Professionals

Summary: Featuring some truly stunning housing blocks along with some of the most impressive suburban greenery you’ll come across in Sydney, Turramurra is all about wealthy seclusion without sacrificing too much connectivity. This is a suburb of manicured hedge fences, tennis courts and immaculately-kept public park spaces that exudes wealth but still has a reasonably communal aspect. It’s got enough of a smattering of amenities to get by, and is ideal for wealthy families in particular, but there’s not too much going on and both price and distance from the CBD may be a factor for some. Read Review

Summary: Wanting more room to move in the place you live without either being totally disconnected from the CBD or having to pay millions of dollars? Say hello to Panania. Situated on the fringes of Western Sydney, this is a peaceful and largely residential suburb of wide, quiet streets and large, low density houses both old and new. It’s highly family-friendly, quite safe and has enough small-scale shopping and dining to get by, while its rail connectivity is a major bonus. It’s far from exciting, but definitely functional. Read Review

Summary: Fringed by water and offering impeccable views throughout, Drummoyne is a scenic part of Sydney where old and new wealth collide. If you’ve ever wanted to feel poor, this is the suburb to visit, as multi-level mansions and freestanding homes on large blocks dominate with some great angles of the Parramatta River.

It’s highly decked out with amenities along Victoria Road and has pleasant public spaces, while its location provides centralised access to other parts of Sydney. Price and traffic are its main negatives, but it’s otherwise a highly desirable place to live. Read Review

Summary: The suburb with the cool postcode, Penshurst sits in what we consider the “sweet spot” in terms of location in Sydney. It’s not too far south to feel isolated, and sits right next to a busy shopping and retail hub, yet still manages to feel secluded and tucked away regardless. There’s also a distinctly British atmosphere here on its northern side – think men in white playing cricket on the green, and red brick houses fringed by hedges. It might be a little too quiet for some and is lacking in major retail, but the overall livability here is very high. Read Review

Summary: Boasting a lingering Italian influence and with an aspect that mixes together convenience and nature very well, Five Dock is quite distinctive as far as Inner West suburbs go. It’s largely populated by big, low-density freestanding homes with more living space than its peers, it’s highly safe, and its handful of waterfront parks are particularly appealing. Property prices have ballooned with gentrification, traffic isn’t amazing, and it’s a little disconnected from public transport, while aircraft noise can also be a slight factor. Read Review

Summary: One of Sydney’s true “cafe capitals”, Neutral Bay is a wealthy slice of Lower North Shore living that still offers enough diversity of housing types to keep things fairly demographically varied. It’s centrally-located and is utterly decked out in amenities in terms of dining and small-scale shopping, and its hillside aspect overlooking the water is often highly impressive. It’s also as pricey as one might expect given its location, and its traffic and road issues often border on nightmare levels. Read Review

Summary: One of the “gateways” to Sutherland Shire, Como is an upmarket, green suburb which sits perched overlooking the Georges and Woronora Rivers, offering the chance at some impeccable water views. This is a land of boat ownership and outdoor enjoyment, with some excellent public spaces that are a boon for kids and pets alike. It’s pretty, green, quiet and safe, however it’s notably lacking in amenities for shopping and dining, and its distance from main arterial roads offsets its train station’s connectivity to the city a little. It’s also not cheap. Read Review

Summary: Lovely Lilyfield is one of the greener suburbs of Sydney’s Inner West, with a pleasant abundance of spacious public parklands, ovals and other outdoor spaces dotted throughout. Its waterfront portion on the Parramatta River is particularly gorgeous, and abuzz with families and singles alike. Its location is also convenient, with the city not far away, and large homes and schools make it family-friendly. Prices are high, it’s a little lacking in amenities, and plane noise are its main cons. Read Review

Summary: Located towards the northern centre of Sutherland Shire, Jannali offers a solid blend of personal living space and connectivity to Sydney city – without breaking the bank. Wide, leafy streets that are clean and quiet allow those without ridiculous incomes to actually have a chance at a freestanding house, while its main shopping strip around its train station keeps things just lively and convenient enough. It’s got a handful of great schools and is highly family-friendly, although it’s a little lacking in parkland and there’s not too much to do for entertainment. Read Review

Summary: Sydney’s north shore base for a lot of tech and other big-business, Macquarie Park mixes modern urban planning with a reasonably central location. It’s the focal point for many daily commuters – both workers and students alike – and has seen near-constant redevelopment over the past few years. Everything here feels very modern and well-kept, and its recent shopping and public transport additions are a plus, yet its traffic issues and lack of character make it feel a little sterile. It can be good value for apartment-dwellers, however. Read Review