JaneyAnne

Curl Curl is a suburb of Sydney 18 kilometres north-east of the CBD in the local government area of the Warringah Council but still considered to be in the Northern beaches district of Sydney. Bounded on the north by North Curl Curl, the east by the Pacific Ocean, the south by North manly and Freshwater and to the west by Brookvale. The population in 2006 was 2160 with 28.5% under 18 and 15.5% over 60.

Curl Curl Beach is a pleasant 600 metres of clean sand and dunes accessible off Carrington Parade. There is plenty of parking space and access to the beach by about 10 walkways. The tidal pool has plenty of shallow water for the youngsters to paddle and splash and sufficient deeper water for adults to swim their laps. The water outside the pool can get fairly rough and spectacular during storms. The swell can be breathtaking when it impacts the rocks around the pool.

With almost 70% of the dwellings being separate houses the population density is considerably lower than neighbouring North Curl Curl. The median house price is $1.125,000 and unit median price is $670,500.

All in all a pleasant place to live and one with a future of increasing value.

The Eastern Suburb of Waverley is situated 7 kilometres east of the Sydney CBD in the local government area of Waverley Council. It has a population of about 4,200, of whom 21% are under 18 and 18% are over 60. It is the highest point in the Eastern Suburbs.

It is a mainly residential suburb with the average price of houses being $1.2 million and the average price of units being $500,000.

The suburb is well serviced by schools. There is a public primary, a Catholic primary, St Catherine’s - an Anglican girls school that has been going for over 150 years, St Clare’s College – a Catholic secondary school for girls and Waverley College, opened in 1903 , a Catholic school for boys from years 5-12.

There is the War Memorial Hospital which provides rehabilitation and assessment for people over 60.

Transport wise the suburb is well catered for. There are many buses going to and from the city and commercial centres nearby and it is only a 10 minute walk from the Bondi Junction train station.

There is a commercial centre located at Charing Cross and numerous restaurants in the suburb.

All in all Waverley is a very pleasant and convenient place to live.

Woollahra is an affluent suburb 5 kilometres east of the Sydney CBD in the local government area of Woollahra Council and is part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bordered by Bellevue Hill to the north, Bondi Beach to the east, Centennial Park to the south and Paddington and Edgecliff to the west. It has a population of about 7,300, 17% of whom are under 18 and 26% of whom are over 60.

Woollahra is a leafy suburb and relatively quiet. The average price of houses is $1.5 million and for apartment and units $600,000. Being quite an old suburb there are many Victorian and Federation houses.

The shopping centre has a village like atmosphere and there are quite a few antique shops and galleries. There are a number of cafes and restaurants. Woollahra is also home to quite a few international consulates.

There is one public primary school, Woollahra Public which opened in 1877 – my mother went to school there. Older students need to travel to neighbouring suburbs for high school.

Woollahra is conveniently placed because of its proximity to the city and the commercial area of Bondi Junction.

As far as desirable places to live goes, Woollahra would come out near the top.

North Curl Curl is a suburb of Sydney 19 kilometres north-east of the CBD in the local government area of the Warringah Council but still considered to be in the Northern beaches district of Sydney. Bounded on the north by Narraweena and Dee Why, the east by the Pacific Ocean, the south by North Manly and Curl Curl and to the west by Brookvale. The population in 2006 was 3289 with 26.3% under 18 and 16.1% over 60. Dwellings cost well over the million mark.

I am always amazed at the need for swimming pools in a city on the coast. When flying over North Curl Curl the blue of artificial water holes is quite striking. Check it your self using Google Maps. I am yet to see any one using a pool.

An interesting and possibly useful piece of trivia is that there are 4 sets of public toilets in North Curl Curl, at the Surf Life Saving Club, The Sports Centre, John Fisher Park and at Reub Hudson Oval.

The salt water pool is a photographer's (and kids) playground. The pool is tidal and so is flushed twice a day. It is always worth taking a look at the pool from all angles as on occasion pranksters have been known to drop a shark or two in overnight as a kind of wake up present for early bathers.

