yoo on 21/12/2019 - 21:01

    Wentworth point? Quiet, nice walks, go to work by ferry (it's longer to get to CBD but you can keep working/read book and you avoid rage road). It's all new and clean there.

    • Numlock on 21/12/2019 - 22:59
      -1

      Wentworth Point is about as unAustralian of a suburb as you could get.

      • Yoo on 22/12/2019 - 08:26

        Ok Pauline.

    • Sharles on 22/12/2019 - 10:31

      Currently live in Wentworth Point and would differently not recommend it. We have had so many issues with crime and vandalism lately. Whilst it’s still pretty quiet it’s been getting very rough lately. It’s also not as clean as it used to be - cigarette butts and rubbish being thrown everywhere.

  • perrocontodo on 21/12/2019 - 21:14

    What about Neutral Bay? You can bike over the bridge and be in CBD in less than 20.

  • whooah1979 on 21/12/2019 - 21:15

    A friend has a unit in Pyrmont which is walking distance to where they work. It is rather nice if one like to live in the CBD.

  • Caped Baldy on 22/12/2019 - 00:42

    North shore is good. A bit more affluent area and family oriented so quieter and has good public transport options.

    Inner west is ruled out. It's a bit busier and it's under the flight path. You miss out on the nightlife and many food options.

    I note that you've mentioned being close to the M4 is ideal so north shore requires a bit more driving (going over the Sydney Harbour Bridge is still free northbound for what it's worth). Depending on your circumstances you may be better off ditching the car and using PT, rideshare or car hire when required.

    • kerfuffle on 22/12/2019 - 01:01

      You can go from the north shore to the west via North Ryde and Carlingford, then onto the M4 via James Ruse Drive, or just go alllllll the way down Cumberland Highway

      you may be better off ditching the car and using PT

      PT from the north shore is a PITA if you're not on the western line e.g. if OP chooses to live in Fairfield City aka the infamous roundabout from another of the OP's posts

    • Numlock on 22/12/2019 - 07:46
      +2

      Inner west is ruled out. It's a bit busier and it's under the flight path. You miss out on the nightlife and many food options.

      Lol wut. Inner West has far better food than any place in Sydney.

      • Caped Baldy on 22/12/2019 - 08:21

        I'm saying that since OP wants to avoid excessive noise s/he misses out on that.

    • brad1-8tsi on 23/12/2019 - 15:42
      +1

      Inner west is ruled out. It's a bit busier and it's under the flight path. You miss out on the nightlife and many food options.

      I'm inner West. No planes where I live.

      Food options are amazingly good. Within 2km of my house I could eat out every night of the week and not double up for 2 years.

    • dane45 on 03/01/2020 - 11:56

      Previously lived in the inner west (Ashfield and Marrickville) and then Wolli Creek. Honestly, you stop noticing the planes after a week or two and when I moved to a newer apartment in Wolli Creek the sound insulation was so good that it was dead silent when all the windows were closed.

      For accessibility to the M4, I'd recommend Ashfield. For somewhere really clean and convenient with lots of new buildings, Wolli Creek.

  • StonedWizard on 22/12/2019 - 08:32
    +1

    OP look at Lane Cove.

    • You can rent a new apartment at that price.
    • 20 minutes by bus to the city.
    • 13 minutes if you drive (depending on traffic and where you work)
    • <15 minutes to Chatswood, MQ Park and EASTWOOD.
    • You can take the M2 to the western suburbs
    • Peck on 22/12/2019 - 10:43

      If you can get it at that price, then I vote for Lane Cove. Very good location, quiet areas, quality of people, lifestyle, shopping village, residents average age higher than normal.

  • chumlee on 22/12/2019 - 08:48

    Kirribilli House will be vacant again when ScoMo flies back to Hawaii after his flying visit to Australia to greet the commoners

    • Peck on 22/12/2019 - 10:58

      Is he going back to get away from that 'inconvenient' smokey air? "How good is Hawaii?"

  • dammit on 22/12/2019 - 10:55

    how many bedrooms do you need?

    if just one bedroom, I would recommend Sydney Park Village, it is a really lush green complex, not for everyone though with about 800 apartments. It's got NBN FTTB, across the road from Sydney Park (big green park with lots of paths, lake etc). It's a 10min walk to St Peters train station (or erko station) which is a ~12 min commute by train to the cbd. You can walk 20 mins to King St Newtown (lots of cool restaurants/bars/places for dates etc). $550 will get you a 1 bedroom with good view, and probably air con, or a 1 bed with study facing Sdney Park Road. Hot water and gas is generally paid by the owner (except gas in buildings 10-15 I think is metered and paid by tenant). Won't benefit you too soon but the new M4-M5 link tunnel will open in 2023 which will get you out the west much faster, at the moment it's pretty good once you get to the tunnel entry at Haberfield you can get out west fairly easily. The new M5 tunnel opens early 2020 which will get you towards Liverpool/Canberra direction with a lot more ease.

    It has full resort facilities (outdoor pool, tennis courts, gym, indoor pool etc, 24/7 concierge for parcels etc security and parking).

    example of an apartment you can get there: https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-erskine…

    • brad1-8tsi on 23/12/2019 - 15:43

      I agree. Somewhere around there.

      Could turn to poo when WexConnex is complete

  • 12Sydney34 on 22/12/2019 - 11:27

    Northern part of CBD like the Rocks!!!!
    Walking distance to anywhere in CBD…

    Your price point might need to rise a bit though….

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