jacks38

Wentworth Point has an astonishingly high population density for a suburb which is literally served by one road in and out (which isn't technically even in the suburb). Driving on that one road is a nighmare, yet it has no rail transport, just buses or the ferry (which still takes 1 hour to the city). What's more, the north and south of the suburb are not accessible to each other. It might be better when they finish developing the suburb, but by then it will probably be crammed even fuller of highrise blocks. It has a waterfront, but this section of riverbed is toxic so you can't really make any use of the water other than to take the ferry. The suburb has many redeeming qualities, such as access to sports facilities in Olympic Park, not being too far from either Western Sydney centres like Auburn and Parramatta or the Inner West, and a shopping centre with an array of very useful shops. However (other than the shopping centre) to get to any of that you still need to be able to get out of the suburb!

By rights North Strathfield should be better than it is. It's surrounded by prestige suburbs - it sits in between Homebush and Concord, both $2.5m+ median suburbs (at time of writing), and borders the eye-watering ($3m+) Strathfield. It is astonishingly well served by public transport (residents often have the choice of 3+ stations within walking distance), it faces Parramatta Road to the south and is at a major junction of the M4. However, the small suburb is also quite cut up by all that infrastructure, and most homes are affected either by train noise or road noise (and pollution). Even away from the major roads, the small roads are often clogged with traffic - George Street often feels like a car park on weekends. Other things going for the suburb are the lively Bakehouse Quarter and Concord Road commercial areas and excellent schools. It doesn't have much green open space but these are only a walk away in Homebush, Concord or Olympic Park. The suburb can be so much better, if only traffic (and noise) could be improved. Perhaps the new metro will help relieve traffic as well as give the suburb even more public transport options, and the Bakehouse Quarter could grow more into its potential to be a properly useful and lively foodie and shopping destination.

Houses here are more affordable than surrounding suburbs like Concord, Homebush or Mortlake. This probably reflects it being surrounded by busy roads - A3 on the west, Concord Road on the east - often clogged with traffic, creating noise issues and making it difficult to get out of the suburb at busy times. Otherwise, it offers many of the same advantages as surrounding suburbs - quality, freestanding housing, tree lined streets, sports facilities - and (compared to Concord) has the added advantage of railway access. There is a lively commercial strip along Concord Road. The other issue that marks it down compared to neighbouring suburbs is that the quality of schools is uneven. Concord West Public is comparable to other schools in the area, but Victoria Park has a catchment dominated by high density areas further west.

Concord has come a long way from its working class roots. The solidly built and well maintained freestanding family homes on tree lined blocks evoke suburbia from another time. The main shopping strip on Majors Bay Road has acquired a decidedly upmarket feel, and the other main commercial strip along Concord Road in neighbouring North Strathfield is also fairly lively. Lots of sports facilities including golf courses, and a pleasant waterfront walk. The addition of great schools makes it a 5/5 suburb for families. All that is left of the old industrial Concord is the Bushell's coffee factory - even that is now surprisingly picturesque. The only downside is the traffic along Parramatta Road, Gipps Street/Patterson Street and Concord Road. These roads meet at a spaghetti junction with the M4, which is often a traffic nightmare.

Homebush West is a big suburb. The main residential area is in the southeast, south of the railway station.

THE GOOD: Charming village centre with an East/South East Asian vibe, due to the concentration of those communities in the market garden trade centred on Flemington markets nearby. This means great Asian restaurants, colourful grocery stores, and conveniently concentrated services such as doctors and pharmacies. One of the best dim sum wholesalers in Sydney is here, too. Residential streets are leafy, lot of parks and playgrounds. Easily accessible to the great schools in neighbouring Homebush and Strathfield. Easy access to A3 and M4 roads.

THE BAD: The residential area is mostly unit blocks, and feels too dense for the narrow street grid. It has major roads on two sides, the railway on the third. Arthur Street/A3 intersection is always congested. The new developments west of A3 are also noisy and feel a bit cut off because of the big roads, railway and industrial areas.

The problem with living in Burwood is that the council has decided to be the CBD of the Inner West. Which means jacking up density no matter what. Still some nice pockets around the edges, but the centre is full of shoddy blocks and will only get more. Traffic jams and rubbish aside, the rapid rate of change also means you don't know what your street or neighbours will be like in a couple of years - standlone houses today, highrise boarding house next month.

The old bit of Homebush, south of the railway and east of Airey Park, is one of the nicest pockets of Strathfield Council - quiet leafy streets, nice houses (some VERY nice), a charming town centre with a village atmosphere - great cafes, independent shops and restaurants. It's become very 'Inner West' in the last couple of decades. Great place to meet friends or have a family meal out. The area north of the railway seems to have changed in the other direction: looking very monocultural (South Asian), a lot of construction going on, roaring traffic down Parramatta Road and the new M4, side streets filled with cars and utes. Only good thing is you are close to the Bakehouse Quarter. Might be nicer when all the construction finishes, but for now it's all a bit muddy and noisy.

A lot of the negative reviewers have clearly never gone further than 5 minutes from the station. Yes the towers are massive, yes the town centre is strangely Korean, yes there are dodgy characters milling about the train station - but that's what you get at a transport hub. I wouldn't want to live in a tower (here or anywhere), but I still like the town centre - I love that I can walk there and explore authentic Korean food, or pick up a great cheesecake, or get some delicious Malaysian noodles from Ho Jiak. Oh, and guess what, I can also get to my office in the City by train in 15 minutes, or take a direct train to the Blue Mountains, or Newcastle, or pretty much anywhere in Sydney. Besides, if like me you don't like to live in towers, there's a whole other Strathfield 5 minutes walk out in any direction, which is all tree lined boulevardes, beautiful houses and some of the best schools in Sydney. Contrary to the reviewers who've never been past the station, it's not at all monocultural, and more importantly people are neighbourly, whether they are Anglo, Maronite, Chinese, Korean or some other background. Just look at the faces that make up the local symphony orchestra or croquet club. It's not the suburb for everyone - definitely not for you if you are a racist - but it is a great place to live if you like a leafy old suburb combined with really convenient transport and great schools, and topped by a quirky town centre that offers a day trip to Korea.