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.

[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.

[Wellington]

Thank you very much everyone for your precious feedback. We have started to check all the places you mention.

Insurance: below 31 degrees means the cheapest premium with no specific constraints. But if the cost of life in (for instance) Pittwater is much more expensive than Brisbane, then we could decide to spend the cyclone season there.

Here are our parameters (= same as 90% of cruising families I guess):
- security (risk of theft, unsafe to swim because of sharks, crocodiles - any in Lake Macquarie? etc)
- if on the hook or buoy, possibility to leave the boat for a couple of weeks without worrying too much
- local cost of life (food, transportation, etc... What kind of difference can we expect between Pittwater and Port Macquarie, for instance?)
- convenience (presence of a dinghy dock, shops within walking distance)
- possible local nuisances (mosquitoes, pollution, noise from traffic...)
- privacy (not too close to shore / urbanized areas, even if, after 2 years in French Polynesia, we don't expect to skinny dip nor be able to shower outside anymore)
- ease of access from land (bus lines or car rental)
- good and safe schools nearby
Any of you know how much, about, we would have to pay to sign up our children, as non-residents? (High school, Middle school and Primary school) - we haven't done our homework yet. Can major differences be expected, for public schools, between a suburb of Sydney or Brisbane, and a small town?
Thanks!


PS: Yes, it did cross our mind that Hobart must be an "Australian Wellington", but after more than 3 years swimming nearly everyday in warm waters, we are not sure we can handle the cold... We will check though.

[wugwa]

No 'little men in grey suits' in lake Macq and its too far south for roco's. The bar is too shallow to let sharks in as well as deep drafted sailboats Etc.

Me thinks cost of living gets cheaper the farther one gets from cities. Education in the main is government run and as a non citizen/resident its expensive. The Pittwater is bush, not that well built up in places but has the basics.

Port Macq is expensive in the summer, but dead and all locals in the winter. Pollution is slight, no mozzies in de winta.

Lots of 'blue rinse' old farts.......don't let em see you skinny dippin, but has some nice sea beaches with good surf.

Paul