Carlingford.

In Sydney’s north-west, Carlingford is a suburban retreat that young professionals and families of all shapes and sizes call home. Once Sydney’s orchard capital, the area is known for its sprawling homes, heritage buildings, and wide, tree-lined streets.

Part of its family-friendliness stems from its line-up of schools, including one of the city’s top-rated schools, James Ruse Agricultural School. The Kings School is right next door and Macquarie University, Charles Stuart University and Western Sydney University are close at hand. Carlingford also has recreational clubs and plenty of well-kept parks and playgrounds, many of which have walking tracks and sporting fields.

Locals have all the facilities they need at their fingertips. Carlingford Court has an ever-growing array of shops and services, including banks, gyms, medical and dental centres, while Carlingford Village and Pennant Hills Road are local go-tos. The suburb has a diverse range of restaurants, and nearby hubs like Parramatta offer even more options.

Here the homes are large, catering to the demands of growing families, and more and more apartments are sprouting up. And for those who commute to Sydney’s CBD or Parramatta, buses run regularly connecting commuters to major transport hubs like Parramatta and Epping.