Northmead, NSW 2152
Ranked 63rd best suburb by locals in Sydney (Greater) Region, NSW
Great for
- Parks and recreation
- Safe and sound
- Public transport
- Clean & green
- Schools
Not great for
- Nightlife
Who lives here?
- Families With Kids
- Professionals
- Retirees
- Singles
- Hipsters
Reviews of Northmead, NSW
"Leafy, friendly, yet still close to everything."
Northmead is 26kms from the Sydney CBD and was established way back in 1889 when the Government house property (starting in Parramatta Park) was subdivided into North Meadow and West Meadow by the British Settlers.
It's a lovely suburb nestled amongst lots of bushy pockets, largely due to the gullies created by extensive sandstone quarrying that occurred here in the 1800s. I can attest to the abundance of sandstone here, evidenced by the quantity we had to remove when we built our house!
Northmead shops on Campbell St have all the conveniences a town needs, including restaurants as well as the staples, and it's only a short drive to either Winston Hills Plaza or Stocklands Mall at Baulkham hills for the bigger retailers.
Northmead sits across two council areas, The Hills Shire on the eastern side of Windsor road, and Parramatta City Council on the Western side. The Hills section consists of lots of streets in loops from Windsor Road, which means they're mainly local traffic. The downside to this is during the am peak hour when the main road is reduced to one lane northbound and all the traffic going onto Windsor road is funnelled up and down the back streets to the few traffic lights.
Northmead Public School is a thriving community in itself, where parents, students and teachers create a wonderful caring environment. The investment that the locals have in the school is tremendous, and families who attend take great pride in it.
There are green areas with playgrounds, and access to bush trails for a nature walk on both sides of Windsor Rd. The Water Dragon Walk follows the creek bed between Hammers Rd and Moxhams Road, as well as the less well known track in the catchment area which takes you to Northmead Dam, accessible from Rifle Range Road. Stay away from here in rain though, it fills up very quickly!
Buses run regularly down Windsor road to Parramatta or up to Baulkham Hills and Castle Hill, and it's only a hop-skip and a jump to the M2 for the buses there to the city. The opening of the M2 westbound on-ramp in 2012 makes Northmead at the apex of the arterial roads to head just about anywhere in the city.
I have owned in the area for 8 years and love everything about Northmead. The people here foster a real community spirit that is rare so close to a 'city' but without giving up any of the city conveniences.
Great for
- Excellent Schools
- Easy access to transport
- Community Spirity
- Gardens
- Proximity
- Shopping centres
Not great for
- Windsor Rd gets busy in mornings and afternoons
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
Enjoyed this read of Northmead and its history.
"Northmead"
Northmead is a family-friendly suburb located in the Hills District of Sydney, close to Parramatta. Known for its leafy streets and a variety of parks, Northmead offers a peaceful suburban lifestyle with easy access to amenities. The area has a mix of housing, including older homes, modern townhouses, and new developments, catering to different budgets and preferences. Northmead features good local schools, medical facilities, and shopping centers, making it a convenient choice for families. Public transport options are available, though the suburb is best suited for those with a car. Overall, Northmead provides a quiet, community-oriented environment with the convenience of proximity to major hubs like Parramatta.
Who lives here?
- Families with kids
"Warm neighbourhood surrounded by nature"
Leafy neighbourhood with a warm community, yet close proximity to shopping and work hubs, arterial bus lines and reputable schools, especially in the northern areas. Have enjoyed living here for the past few years and watching the suburb grow
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
"Great place for living and public transport."
I have lived in Northmead for the past 6 years and want to stay for a while longer. The first good thing is that there are a lot of houses and they are selling and leasing in a matter of days so I recommend getting a place if you can. The second thing is the schools are top notch. The teachers and staff are really nice and the schools facilities are well taken care of. Only con is that they've started to use a lot of the oval space for classrooms which reduces play area but not too much so it's manageable. Public transport is managble and mostly taken care of by the public. There are many bus stops across the whole of Northmead and I actually take a bus to castle hill every weekday. And you don't hae to stress about not having a train station because there are 2 stations right next to northmead, Westmead and Parramatta. I just really wish that there could also be a metro station just as close because getting to castle hill and other northwest suburbs would be much easier and frankly faster. A few more cons are the busyness on Windsor road as it connects to baulkhim hills which takes you to the city and so it's busy in the morning and evening but you'll be fine as it's only a 2-5 minute wait. That was my review and I hope I helped anyone reading this.
