A large share of people searching for driving lessons in Glebe have never sat in the driver’s seat before — many are University of Sydney students learning later than most of their friends did, and feeling a bit self-conscious about it. Julia has spent more than 23 years teaching exactly this kind of learner, is fully RMS accredited, and takes every lesson herself, so there’s no unfamiliar instructor to adjust to halfway through your course.

Glebe’s mix of roads makes it a genuinely good place to learn. Its quieter residential streets suit the very first lessons well — car control, kerb pull-ins and pull-outs, and building basic observation skills without the pressure of heavy traffic. From there, Julia gradually builds you up toward Parramatta Road, City Road and Glebe Point Road, where you’ll need real confidence in lane changing, merging and reading traffic. Glebe’s light rail line also means learning to manage level crossings safely, something Julia covers as part of hazard awareness and defensive driving.

Julia’s ten-lesson course takes you logically from the basics through roundabouts, defensive driving, lane changes, freeway introduction and full driving test preparation, with a clear idea of what each lesson covers from day one. If you’d rather focus on specific skills, or you’re short on time before an upcoming test, lessons can be tailored instead. Every student receives free written notes, diagrams and mini video demonstrations to study between lessons — handy if you’re also juggling uni assignments. Each lesson opens and closes with a quick review of how you’re tracking, and Julia keeps a written progress report so you can see exactly what’s improved from one week to the next. If you’re still on your Learner Licence, she can also point you toward the free Keys2Drive lesson.

• Car control and observation for absolute beginners
• Lane changing and merging on Parramatta Road and City Road
• Managing light rail crossings and busy intersections
• Roundabouts and hazard awareness
• Driving test preparation and mock test routes

Alongside university and high school students, Julia teaches learners with anxiety, autism, ADHD and learning difficulties, mature-age learners starting from scratch, and those converting an overseas licence. She’s a registered NDIS provider, and her calm, unhurried, softly spoken teaching style is a genuine drawcard for students who’ve found other instructors too abrupt or too fast-paced.