Calista, WA 6167

Calista is a good suburb on the up.

I hope this review helps anyone buying in the area as I know how daunting buying a house is or choosing to live in a new area.

Calista is awesome! As I work inner city, Calista made sense. 30 minutes by car to the CBD (without traffic of course), 5 mins to Wellard Train Station, with a 30 min train ride in, 10 minutes to the beach, 10 minutes to Rockingham Foreshore, less than 5 mins to the big industries of Kwnana Industrial area, 30 mins to Mandurah, 25 mins to Fremantle and 15-20 mins to Cockburn Central Shopping Centre. They have also started the Latitute 32 project (a massive massive business park area that will create many jobs for the area).

It is definitely a suburb going through rejuvenation, there is something changing in the air. Calista has always been known as a suburb with lots of elderly people (because they never want to leave, some have lived in the same house since the late 60's when they built their houses as first home owners!!!) and people who are very proud of their suburb. I love the fact you tell people outside of the Kwinana area that you live in Calista and they have a puzzled/blank look on their face trying to work out where on earth that is, you say next to Wellard, shortly after Cockburn Central and some people kind of get it. But you tell locals you live in Calista and you feel very proud.

There is definitely a change of demographics going on in the area of younger professionals, couples and younger families. I am in my late 20's, single, young professional with have a good job and started looking around the area to invest in at first but inspected many homes and fell in love with the area and I made the house I bought now my home.

I also looked at Medina because there are also a lot of young couples/professionals moving there and it has a bit of an indy vibe to it but many of the homes are weatherboard cottage homes in Calista for the most part are double bricked, most built in the late 60's and there has been many new homes popping up as well, adding value and aesthetic appeal to the suburb.

The prices are so affordable and definitely value for money. I got a great, solid house on a massive block with a massive pool and house finishings that suit more an inner city home all for sub $300,000. If that property was anywhere else it would be $800,000 plus! I looked far and wide before making my decision, north, south and did detailed research of the area, knowing most of the streets fairly well and after looking around other areas even new areas, the cost did not justify what you pay for small blocks. Plus so many people live so far out now, I still wanted to live close enough to access the city, but not in the city, and not commute for 50 minutes!

Calista is definitely the Mt Lawley of Kwinana (with reference to similar style quality homes, not nightlife obviously), people are nice and the suburb is very quiet and peaceful (apart from some renters near me with teenage kids who spend a lot of time cranking their hip hop music and giggling non-stop when the mum and dad aren't home but it is just whilst they are on school holidays, but my other neighbours are really cool). There is lots of nature and it is very green with Calista Oval nearby, the prestigious Golf Course and homes with beautiful established gardens.

IKwinana Christian College is close by along with Calista Primary School (also improvements made to that) and Gilmore College not far away either, all great schools.

The shopping centre is close by and even that is surprisingly really nice, which is also going through a change with new shops opening up, cafes, etc. For dining, granted, the wider Kwinana precint does lack this I have to say, but Rockingham foreshore is a 10 minute drive (where my fav retaurant is, Rustico, a Spanish Tapas bar) with many cool bars, restaurants, cafes. But, Wellard Central just opened up and that is a 5 min drive from my house with the train station and lots of shops, cafes, etc.

Medina has received a bit of media attention due to its affordability and strong capital growth but I reckon Calista is the next hotspot as the quality of homes are much higher and closer to public transport, amenities and good schools and the golf course.

It's already wonderful living here and is only going to get better as the huge revitalisation of the Town Centre is completed in coming months. Especially excited about big shopping centre redevelopment, new tavern and restaurant complex and new golf club house!!

I have recently purchased a house in calista and was a little bored when I first moved in.. but as time has passed I have found more and more to do.. the gyms great and all the emergency/sport people use it (so the view is always good)
The spirit here is great.. I always go to the shops to look on the local board at the amount of volenteer spots available. there is every service number on those boards you can think off..never had to stress about parking.. spots every where.. the trains are brilliant... the buses are not so good late at night but most places are close to the trains anyway and they are good during the day.
the new tavern looks like it will be brilliant when its finished (yeay)
all the place needs now is that cafe strip that is on its way.. (and I cannot wait).. since moving into the area.. (and yes i do work my ass off) but I have made more progress here then my entire 36 years alive. if you put the effort in. you can really get ahead living here.

There are about 100 schools in the immediate area...most of them you can walk to but there are school buses buses trains cars and every thing else but planes lots of churches just in case you need them and the shops have every food group you can think off.. and late night shopping once a week.

The only thing I would personnally like to see is a cimema.. and weekend trading but thats cause i'm from sydney and I was spoilt!
There isn't a nightlife.. but if your looking for that.. there are other areas for it. apart from that... good to go :)
oh ps.. its cheap for food two.. I was surviving on bare minimum shopping which was good for me as all my money was going back into the house...and I was on my own.. there are plenty of options If you want to be a bit silly. the pizza place in kwinana hub.. up the hill across from blockbuster.. seriously does the best chicken sweet potato and pine nut pizza ever'

if you say this was recomended on a web site.. he will know who recomendeed it. I got it all the time.. ask for double of everything... so worth it (about 20-25 bucks) also the charity shop are there as well as a few others.. so check it out.. see what you think now that they have spend AND I SAY THIS LOUD! 1.5 BILLION (not million) on the immediate area.
house prices will be going up soon.
oh and there are retiree facilaties too.. its quite good from what I hear. and the automotive tafe is right on the door step - its massive.

Calista is part of a rapidly growing region of Perth. New transport infrastructure (inc 2 train stations on the Perth/Mandurah line), a $340m Town Centre revitalisation, brand new $60m high school less than 1km away, beautiful tree-lined streets and a close knit community make this the perfect place to live. You cannot go wrong investing in this area - we've been here 5 years and love it - will never move away.
In particular the area near the championship Kwinana Golf Course is blossoming. In the Town Centre there's a brand new tavern and restaurant under construction, a $22m Community Resource Centre being built in 2010 and the Hub Shopping Centre is to be redeveloped in 10/11.
I guess the area is also booming because there are jobs galore in the region. LOVE IT!