WESTMEAD_ROCKS

Caroline Street is the best place to live ever! It is close enough to the station without being too close to hear the trains (about seven minutes walk) and there is always someone at the station at all hours of the night because of the hospital. I have walked to the station to catch the train to the airport in the dark and it is always safe and not long to wait for the train. My husband and I go to the city at night and have never had any trouble walking around at night, there seem to be Indian families talking around which keeps things safe. There is a high Sri Lankan population here which is mostly a good thing, they play a lot of sport in the park and keep it safe, by crowding out any derros that might otherwise move in there. They are quiet and friendly neighbours and the ones who own their places keep them nice, but there are a few renters who dump rubbish but the council is cracking down on that. The migrants also make the local schools good, full of kids who study hard and are respectful, and that in turn attracts experienced teachers. There are housing commission on the street but I have never had any issues with them, and I have lived with problem housing commission before. These ones you never see, or they just blend in, and their block on units is well kept and quiet. I have never seen any issues around the tavern either, and it is open until three, with bands on weekends, it seems a safe place and the bottle shop is handy. The park is so close and there is always stuff on on weekends that is free to take kids to like Indian festival, symphony, medieval weekend, history days concerts for Australia day etc. which is handy to walk to. Also it is good to walk to Parra or take the train to lunch or dinner out and not have to worry about drink driving, you can both have a glass of wine and walk back. The Indian restaurant is not good, but the Thai is very good, and the cafes in the park are great, Government house has a cheaper lunch menu which is affordable. It needs a good kebab place and it would be ideal, as we don't eat Oportos or Subway. Westmead is not pretentious, most people are professionals on a reasonable wage, but it is not like the Hills with everyone trying to out do each other and worrying about appearances. it has everything you need, transport, doctors, a pharmacy, papers (you can go to the hospital after/before the newsagents are open), coffee, and the park for fitness. It is handy to walk to get a medical certificate for work if you have a day off! Caroline Street is very practical, and not unattractive. Some people like the newer units on the other side of the tracks but there is more traffic there, and the newer ones are not always built as well. A lot of new units have en suites right near the bed (yuck) and feel more squashy because they try to fit the extra bathroom in. I would rather have one toilet and a more spacious feel. I think people will appreciate the benefits of living here more over time, as even when the Hills train line comes in it will go through Westmead, and not everyone wants to live in a Mc Mansion with a handkerchief size backyard away from any sizable park and pay through the nose for the privilege. There are not many parks in Sydney where you can run three and a half kilometers around, teach kids to cycle on spacious grass ovals (there are a few),climb moreton bay fig trees, and have quiet picnics near the river. I am addicted to having everything so close now I could not imagine moving away.