The City / Country Escape

It may not be Sydney’s best kept secret, but try telling that to the residents that call the exclusive acreages of Terrey Hills, Duffy Forest and Ingleside home. Once considered a far-flung outpost for horse lovers and the recluse, it is now one of Sydney’s most a sought-after lifestyle addresses with excellent infrastructure, boutique services and an eclectic cuisine scene that has evolved to greet this new demographic.

Local resident Michael Andrews built a brand new home on acreage in Duffys Forest four years ago, to take advantage of casual dreamy lifestyle and proximity to beaches and work. “I work in the city 5 days a week and my wife in Crows Nest. The trip for me only takes about 30 minutes and even less for Louise. On the weekends the family can be in the water at Newport or Mona Vale Beach within 15 minutes of jumping in the car”.

There’s six schools to choose from in Terrey Hills and a gorgeous village shopping centre with all the necessities including boutique coffee shops and restaurants, and Michael adds “If you go to the The Hills Flower Market, you can not only gather your gardening supplies, there’s also everything from a gym and yoga studio to a ritzy coffee shop that will rival the best in the city, and a sit down mower shop“. A sit down mower shop you say, did you buy one?” “Yes, and a tractor as well.”

Estates with superb equine facilities and resort-like gardens with tennis courts and pools are in abundance, and the surrounding Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park provides secluded designated riding trails and some of Sydney’s most picturesque walking tracks where you can lose or find yourself.

When asked what really makes the area tick, Michael concludes “It’s a casual yet affluent community, and every weekend there’s something to do. If we’re not at the beach, I’ll always end up at the village or a café at some stage, ride my mountain bike around the bush trails with my mates, or hit the local restaurants at night, which I might add are excellent and offer great diversity. But for me, it’s the perfect place to completely relax and unwind on the weekends, where we can live in complete silence with no city hum, a place where kangaroos graze in the garden and people still ride horses on the streets”. And if you’ve ever dreamed of owning a sit down mower or tractor, here’s your chance.