Castlecrag, NSW 2068

I’ve lived in Castlecrag for over 5 years now and it’s been the best of many places I have lived. It’s quiet, green and beautiful but the biggest drawcard is the people. We know, and socialise with, so many of our neighbours. It’s an excellent place to raise a young family, most of the kids (K-6) go to the local primary school (Castle Cove) together, but there are also quite a few local families who use the local Steiner school, which also has a good reputation.

The local shops are excellent with most of the cafes and restaurants of a much higher standard than your typical suburban fare (ie Back n Forth, Apera, Yang & Co). There is an amazing French patisserie, Ganache, and an excellent Baker and well stocked IGA with plenty of underground parking.

We recently drove to the Opera house for a night time performance and were there in 9 minutes, yet we have Bush turkeys, bandicoots, wallabies, echidnas, water dragons and more.

The suburb is mainly comprised of post-war houses with a small number of original Walter Burley Griffins, post-modern and Art Deco styles. There are also quite a number of modern, luxury homes. It’s an upmarket suburb but without the snobby vibe that sometimes accompanies well-heeled areas.

It is very well serviced by buses into the city, including express services, during peak times. Everything you could need is in close proximity. Northbridge is only a couple of minutes away with a Woolworths and a small selection of boutiques, while Bunnings is equally as close in the other direction. Chatswood is only 5-10mins away and has everything else you could need. It has a KU preschool and is very close to Willoughby Park, which has an excellent playground and other facilities.

Overall, an excellent place to live.

More wild birds per square metre than anywhere else in Sydney. The suburb is covered with glorious gum trees and angophoras. There is a wildlife corridor along the harbour front and many birds navigate the area. Mostly, the residents are sympathetic with the surrounding bush and encourage the new growth. A good area if you are a keen kayaker or a sailing enthusiast.

Developed by Walter Burley Griffin in the 1920s, this is a great suburb with stunning birdlife, a village atmosphere and spectacular views over Middle Harbour. Less than nine hundred dwellings make up Castlecrag so it does not have the over-populated feeling of so many Sydney suburbs. Great shops with several coffee houses and restaurants nearby. There are several bushcare groups in the neighbourhood, ensuring that the established trees and native flora are preserved, and the foreshore land corridor hugging the peninsula protects and encourages the ample birdlife and other fauna (swamp wallabies, brush turkeys, water dragons, etc).

Castlecrag is on of the great secrets of Sydney, it is easy to get North Sydney or the City, there is one of the few amphitheatres which produces great performances and inspires a sense of community the Christmas eve carols are very special. Good little shopping centre and close to Chatswood if you need more.

It has beautiful water views looking over Middle Harbour, the houses are affordable and it's a homely suburb, it has buses as its main source of transport and there are many shops on Edinburgh Road. I would recommend it for families and retirees as it's a bit far from the city but still a peaceful and friendly place to live in.

Castlecrag is one of the headlands of Sydney’s Middle Harbour, and some of the homes boast sensational water and district views. There are pockets of the suburb with more modest groupings of houses, but the suburb’s reputation means that even at land value, these are quite pricey. There is a good group of shops and several specialist medical practices along Edinburgh Road. Public transport to the city is via bus.