Name given to a group of suburbs in Sydney, Australia.

Mostly lying along the eponymous "North Shore" of Sydney Harbour, these days the term North Shore extends to suburbs that are certainly not harbourside, but are rather in the same general area (north of the Coathanger), and with the consistant feature of being wealthier than surrounding suburbs.

You will hear "North Shore" used in at least three ways in Australian English:

  1. Mocking. "Oh, she's so North Shore with her new jacket..." The tall poppy syndrome in action!
    Or "Those wankers go to North Shore." Referring originally and specifically to North Shore Boys High School, this insult, with a slight grammatical alteration, could be directed at anyone whose school is in the North Shore area.

  2. Boasting. "Oh yes, we just bought on the North Shore." The eternal real estate snobbery of the Sydney nouveau-riche, trying to convince themselves they're keeping up with Sydney old money. Old Money owns all the land on the southern shore of the harbour in places like Rose Bay, and Point Piper.

  3. Purely Geographical, with a hint of the exclusive. "Where's that Chocaholic restaurant again?" "Oh, somewhere on the North Shore." Notice the grammar here, it's still on even though the changing boundaries have made in seem more correct.