The prestigious harbour side suburb of Darling Point is situated just 4 kilometres east of the Sydney CBD, in the local government area of Woollahra Council and is part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bounded by Sydney harbour to the north, Double Bay to the east, Edgecliff to the south and Rushcutters Bay to the west. It has a population of about 3,900 11% of whom are under 18 and 34% of whom are over 60.

Property prices are high. The average price for houses in the suburb is $3.8 million and the average price for units is $1.05. It is one of the most densely populated areas of Sydney.

Historical St Mark’s Anglican Church is very popular for weddings. Elton John was married there (the first time) as were my parents many years ago.

It is home to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia which runs the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and hosted the sailing events during the Sydney Olympics.

Many famous people have homes in the suburb. Among these are Nicole Kidman, Gough Whitlam and Ita Buttrose.

The suburb is serviced by ferries and buses.

Because of its proximity to the city and the harbour with its fabulous views, Darling Point would be nice place to live if you could afford it.

Tamarama is a beach side suburb of Sydney located 7 kilometres east of the CBD, in the local government area of Waverley Council and part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bordered on the north by Bondi, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by Bronte and on the west by Bondi Junction. It has a population of about 1,500, 15% of whom are under 18 and 11% of whom are over 60.

It is quite a prestigious suburb with house prices averaging $2.5 million and units averaging $800,000. Rental prices are also reasonably high.

Tamarama Beach, nestled between Bondi and Bronte, has become very popular and one of the places to be “seen” in Sydney. The Tamarama Surf Life Saving Club, founded in 1906, one of the first in the world boasts that it has never had a fatality despite the fact that the beach has very dangerous rips in the surfing area. These rips are amongst the most dangerous on the east coast of Australia. There are parklands near the beach as well.
There is also a coastal walkway from Bondi to Bronte passing through Tamarama.

There are no schools in Tamarama so children need to travel to neighbouring suburbs to go to school. The area is serviced by an efficient bus service.

Dee Why is a suburb of Sydney 18 kilometres north of the CBD in the local government area of the Warringah Council but still considered to be in the Northern beaches district of Sydney. Bounded on the north by Collaroy, the east by the Pacific Ocean, the south by Curl Curl and Brookvale and to the west by Cromer, Narraweena and Beacon Hill. The population in 2006 was 17,272 with 17.2% under 18 and 15.2% over 60. With over 60% of dwellings being high density and over 40% of the accommodation rented Dee Why would easily qualify as a dormitory suburb.

The Dee Why Lagoon Reserve is 77 ha of low lying land that is very significant to migratory birds and is part of an agreement between Aust, Japan and China. The lagoon covers 30 Ha and is tidal with the outlet sometimes open and at other times closed by a sand bar. It also is host to a multitude of mosquitoes who are very friendly and not afraid of an intimate relationship with any stray human.

It has been reported in 2008 that Brush turkeys are returning to the area. Apparently one was seen making his nest of grass and sticks on somebody's front lawn. This is a far call from the forest.

Historic La Perouse is situated 14 kilometres south east of the Sydney CBD in the local government area of the City of Randwick and is part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bordered by Little Bay to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east and Botany Bay to the south and west.

La Perouse has a very small population of only about 400 people. There are only a handful of houses and one block of units.

The suburb is named after the French explorer Jean-Francois de Galoup, Comte de la Perouse who arrived in Botany Bay just a few days after Captain Arthur Phillip set up the British penal settlement in Port Jackson. Had he been just a bit quicker we might all be speaking French!

The area offers many tourist attractions. The local aboriginal people have boomerang throwing shows on the weekends and during the week tours are shown around the area and told about its significance to aboriginal culture. Many school children are taken on excursions to this area – I can certainly remember doing so. There is also a reptile show on Sunday afternoons. To cater for the tourists there are a number of cafes and restaurants.

La Perouse is a very interesting place to visit.

The Sydney coastal suburb of Malabar is 12 kilometres south east of the CBD, in the local government area of the City of Randwick and part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bordered by Maroubra to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, Little Bay to the south and Matraville and Chifley to the west and has a population of about 4,600, 17% of whom are under 18 and 22% are over 60.

