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Geelong is the second largest city in Victoria and is only about an hour's drive away from Melbourne City. For tourists heading towards The Great Ocean Road, you will definitely pass by Geelong on the way. There are many nice houses in Geelong and many of them are heritage. There is a beautiful waterfront area next to Deakin University and Avalon Airport is conveniently located about twenty minutes away from Geelong.

In the main part of town, you can find malls, shops, cafes, pubs, clubs and restaurants typical of most cities. Other tourist attractions include the Ford Discovery Centre and the National Wool Museum. Another interesting piece of trivia about this place is that Geelong used to be the hometown of the famous celebrity paparazzi - Darryn Lyons.

Huskisson is about a three hours' drive south of Sydney. It is a nice beautiful beach town that really thrives during the hotter months. This sleepy town is a great destination for fishing and surfing. Additionally, as it is located on the south coast, it is not as developed as compared to places such as The Entrance on the north coast of New South Wales.

There are many takeaway food stores, cafes, a disposal store, convenience store, bakery, Husky pub and chemist on the main street of Huskisson. For a more local feel, head to the Huskisson Bowling Club for a drink or dine at the Chinese restaurant there. Huskisson is a fantastic holiday spot for the whole family if you are after a quiet place to chill.

Milawa has to be a foodie's paradise. It is about a three hours' drive from Melbourne City and seven to eight hours from Sydney. It is a great place to stopover on the way to the Victorian ski fields. In Milawa, you can find gourmet food of all types. From Brown Brothers' wines to the famous Cheese Factory, bakery and independent gourmet food stores.

The Milawa Cheese factory is a great pit stop when you are in Milawa. They offer an exciting cheese platter that is really reasonably priced and they offer free tastings of their cheeses. The cafe in the factory also serves pies, coffees and teas. Another great place to stop by in Milawa is the famous Brown Brothers wineries (although there are a few other wineries around the region too). As with other wineries, Brown Brothers offer free tastings at their cellar door. If you like your gourmet food, you have to pay Milawa a visit when you are next in Victoria.

Falls Creek has to be one of the most beautiful places in Victoria. The village has a very family feel to it and the cost of a holiday for the whole family here is much cheaper than one in New South Wales during the snow season. Falls Creek is about a five hours' drive from Melbourne City or a nine hours' drive from Sydney.

At Falls Creek, you can downhill ski, cross-country ski, tobogan, walk around the village, have lunch at the cafes or a beer at the many pubs. There is something for everyone in the family to do. I have visited Falls Creek three times over the last five years and have been very happy with the place. Maybe I have been lucky, but it snowed all three times when I was there. Additionally, Falls Creek does not get as crowded as Perisher or Threadbo and this definitely makes it a better experience.

Mount Gambier is almost a six hours' drive south from Adelaide City. This country town is very close to the Victorian border and is home to the famous Blue Lake. The Blue Lake has the bluest water you will ever see in your life and it is worth joining the tour. Also, during the drive from Adelaide to Mount Gambier, you will pass by the wine region of Coonawarra.

Mount Gambier is quite a large country town that has it's own airport. The main street has your usual Chinese restaurants, shops, supermarkets, service stations and etc. The locals are very friendly and the houses here are very well maintained. Streets here are clean and the air is fresh. This is a nice country town to visit or stopover even if it is just for a day.

Beaumont Hills is located almost an hour's drive north-west of Sydney. It is close to suburbs such as Kellyville and Stanhope Gardens. This area is a new development area and new houses are being constantly developed here. Beaumont Hills is not very different from it's neighbouring suburbs. The homes are your usual "McMansions" and the streets often look the same. There is a small shopping centre with an IGA supermarket and a handful of shops. However, most people tend to shop at the Rouse Hill Town Centre in Rouse Hill, which is about a five to ten minutes' drive.

There is not train station here and residents have to rely on buses to get to the city, Parramatta and Castle Hill. Essentially, if you want to live here, make sure you have your own transport.

Pagewood is about a thirty minutes' drive south-east from Sydney City. It is close to suburbs such as Maroubra and Kingsford. Pagewood is a typical Sydney suburb with many families living around this area. Additionally, there is a Westfield shopping centre in Pagewood that boasts of shops, cafes, Big W, David Jones, a cinema, fresh fruits market, butchers, fast food and your usual supermarkets. It is a very big centre that caters to the locals of Pagewood and it's surrounding suburbs.

The houses here are generally well maintained as the majority of people who live around here are middle-income families. There are buses that service this area and they run through either Anzac Parade or Bunnerong Road to get to the city. These public buses can sometimes be quite unreliable during off-peak hours with a flood of buses arriving at once and none during other times. The bus ride to the city is about forty minutes. It is a nice neighbourhood and just a short drive to Maroubra beach.

