Coogee or Bondi

DavidCarroll

Hi
The Queen and I are heading to Sydney for 12 months. Want to be near the sea. I'm told Coogee would be a better option than Bondi. but not so sure. has anybody any experience of either?
cheers
David

hussey

I lived in Bondi and near coogee (randwick), bondi junction has trains massive shopping centres, more pubs etc, coogee is more secluded and smaller beach,

Bondi is world famous so everyone goes there, it seems to be a mix of millionare apartments and run down backpacker places.

There is more going on in bondi IMO, but I personally would pick coogee.

There is no correct answer to your question.
Please note that in the summer accommadation will be impossible to find in either

NaiveMelodies

id go to manly for sure, much nicer beach, less of the whole irish bar sydnrome and really cool place to live.

myhorse

they are much of a muchness these days. I never lived in Bondi but have in Coogee. Back then, Coogee won hands down in what it had to offer.

I have noticed alot more professionals have started to buy back in to Coogee and driving prices up (when I first came to Sydney a 1 bed, close to beach unit in Coogee would set you back $100k-$140k.). Mine cost me $128,000. Now I can only afford to rent for the time being in Bronte.

I was in Double bay (know locally as double pay) a few weeks back and was surprised that rent there is very resonable. As poster above mentioned so is Watsons Bay (absolutely gorgeous area). However both suffer from little public transport.

Anywooooo if you pressed me on your original question I would bump for Coogee still.

Zambia

myhorse wrote: »

they are much of a muchness these days. I never lived in Bondi but have in Coogee. Back then, Coogee won hands down in what it had to offer.

I have noticed alot more professionals have started to buy back in to Coogee and driving prices up (when I first came to Sydney a 1 bed, close to beach unit in Coogee would set you back $100k-$140k.). Mine cost me $128,000. Now I can only afford to rent for the time being in Bronte.

I was in Double bay (know locally as double pay) a few weeks back and was surprised that rent there is very resonable. As poster above mentioned so is Watsons Bay (absolutely gorgeous area). However both suffer from little public transport.

Anywooooo if you pressed me on your original question I would bump for Coogee still.

I worked in Double bay for a while it is very nice, bit pricey but really nice walk up the New south head road hill and you are at edgecliff station. A stones though from the city.

Pluis the sheaf of wheat was not a bad pub on the main street. However it might be gone.

myhorse

Zambia232 wrote: »

I worked in Double bay for a while it is very nice, bit pricey but really nice walk up the New south head road hill and you are at edgecliff station. A stones though from the city.

Pluis the sheaf of wheat was not a bad pub on the main street. However it might be gone.

its still there. Wasnt in there but passed it. I remember it had a bit of a rep for underage drinking especially amoung females but that may have changed

DavidCarroll

only1stevo wrote: »

id go to manly for sure, much nicer beach, less of the whole irish bar sydnrome and really cool place to live.

actually your not the first person to mention manly! but if dont you need to get a ferry or something if your working in the city

shane86

only1stevo wrote: »

id go to manly for sure, much nicer beach, less of the whole irish bar sydnrome and really cool place to live.

Whats wrong with Irish bars?!!? Personally I regard it as an advantage most countries dont have that we have places to find news about work available, drink and food from home, Irish live music and sport coverage etc etc it cant be knocked.

As for Coogee or Bondi I wouldnt live in either and am baffled as to why so many Irish do. Coogee is a nice beach granted but there is no subway there. Bondi is overrated- few if any beachside beer gardens from memory, no drinking on the beach, too crowded, pain in the arse to get to and get out of, tbh Id rather a day on the piss in Bray on a good day back home. Bondi is the epitome of commercialised and overrated, Coogee is a much nicer spot.

Saying that both are too far away from town, CBD or the Cross are much handier and relatively cheap for a city centre. Handiest for socialising and for getting to jobs if you are in different places all the time labouring and whatnot.

layla_09

I lived in Coogee for 2 yrs and would live there in a hot snot again! Its intimate, everywhere is walking distance, cleaner, great food. Cant say anything bad about it really at all.