Who lives here?
- Families with kids
"Wonderful suburb"
I’ve lived in Northmead with my husband and kids for over a decade. It’s a wonderful leafy suburb with friendly locals, and is a diverse community. So if you’re wishing for ‘the good old days’ with what is basically a homogenous community, look elsewhere. If you’re an open-minded person who understands you live in a global world, come on in-the water is divine :)
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
Rentals in Northmead
Find real estate agents in Northmead
"Brilliant location"
Northmead was once in the 1960 to 1980s a cheaper suburb with much housing commission homes on sizeable blocks of land. These homes were eventually sold off and the majority of them have been replaced with 2 story generous size homes with beautiful gardens. Northmead being close but not too close to Parramatta has seen real estate values rise sharply. This is because of the on going major commercial development of Parramatta bringing many jobs to the area. Another contributing factor to Northmead's popularity is Westmead Hospital which would rate as one of if not largest hospitals in Australia. Northmead has green corridor running along Toongabbie creek and other waterways. There are numerous bush walks in these areas which cater for abundant bird life, lizards and lots of large beautiful different species of gumtrees. Northmead is close to the centre of the greater Sydney metro area which makes travelling to the Sydney CBD or the other way to The Blue Mountains not a long journey. The down side is congested peak hour traffic on Windsor or Old Windsor Road during peak hours, you can escape it to some degree by taking back streets but you don't always save that much time wise. Community spirit is strong and it's not noted for crime. Northmead popularity will continue to grow because of it's almost village environment and it's central location.
Great for
- Community Spirity
- Gardens
- Proximity
- Shopping centres
- Sporting facilities
Not great for
- Windsor Rd gets busy in mornings and afternoons
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
"Friendly neighbourhood, community spirit."
We have lived in the area for 14 years. We love the parks where our 5 year old son has made many friends. Local shopping is great: Northmead Growers Market has a florist, butcher, fruit shop, chemist, take away, bakery, deli and many others with very convenient parking. Parramatta and Castle Hill Malls are also nearby.
Great for
- Community Spirity
- Gardens
- Proximity
- Shopping centres
Not great for
- Windsor Rd gets busy in mornings and afternoons
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
- Retirees
There is a pocket of community housing owned by the government, but is on the Wentworthville side of the Cumberland Highway. Cars get broken into in any suburb..... Really depends on what is visible in your car. Northmead is one of the safest suburbs I have lived in whilst located in Sydney, but there is a diverse range of housing from quiet suburban streets with houses on large blocks, through to medium to high density (Cumberland and now Windsor road). Rather than pointing the finger at those disadvantaged being housed by the government, I would risk an educated guess that the higher density of the street that you live in may increase the probability of opportunistic illegal acquisitions from your car. Then again, the most time my car was broken into was in a suburban street in the Sutherland Shire where there was a group of opportunistic teenagers who would sneak out at night and steal things from people's cars.