Milsons Point is located on the lower North Shore of Sydney and is only a five to ten minutes' drive into the city. This suburb is very well connected by public transport and it has a train station and many buses that service this area. The journey to the city by train is usually about ten minutes.

There is a good mix of residential apartments and commercial office buildings in Milsons Point. Along the harbour side of Milsons Point, you will see many high-rise residential apartments and a few smaller and older style units. Most of these apartments have fantastic views of the famous Sydney Harbour. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, boutique accomodation and shops around this area to cater to the working crew. Additionally, due to it's proximity to the city and it's fantastic view of the harbour, property and rental prices are on the higher end of the scale as compared to the other parts of Sydney.

Milsons Point is also home to the famous landmark - Luna Park.

Rockdale is about a twenty to thirty minutes' drive to the city and is located in the south of Sydney. Hence, making it only a short distance to the airport. There is a train station in Rockdale and plenty of buses service this area as it is a major bus interchange for Sydney Buses. Rockdale has a good mix of residential apartments, houses, commercial buildings and light industrial areas. Many of the houses here are heritage listed and very beautiful.

Additionally, this is a very convenient suburb with a busy shopping strip next to the station. There are many shops, grocers, cafes, restaurants, pubs and etc. There is also Rockdale Plaza that is home to a few supermarkets, shops, food court and etc. This is a very convenient suburb that is well connected by public transport.

Breakfast Point is located in the inner west of Sydney and is about a thirty minutes' drive from the city. There are plenty of houses around this area and in recent years, many high density residential apartments and town houses have been developed right on the wharf area close to Parramatta River. The designs of these apartments and town houses look very similar and thus gives a sterile feel to the whole area.

Transport to and from Breakfast Point is another problem. There is only one bus that runs through this neighbourhood. For those who work in the city, they have to catch the bus to Burwood Station before hopping onto a train to get into the city. This journey takes at least an hour. Alternatively, there is a ferry service at Cabarita and the journey is about an hour long too. This is definitely not a very convenient suburb if you do not have your own transport.

Adelaide has to be one of the least polluted cities in Australia with the city being only a fifteen to twenty minutes' drive from the airport. I was warned about peak hour traffic in Adelaide and I did experience some traffic on the way to the city from the airport. However, that was nothing compared to what you experience in Sydney.

The city is very neat and tidy and everything is within walking distance. You get your usual pubs, cafes and restaurants around the city. However, what amazed me was Chinatown in Adelaide. Over there, a handful of restaurants are opened till midnight on almost a daily basis! I had dinner at almost eleven at night and was surprised to see most of the restaurants filled with people.

The pace of life is definitely slower here as compared to Sydney. I recommend visiting Adelaide and it's surrounding wineries at least once this lifetime.

McLaren Vale is an easy one-hour drive south of Adelaide. Upon entering McLaren Vale, you will be greeted by many well maintained and sometimes heritage houses. The main streets are very clean and people are really friendly here. The rows and rows of grapevines provide a beautiful backdrop for the many cafes and restaurants here. McLaren Vale feels like a small country town but with character and an "X" factor.

McLaren Vale is famous for its wineries and many of these are smaller operators as compared to the Barossa Valley. Wineries here include Chapel Hill winery, Rosemount Estate and Wirra Wirra Vineyards to name a few. If you are a wine lover, this is the place to visit for a day trip when you are in Adelaide.

North Strathfield is only a thirty minutes' drive west from the city and there is a train station that services this area. However, the trains are quite infrequent and this makes travelling during off-peak hours very inconvenient. The closest major train station will be in Strathfield, which is about a five minutes' drive.

North Strathfield is slowly developing as a result of urban sprawl. There are more residential apartments now as compared to a few years ago. Fitness First and Harris Farm have established themselves in North Strathfield alongside a few car yards and Paul’s warehouse. Additionally, there is a supermarket and some restaurants located along the Concord Road side of North Strathfield. Many families live around the area due to its close proximity to Strathfield station and the schools around here.

Brookvale is located about a thirty minutes' drive north away from Sydney in the absence of traffic. It is a relatively high income area due to its proximity to the Northern Beaches of Sydney and property and rental prices are dearer here as compared to Western Sydney. Brookvale is a good mix of commercial and residential properties. There are quite a few warehouses and offices in this area and many houses and low density residential apartments too. Warringah mall is the main mall in Brookvale. Here, you are able to find your usual department stores, supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and etc.

