We had been young professionals living in an apartment in the Riverwood area. We wanted to escape the dramas of strata living to find our own space. We couldn’t afford anything large and relatively new in the areas where we grew up. And we are not renovators. Heading west to new developments was the best way to get bang for our buck – a backyard for cricket or soccer, bedrooms for future children and a study for working from home. And yes, our houses are big in Colebee (as are our mortgages). We moved here for “lifestyle reasons”, long before the ABS discovered so many of them in Colebee. Granted, we have ducted air-con because it gets HOT out here in summer. But then, I’ve seen a kangaroo go bounding past my back fence (although the local wild deer are a more common sighting). I am an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney Business School and my husband works in professional services. We are products of the NSW public school system. Education matters to us – and both our boys attend great local schools. Nearby we have William Dean Public School and the multi-award winning Plumpton High. There is a range of private options (and a range of fee brackets). You might recall the 2002 documentary Plumpton High Babies. This school was already an innovator, at the time, in letting pregnant teenagers carry on at school once their babies were born. Nevertheless, all that exposure no doubt fed into stereotypes about the area. But Plumpton High is still a groundbreaker, and last year it was honoured among The Educator 5-Star Innovative Schools. A multicultural school, it sends a large proportion of its graduates to university. We love that these schools are melting pots, all united by the common thread of wanting the best for our kids. The demographics are changing but, despite our suburb’s official “advantage” status, some families still struggle. It was a sobering moment when I had to explain to my then five-year-old that we didn’t need to accept a free loaf of bread, bag of potatoes and watermelon from Foodbank. There were others in need. Our neighbourhood isn’t just for professionals. It’s a vibrant mix of tradespeople, entrepreneurs, remote workers, retirees and multi-generational households, all aspiring to create a personal haven away from the world’s hustle and bustle. The community is what makes living here great. There are walking paths everywhere, families with kids on scooters and bikes, couples walking dogs with a pram. Residents leave out free herbs and other garden produce for passing neighbours.