It is mainly a residential area with a mix of separate houses and medium and high density apartments. The average price for houses is $1.1 million and for units $495,000.

Malabar Beach is sheltered by Long Bay. The beach is not patrolled but it offers many aquatic activities such as swimming, snorkelling fishing and boating. Behind the beach is Cromwell Park a nice venue for picnicking and jogging.

Randwick Golf Course is situated in Malabar offering a challenging short course to both members and casual players. Views from most of the holes are quite spectacular over the ocean.

There is a small group of shops and cafes in the suburb. There are two primary schools, one government and one Catholic. Older children travel to neighbouring suburbs for high school.

Collaroy is a suburb of Sydney 22 kilometres north-east of the CBD in the local government area of Warringah Council but still considered to be in the Northern beaches district of Sydney. It is 35 mins to the CBD normally and 60 minutes during peak traffic load.

Bounded on the north by Narrabeen and Belrose, the east by the Pacific Ocean, the south by Dee Why and to the west by Cromer. The population in 2006 was 14,189 with 24% under 18 and 18% over 60.

Collaroy Beach is a beautiful clean beach accessible from Pittwater Road. It is the southern part of the long sweeping beach starting at the Narrabeen lakes outlet and progressing south to the point at Long Reef.

The point is home to the Long Reef Golf Club. A pleasant windswept area hosting 18 holes. The club itself has a pleasant restaurant and has been the scene of many weddings and other functions.

The Collaroy Tennis Club on the corner of Anzac Avenue and Pittwater Road shares the point and consists of 6 high quality courts.

Both the golf and tennis club are part of Griffith Park which is managed by the Warringah Council. The park has a number of mini wetlands and ponds as well as some "no mow" areas to protect remnant colonies of native grasses.

Overall Collaroy is a pleasant part of suburbia.

The suburb of Little Bay is situated 14 kilometres south east of Sydney’s CBD in the local government area of the City of Randwick and part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bordered by Malabar to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, La Perouse to the south and Philip Bay and Chifley to the west. It has a population of about 1,800, 22% of whom are under 18 and 24% are over 60.

Little Bay was the home of the Prince Henry Hospital. This site was closed in 2001 and the area is being redeveloped as a housing complex. There will also be a shopping village.

The beach at Little Bay is small and sheltered and used to be very polluted due to its proximity to the Malabar sewage treatment plant. After the commencement of operation of the Malabar Deep Ocean Outfall the beach was considerably cleaned up and today Little Bay Beach is constantly one of the cleanest beaches in Sydney.

There are no schools in the suburb of Little Bay so children have to travel to neighbouring suburbs for school. There is an efficient bus service in the area.

Little Bay has two golf courses both offering spectacular views from all over their courses. They are the Coast Golf Course, for both members and casual players and St. Michael’s Golf Club for members only. St Michael’s is regarded as one of the most testing golf courses in Australia.

Bondi Beach, probably Sydney’s most famous suburb, is located 7 kilometres east of the CBD in the Eastern Suburbs and in the local government area of Waverley Council. It is bordered by North Bondi to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, Bondi Junction to the south and Woollahra and Bellevue Hill to the west. It has a population of about 10,200, 11% of whom are under 18 and 13% are over 60.

Housing in the suburb is a mix of single dwellings, and medium and high density apartments. The average price of real estate is $1.2 million.

Because of its world renown, tourists flock to Bondi Beach – especially in summer. Care needs to be taken when swimming as at the southern end there is a rip current. Other parts of the beach are reasonably safe. Bondi Beach has been included in the Australian National Heritage List.

Bondi Beach offers a wide variety of tourist accommodation – from backpackers, holiday apartments, hotels and motels.

The annual Sydney City to Surf Race finishes at Bondi Beach. It was the venue for the Beach Volleyball for the Sydney Olympics.