Coogee Bay Hotel has a smashing beer garden where all walks of life frequent, I made alot of aussie friends there on random nights, thats what I loved about it.
Accom is relatively esay enought to get IMO, i arrived smack back in the middle of high season and viewed about 6/7 places within a few days. Rent is high though and expect to pay around $180-250 pw.

I liked Bondi for socialising, but found it too big and impersonal. The big culture of GAA jerseys Monday to Sunday turned me off it also.

DavidCarroll

ok thats for your help. look like the decision has been made for me anyway as my girlfriend is adament we should head to randwick. no ferries & nearer to the city than coogee. cheaper too as someone said earlier

Jumpy

Cronulla! What is this Irish facination with the Coogee/Bondi area? CBH isnt that good.

layla_09

DavidCarroll wrote: »

ok thats for your help. look like the decision has been made for me anyway as my girlfriend is adament we should head to randwick. no ferries & nearer to the city than coogee. cheaper too as someone said earlier

Randwick is a 5 min walk to Coogee, there almost attached. It will be quicker access to the city but you also have the added bonus of coogee beach being a few mins away.

hussey

I lived there, nice spot, has a cinema (cheapest one in sydney) shopping centre, 15mins to city in morning (on express bus)

good luck

Zambia

DavidCarroll wrote: »

ok thats for your help. look like the decision has been made for me anyway as my girlfriend is adament we should head to randwick. no ferries & nearer to the city than coogee. cheaper too as someone said earlier

look for a pub called the dog (duke of gloucester) used to do a mean steak:cool:

s. lacker

Randwick is nice, though your not in the city and not at the beach, still have to get the bus either way. If you really want to be at the beach go to Coogee its a really nice spot and loads of nice spots just up towards bondi, Bronte Clovelly and if youre thinking of getting closer to the city I'd recommend Newtown, Pyrmont or Surrey Hills, great bars restaurants close to city and parks and great atmosphere just watch out for teh lesbians in Newtown

Coileach dearg

s. lacker wrote: »

just watch out for teh lesbians in Newtown

Trust me, you don't have to watch out for them

DavidCarroll

Coileach dearg wrote: »

Trust me, you don't have to watch out for them

niceone. willhave to put newtown on the to visit list!

mandrake04

Just remember if seeking employment in construction far easier to get a job if you dont live in Bondi or Coogee.

daftdave

mandrake04 wrote: »

Just remember if seeking employment in construction far easier to get a job if you dont live in Bondi or Coogee.

what does it matter where you live ???

mandrake04

daftdave wrote: »

what does it matter where you live ???

Beacuse if you work for a Paddy contractor he knows there are too many temptations in Bondi/Coogee like Tea Gardens and Cock n bull..

And its easier to get picked up for work in the inner west Burwood, Ashfield Croydon & Concord..

I know people who have been knocked back on a job only to ring back the next day to say they live in the west and they got the job.

DavidCarroll

mandrake04 wrote: »

Beacuse if you work for a Paddy contractor he knows there are too many temptations in Bondi/Coogee like Tea Gardens and Cock n bull..

And its easier to get picked up for work in the inner west Burwood, Ashfield Croydon & Concord..

I know people who have been knocked back on a job only to ring back the next day to say they live in the west and they got the job.

sounds a bit like the way it was here in the 80's where been from the wrong area drastically reduced your employment chances

mandrake04

DavidCarroll wrote: »

sounds a bit like the way it was here in the 80's where been from the wrong area drastically reduced your employment chances

Not the same

Simple explanation

Most of the Jobs were out west M7, T-way etc .... just saved a lot of time having the gang that side of town and of course having the Ute's there as well. There were a lot of men sponsored that lived around Burwood if they same men lived in Bondi they would not have been considered and thats a fact.

SouthKerry

Yeah Burwood is a nice old spot but i prefer concord. Thursday and friday night in Burwood is crazy, lots of lebanesse with suped up cars and gangs hanging around causing trouble, luckily i was always too pissed drunk to care, looking back there were some dodgy moments:D

hussey

DavidCarroll wrote: »

niceone. willhave to put newtown on the to visit list!

