Light rail and Telopea housing plan updated Telopea | Communities Plus: boosts social and affordable housing Home | Parramatta Light Rail
Looks like Telopea will stand to benefit from these developments if they go ahead. it would totally change the desirability of this suburb.
I was recently informed that the new neighbours for the CBA building on George Street is going to be the NAB people.
Could be though this suggests something different. As the Commonwealth Bank leaves western Sydney, NAB is likely to move in
Here's a little light reading for those interested in Parramatta - GPOP Reimagining Greater Sydney - Three Cities A plan for growing Sydney Sydney's Central West District @Gockie - discussion yesterday was that even though CBA was likely to relocate to ATO Redfern it was driven more my market for financial biased employees (they live closer to CBD than other workers) rather than employee satisfaction for those working in the CBA Parramatta offices.
For me, CBA's plan to move to Redfern makes sense as we have our other main offices nearby. Sometimes you have to go into the city to see people and Parramatta isn't close to the city so you lose a lot of time travelling between sites. Overall I think its a good decision - Redfern is very well connected train wise. It won't suit my boss though as he commutes from near Newcastle and driving to Redfern will be much more worse for him than driving to Parramatta is (traffic). I think he'll drive to Hornsby and take a train the rest of the way.
Wonder if there be heaps of smokers from the NAB people. It's your own personal choice but see the same people downstairs all the time, and wonder how they get their work done.
Wish they would hurry up and decide the exact light rail route. My home is in the shaded area the route is going to go.
I may be in a position this time next year where I will be moving from Adelaide to Sydney for work and am looking at Parramatta (more specifically North Parra) as a place to live. We would be renting a 3 bedder apartment/townhouse and my job will provide rental assistance which actually makes it quite an affordable place to live. Also with the strong supply of this type of housing in the future I imagine it would be better for renters rather than owners. My wife is a nurse so the close proximity of Westmead hospital is a plus (more jobs going at this one hospital for her skills than all of Adelaide!), along with plenty of infrastructure, being able to walk to everything thus get rid of the extra car and good transport connections it seems like a winner. A few questions remain, primary schools for the kids in the area what are they like? I've noticed that 97% of students also speak different languages according to school info websites, as a white middle class family will we feel out of place? I am a fan of multiculturalism in general as I believe it enriches the community, but are these areas the best place to raise a younger family? No doubt it would be a lifestyle change from living in the 'burbs of Adelaide but I think it could be a pleasant change for 5-6 years
All ok. Parramatta doesn't see an over the top number of "white" people living there but quite a few of my colleagues live there and they are well educated professionals with young families. I would just try to be in walking distance to the train station with at least a car space (garage better) if I had the choice. North Parramatta isn't located an easy walk to the station.
I don't think you will feel out of place. There is a lot of multiculturalism obviously but there are plenty of worse areas in Sydney to be raising a young family. Location wise it is centrally located to the whole of Sydney. It would be quite a change from Adelaide suburbs just don't plan on driving during peak hour unless you want to pull your hair out
Current house has single garage and 'man cave' shed so I would be after a large single or double garage. I'm hoping that with employment opportunities nearby we won't have to catch a train, but I understand proximity to trains in Sydney is a positive. Yes I will be the one with the commute if we move there, but as I'll be driving out to Richmond I'm hoping it will be against traffic so therefore only 5 times busier than Adelaide as opposed to 10!
Ahh... ok if you will work in Richmond and your wife in Westmead hospital then you don't have to use the train lines (if you are both happy to drive of course!) I reckon book an airbnb for up to 3 weeks and at that time: 1. Hit the ground running to understand what your thoughts and feelings are for each of the areas and 2. Be on the lookout for an apartment, townhouse or whatever other form of housing you like so you can lease it... I have had a few guests do that. Based on your workplaces you can look in other areas to live. You can try the Hills area which is pretty well regarded or in the Blacktown council area. Blacktown has a little less well off socioeconomic demographic (in general compared to the Hills district) but there are many hard working families there - my thoughts are that you probably will felt more comfortable in the Hills, or the Hills side of the Blacktown council area.
If you choose the Blue Mountains area, you would have a better chance of less "multiculturalism" than Parramatta. I recommend Westmead so closer to work for the mrs and good train/bus to many other areas as well. Def. drive against the traffic say from Westmead to Richmond for you. Another option is Christian schools in the area if public schools a concern. Like Gockie suggested, on the ground for 1-2 weeks to have a feel for it. Good luck.
Thanks for the feedback guys. Although I still like the convenience of North Parra, I can definitely see good value in surrounding suburbs such as westmead, constitution hill, winston hills, baulkham hills etc. Especially when I consider that for a similar price ($500-600 p/w) I could get a house.
I've lived in North Parramatta and I prefer it to any other part of Parramatta for sure! There are a number of duplexes and townhouses that may suit the size you're after. It's not very close to the train station although I have walked down to it in the past. However, there is a free bus..Parra loop or something that runs through the day and drops you to the station.
Northmead, North Rocks (Parra end) could be another suitable option if you don't want to go out further west.
I live In Parramatta, red headed convict stock married to a Leb and have 3 kids in primary/high school and from Newcastle so the change was a big one for me. Parramatta is very multicultural as are the schools but those 97% speak english at school and its usually figures from what the parents speak at home and not the kids. I would pick the schools more so on their results rather than that figure as there are some schools that cater for more newer Australians than others and therefor that may affect the grades as kids are trying to catch up. My kids fit in just fine and have friends from every nationality. We get a bit of a culture shock when we go up to Newcastle now. Multicultural is more normal for us. It was a bit harder for me to fit in but thats more so moving from another area rather than being me but once you start making friends at work and through the kids its fine. My kids go to the Catholic schools in the area which do very well but they are hard to get into now so I suggest if your thinking that way to get in early. I find because its so multicultural that people are more accepting of each other and the amount of cultural events around Parramatta embrace that. I like North Parramatta. I have a few friends from that area and its quite family friendly. They seem to have no problem getting around with public transport and driving.