There is also the famous Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club, founded in 1929, when intrepid swimmers would brave the winter water temperatures. My grandfather was one of the original members. The Club is now a bit more civilised having a proper clubhouse and swimming pool.

Located 7 kilometres of the Sydney CBD in the Eastern Suburbs is the beach suburb of North Bondi. It is situated in the local government area of Waverley Council. It is bordered by Dover Heights to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, Bondi Beach to the south and Bellevue Hill to the west. It has a population of about 8,300, 19% of whom are under 18 and 14% of whom are over 60.

It is a residential area with a combination of single dwellings and medium and high density apartments. The average price of real estate in the suburb is $1.2 million.

North Bondi beach has a surf life saving club and two pools – one exclusively for children.

There are aboriginal carvings on the cliffs at North Bondi.

The only school in the suburb is the Senior Campus (Years 11 and 12) for the Reddam House independent school. Other children go to school in neighbouring suburbs.

There is an RSL Club opposite the beach which is very popular with both locals and tourists.

Bondi Golf Course is situated on Military Road, North Bondi. It offers both casual playing and membership. The views from the clubhouse are magnificent – right across Bondi Beach to the ocean.

North Bondi – a very pleasant suburb!

The small harbour side suburb of Rushcutters Bay is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney CBD in the local government area of the City of Sydney. It has a population of about 2,200, 5% of whom are under 18 and 20% of whom are over 60. The main age group of the suburb is between 25 and 50.

It is a suburb of high and medium density housing offering a wide range of prices for apartments. There are small one bedroom flats, right up to luxurious penthouses. There are also a lot of rental properties – a favourite place for the young to rent because of its proximity to the city.

It is a yachting centre of Sydney. The prestigious Cruising Yacht Club is located nearby.

There are two beautiful parks on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour. They are the Reg Bartley Oval where sports such as rugby, soccer and cricket are played as well community events such as concerts and Rushcutters Bay Park which has a playground, tennis courts and a café. These parks are very popular with both Sydneysiders and tourists.

Sydney Stadium, where many boxing matches and concerts were held – the Beatles performed there in 1964 – was in Rushcutters Bay but was demolished to make way for the cross city tunnel.

The Sydney suburb of Matraville is situated in the Eastern Suburbs, 11 kilometres south east of the GPO in the local government area of the City of Randwick. It has a population of just over 8,600, 23% of whom are under 18 and 20% are over 60.

The suburb has a combination of residential, commercial and industrial sites. There is a small shopping centre on Bunnerong Road which houses the “House of Pie” which has won many bakery awards. Along Botany Road there is the Amcor paper recycling mill. There is also still one of the last traditional Chinese gardens. The houses in the area are a combination of private dwellings and housing commission. In the 1980’s a large housing estate was built on the site of the former Matraville Drive In, of both medium density public housing and private houses.

There are three primary schools in the suburb – two public and one Catholic. There is also Matraville High School – a piece of trivia – the first dux of Matraville High School was the former NSW Premier, Bob Carr! A child care centre/preschool is also in the suburb.

Buses provide regular public transport to the city and surrounding suburbs.

The suburb is lit up at Christmas with a large lights display – well worth a visit!

7 kilometres south east of the CBD of Sydney is Kingsford, a suburb in the local government area of the City of Randwick and part of the eastern Suburbs. It is bordered by Kensington, Coogee, Maroubra, Daceyville and Rosebery. It has a population of over 14,200 17% of whom are under 18 and 15% of whom are over 60.

The suburb was named after the great Australian aviator, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

Because of its proximity to the University of New South Wales many of the residents are students, either Australian or international. Due to this fact, about 40% of the population is renting. The housing is mainly medium or high density.

There is a large commercial area along Anzac Parade with many business and offices on the lower levels and often residential apartments above.

The bus public transport system in Kingsford is excellent. In the middle of Kingsford on Anzac Parade is a major road junction known as “Nine Ways” which will take you to nine different destinations.

Many Greeks settled in the area after the war. There is a large Greek Orthodox Church, St Spyridon’s, situated on Gardeners Road. Next to this is the primary school of St Spyridon’s College.