Errr your in for a shock, unless short back and sides in big jeans is your thing

DavidCarroll

hussey wrote: »

Errr your in for a shock, unless short back and sides in big jeans is your thing

So they don't look the same as the ones in the DVD's then:)

shane86

DavidCarroll wrote: »

So they don't look the same as the ones in the DVD's then:)

They look more like the men who buy the DVDs.

Ozeire

might be worth taking a look at the beachs here .

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-33.7557442&lon=151.3545227&z=11&l=0&m=b

DavidCarroll

map is great. can't find bondi on it tough. kind of expected it to be up from coogee

smilingeyerish

COOGEE!!!!! i lived at the top of the coogee bay road in randwick, best place i lived in sydney and i lived in bondi and the city aswell. your near the beach and a cinema (cheao ass tuesdays!) and the CBH and shops and the city is only a short bus ride away and you can go to the randwick races too!

hussey

DavidCarroll wrote: »

map is great. can't find bondi on it tough. kind of expected it to be up from coogee

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Curlewis+St&daddr=-33.92112,151.256747&geocode=FZTh-v0dvkgECQ%3B&hl=en&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=14&sll=-33.902764,151.274786&sspn=0.048015,0.077162&ie=UTF8&z=14

DavidCarroll

hussey wrote: »

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Curlewis+St&daddr=-33.92112,151.256747&geocode=FZTh-v0dvkgECQ%3B&hl=en&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=14&sll=-33.902764,151.274786&sspn=0.048015,0.077162&ie=UTF8&z=14

cheers hussey

empirix

manly is good for about a week or two,then you kinda get pissed off getting the ferry in to cbd everyday(and back),nice ferry ride but...not everyday,although plemty of locals do it. But then the weekend arrives ....stay in manly or go to cbd/cross etc and your lucking at a steep enough taxi fare back(no trains to manly) Bondi - far too manybackpackers but again good to go out an odd night or two but nothing special, Bondi junction - couple of irish bars and last stop on the train so handy enough to get to the city if need be about a 20 min walk to bondi beach or coogee. Coogee same as bondi really,for me a nicer secluded beach but then theres thoses backpackers. Personally i lived in Paddington,20 min walk to the city,20 min walk to bondi junction , 10 - 15 min walk to the cross, and a very nice area with lots of local bars around the place as well as close to oxford street for the clothes shops etc, dirty nelleys is there too - pretty cool spot - ideal for me! Long live those days!!:)

toadfly

BONDI JUNCTION!! its the best compromise, 20 min walk (5min bus) to beach, brill nightlife, train to city, massive shopping centre with cheap night tuesday cinema. Lived there for 6 months, city for 2, would never live in city again. best stop in sydney.

go to the lowenbrau on sat night in city, german theme pub, best craic. its off george st, near top take a left at the orient hotel and is next street up.

mickoneill30

empirix wrote: »

But then the weekend arrives ....stay in manly or go to cbd/cross etc and your lucking at a steep enough taxi fare back(no trains to manly)

The late buses used to run till about 3 when I was there. Takes about 30 mins on a bus from CBD -> Manly or 20 mins in a taxi. Don't fall asleep on it though, you end up about the same distance again, past Manly.

I agree about the ferry ride though. It's great as a tourist. Not so nice as a commute. If you miss it you've 30 mins to wait till the next one.

empirix

TillyGirl wrote: »

BONDI JUNCTION!! its the best compromise, 20 min walk (5min bus) to beach, brill nightlife, train to city, massive shopping centre with cheap night tuesday cinema. Lived there for 6 months, city for 2, would never live in city again. best stop in sydney.

go to the lowenbrau on sat night in city, german theme pub, best craic. its off george st, near top take a left at the orient hotel and is next street up.

lowenbrau - this is down whats known as the "Rocks", couple of good bars there,including the mercantile irish bar - go there on a sunday if your feeling home sick and take in Shaylee wild lol! its gotta be done:)

mandrake04

empirix wrote: »

home sick and take in Shaylee wild lol! its gotta be done:)

Scarrrrry lady:eek::eek::eek:

GregsAmgryTooth

newtown is full of abbos. i lived in surrey hills for a while, cleveland street, found it very central for working and socialising, very near to central station.
the lowenbrau was jjust opened as i was leaving, i remember queing up there for agesone night only to be refused entry for no apparent reason, i didnt go back again.
theres a few great bars and clubs down side streets off georges street before circular quay, only found them not long before i left. in fairness, its hard to beat the tea gardens on a friday night. ive never been in a place thats so easy to score. the courthouse on taylor sq was always an adventure as was T2 across the way at 7am. the best city in the world and ive lived in london, berlin and NY and Boston.

passive

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

newtown is full of abbos. .

