Westmead hospital - places to live

jackie

It depends a bit on what you want. The hospital is about 30 or so minutes by fast train from the centre of Sydney.

The hospital is beside the main western train line, so your husband can commute easily from closer to the city - or further out - depending on your interests and where you like to live.

There's a squillion apartments with a few minutes walking distance of the hospital (my friend owns one!) - and the very large Parramatta Park also within minutes, so apartment living with kids could be made tolerable. Parramatta has quite a large shopping centre.


With children you may prefer to live further out, in a house with yard, etc. You can find the same closer to the city - but at much greater cost.

There's also a university campus (Uni of Western Sydney) next door.

If you tell me your interests I can make more specific suggestions.

more info.
Hi

I would like to live in a place with a small garden but be near to shops, public transport and activities I can do with the children. We are only going to be in Sydney a year so want to make the most of the year. Someone has recommended five docks and Hunter Hill. Any comments ? I am not sure if these areas are within range to cycle to the Westmead. (My husband would cycle for about 20-30 mins).

Thanks

Hi jackie.

There are plenty of options based on what you have specified.

Five Dock and Hunters Hill are both too far away from Westmead to cycle.

Westmead is near Parramatta. This is a satellite city of Sydney. It is about 30 minutes by car or public transport from the CBD of Sydney. It really comes down to whether you want to live near the CBD or whether you would like to live closer to Parramatta. Parramatta has all the services you would want and is cheaper than the city, but if you want beaches etc, then you are looking at close to an hours travel.

As for areas around Parramatta, the north side is 'better' than the south so I would start looking around Old Toongabbie and North Parramatta. Both are within 20 minutes cycle from the hospital. Westmead itself is worth looking at also. Parramatta itself is mainly commercial so if you wanted to live there you would be looking at mostly appartments.

Let me know if you need links or anything.

Adrian's right about Hunters Hill and Five Dock. Thery're both too far to cycle, and not on train lines, so not an easy commute.
I guess from Five Dock you could cycle to Abbotsford, get the ferry to Parramatta and then cycle to Westmead. Getting home would be more difficult, as the ferries do not run very late. I got the ferry into the city yesterday, but the last ferry to Abbotsford / Rydalmere left at 5.50pm, so back on the bus at 7pm, after a concert!

Thanks

We are now thinking my husband will have the car and I will live in an area where I can walk to shops, parks etc, and get public transport out and about with the kids. Is Five Dock a good option? We have been told it would take my husband about 20minutes to drive to work.

Five Dock is a convenient place to live (not that far from me). It's an area more or less settled by Italians, so there are good delis, cafes, etc.

It's not cheap, but there is a regular bus service into the city, and connections to other shopping centres. There's the bay not far away, parks, schools, churches, etc. I can't speak about kid's facilities, but there do seem to be some young-uns around (spoken like a true old fogey!!)

I'm not sure about the cost of rentals, etc.
Have a look at domain.com.au for ideas.

whereis.com.au will give you an idea of locations if you have an address.

Post any further questions here and Adrian or I will have a bash at answering them.

Thanks - that's helpful

I am aware that most property to rent is unfurnished. Is it easy to buy secondhand furniture ? We don't want to ship lots of furniture out, for one year only.

Thanks

All the major stuff like whitegoods and electrical you can easily lease. Secondhand furniture you can find, either through classifieds, online or in stores.

It's worth looking for furnished properties too. They are not that common, but there are some out there.

Coming to Westmead
Dear All
I too am coming ot work in Westmead next year,
I hope to know:

It was mentioned that most places don't provide furniture, does this include things like washing machines, dryers and other home appliances?
Is so how much more does things cost compared say to USA or say Singapore (quite cheap there)

Finally I hope to get a 2 bedroom place near the hospital, any recommendations? I will have no vehicle and will like to be able to walk to the train station.

I will need a bank account, any recommendations?

Finally any nice Methodist churches or the like around?

Thanks all
Pete

Pete
Join the race to Sydney!

Again, your accommodation depends on not only where you work, but what you do in your spare time.

There's an explosion of flats / apartments, villas, etc. around Westmead, Parramatta, but most are unfurnished. Westmead is on the main western train line, so you could feasibly look at places like Strathfield and or Burwood. They have the advantage of being fairly close, by train, to the city, and Westmead. These areas have a mixed population, with a lot of Asians, and lots of churches of all sorts.

As to nice Methodist churches - I haven't a clue, nice or otherwise, I'm afraid.

Pete.

The Methodist church merged with the Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches almost 30 years ago. They call themselves the Uniting church now. There are still some independent Methodist churches around but not many and mostly in Queensland from memory.

thanks - more ques!
THanks for replying, you two are very helpful:
some other things:

I was thinking of Strathfield too
seems like a nice neighbourhood, I note Westmead rentals are slightly cheaper, how is the neighbourhood? Not South Bronx type I hope?


Hope you can help me with these queries:

I note that that most rented places don't provide furniture, does this include things like washing machines, dryers and other home appliances?
Is so how much more does things cost compared say to USA or say Singapore (quite cheap there); thinking of bringing stuff over if it makes a big difference

I see some rentals don't provide a car park space (in case I get rich enough to afford one) so can I park on the roadside?

Also heard it may be cheaper to drive than take public transport, I like outdoors stuff, so either I come home and enjoy a nice hi - fi or weekends I will be exploring National Parks in the region, so the area I stay in just needs a grocery place, bookstore and a good video rental place *)

Finally I hope to get a 2 bedroom place near the hospital, any recommendations? I will have no vehicle and will like to be able to walk to the train station.

I will need a bank account with credit card facilitites, any recommendations for a nice bank with a branch nearby and no fees?

