Stanwell Park is a picturesque semi-rural beach suburb 26 kilometres north of Wollongong CBD.
The beach stretches between two bush clad headlands.
The cliffs at each end offer fantastic views of the coast as well as opportunities for paragliding.
The surf is popular for its consistent left and right hand breaks and it can get busy down there when the waves are high.
The median price for a house in Stanwell park, during the year to May 2010,was $751,000- a good couple of hundred thousand more than for the region as a whole.
This reflects the high value placed on scenic beach communities these days- especially those not too far from the facilities of a main centre.
Most people who live in Stanwell park work in Wollongong or commute to Sydney.
According to the 2006 census, more than 13% of residents work in the education and training sector and a further 10.
5 % in health services.
Facilities in the village include a general store, the Essential Surf store, Tea by the Sea and the Palms Cafe, as well as Articles fine arts gallery and the Stanwell Park Arts Theatre.
There is a public primary school in Stanwell Park, and several high schools in neighbouring suburbs.
One of the closest is Bulli High, which has a specialist performing arts unit.
The nearest selective secondary school is Smiths High School in central Wollongong.
None of the Wollongong schools are too far to commute if you have a strong preference, especially if you take advantage of the regular rail service.