A place for families to follow in each others’ footsteps

I live in Kingswood. It’s the latest in a series of western Sydney suburbs that I have inhabited after growing up in the area. I did spend some time away living in other areas but you always feel the most connection with where you grew up.

My family is here and now my two kids are being raised in the area, too. I know it sounds corny but it makes me happy to think that they will visit and play in some of the same places I did as a kid. They have played in some of the same parks and swum in the same pools.

A lot of things are said about western Sydney, not all of it very complimentary, but that perception is unfair. Many of those things are said by people whose idea of western Sydney is anywhere farther away than King Street, Newtown. Come further afield one day, I promise we won’t bite!

Best cafe? The Coffee Mate. Does it have some of the fancy (and expensive) menu items that fancy cafes closer to the city have? No. Does it have tasty food and friendly service? Yes. Most importantly, is it on the ground floor of my apartment building, meaning I can take the lift down to breakfast? Also yes.

Best restaurant? If ever I am going for a cheeky DoorDash, which is more often than I care to admit, I’m usually drawn to Thai Tae restaurant in Penrith’s Westfield. Great food (and fast delivery).

Penrith Beach officially opened on December 19 giving residents of Western Sydney a new watering hole to escape the oppressive heat that plagues the region.Credit: Dean Sewell

Best beach, park or pool? Currently it has to be Ripples at Penrith. Generations of kids in the area have wiled away the ridiculously hot summer daylight hours at Ripples, ignoring the orders of the lifeguards not to run on the pool deck. (Sorry to the lifeguards I ignored.) However, now Penrith has its own beach! Sort of. So that is a must-visit.

First place you take visitors? This is a little further west, so not strictly in Kingswood, but you have to take visitors to the stunning combination of Leura and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Truly an underrated tourist destination.

Perfect night out in your suburb? Every now and again Penrith City Council hosts a movie night in Kingswood’s Wainwright Park for families. Under the summer night sky, with the kids on a beanbag and chowing down on free popcorn, and the parents free to chat, it is idyllic.

Secret spot: quiet time at the NSW State Archives in Kingswood.Credit: Kate Geraghty

What would make your suburb better? More shade, please! There is just not enough in the whole Penrith City Council area. In summer it can get very hot in Penrith and feeling the sun searing down onto the hot concrete makes it far worse.

Best secret spot in your suburb? The NSW State Archives Reading Room. Who would think that documents containing fascinating information about the history of our state dating back to 1788 would be located in little old Kingswood? If you like this kind of thing, it’s a great place to be.

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