Killara Suburb Review

To the manor born.

Summary: A land of long driveways, immaculately-kept gardens, and sprawling grand homes, Killara on the North Shore is an impressive concentration of greenery-draped wealth. Freestanding houses here rank among the upper tier of northern Sydney, however there’s enough of a selection of modern apartments to keep things viable for others at earlier stages of life. It’s leafy, it’s safe, it’s quiet, and it’s not too far a commute from the CBD – as long as you’re happy with not much to do at all in your own backyard, and willing to fork out some cash.

Key stats

At first glance, Killara might seem a Sydney suburb only for those suited to a very specific stage of life: retirement.

It’s largely populated by older, remarkably-designed homes with similarly-aged residents that are impressive in both size and design, and sit on large blocks with large and gorgeous gardens out front. When you’re in a suburb where “double-driveways” are a thing, it should be an immediate indication on the wealth on show here.

That’s only part of the story however, as Killara has had a bit of a fresh layer of paint draped over it in recent years. It’s not uncommon to see these stately manor homes sitting across the street from modern, high-density apartments, with many of these newer apartment blocks having plenty of rentals regularly available.

It’s not hard to see the appeal in living here if you like things quiet. Killara is beautifully green, sitting half on a hill that’s heavily draped in trees and with multiple wide open parkland spaces, and roads that are quite wide and spacious as well. “Leafy” is a bit of an over-used word tossed around when describing suburbs, but it definitely applies here.

Green and Grand

This green environment also comes without having to sacrifice urban connectivity. Killara has its own dedicated station on the North Shore line, which offers the prospect of a 25-30 minute train ride into Sydney city, and coming from this far north you actually have the possibility of getting a train seat during the morning commute.

Driving can be a pain as you’re joining everyone else flocking into the CBD however, and its bus services are fairly infrequent. Getting around the suburb via car is all but mandatory, as it’s quite a chore to walk around and bus is a non-starter. The fact it also gives good access to the Pacific Highway makes a car an even greater point of emphasis when living here as well.

Killara’s houses are largely huge, grand affairs

Make no mistake: Killara is quiet, almost deafeningly so – this is definitely not the place to be if you’re the type interested in any kind of nightlife outside of a local pub. There’s really not much to do here at all of an evening, and everything closes early.

Of course, this brings the added benefit of a damn good night’s sleep, as there’s both no outdoor activity or plane noise to contend with as well.

The suburb isn’t home to any semblance of large-scale retail either; however Chatswood being just a couple of stops away on the train (or a relatively short drive) helps alleviate things.

Nature enthusiasts and families looking for play spaces will find much appealing about Killara and its surrounds, however. Its park spaces are excellent on both sides of the suburb for those with pets and kids alike, and Swain Gardens in particular is a lovely little hidden gem that’s both peaceful and the ideal spot for a picnic.

Head slightly further along and you’ve got all the beauty of Lane Cove National Park at your fingertips as well.

“It’s hard to call Killara anything other than “pretty” due to its abundance of greenery – hell, even the train station’s gardens are lovely.”

Add to all this greenery a great selection of schools both within the suburb and in neighbouring areas nearby, and you’ve got a highly family-friendly place to live where the kids will also have room to play.

The ability to opt for a smaller and more cost-friendly apartment and yet for kids to have the chance to take advantage of excellent public play spaces can thus make apartment living for families far more viable in Killara than many other more “concrete jungle” suburbs of Sydney.

Of course, as with any other desirable Sydney suburb, price is the obvious barrier to entry for those who want an actual freestanding house. Properties here are tightly-held and not that numerous to begin with, and typically come with a very high pricetag. $2.3 million is the typically barrier to entry for a house, with many other the larger properties far exceeding this amount.

Its reasonable abundance of rental apartments provides more opportunity, but even they aren’t cheap; you’re looking at over $600 per week for a 2 bedroom apartment to rent.

Given the cost of much of its property, it’s not surprising that the demographic here trends older. There’s a fair bit of grey and white hair around, and bowls, golf and even croquet clubs are the order of the day in terms of favourite public activity.

As a result, it’s an excellent choice of suburbs for retirees who have cash to spare as there’s quite a good communal feel here that still remains. It’s highly safe and had little to no crime, too.

The Verdict

Killara is about as much of a diametric opposite to say, a suburb in Sydney like Newtown, that exists. Younger partygoing types will almost certainly want to live elsewhere and would definitely consider it “boring”, and there’s not much for foodies to dine on of a night either.

That said, it’s still connected enough to make those who want this quieter and greener side of life while still working in the Sydney CBD (or heading for a night out) then come home to a relaxed night’s sleep a viable option worth considering.

And of course, it’s hard to call Killara anything other than “pretty” due to its abundance of greenery – hell, even the train station’s gardens are lovely. Some of its homes are truly gorgeous, and families who can either afford one or are willing to opt for an apartment would be hard pressed to find a more family-friendly suburb without heading even further out from the city and sacrificing public transport access.

It’s a bit lacking in amenities, but for the peaceful-clean-green desirability trifecta Killara ranks towards the pointy end of the Sydney suburbs scale.