Information about Sydney

Area Code: 02
Time Zone: EST
Population: 4 Million

Moving to Sydney is both exciting and challenging, particularly if you haven't lived here before. Please take the time to read this to better appreciate the many benefits and certain limitations that come with Sydney living.

Australia's premier city is the oldest settlement in Australia, the economic powerhouse of the nation and the country's capital in everything but name. Built on the shores of the stunning Port Jackson, it is a spectacular setting for a city. The Olympics showcased Australia's largest city to the world - showing the beauty of the harbour, the Opera House and the city, as well as the warmth and friendliness of Sydneysiders.

With such a large multicultural population base, Sydney hosts and attracts a range of art, music and cultural festivals, culminating in the Sydney Festival run in January. Events include free open air concerts at the Domain, outdoor movies, theatrical productions and more.

Being such a diverse city, there tends to be a sense of community in various sections of Sydney such as Parramatta, Richmond, the Eastern Suburbs and the North Shore. Each of these areas has it's own community infrastructure such as hospitals, shopping centres and universities. Sydney is such a vibrant city that you will never have the chance to say that you are bored.

Climate

Sydney is blessed with a temperate climate and averages summer temperatures of around 25 C. It can get up to 40 C on a hot day and high humidity can make it oppressive, but torrential downpours often break the heat between October and March. Winters are cool rather than cold, with average minimum temperatures in the winter months of June through to August are 9-11 C.

Things to do and places to see

There is an endless lists of things to do in Sydney. You can see a show or climb the Harbour Bridge, have a romantic dinner or fish and chips on the beach. Sydney is the sporting hub of Australia and games of Rugby Union, AFL, Rugby League, Basketball and Cricket can all be seen during the year.

The city is also host to some of the best festivals in the world such as the Royal Easter Show or the Manly International Jazz Festival. Alternatively Sydneysiders can simply enjoy some of the gorgeous natural scenery that surrounds the city by visiting one of the many beautiful local beaches or national parks.

Education

Sydney has a wide mix of public and private schools for all levels. Primary school caters for children from five years old with kindergarten through to Year 6. High School starts from when children are thirteen years old and encompasses Year 7 to 12.

A number of public high schools are selective, meaning that students need to pass a range of tests before being offered a place. Should students wish to attend university, they need to undertake the Higher School Certificate, encompassing work from their final two years of High School.

Sydney is home to five main universities:

University of Sydney,
University of NSW,
Macquarie University,
University of Technology, and
University of Western Sydney.

Each have a variety of campuses located across the city. There are also a large number of other tertiary institutions.

Services and Transport

As the largest city in Australia, Sydney provides all the infrastructure and services that you would expect. To find out about community services specific to your area, you should contact your local council or speak with your local Defence Community Organisation contacts.

There is an excellent health and community services system, with a mix of public and private hospitals. As well as this a wide range of community groups exist for support, social and sporting activities.

Sydney has a good integrated public transport network, including buses, trains, ferries and a monorail link, including an underground city centre loop. There are some gaps in the train network, notably on the North Shore and the Hills District. The bus network however is extensive, but can be slow, though there are plenty of fare deals and several hop-on, hop-off bus passes are available.

Being Australia's largest city it is congested and road travel can be difficult especially in peak hour. This is an important consideration in selecting house, employment and education facilities.

Housing? Plenty of choice but some limitations

DHA manages over 3,500 properties in areas within Sydney. Many of the older houses have been replaced by newer dwellings and DHA has been acquiring more medium density style housing to increase the range of housing choice in Sydney. It is important to note that the vast proportion of Sydney housing is off-base.

Freestanding houses in Sydney are mostly located toward Richmond and Liverpool. The majority of housing in the region is townhouses, villas, duplexes and units. The density of development across Sydney means that housing is likely to be on smaller blocks of land than other DHA housing across Australia.

The result is that houses often have small yards, restricted storage and more restricted garaging for vehicles.

If you have pets then there can be difficulties in finding a suitable property. Due to strata regulations and high density living, obtaining approvals may be difficult or not possible. Please contact Sydney staff early if you wish to bring a pet.

Whilst Sydney is an exciting place to live the density of living in most parts is much higher that other cities across Australia. It is generally possible to provide housing that satisfies the needs of incoming families but at times people will find a contrast in terms of privacy and lifestyle compared to other locations.

DHA has homes in three main areas:

Liverpool/Wattle Grove,
Richmond, and
areas close to the city.

It is important to note that those living in Richmond are approximately an hour and a half from the city if you catch the train. Driving in peak hour can take even longer.

Housing areas have been chosen for their proximity to public transport, schools and shopping centres and for their distance to Defence establishments.

All DHA provided homes have heating supplied. However if you have fans or heaters, it is recommended to bring them with you to give you cooling and heating flexibility.

In using HomeFind members will not always see the hundreds of properties available throughout the Sydney region. Sydney DHA manages a large number of houses but the demand for housing is always strong and properties will generally move quickly in and out of Homefind. Members are encouraged to regularly visit the Homefind site and keep in contact with the HMC regarding available properties.