What can you tell me about that place. All I know is that it is around 20 km or so from Sydney. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

It's one of Sydney's northern suburbs. I've driven through it. I don't know what to tell you about it. It's a pleasant enough residential suburb. I have a friend who lives there. I also have two sets of friends in the nearby suburb of Turramurra.

Here's a map of Sydney. St. Ives is just under the "K" in the top row of letters that indicate the map's grid.

You'll notice that there is a wooded area called Davidson Park just to the east of St. Ives. Those wooded areas in Sydney's suburbs are very attractive, but they do make people nervous when bush fires get close. The last set of big bush fires came to within 200 metres of one of our Turramurra friends' homes.

Our Turramurra and St. Ives friends have supermarkets, etc., nearby, but they go to Chatswood when they want to do big shopping.

I've been to the Turramurra train station, but I don't know if St. Ives has a train station, if that's relevant to you.

Here is a map of the train stations in the northern half of Greater Sydney:

http://www.sydney-australia.biz/maps/trains-north.html

As far as road travel is concerned, you may have noticed on the previous map that St. Ives has good access to Hwy #3.

Hi Emy, often known locally as Snives, its a leafy, rather-upmarket suburb on Sydney's North Shore. Not to be confused with any shoreline, there isn't one. Its more or less bounded by Pacific Highway and Mona Vale Rd, which does lead to Sydney's best northern beaches (no train service). I think the nearest railway station for city service would be Wahroonga.

As above, affluent,leafy north shore suburb. Borders garigal and other national parks.Short trip down mona vale road to the northern beaches.
Acron Oval,st ives is one of my favourite cricket grounds in sydney.

Quite a large population of south africans have accumulated there over the past 20 years.Go to the snives woolies and listen to the accents.

You are not south african are you?