The thing I do not like about Brookvale is the traffic in the mornings. Spit Road is the only way to get to the city and it is extremely congested in the mornings. There is no train station here and the only way is to rely on the bus to get to the city. I would only recommend living here if you do not have to commute too frequently to the city.

Villawood is about a thirty to forty minutes' drive to the city and is located in the western part of Sydney. Villawood has a train station and it is usually an hour's journey to get to Central Station from here. There are also private buses that goes to Bankstown and Parramatta.

Villawood is a very multicultural suburb with many migrants living here because of the relatively cheaper rent and property prices as compared to other parts of Sydney. Additionally, income levels are lower around this part of Sydney.

Many people view Villawood as a bad suburb due to the infamous Villawood detention facility.

Haymarket is located on the fringe of the city and is an easy ten minutes' stroll from Town Hall station. The closest train station for Haymarket will be Central Station. Alternatively, the light rail also services this area. Haymarket is more fondly known as "Chinatown" in Sydney. It is home to many Chinese restaurants, cafes, Market City, Burlington Square, bakeries and Paddy's Market.

Haymarket is a great place to visit on the weekends. You can start off the day with Yum Cha at one of the many Chinese restaurants and go shopping in Market City, Paddy's Market or the many boutiques around the area. There are a couple of high rise residential buildings around here that are very popular with young working professionals and overseas students who attend University at UTS. It is a very convenient suburb that is within an easy walking distance to the city.

Woolloomooloo is a beautiful inner-city suburb that overlooks part of Sydney Harbour. It is a short bus ride to the city or for those who are keen, it is a good thirty minutes stroll to get to Pitt Street Mall. There are many private residential housing and some public housing areas in this suburb. However, because of it's proximity to the city, many young, working professionals like living in Woolloomooloo. The convenience of this suburb also comes with a price tag with property and rental prices being on the higher end of the scale.

Over the years, many restaurants and cafes have opened up in Woolloomooloo. The waterfront provides a fantastic backdrop for these businesses. However, the first ever cafe and famous Sydney icon will have to be Harry's Cafe de Wheels. This is where you can find the famous Tiger pie with peas and mash. Harry's Cafe de Wheels have visitors from all over the world patronising this small cart in Woolloomooloo and over the years, many celebrities have visited this small cafe despite the lack of seats.

Darlinghurst is an exciting suburb that is located in the inner city of Sydney. This suburb is literally a stone's throw away from Sydney City and Paddington. Hence, it is in the centre of the hippest part of Sydney. A bus trip from Darlinghurst to the city will only take about fifteen minutes. Most residents around here are young working professionals who live in apartments or terrace houses.

Victoria Street in Darlinghurst offers a variety of cafes and restaurants. However, if you are up for more serious dining, Stanley Street will be the place to head to with cuisines ranging from Japanese to Thai to Italian and fusion. Prices here can be quite costly too due to the high rental costs and up-market persona.

Kings Cross is famously known to be the "red-light" district of Sydney. It is renown for it's brothels and strip clubs around the area. Often, the brothels are very low-key and they just resemble your typical Victoria terrace house. I once did a study tour around this area and was shown a couple of innocent looking houses and they all turned out to be brothels.

However, The Cross is not just known for its seedy business. There are plenty to do around the area. Walk down Darlinghurst Road and you can see many restaurants, adult shops, kebab shops, backpackers hostels and the famous fountain. Kings Cross is easily accessible by train and buses. A trip via train between The Cross and the city will only take about fifteen to twenty minutes. It is a very convenient suburb if you can live with it's reputation and street workers. That said, many young working professionals have progressively moved into the neighbouring suburb of Potts Point (just a street away from The Cross) due to it's proximity to the city.

Dee Why is a suburb located in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney. It is famous for Dee Why Beach and it's close proximity to Curl Curl and Collaroy. During peak hours, the commute to the city can sometimes take up to an hour because of the congestion of Pittwater Road. The only form of public transport around the Northern Beaches area are public buses and during peak hours, these buses run on T-ways.

Urbanisation has resulted in more residential apartments being built in Dee Why. Along the beach strip of Dee Why, there are many of these apartments. Under the apartments are shops, cafes and restaurants that serve the many tourists and locals around the area. Another really nice place in Dee Why will have to be the RSL. It is not like your usual old looking RSL that is in need of a renovation. Dee Why RSL is brand new looking with many flat screen televisions offering many different channels of sports. Within the RSL, you can find an Asian restaurant, a bistro, a couple of cafes and a bar. Dee Why is recommended for anyone who likes being close to the beach but does not mind the commute to the city and the high cost of living around this part of Sydney.