In such a big city, what makes a suburb liveable from person to person will be different. Is it being close to the beach, or a good cafe and restaurant scene? What about access to public transport and schools? The new Domain Liveable Sydney study, the second since 2016, has ranked 569 suburbs on 19 indicators to give us this list of the most liveable suburbs. Some changes to suburb boundaries and the methodology have changed the rankings since 2016.
1. Milsons Point
This lower north shore pocket has climbed from second place in 2016 to top spot. Blessed by a harbourfront location, the suburb earns points for having spectacular views and for access to cafes, thanks to a vibrant foodie scene. Milsons Point is well-serviced by trains and ferries, but with a top walkability rating, you can also get around easily on foot. Other strengths include employment and open space, with access to primary schools one of very few weak spots.
2. Lavender Bay
Lavender Bay may not be reigning champion of liveability any longer, but locals can still claim to live in a top-performing suburb. It has similar advantages to Milsons Point when it comes to culture, cafes, walkability and public transport, and boasts an excellent retail ranking courtesy of the shops along Blues Point Road nearby. But no suburb is perfect, and a lower ranking for crime may help to explain why Lavender Bay no longer wears the crown.
3. Sydney
The beating heart of the city, it’s not hard to understand why Sydney ticks so many boxes in this study. The CBD is unsurprisingly a top performer for employment, and with several railway stations in its radius, access to trains is another big plus. Sydney is packed with cafes, restaurants and shops — including those in the iconic Queen Victoria Building — but don’t expect to find much tree cover. The suburb also has a poor score for crime.
4. Kirribilli
The government was onto something when it made Kirribilli House the official Sydney home of the Prime Minister. With killer harbour views, which include ferries that service the suburb, Kirribilli residents have excellent walkability, great access to employment, and a host of eateries such as Cool Mac and BTB. Even though Kirribilli has a good score for secondary education, it scores low on primary education, and could do better on crime.
5. McMahons Point
It’s clear that neighbourhoods like McMahons Point do plenty to keep locals happy. With an impressive walkability score, the suburb performs well for cafes, culture, retail and proximity to job hubs, but you’ll need to walk to North Sydney or Waverton for trains. Residents can soak up spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge from green spaces like Blues Point Reserve.
6. Wollstonecraft
Another top ranking on the lower north shore: in Wollstonecraft you’ll find the Mater Hospital, a train station, reserves, and spots from which to look over harbour waters. The highly walkable suburb has a better ranking for crime than some nearby suburbs, and offers good access to cultural services, retail and cafes, but has a slightly low congestion score.
7. Darling Point
Flying the flag for Sydney’s east, this small suburb has a large number of liveability benefits. Darling Point is particularly strong on culture and retail, and gets an outstanding score for proximity to jobs. It also does very well on walkability, and is close to Edgecliff train station. But Darling Point is not as strong on congestion, and doesn’t perform well for access to primary or secondary schools.
8. Waverton
Balls Head Reserve arguably the best spot to enjoy Waverton’s harbour view. There’s a small shopping village in the northern part of the neighbourhood (try The Grumpy Baker), earning high marks for access to cafes and moderate marks for retail. Waverton is a top performer for access to employment, and the local train station will get you to the CBD in only three stops.
9. North Sydney
Boasting a convenient position on the train line and excellent access to employment, North Sydney has well and truly earned its place in the top 10. With Milsons Point and McMahons Point to its south, the suburb gets a fairly good score for harbour views, and is strong on culture, retail and walkability. North Sydney earns lower scores for proximity to primary schools and crime.
10. Edgecliff
Just a sliver of Rushcutters Bay Park separates this suburb from the waterfront, but with so many liveability strengths, we don’t see much to complain about. Buses and trains frequent Edgecliff station, and locals also enjoy good walkability, with Double Bay and Paddington within strolling distance. It has a perfect score for retail and puts in a strong performance for employment, cafes and cultural services. Access to education is a weaker area for Edgecliff.
article by www.domain.com.au/