sydney

may b moving there so, can anybody give me an idea of what its like to live in sydney?
what are the best primary and secondary schools?
what are the best places to live with a family?
whats it like to live there if you are a car nut?
whats the weather like?
whats the cost of living?
taxes?
is there a large american (or other) expat community?

and anything else you can think of....thx

 

I am moving there on 16th July until January 2006 so anything to answer the above questions should be good for me too!

 

inner city is very congested, weather great, people are like New Yorkers with slightly less attitude, plenty to see and do

private schools are the best ,mostly the grammar schools

North Shore or the eastern suburbs if you've got the money
western suburbs if you've got a gun or can run fast I'm a westie
my sis bought a nice place in Newport which is a quiet leafy area with good schools

the cops and govt want your money, need I say more: buy a Road Angel, radar/laser detector/jammer (all illegal here but hey they are trying to give you a hardtime AND tie your hands behind your back while beating the crap out of your wallet). Just go into the outback and you can have heaps of fun or join the FCA and a few other car clubs for trackdays

Sydney winter 0-20c little rain no snow
Sydney summer 15-35c thunderstorms, stinking hot make sure A/C is good

houses expensive, insurance on cars expensive, food prices OK, petrol $1.10/litre , Ferrari servicings cheaper than US/UK (going on Forza here) but not much, car parts - use the internet as the local dealers hurt, drinking dunno been to long since I bought one, hookers expensive (a "friend" told me [no names ,PP!!!!])

think creatively and they're ok (33% on average)

not that I can think of, but I was never looking for them

-just to remember that the fixed cameras in Sydney are killers
-if possible get a job or office in the CBD and live on the north shore close to the ferry service and travel to work on the harbour everyday, nice way to start the day
-work from home if possble as this will improve qual of life even more
-Syd ppl are suspicious, if you give them $100 they will ask you why
-I moved out because the traffic and quality of life for a family is not as good as the Gold Coast (1000kms north) but still miss the city every now and then (I lived there for 40 years)

 

and in SA we build ships!

 

Dont move West.
Dont move too far South.
Dont move to nice sounding places like "Beverly Hills" and "Roselands"
Avoid inner city suburbs.
Either Move on the northern suburbs and get caught up in the snobby "Rugby" community
Or
Move down south were the modern millionaires are, and where everyone one of them seems to be a "developer".....

 

and a ship builder

 

Adelaide, the little kid in the crowd jumping up and down yelling "Look at me"

 

of course, and we build submarines too, dont forget it mr collins...

Cheers
-Pete

 

Arnt those things artificial reefs now??

 

no be build ships and subs that go into sydney harbour, which some think makes the harbour beautifull..

kid to dad >.'''ooo look at the big boats dad'''
dad to kid > oh those were built in adelaide.
kid to dad > wheres adelaide
dad to kid > its the unrecognised center of australia!!!!


PS- fk counting the blody bolts on that bridge, morphett st is enough.

Cheers
-Pete

 

It's hiding it really well then

 

that sink!!

and being a poof was first legal there....I got out before they made it mandatory

 

Move around Rose Bay/Valcluse if you can afford it.
Don't move west what ever you do!
Are you going to rent or buy a house/apartment?
Do you have a family? I'm guessing yes as your asking about schools..
The public schools are bad. Send them to a private, single sex school you won't regret it. There are always plenty of cruises and meets going on in Syd..
The Weather is usually pretty nice it's starting to get a little cooler and wet now though but this year has been pretty warm so far.

 

says who !!??

it really doesn't matter what schools they go to as far as education goes, it comes down to parent input...if you're too lazy to take an interest in the kids and expect someone else to give them some values and rely on the old school tie then yeah, send them to the best "old boys " schools but if you just want them to have a good education then any school will do and how bright they are depends on the individual and their parents.

I went to a public school system and somehow still finished in the top 5% academically, my two girls went to very good private schools and only one finished in the top 5% the other was in the top 40% (scatterbrained but a lovely child)

Skeggs and Grammar may charge a fortune but the ability to learn is still down to the individual

 

I cant comment about schools in Sydney, but i personally beleive here in Perth that private schools are a waste of money, unless you want your son/daughter fo flow on into the aristocracy or to be a politician, its not worthwhile just my $0.02

i went to a public school, and i would say that i am about as successfull as a person can get at my age (within reason, with Google developing computer type dudes aside), i think as Moretti said, Parental input has some bearing, but mostly if your childeren are going to be successfull nothing will hold them down, if theyre $#!t's nothing can really stop that either, everyone is an individual.

but lets not turn this into an argument of Private school Vs Private,

 

i went to Google University, anything i didn't know i just typed in. i don't have any paper that tells me what i can do.

as far as edumacation goes, i think i was at school for 6 years too many... the last couple (in the public system at least) they're just teaching you how to be employable. with private stuff, well it's a status thing too i guess, i went out with a hot chick from a private school and most of her friends were cool but some people were just so snobby... "oh you go where?" yeah like having to wear a tie to school increased their IQ.

but unless i was interested in getting into an academic field there's no point for me in any of that or in long-term tertiary studies. if i can't learn it in a few days to me it's not worth learning.

 

and my daughter is booked into Skeggs/redland for her HSC in Thredbo, the only way to get an international baccauliarte in skiing

 

gesundheit!

 

nah IB

 

GU says there's no such thing

 

"did you mean..."

 

bit like assumption college or sacred heart offering AFL as an IB subject, same thing s/r been doin it for 5 yrs. we gotta supply own ski gear as S/R uniform. they stay at jindy and have the entire season in Thredders. we bought an apartment there just for occasion, so we can spend the season there

 

there is some English grammar in that sentence right ?

sorry, I'm not one of the Warne clan who understands SMS

 

man it's too much of a good thing this aussie dope, why on erth wood we wanna send it to indochina, the verve summed it up the drugs dont werk any more