Northwood is a suburb on the Lower North Shore and part of the local government area of the Municipality of Lane Cove. Located 8 kilometres north-west of the Sydney CBD, the suburb is bounded by Lane Cove, Osborne Park and Gore Hill in the north, Greenwich in the east, Woolwich in the south and Longueville in the west.
ABOUT NORTHWOOD
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
Northwood’s name was derived from the Northwood House, which was designed and built in 1878 and was named as such to be descriptive of the suburb’s location—a “woodland area in the north”.
During the post-war years, the rest of North Shore also saw the most significant development, with population and medium- to high-density housing growing rapidly. Several suburbs stood out as growth centres, including Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Dural, Gordon, Killara, St Ives, Turramurra, Wahroong, Chatswood, Artarmon, St Leonards and North Sydney,
The 21st century saw urban consolidation across the region, with multiple infrastructure, transport systems and different types of dwellings built to support the needs of the 400,000-strong population of the entire North Shore area.
Demographics
As of 2016, Northwood is home to 982 people. Australia-born citizens represent 68.7 per cent of the local population, with other residents born in England, Malaysia, New Zealand, the United States of America and China. About 81.0 per cent of people spoke only English at home, while others speak Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Spanish and Italian.
Famous residents
Northwood was home to landscape painter and two-time Wynne Prize winner Lloyd Rees, whose works are known for their depiction of the effects of light and their emphasis on the harmony between man and nature.
Portrait artist William “Bill” Pigeon, who won the Archibald Prize three times, also hails from the suburb.
LIFESTYLE
Most of the land across the North Shore region are predominantly residential, with significant rural, commercial, industrial and military use as well as parklands, reserves, waterways, foreshores, beaches and bushlands.
Sydney’s North Shore is known mainly for its elegant neighbourhoods that are sought-after by professionals and families for its prestigious school catchments and easy access to the city centre, major commercial areas and employment hubs through efficient transport systems.
The region also boasts multiple well-known landmarks across its local government areas, as well as several multicultural festivals.
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.
Other main transport routes across the region are the Military Road and parts of Ryde Road and Mona Vale Road.
North Shore, Northern & Western Line provides access to the Sydney CBD, while ferries connect harbourside suburbs to Circular Quay and the CBD. Transdev NSW and State Transit Authority provide bus services across Upper North Shore and Lower North Shore, respectively.
The upcoming Sydney Metro, which is expected to commence operations in 2019, will run through Chatswood and Crows Nest, linking Sydney’s North West and South West to Sydney City.
Schools and universities
Some of the most notable schools across Sydney’s North Shore are:
- 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 (McMahons Point 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 McMahons Point Hospital
- Royal North Shore Hospital
- North Shore Private Hospital
- The Mater Hospital
Landmarks
Some of the major landmarks across North Shore are:
- Luna Park
- Lane Cove National Park
- North Sydney Circle Walk
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Great North Walk
- Lane Cove Music and Cultural Centre
- Parramatta River Regional Park (Bedlam Bay)
- The Priory
- 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
- Bridgepoint Shopping Centre
Sports and recreation
North Shore’s residents and visitors enjoy several sports activities, including golf and swimming. The region is home to notable sports centres, such as the North Sydney Olympic Pool and North Sydney Oval.
Other sports centres in Sydney’s North Shore are:
- Asquith Golf Club
- Pennant Hills Golf Club
- Thornleigh Brickpit Sports Stadium
- Hornsby Aquatic and Leisure Centre
- Galston Aquatic and Leisure Centre
- Lane Cove Aquatic Centre
- Lane Cove Golf Course
- Castlecove Golf Club
- Chatswood Golf Club
- Northbridge Golf Club
- Mosman Swim Centre
- Cammeray Golf Course
- North Sydney Olympic Pool
- North Sydney Oval
Login