Kingsford, a suburb for students and those who like to be near the city.

The Sydney beachside suburb of Maroubra is 10 kilometres south east of the CBD, in the local government area of the City of Randwick and is part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bounded by South Coogee to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, Malabar and
Matraville to the south and Pagewood to the west. It has a population of over 26,000, 18% of whom are under 18 and 21% of whom are over 60.

Maroubra Beach stretches for about a mile on Maroubra Bay. There are two surf clubs located in Maroubra and Maroubra Beach was the second Australian beach to be added to the National Surfing Reserve. It is a very popular and safe swimming area.

Maroubra Junction is the location for one of the main shopping precincts in the area. The new Pacific Square is in Maroubra Junction. There are other shopping areas in the suburb notably the South Maroubra shopping village near the beach.

House prices are not as high as those of some of the neighbouring suburbs with the average price of houses being about $850,000. Nearly 40% of the properties in the suburb are rentals.

Children are well catered for in Maroubra. There are two high schools and two primary schools as well as a secondary private school run by the Greek Orthodox Church.

Maroubra is a very popular suburb with lots to do and see.

South Coogee is a residential suburb of Sydney, situated 9 kilometres south east of the CBD in the local government area of the City of Randwick and part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bounded by Coogee to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, Kingsford to the west and Maroubra to the south. It has a population of about 5,200 20% of which are under 18 and 21.5% of whom are over 60.

A high percentage of the population (nearly 50%) are renting. A large proportion of the housing in South Coogee is public housing flats that were constructed in the 1950’s and 60’s. There is an aged care facility in the suburb. There are still large areas of open space. However, it is predicted that there will be low or negative population growth in the future.

There is no big commercial area but there are a few local shops for the residents. A reasonably efficient bus service is available to take residents to the city and bigger surrounding commercial centres.

South Coogee Primary School is located in the suburb while older children need to travel to attend high school.

South Coogee is probably not one of the better Eastern Suburbs.

Dover Heights is a suburb of Sydney, 9 kilometres east of the CBD, in the local government area of Waverley Council and part of the Eastern Suburbs. It is bounded on the north by Vaucluse, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by North Bondi and by Rose Bay on the east. It has a population of about 3,800, 23% of whom are under 18 and 17% of whom are over 60.

It is a very affluent suburb with house prices averaging $2,500,000. It offers commanding views of both the harbour and the ocean.

The suburb was so named as the cliffs reminded early settlers of the White Cliffs of Dover in England.

Nearly half the population of the suburb is Jewish. The people of this faith are well catered for with the Dover Heights Shule (a synagogue) and two Jewish schools. These are the Kesser Torah College and the Yeshiva Ladies College. Other children need to travel to neighbouring suburbs for school.

There is no beach at Dover Heights but there are parks and reserves on the cliff top offering fabulous views. Many flock there during fireworks displays to get a good view of the action.

Dover Heights would be magnificent place to live if you could afford it.

The beachside suburb of Coogee is situated 8 kilometres south east of the CBD of Sydney in the Eastern Suburbs and is part of the local government area of the Randwick City Council. It is bounded on the north by Clovelly, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the west by Randwick and South Coogee is to the south. It has a population of about 13,300, 13% of whom are under 18 and 13% of whom are over 60.

Coogee was proclaimed a village in 1836. Today it is an area of houses, flats and apartments with the average dwelling price being about $1,300,000.

Tourists, especially during the summer flock to Coogee. There is lots of accommodation, including backpacker, hotels, motels and holiday apartments. These visitors are also well catered for with a large commercial centre with a variety of shops, restaurants and take away places. A very popular “in” place is the Coogee Bay Hotel which is opposite the beach, opened in 1873 and still going strong. It boasts the largest beer garden in Sydney. It is a one stop entertainment venue.

The beach is relatively safe and is patrolled during the summer. It is popular for surfing, swimming and body boarding. The Coogee Surf Life Saving Club was founded in 1907.

Coogee is a very popular area both for the residents and the many tourists who flock there.