Menai is a quiet suburb on the western edge of the Sutherland Shire where Sydneysiders go for a quieter life. The spacious streets and larger homes make it popular with families, plus those looking for room to grow.
Its unique blend of city and bush give homeowners a huge range of options to pick a lifestyle that suits them, without sacrificing any of life’s important amenities. This is a generally well thought of suburb that is quiet and safe, with a close-knit community and plenty of access to the outdoors.
Benefits of living in Menai
Schools
For any families with children in Year 6 or under, Menai Public School will likely be their first school. Bangor Public School also partly covers Menai, as does Tharawal Public School.
As the kids move up into high school, they’ll typically move to Menai High School, though Lucas Heights Community School is also in the area (serving kindergarten up to year 12).
Schools for children with special needs and religious schools are also available in the Sutherland Shire, for families where this would be more appropriate.
Transport links
Situated on the edge of the Shire and with large areas of bushland, Menai feels like a world away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. But with that feeling of escape comes slightly fewer public transport options than other, busier parts of the Shire.
It’s easy to get around by car in Menai, with roomy neighbourhoods, less traffic and quick access to the A6 – which passes right through the middle of the suburb. There are also bus connections throughout the area to help you get from one place to another without a car, and the Sutherland train station is only 10 or so minutes away by car (or 15 mins on the 962 bus).
Retail and dining
Menai has everything you’d need in daily life, plus a few extras to help you enjoy life here on the weekends.
Menai Marketplace is the main shopping hub, featuring over 70 stores including a number of big brand chains like Woolworths and Big W, plus cafes, bakeries and other eateries. Here there’s also a library and community centre, making it the heart of the area. Another mall exists over the road (Menai Central) to add even more choice.
For those big shops, or just as an excuse for an outing, the big Westfield Miranda is only 20 minutes down the road.
Sports and recreation
When it comes time to get outside and enjoy the area, Menai comes loaded with greenspaces that are great for exercise, weekends with the kids and daily walks.
Menai Park is one of the main spaces that locals love, offering a children’s playground, skate park, picnic and barbecue facilities, and basketball court. There are many other small parks and reserves throughout Menai, and Menai Conservation Park is a big drawcard at the weekend – a great place to see rare or endangered plants, and to go for a stroll amidst the greenery.
The further west you go, the bushier things get, opening up a world of hiking, mountain biking and four-wheel drive opportunities. Royal National Park is just to the south of the Shire, and if you want a trip to the beach then pop across the region to Cronulla and Kurnell beyond.
Menai property market snapshot
Note: These figures present a snapshot of the Menai property market at time of writing. Figures may have changed since then. To get a more up to date idea of property prices in the area, check out listings for sale in Menai or contact us for advice.
Menai is one of the larger suburbs of the Sutherland Shire, with a mainly middle-aged population of families and working professionals who own their own home. While it does have a market for units and rentals, it’s smaller than in other more metropolitan parts of the region.
- Median house price: $1,550,000 (up 11.5%)
- Median unit price: $995,000 (up 2.8%)
Investment properties have performed well recently in Menai, showing that even though the market isn’t as sizeable, it can still generate results. Rental yields and vacancy rates are on par with places like Cronulla or Caringbah, but with lower prices.
- Average rental yields, homes: 3.3%
- Average rental yields, units: 4%
- Median weekly rent, homes: $850
- Median weekly rent, units: $700
- Current vacancy rate: 0.3%
Sources: Data from realestate.com.au, Domain, Real Estate Investar
Frequently asked questions about Sutherland
Is Menai a good suburb?
Menai is considered a good suburb, yes. Given its unique location at the edge of the Sutherland Shire, it offers both a typical city suburb feel as well as a more rural bush atmosphere. Its community is quite active and the people are very friendly, though it is quieter than the busier areas of the Shire – making it popular for families with kids.
What is the population of Menai?
At the last census, the population of Menai was put at nearly 10,500, with a median age of 39 and a modest population of families with one to two children. Domain puts the average age a little higher (40 to 59) and the population at 10,300, half of which are families.
What is Menai named after?
Menai is named after a town in Wales called Menai Bridge, which sits on the Menai Strait in the north-west of the country. The suburb was originally called Bangor (another Welsh town, situated opposite Menai Bridge across the strait) – a name selected the by area’s first permanent European settler, Owen Jones, as it was his birthplace. Later on, to avoid confusion with a town in Tasmania of the same name, the Postmaster General’s Office changed it to Menai in 1910.
But, those Bangor roots remained. Menai expanded as the Shire’s population grew during the 20th century, and the eastern portion was eventually renamed back to Bangor – hence why the neighbouring suburb still retains that original Welsh name.