Any good places to shop for electronics eg hi fi, (am a hi fi buff) cheap and good furniture (ikea?) etc


Thanks again
Pete

Nice area. It's cheaper because it's further from the city. Never been to the Bronx so....



Most places for rent are EMPTY. Nothing provided other than maybe some curtains. There are plenty of companies that rent appliances.



Depends where you're living. In the suburbs like Westmead, yes. Strathfield, maybe, maybe not. Closer to the city, not unless you're lucky.

Strathfield / Burwood is a not too bad area - reasonably close to the city, and good train access to Westmead. There are lots of apartments, and some may be furnished. You can rent furnishings, as Adrian said.
Apartments are cheaper at Westmead, not because it's unsavoury or dangerous, but because it's farther out from the city, so less convenient for other things in your life apart from work (if you have other things!). Westmead is quite suburban, and doesn't have the amenities, such as restaurants, etc., that are found in areas closer to the city. There is (or was) some hospital-owned housing at Westmead - are you eligible for that?)


It's a bit hard to comment, as I don't know your requirements. Apartments will generally be empty (except perhaps for a clothes dryer!) Regardless of how cheap things are elsewhere, the cost of getting them to Oz would likely negate that. We work on a 240 volt system here, so appliances from the US are not suitable.

The car vs public transport question is also tricky. If you work at the hospital, and live somewhere along the main western railway line, you'll have no problems getting to work (except for the lousy train service!), and no problems getting into the city. Access to the national parks, etc., is another question. While some are accessible without car, others are not. You can probably only resolve that question when you get here. Parking, generally, is difficult, if you do not have a car space.


"Nice" and "bank" used together is an oxymoron! I note that the Bendigo Bank is opening a branch at Homebush, another suburb on the railway line, with some restaurants, including the Sri Lankan one I can sometimes be seen at for Sunday lunch! Bendigo Bank is more a people's bank sort of thing, but I don't know much about them.

To my knowledge, all banks have fees, some more than others, and despite their advertisements, none of them are remotely friendly. (I do hope Adrian isn't involved in banking )


Electronics and hi-fi - I haven't a clue - cloth ears, I'm afraid. Monday's Sydney Morning Herald has a hi-fi section in the Guide (tv/audio section) which may give you some leads.
Ikea have shops at Prospect - a bit west of Westmead, near Blacktown, and Moore Park - in the eastern suburbs. I have heard that there is to be a large Ikea opening at Homebush, somewhere near Olympic Park - what excitement
Most areas have supermarkets of varying kinds, and some have major shopping centres.
Video stores seem to be everywhere, but I don't know what makes them good.
Bookstores may be a bit of a problem - depending on what you want. In the suburbs, there are a couple of franchises of the main booksellers, Angus & Robertson, and Dymocks. These are fine for mainstream stuff - plenty of novels, etc. But stray off the popular and you're in strife. I was looking for a book on opera last week, and not even a specific book, but something general, and, in Burwood, where I work, both these bookstores failed me - I needed to make a trip to the city, where, even then A&R failed me, although I could have ordered any manner of titles online. There are a number of bigger bookshops in the city also (I believe there's a Borders - but haven't frequented it yet)

Pete - what nationality are you, and where are you coming from? It may help to make more relevant sugggestions.

note Sydneysiders checking in at lunch time!

Pffft. No Margo, I have a similar opinion of banks to you.

<mongrels the lot of them....mutter...mutter>

Sydney is hot!
Dear Friends
Thanks !!!!
I have learnt more from this website than from many books!
I am from Singapore is that makes any diff. I just came back from Sydney, and it was so hot!!!
Is this usual? So are winters cold? I am more afraid of cold though..
I was also whacked by a board in the Blue Mts and my camera was smashed!
Strong winds - realy hit me hard and left me with a bleeding nose.
I have the option of renting hospital flats at Westmead, but I was told Westmead is boring and not really safe?
I spied on some car ads too, and it seems new cars are cheaper than some of the second - hand ads I saw.
Anwway I have some time ot go before I really come, so please send me advice.
Thanks
Pete

Pete

I wouldn't expect Sydney to be any hotter than Singapore - Singapore's almost on the equator, and we're about 33 (or is it 34?) degrees south. Singapore, of course, is surrounded by water, which has a temperature modifying effect, but does increase humidity. You may feel hotter here.

Winters are pretty mild really, in comparison with the rest of the world, but certainly colder than Singapore. In Sydney itself, it never snows, while you may experience occasional snow in the Blue Mountains and points west. A good warm jacket and you'll be fine (oh - and perhaps gloves and/or a hat!)

It sounds like you caught the mountains on a bad day - strong winds such as those are not common - I'm sorry you were assaulted by a board.

I don't know that Westmead is unsafe - but boring may be accurate - lots of apartments and not much else going for it, apart from the 2 big hospitals and a branch of one of the universities.

Cars - prices are all over the place. I've been looking to buy a new car - but...where to start? Some new cars are quite cheap - but, as always - you get what you pay for.

If you end up living in an area, such as, say, Strathfield, where you can get to work and into the city without too much effort, it may be worth your while to rent a car for a weekend or so if you want to get out of the city. Bayswater Rentals offer some good deals - limited choice, but low prices. There used to be a car rental place near the station at Croydon which was good value. I used it a couple of times when I was carless. I'm not sure if it's still there. For occasional use, rental is probably a sensible option, rather than buying. Church groups and bushwalking clubs may be another way of getting out of the city without owning a car.

When are you due to arrive? Beginning of January at the start of the academic year? Later?

Coming to Sydney
Hi there
i will be formally residing in Sydney in July, but I shall come for another trip in March. Checking out the freight companies now and also watching the currency. I am afraid everything apart from cars costs more in Oz! Well at least I think I can afford to drive when I am here, would love to see more wilderness and explore the various national parks in NSW when I am here.
Pete