Where is the Australian Whangarei? (For the cyclone season)

[Wellington]

Our insurance company wants us to spend the next cyclone season South of 31 degrees (the latitude of Port Macquarie, about 300 km North of Sydney)
We are ideally looking for a small town offering a good mooring (possibly in a marina or on a buoy, if we can't be on the hook), with high, middle and primary schools nearby within walking distance from the dinghy dock for our children.
Are there such places in the Bay of Sydney?
Or where would you recommend? Where is the Australian Whangarei?
Thanks

[olaf hart]

Port Stephens?
Pittwater?

[DumnMad]

I reckon your insurance co would be happy with Manly marina in Brisbane.(Biggest marina in southern hemisphere.) Further north but very secure with schools, shops & public transport walking distance.

[44'cruisingcat]

Lake Macquarie is another option.

[Reefmagnet]

Change insurance companies. I'm 21S and only have a named storm exclusion if not inside a marina to deal with.

[MarkJ]

Why live your life by insurance policy?

There are places all the way up the coast. But Sydney is a truly expensive place to live and have a boat...

[ozsailer]

Hello Wellington,
I am a lot surprised that your insurance company has stipulated south of Port Macquarie to get below the cyclone belt. IMO they are way off the mark. I was of the belief that basically anything below Bundaberg was safe. (There have been rare cyclones below this but very very rare)
Mooloolaba is considered by many as the northern safe anchorage. Very civilised area. Bit touristy but schools and shops close by. You are very well protected anywhere south of this. Mind you the weather we just experienced here on Lake Macquarie in New South Wales had winds that would be classified as a Cat 2 Cyclone. (Gusting to recorded 73 knots)
I would be questioning your insurance company as they are out of kilter with the main line ones here in Australia.


Greg, Sue and Bella the sea Dog
SV Sunshine

[JPA Cate]

Wellington,

IMO, there aint none that duplicates Whangarei. Manly, would be close, in that Brisbane, nearby by either public transport or sailing up the river, offers everything, and Manly itself has a market and a chandlery. It is at 27 deg. S., so it is still above where you need to be. You might be able to negotiate an exception with your ins. co.

In the Sydney area, Pittwater would be a better bet for you, as there are many places you can anchor and also to stay on moorings. Transport is much easier than Sydney, IMO.

For me, the problems with Sydney Hbr. are that it is a large city, and resources are all spread out; the other is that it is not legal to live aboard on a moored boat in Port Jackson, and that an anchored boat is deemed to be "moored"; and they are eliminating areas where you are allowed to anchor. There are some places where it is not difficult to get to stores, but it is easier in Pittwater, IMO, because you can walk to both grocery stores and chandlery. There is also bus service readily accessible from various points.

Another option for you would be Hobart in Tasmania. It is a real city, with museums, art, good public transportation, etc., and excellent cruising grounds. However, to go there, you must cross Bass Straits, and the summers are quite cool there.

Ann

[capt jolly]

Don't forget Hervey Bay marina inside beautiful Fraser island , and has all the facilities you require at a reasonable cost.

[savoir]

Maybe Coffs Harbor ? There is a dock but no anchorage.

[Painted Skies]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Wellington,

In the Sydney area, Pittwater would be a better bet for you, as there are many places you can anchor and also to stay on moorings. Transport is much easier than Sydney, IMO.

Ann

'Painted Skies' spent 5 months on a mooring in Lovett Bay, Pittwater in 2011. We found it ideal as this tiny inlet was well protected from the weather and security was excellent. We even left the boat unattended for several months while we traveled back to the US, and the owner of the mooring (Lovett Bay Boatshed) kept an eye on it for us. The cost was a very reasonable AU$300/month.

Lovett Bay (like the entire western side of Pittwater and Scotland Island) is a water-access-only community of homes with regular ferry service to 'the mainland' which drops you off at Church Point to link to city bus service. The Church Point Post Office kindly received and held mail for us during this time. Also, we often took the dinghy a short distance further, past the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and tied it up at the public jetty in Bayview Park, and then walked into Mona Vale for groceries (Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, and Harris Farm Market) - passing Pittwater High School on the way. The local residents in Pittwater were delightful; they live a water-centric life, much like us cruisers - so they were very sympatico.

The hills surrounding Lovett Bay are covered with hiking trails to some spectacular viewpoints, including the not-to-be-missed Lovett Bay Waterfall and into Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park (which is also prime cruising ground with free moorings, a short sail from Lovett). We highly recommend it!

Cheers, Katherine and Lael

[junek]

As an Aussie, I'm shocked they charge you for schooling.

I live in a suburb adjacent to Pittwater called Avalon. This area is beautiful, natural and unhurried (relative to the rest of Sydney). However, local services are not great if you were living on the water. I'd imagine the best place would be to on a swing mooring down the souther end of Pittwater (Newport, Mona Vale or Bayview). The you could dinghy to shore and walk to a high school (ages 12 to 18). The town (Mona Vale) is a little more of a walk - maybe 15minutes from the dingy. Public transport is pretty hopeless.

You could get a mooring up near Avalon or in Careel Bay, but its a longer walk to the town and the schools.

I've travelled a fair bit (not much on yachts yet unfortunately), and every time I get home to Sydney I am reminded that this is the most expensive city on Earth. Honestly, its crazy expensive relative to the rest of the planet that I have been to.

A smaller coastal town between Sydney and Brisbane would be significantly cheaper for general living expenses.

If you insurance was not an issue, I'd suggest the Noosa River. I lived in Noosa for 2014 and it was fantastic. The main strip is touristy and expensive, but there are many other alternatives. General living costs much lower than Sydney. heaps of services within walking distance of the anchoring. A cat will get over the bar in good weather and high tide only. Many 40ft+ cats in the river.

PS... i did a quick conversion of your FP prices in my head to AUD and I'd say we are slightly more expensive on most things. Quality here is first class, but you pay for it.

[wugwa]

Kia Ora

Expat Kiwi and grotty yotti living close to the ICW in North Carolina.

Hmmmmm Whangarei is not in OZ. Its a city in New Zealand in the far North and not like any Australian burg. (and vice versa).

The east coast of OZ south of 31 degrees and at hand. There is "Newcastle", "Lake Macquarie" "Port Stephens", "The Entrance", "The Pittwater" and then "Port Jackson". South of Sydney Botany Bay and then "Eden."

There is also the international fraternity of Yacht Clubs, that will offer a mooring or berth for a short time for international sailboats who are sail-club members.

Do some googling.......................it helps.

Paul

[El Pinguino]

I second Tasmania.. you probably want to go there anyway and you sure wouldn''t want to be there in winter....

[wugwa]

Would Norfolk Island or Deal Island in the Bass Straight suffice. The lighthouse keeper would most probably enjoy the company as its remote but good anchoring in the summer only.