Waverton Suburb Review

Summary: This pleasant, quiet and green little suburb on the Lower North Shore offers a peaceful, village-type atmosphere that belies its remarkably easy access to the Sydney CBD just a couple of stops across the bridge.

Annually rated amongst the most liveable suburbs in Sydney and with one of its lowest crime rates, there’s not much to actually do in Waverton however – and that seems to be exactly the way many of its residents like it.

It costs a pretty penny to live here, with next to no detached housing for sale ever on the market, and even apartments likewise fairly eye-watering in price; however it’s one of the few elite suburbs in Sydney that may truly be worth the pricetag given its combination of accessibility, greenery, outlook and peace & quiet – if that’s your type of neighbourhood.

Key stats

If there was a single word to best sum up both the life and atmosphere in Waverton, “sleepy” would likely be it – which is quite a rare and unusual thing to say about a suburb so close to the centre of Sydney.

It’s full of greenery, sits right on the water, and boasts a train station on a major railway line with trains that stop every 3 to 5 minutes, yet it remains almost eternally under the radar as both a place to visit and live in Sydney.

While most other Lower North Shore suburb names are immediately recognisable, Waverton is one that even long-time Sydney residents may not have heard – other than perhaps being “one of those boring stops on the way home” for those who travel on the North Shore line.

Its relatively small size may be a reason for this – as is the fact that it’s a highly residential area with not much else to offer in terms of entertainment or shopping other than some minor amenities, a few local cafes, a semi-iconic bakery, and some lovely stretches of greenery alongside the water.

As with many Lower North Shore Sydney suburbs, Waverton is an “old money” area rich in charming detached older homes that list in the millions of dollars – if they list at all. The property market for purchases is slow here, as is its way of life in general.

Head out of its (Australian Heritage-listed) old-fashioned train station and you’ll immediately discover yourself in a land where paper-based community noticeboards are still an actual thing.

A Slow Pace of Life

Its residents skew towards the older demographic, and there is a very “retirement village” type feel to the area due to both its peaceful atmosphere and quiet roads, with relatively little traffic to speak of given how close the suburb is to neighbouring North Sydney.

As a result, younger, party-going types will have little to no reason to visit here; however, young, active professionals happy with an apartment may still find it offers an ideal balance of access to the city for work while being able to “take a breather” upon returning home.

“Boring” suburbs such as Waverton pretty much always carry along with them the side-benefit of having very low crime rates, and Waverton itself is no exception; it’s one of the safer in Sydney, with a tiny 0.05% crime rate per capita.

It’s an extremely pet-friendly suburb, too, with all of its streets lined with grass (unlike many CBD-adjacent suburbs) and large pet-friendly parks – perhaps most notably the excellent Berrys Bay which doubles as a soccer field and provides a gorgeous view across the water to the Sydney skyline.

In addition, its Balls Head Reserve walk may be one of the most underrated in Sydney – this roughly 2km stretch of bush walking tracks culminates in a wonderful green oasis overlooking the harbour, Goat Island, and the various water traffic passing by.

Pretty, but Quiet

While there are only a few small stores and a couple of tiny restaurants, both North Sydney (walkable) and Crows Nest (better to drive) are just a stone’s throw away for more dining and bar options. Bigger shopping needs can be catered for by a quick trip on the train up to Chatswood or Artarmon as well, with the likes of Westfield and other big-box retailers they offer.

“While most other Lower North Shore suburb names are immediately recognisable, Waverton is one that even long-time Sydney residents may not have heard.”

Property-wise, Waverton is a strange dichotomy in that purchase-wise it’s as insanely expensive as most other waterfront suburbs, yet it also boasts an abundance of slightly older apartment blocks that offer a chance at decent-sized 2 bedroom units for a fairly reasonable (for essentially central Sydney) price.

The Verdict

If you’re the type who appreciates having some nature and breathing room while still needing/wanting frequent access to the Sydney CBD – and can deal with an environment that is otherwise extremely quiet at almost all times – then Waverton is hard to fault.

It’s an unassuming little pocket without much brand-name recognition yet with an incredibly high standard of living, and its range of older apartments and mid-density accommodations mean that it still may be realistic for regular wage-earning professionals who are happy to drop a premium for an idyllicly-located apartment.

For most mere mortals looking for detached housing, Waverton will be all but always off the menu, however. Likewise, those who like a little more excitement in their neighbourhood will almost certainly want to look elsewhere, although there are decent options for entertainment within a short distance away.

It thus ranks as a highly viable option for those who don’t need the hustle and bustle of giant shopping centres, bars and clubs on their doorstep to stay satisfied in life, but still want to be able to access them when necessary.