Berkeley, NSW 2506

I rent a residential unit with Housing NSW here in Berkeley West. The area is OK, but the contractors who are supposed to maintain the property of these Housing NSW Residential Units leave very much to be desired !!! They mow the grass (We don't call it "lawn" ) and are supposed to do weeding and trimming the hedges, clear the gutters, etc., etc., etc.,but they do not clean up the grounds at all after what they do, leaving all of the mess for the elderly and disabled Tenants to try to clear up leaves, twigs, branches, etc., etc., etc. !!! These premises just are left a real "mess" !!! The local Housing Authorities and the Contractors hired by them just seem to accept the "low standards"of those who are supposed to do the work !!!

There is a Bus-Stop right outside the gate and we Tenants often get comments from people waiting for the bus and other passers-by saying that the buildings look all right from the outside but the grounds and "garden-beds", etc., definitely and certainly leave a lot to be done to clean up the place, add some colour, and plant some long-lasting flowers, etc., that are suitable for this area !!!

I used to think Berkeley was a terrible place to live, but it quickly improved with time. Caring neighbours and pleasant individuals made the area so much more heartfelt, and many young couples landed inBerkeley. Nearby schools and parks are always bustling with friendly politeteenagers, and nearby shops are conveniently located. At night, sirens and other crimerates have significantly improved, and bad youths are less likely to be seen in the evening and night. My family enjoys pleasant night jogs without fear of being harassed by a gang or a bunch of teenagers. Everywhere we go, the environment is built by the people. It can't always be nice or flawless, but it does have its own set of uniqueness that people have created.

Avoid the place if you value your peace of mind & sanity. Bro's hoon through the suburb night & day for entertainment. No consideration for a peaceful & orderly suburb. All hell breaks loose after dark. With minimal entertainment, hoons make this suburb a joke. Dodgy Mufflers poorly welded on end up trashed on lawns. Culture - try yoghurt!! At least the cream rises to the top in yoplait. Feral 'culture' is the norm. Too many blokes watching too much mad max re runs & taking the lack of respect for safety to the streets. If you love 1970's style burn outs & poorly executed car tricks pounded 90% Berkeley streets, then move to BEZERKELEY asap. If you value peace & quiet, save your money for a better suburb. Berkeley is still the Boonies with the local mentality to match.

A suburb that has been evolving over the years considerably. The area consisted of mainly Housing Commission properties at one point however, slowly the Department of Housing have sold some of these properties to owner occupiers and investors resulting in the cosmetic improvement of the properties and the overall area. If you are a tenant looking for value for money, this is a great area to be viewing.

The development around Lake Illawarra with playgrounds, gym equipment and skate park as well as bike tracks, walking tracks, Rowing & Yacht Club have seen water & skate lovers, fitness minded people, families and friends enjoy the area, hopefully for many more years to come!

I was born and bred in Berkeley as was my husband, we left the area in 1988 to live in the central west, with our young family. We have been back in the Illawarra now for 3 years and bought a house in another suburb (Dapto). We have now moved back to Berkeley and think it is a far better suburb, we absolutly love it. It is so close to everything, very central and I think no worse than any other area of wollongong, as you get bad pockets in every suburb, as we have found when looking to buy a house. I think when people stay in one area all their lives they don't appreciate what's around them. It's easy to bad mouth an area if you look for all the negitives instead of the positives,

Settlement dates from 1817 with the first land grant for grazing and farming. Major growth occurred post WW2 with public housing construction and a migrant hostel which operated from 1951 to 1967.
Major features: Nan Tien [Buddhist] temple, Shopping Centre, Swimming Pool, Basketball Stadium, Wollongong City Memorial Gardens & Crem, Berkeley, Parks: Fred Finch, Gladstone, Hooka Pt, Lake Illawarra; SCHOOLS: Illawarra Sports High Sch [1 of 6 in NSW], 2 primary ,Montefiore , and others. Berkeley Sports & Social Club and APIA [German Club].
Kembla Grange Race Course next door.
Grange Golf Course nearby.
Geographically good position on the shores of Lake Illawarra with the Escarpment visible in the west. High and low ground, flat and steep, rolling hills.
Berkeley is Multi cultural and has 16+ religions. Postcode: 2506.

ALL THESE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE FROM 2006 CENSUS
Population: 7,402.
INCOME; Available income figures nil to $3,000 p.w.
EDUCATION: 500 had degrees or diplomas; 3,327 no qualifications.
AGES: Highest age group 35 to 49 years, next two above and below that.
OWN/RENT: of 2,771 households: 877 owner/occupied; 695 beng purchased; 661 renting public housing; 246 renting other housing.
INTERNET ACCESS in 2006: 601 Broadband; 562 Dial-up; = 1,176. 1,329 none.
LABOUR FORCE; 2,865 EMPLOYED out of 5893.
DWELLINGS: 2,914 = 2,401 houses; 283 medium density; 77 high density; and 143 dwellings were unoccupied [not any more].
VEHICLES per household: 415 none; 1,012 one; 724 2; 3+ 303.

I moved to Berkeley from Queensland, absolutely love the climate, the area in which we purchased our house is great, houses are still very affordable compared to other areas. There are small convienence stores close by, service stations, schools, and within walking distance to Lake Illawarra. I would highly recommend Berkeley to anyone wishing to get into the realestate market, this place has many rewards on offer, could never go wrong with realestate in this area. The average medium house price is rising all the time.

I think with all places there are good and bad but it has certainly started cleaning itself up in recent years. Violence is minimal for a city suburb. The nice views of the lake and mountains make it an enjoyable place to live in itself. Nice parks and walkways along the lake to keep fit. Great if you have a car as the freeway is very accessible.

Fantastic suburb for families and children, close to transport and freeways that take you directly up and down the coast! Great area. A very reliable source also tells me that the old Berkeley Mobil Service Station will be demolished very early 2011 to make way for a brand new Seven Eleven Convenience Store and Petrol Station! Fantastic News for local residents...

Very good suburb

Berkeley is a very pretty area by Lake Illawarra, with beautiful walking track around lake. (Does not smell). Most houses are very well kept (I have lived here for 46 years).

Shopping is good in Berkeley with BiLo, Butchers, Cake shop and eating places. It is also close to major shopping centres, e.g. Warrawong, Dapto and Wollongong, with good bus service.
Excellent Medical Centre, good schools, all within walking distance.
Entertainment for all the family at club and hotel. Also for children, netball centre, swimming pool, football grounds.

An ideal place for families with little children, and housing affordable.

The area is run down and to put it simply, a slum. Owners seem to think it is council pickup everyday, used bed mattresses are littered on the front yards of homes along with an assortment of other garbage. Every morning you are hit with an awful smell of the rotting lake, and as you prepare to leave for work you are afraid to step outside as gangs of youths run rampant on the street.

Shops are close by, but unfortunately these are all out of business and closed. Sirens from emergency services can be heard all night as the area has a high crime rate.

Avoid this area at all costs is the best advice!