Greenwich is a suburb on the Lower North Shore and part of the local government area of the Municipality of Lane Cove. Located 7 kilometres north-west of the Sydney CBD, the suburb occupies approximately 170 hectares, bounded by Lane Cove Artarmon and St Leonards in the north, Wollstonecraft in the east, Waverton, Birchgrove and Woolwich in the south, and Northwood and Longueville in the west.
ABOUT GREENWICH
History
Sydney’s North Shore was originally inhabited by the Birrabirragal, Boregal, Kuringgai, Wallumedegal, Gorualgal and Cammeraygal Aboriginal people.
Between 1794 and 1814, the first European settlement was recorded across the land now known as the local government areas of Hornsby Shire, Ku-ring-gai Council, Municipality of Lane Cove, Mosman Council, City of Willoughby, Municipality of Hunters Hill and North Sydney Council. The LGAs were named after notable European settlers, including Police Constable Samuel Horne, John Lane, Archibald Mossman, Sir James Willoughby Gordon, Captain John Hunter, and 1st Viscount Sydney Thomas Townshend. Only the Ku-ring-gai Council was named after its original inhabitants, the Kuringgai Aboriginal people.
Based on the Cumberland County mapping from 1792 to 1894, four local government areas were derived from the Parish of Willoughby, including the City of Willoughby, Mosman Council, Municipality of Lane Cove and North Sydney, which was formerly known as St Leonards.
Greenwich was named after its namesake area in South East London, England, by the banks of the River Thames. Other nearby suburbs, such as Putney, Woolwich and Henly, were also named after Thames localities.The Parramatta River is known as the ‘Thames of the Antipodes’.
The first recorded European settlement in the area was in 1788. One of the early land grants were given to William Gore in 1813. Gore built a road from his farm at Artarmon to Gore Cove, which was the beginning of Greenwich Road.
In the 1830s, the shipbuilding industry began on the foreshore after George Green and his father Amaziah bought land in Greenwich with access to the harbour. By the early 1880s, Greenwich Point already had a post office, general store, a school and around 16 houses. Between the 1880s and the 1940s a number of successful dairies operated in Greenwich, run by the Anderson, Hogan, Mather and Clarke families.
Light industry was set up along the foreshores of Greenwich, including shipbuilding, brickmaking, quarrying, and the Patent Asphaltum Company. The Shell Transport and Trading Company opened a terminal at Gore Bay in 1901. Today, fuel products unloaded at Gore Bay are transferred by an underground pipe to the Clyde Refinery.
Demographics
As of 2016, Greenwich is home to 5,613 people. Australia-born citizens represent 61.7 per cent of the local population, with other residents born in England, New Zealand, China and India. About 74.9 per cent of people spoke only English at home, while others speak Mandarin and Cantonese.
Famous residents
Among the notable residents of Greenwich is artist, cartoonist, puppeteer and teacher Norman Hetherington, who is best remembered as the creator of one of Australia's longest running children's shows Mr. Squiggle. He was the sole operator and voice of the star performer.
Antonia Kidman, journalist, TV presenter and the younger sister of actress Nicole Kidman, also called Greenwich home, as well as ABC radio and television presenter Andrew Olle and The Harp in the South author Ruth Park.
LIFESTYLE
Greenwich occupies a peninsula on the northern side of Sydney Harbour, at the opening of the Lane Cove River. The suburb features harbour views, pockets of bushland, shops, restaurants, cafes and a harbour swimming pool.
Public transport
All local government areas in the North Shore region are serviced by the Pacific Highway.
Hornsby Shire and Ku-ring-gai Council are served by the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway while the Lane Cove Council is served by the Lane Cove Tunnel, the City of Willoughby served by the Gore Hill Freeway, the North Sydney Council served by the Bardfield Highway and Warringah Freeway and Hornsby Shire served by the Hills (M2) Motorway, and Pennant Hills Road.
Greenwich Point ferry wharf on the Parramatta River is served by Sydney Ferries Cockatoo Island ferry, which runs between Circular Quay and Cockatoo Island. A second wharf on the Lane Cove River is served by peak-hour Captain Cook Cruises.
State Transit bus route 265 from Greenwich Point runs to McMahons Point and Lane Cove. The closest train stations are at Wollstonecraft and St Leonards.
Schools and universities
Some of the most notable schools across Sydney’s North Shore are:
- Greenwich Public School- opened in 1876; attended by the children of former Prime Minister John Howard
- TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute (Hornsby College)
- TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute (St Leonards Campus)
- TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute (Bradfield Senior College)
- Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview
- The Northern Sydney Institute (Greenwich Campus)
- Australian Catholic University (North Sydney - MacKillop Campus)
- Sydney Church of England Grammar School
- St Joseph’s College
Hospitals
Among the major hospitals in North Shore are:
- Sydney Adventist Hospital (The SAN)
- Lady Davidson Private Hospital
- Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital
- HammondCare Greenwich Hospital
- Royal North Shore Hospital
- North Shore Private Hospital
- The Mater Hospital
Landmarks
Some of the major landmarks across North Shore are:
- Lane Cove National Park
- Lane Cove River
- Lane Cove Music and Cultural Centre
- Lane Cove Bushland Park
- St Thomas Rest Park
- Northside Community Church
- Sydney Harbour National Park
- HMAS Penguin Naval Base
- Taronga Zoo
- Mosman Art Gallery
Shopping centers
Some of the major shopping centres and shopping districts across North Shore are:
- St Ives Village Shopping Centre
- Westfield Hornsby Shopping Centre
- Hornsby Mall
- Lane Cove Plaza
- Lane Cove Market Square
- Chatswood Chase Shopping Centre
- Westfield Chatswood Shopping Centre
- Chatswood Central
Sports and recreation
The Greenwich Village Games are held every four years and features a number of sports and competitions.
Some of the major sports and recreation facilities in Greenwich and across Lane Cove are:
- Bob Campbell Oval (Gore Creek Oval)
- Lane Cove Aquatic Centre
- Greenwich Sports Club
- Scout Hall (eastern Greenwich)
Login
