What are the best areas south of Perth, WA to live?

Looking to buy a property in Australia and want to be near Perth. What are the best areas south of the city to live in?

I actually meant near Perth, within 20km, not 180km south of the city!!! No help from the person who is considered a top contributer!!!

Only Ally's answer is within your range as 20km is still weel within "inner city".

20kms will also include Lesmurdie - Wattle Grove, Orange Grove, in the hills to the south east, then Cannington has all the shops and facilities bar no other place in Perth, Victoria Park - Lathlain is handy as well as a good investment. Canning Vale, Jandakot, Leeming, Riverton, Shelly, Bullcreek, Melville, Palmyra as well are very upmarket now a days. And Ally has given you the ritzy suburbs of Applecross Bicton, South Perth, Como etc already.
If I had to choose one and finance wasn't a hassle I'd look around Mount Pleasant - Applecross - Bicton - East Fremantle.

Margaret River

I lived in lynwood for 3 years and loved it there, plenty of local shopping and hotels they don't call them pubs. Good schools and lots of Poms. Another very nice area close to Lynwood is Parkwood, Doctors Surgery close by.also good bus service into Perth, Half an hours ride

South Perth, Applecross, Attadale, Bicton are all nice suburbs. South Perth is only about 7 mins drive from the CBD and Applecross and Attadale are 10-15 minutes drive. They are expensive to buy in though, an average 3 bed 2 bath house will easily be $800,000. Melville and booragoon are slightly cheaper and still very good areas, just not close to the river. Have a look at realestate.com.au and search these suburbs and surrounds

Rockingham, Kwinana, Warnboro, Waikiki, Hillman.
Mandurah is outside of your requirements, but is also a good place to settle.
Anywhere on the Cockburn Sound is great.

Areas around Cockburn are not far at all from the city. There is now a southern suburbs train line that makes getting out of the city easier and back in meaning that you can afford to live further out and still be close.

Around that area which takes about 15 or 20 minutes to get into the city by train are suburbs such as Atwell, Beeliar, Yangebup, South Lake.

www.transperth.wa.gov.au is our local transport website that may give you ideas of where to live in relation to the city and accessing public transport.

I am also a fan of Mandurah which by train is 50 minutes to the city but you can live 5 minutes from everything, water, shops, parks, schools etc.

Hope this helps