"Variety Plus"
Northmead is in fact covered by two Local Govt. areas. It is also split into three distinct areas. The section east of Windsor Rd is in Baulkham Hills council and is mostly quite modern homes from the "60's and '70's..that said there are numerous older dwellings along the line of Windsor Rd.New multi unit dwellings are starting to appear at the very southern end of the section covered by that council. West of Windsor and north of Briens Rds, is the oldest part of the suburb, and is covered by Parramatta council...some of the land here was subdivided for housing over 100 years ago, and contains some excellent examples of styles through the years, notably some fine Californian bungalows in timber ,as well as some brick. South of Briens and west of Windsor Rds is the third section, which contains housing more generally from the '50's, and some industry. Also covered by Parramatta council, this area has been earmarked for more medium density in coming years. Some of the things that make the suburb great are it's proximity to public transport (the bus down Windsor Rd will have you at Parramatta station in 11 mins) a wide choice of dwelling styles, and very good public primary and secondary schools.Also, there is a large number of quality child care centres. For drivers, the choice of M2 an M4 is available,but that is subject to the vagaries of those routes which are not flash at peak times (Welcome to Sydney ! ) .There is a lot of history in this area too, if that is of interest...note that Windsor Rd was the 2nd Toll Rd in the colony !...hence the Tollgate Hotel at North Parramatta. I have lived here for 25 years and love it as it is central to everything ...except the beach !
Great for
- Community Spirity
- Gardens
- Proximity
- Shopping centres
- Sporting facilities
Not great for
- Windsor Rd gets busy in mornings and afternoons
"Just left Northmead after 9 years. Great place, 25 min drive to the city or 30 min express bus. Very nice people"
The Northern end of Northmead is much nicer than the North Parramatta end. The closer to the M2 and Baulkham hills, the more you can expect to pay.
Friendly people in the streets and shops. Stockland mall in Baulkham Hills has everyting you need (including bulk bill medical centre), and Castle hill or Parramatta are only 5 min away if you want HUGE shopping centres.
Good sporting and rec facilities around and good school and child care options. We have moved to QLD now, but if we return to NSW, Northmead is where we will be heading.
Great access for M2, M7, Parramatta Rd, Cumberland Rd and Windsor Rd.
Regret selling our house as its just been anounced Railway for Northwest is approved. DOH!!
Highly reccomend the area.
Great for
- Sporting facilities
- Shopping centres
- Transport
- Community Spirity
- Gardens
- Proximity
Not great for
- Windsor Rd gets busy in mornings and afternoons
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
"A great green place that's peaceful and family orientated."
After spending my younger years here I've found my way back just over 8 months ago after many years. It's a great garden full place that's peaceful, bird filled and very family, community orientated. Neighbors are friendly and helpful, families play in the streets and there's never not a moment when people aren't walking around together or walking their dogs. Proximity is fantastic to many shopping centers within 5 to 15mins and even equal proximity to key roads.
Great for
- Gardens
- Community Spirity
- Proximity
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- LGBT+
- Country Lovers
"Northmead"
Northmead is a suburb of Sydney 25 kilometres west of the CBD. It is in the local government area of the Baulkham Hills Shire and is in the Hills District. It has a population of just under 7,000, 23% of whom are under 18 and 16% of whom are over 60.
Originally the area was one of orchards and small farms.
Today it is a suburb of medium density housing with houses, townhouses and apartments. Expect to spend about $450,000 on a house.
Children are well looked after in Northmead with a public primary school and high school and The Hills School, for children with special needs. The Northmead High School is a performing arts and creative high school catering for talented and gifted children. There are also a couple of child care centres and pre-schools.
Coca Cola Amatil has a factory at Northmead working 24/7 with three eight hour shifts daily. There is a shopping centre on Windsor Road with a supermarket and other specialty shops. There is a commercial area at the corner of Windsor and Brien’s Roads known as the Junction with car accessories, hardware, furniture and various other retailers.
Northmead is a reasonably quiet suburb that has kept some of its tranquillity known in its farming days.
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
- Retirees
"Mix of commercial and residential"
Northmead lies just north of Parramatta and is also next to Westmead. It has some industrial areas with the Coca Cola Amatil head quarters and several bus depots in the area. Given that, the part of Northmead that lies past Windsor Rd is all residential and does not have much development. It looks more like your typical western suburb housing but property prices are not as high as those in North Rocks or Baulkham Hills. Northmead is also very close to James Ruse Drive so a few quick turns will have you on the M4 to the city or right in Parramatta for easy shopping. Pancakes on the Rocks has also opened a branch here in Northmead.
This is a very impressive review. Nicely done!