The "Aussies are/aren't a big bunch of racists" thread is that way. ->

GregsAmgryTooth

abbos, native australians, aboriginies same difference. they all ask you for a fag and a spare buck and drink goon and sniff petrol.

jank

dont forget that they all eat their own children....

Coileach dearg

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

newtown is full of abbos.

I'd rather see them there than the likes of you anyway.

The_B_Man

Newtown isnt that bad. Theres plenty more abbos in Perth, and they're way dodgier!
Actually, if u wanna live near newtown, i lived in the sydney terraces. its 2 mins down the road and good craic. basically just a loada rented houses full of backpackers. its not near a beach or anything but bondi junction is only a few stops on the train from newtown! rent is also cheap. 145 each a week.

and whats all this about the coogee bay hotel??

Does nobody remember The Coogee Bay Hotel Poo incident ??

Zambia

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

newtown is full of abbos. i lived in surrey hills for a while, cleveland street, found it very central for working and socialising, very near to central station.

Isnt Surrey hills a gay area, its OK mate I'm not judging

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

the lowenbrau was jjust opened as i was leaving, i remember queing up there for agesone night only to be refused entry for no apparent reason,

Did you use the words Abbos?

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

i didnt go back again.

Did they ask you not to bother?

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

its hard to beat the tea gardens on a friday night.

Oh dear christ on a bike you cant be serious. :eek:

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

the best city in the world and ive lived in london, berlin and NY and Boston.

All those capitals and you still cant use them in a paragraph.

Daithio

I think Randwick would be a good compromise for you. Handy for both the city and the beach, and probably cheaper rent than both of them. I do have a soft spot for Bondi though, don't know why.

mandrake04

The_B_Man wrote: »

Newtown isnt that bad. Theres plenty more abbos in Perth, and they're way dodgier!
Actually, if u wanna live near newtown, i lived in the sydney terraces. its 2 mins down the road and good craic. basically just a loada rented houses full of backpackers. its not near a beach or anything but bondi junction is only a few stops on the train from newtown! rent is also cheap. 145 each a week.

and whats all this about the coogee bay hotel??

Does nobody remember The Coogee Bay Hotel Poo incident ??

I had friends who lived in Sydney Terraces, its actually Enmore/Marrickville its not to bad around there, more Ideal for short term dead close to the airport.

Living close to the city beaches is not all its cracked up to be, It tends to attract fair share of idiots. I used to live in Carrington Road Randwick which is near Coogee, then I caught myself on and moved from there to Croydon which is 13km out of the city on the parramatta road.... far better craic around there.

Jumpy

GregsAmgryTooth wrote: »

abbos, native australians, aboriginies same difference. they all ask you for a fag and a spare buck and drink goon and sniff petrol.

Me = part 'abbo' as you say. The petrol over here in Ireland just isnt the same.

paidi09

is it possible to get short term accomodation (few months) apart from hostels in any of these areas? a room in a house would be ideal?

hussey

paidi09 wrote: »

is it possible to get short term accomodation (few months) apart from hostels in any of these areas? a room in a house would be ideal?

Yeah plenty of shared houses around, after xmas would be much better before xmas it's tough
gumtree.com.au is your best bet and it is free.

preddy

Tamamara area/beach just between Bondi and Bronte great little spot

Jumpy

preddy wrote: »

Tamamara area/beach just between Bondi and Bronte great little spot

Thats near the graveyard isnt it? Damn nice walk around there.

Zambia

They used to say the rip on Tamamara was really bad hence no one swam there. Plus as a result Models used to use the beach as it was nice and small and uncrowded.

never tested this:(