Retirees

Summary: A high-end, green and peaceful slice of suburbia, Lindfield’s popularity has grown in recent years with additional modern developments helping to round out what is overall a grand old suburb. It’s highly leafy, clean and visually appealing while still having city connectivity courtesy of its rail line.

It’s also almost utterly lacking in activities and things to see and do, while its large and often impressive housing blocks carry with them prohibitively high purchase prices out of reach for many. Read Review

Summary: To describe Stanmore in a mathematical equation might go something like this: Stanmore : Petersham as Erskineville : St Peters. That is to say, it’s a little like Petersham’s slightly wealthier brother, but really there’s little to differentiate the two overall. It’s a little more charming, a little more green, and a little more expensive, with some better amenities for families in particular. Its aircraft noise is always going to be the main negative point, however, and although it’s charming and home to some lovely architecture, there’s not much to do in the suburb itself. Read Review

Summary: This high-end, hilly inner eastern suburb is renowned for both its lovely waterfront views and its high property prices. Often jokingly referred to as “Double Pay”, Double Bay has a multi-million-dollar barrier to entry in return for its lovely aspect, extremely pet-friendly main parkland area, and connectivity to the CBD via ferry. It’s pretty and upmarket, although there’s not too much to do and accessing its nearest train station will put a burn in the calves due to the hilly topography of most of the suburb. Read Review

Summary: Full of greenery, home to some truly impressive houses, and highly peaceful, Wollstonecraft is an unassuming Lower North Shore suburb that’s seldom discussed. This is largely because it’s a highly “utilitarian” suburb in that it skews highly towards the “good place to live” as opposed to “good place to visit” end of the spectrum. It’s connected to heavy rail, offers a range of housing types and… that’s about it. There’s almost zero to do here, and as a result it’s only a place you’d want to use for resting your head. Read Review

Summary: Formerly home solely to streets lined with grand old homes from the glory years of the mid to late 1900s, Caringbah like many other higher-end Sutherland Shire suburbs remains pretty, yet is also modernising and losing some of its character.

It’s got plenty going for it for families however, with quality schools nearby, nice leafy roads, peace and quiet, plenty of parkland, and a heavy rail station for city access. It’s a versatile & largely scenic suburb in parts, however its price has ballooned in recent years & now ranks on the pricier side in return for its liveability. Read Review

Summary: One of the most family and pet-friendly suburbs still within striking distance of the Sydney CBD, Annandale’s wide streets and greenery along with several notable highlights make it pretty much ideal for family life. Inner West in name only, the suburb has a “white picket fence” feel entirely different to its grittier neighbours that would help it rank near the top of our “liveability” rankings – if only it had a damn train station, avoided the flight paths, and was priced quite a bit lower. Read Review

Summary: A small, quiet and picturesque waterfront suburb on the waters of Sydney’s inner-east, Rushcutters Bay has plenty going for it in terms of location – it’s tucked away slightly so there’s less noise, it’s got great water views, and it’s fringed by other suburbs which provide entirely different opportunities right next door. It also ranks as one of the best inner Sydney suburbs for pet owners, with its signature park a major plus for the pup. Price will keep most potential owners restricted to renting – unless you’re willing to settle for a small apartment. Read Review

Summary: This ritzy North Shore Sydney suburb is teeming with wealth, boasting some of the most expensive properties in the region in a desirable location surrounded by greenery, water and some gorgeous slices of beach. Mosman as a suburb is also strangely quite isolated, however, with a disconnect from public transport and a nightmare road renowned for its terrible traffic putting some dampers on its otherwise gleaming facade. Read Review

Summary: An incredibly pretty, charming and surprisingly accessible suburb surrounded by waterfront with a likewise incredibly high barrier to entry, Kirribilli is as beautiful as it is out of reach for the majority of Australian property owners. There’s a reason it was chosen as the site of the governor-general’s house, as its outlooks are some of the greatest Sydney has to offer, and its proximity and connectivity to the CBD are all better than many of its neighbouring or fellow-elite peers. Read Review

Summary: An historic and undeniably charming suburb that exudes affluence, Balmain is a lovely slice of land dotted with sandstone-brick buildings dating back to the origins of Sydney. It’s got a lot of character, pockets of greenery, is packed with quality places to eat and drink, and its waterfront views are stunning. A prohibitive pricetag for buyers and terrible commute traffic – plus a disconnect from the heavy rail system – hold it back from being ideal, however. Read Review