Ku-ring-gai residents happiest in Australia

Natural beauty, good coffee, family-friendly neighbourhoods and convenient public transport — no wonder Ku-ring-gai has been named one of the happiest places to live in Australia.

Patricia Harris, Yvonne Harris, Donna Greenfield, Tracey Ferguson, Anne Atherton and dog Bundy at Wahroonga Park. Picture: Troy Snook

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Natural beauty, good coffee, family-friendly neighbourhoods and convenient public transport — no wonder Ku-ring-gai has been named one of the happiest places to live in Australia.

The Bond University in Queensland’s Happiness Project used factors including education, community, jobs, wealth, accessibility,health, work-life balance and safety to determine quality of life across Australia.

Friends Patricia Harris, Yvonne Harris, Tracey Ferguson, Donna Greenfield, Anne Atherton and dog Bundy love Ku-ring-gai. Picture: Troy Snook

Along Woollahra, Ku-ring-gai scored 10 out of 10; the highest of 540 local government areas across the country.

Turramaurra resident Patricia Harris is always singing Ku-ring-gai’s praises.

“I always tell people there’s a lot of bush walks and a nice community feel,’’ she said.

Ms Harris grew up in Chatswood and moved to the suburb from Hunters Hill 16 years ago. She said Turramurra was also a drawcard for families.

“There’s a lot more schools to choose,’’ she said.

Picturesque parks such as Wahroonga Park make Ku-ring-gai residents happy. Picture: Troy Snook

“It’s a good family environment and you’ve got everything around — you don’t have to go out other than to go to work.

“We’ve got shopping centres and cafes and good trains.”

A strong sense of community has kept Wahroonga resident Donna Greenfield in the Ku-ring-gai area since 1968 after she moved from Sutherland shire to Gordon.

A neighbour young girl knocked on her family’s door and asked to play with Donna.

“I think it was the first day we lived in that house and we became very fast friends for a very, very long time, and that was the start of my life in Ku-ring-gai,” Ms Greenfields, who is also a Ku-ring-gai councillor, said.

“It has a lovely community feel.

“We have spaces; people can have a life outside, and there’s a food and wine festival.

“We are trying to bring the community together all the time.”

She also adores the bushland and credits the natural landscape for keeping people happy.

“I think you need greenery and you need trees and it’s proven trees help people feel good and lift their spirits,’’ she said.

“Concrete’s not good for people.”