Northern Suburbs (Sydney)
Encyclopedia
The Northern Suburbs is a general term used to describe the metropolitan area on the northern bank of the Parramatta River
in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
east of West Pennant Hills and west of the Lane Cove National Park
, south of Hornsby
. This area includes suburbs in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire
, City of Ryde
, City of Parramatta
and Municipality of Hunters Hill. Because this is not a clearly defined region (although having a clearly differently defined lifestyle and social groups over the north shore region), the term 'Northern Suburbs' may also be applied to suburbs in the Upper North Shore, Lower North Shore, Hills District and even the Northern Beaches.
The Northern Suburbs of Sydney are characterised by pristine waterways with immense greenery, a good public transport system, large plots of land, and substantial bungalow style homes. The region is home to an innumerable amount of parks and reserves, the region's largest being Pennant Hills Park. Major waterways in the region include the Parramatta River
, Lane Cove River
and the many creek systems that branch out from these aquatic lifelines.
The suburbs and localities of the region generally known as Northern Suburbs are:
Sport is represented in many areas in the region, Ryde-Eastwood leagues club is the Club in the area, in regard to Rugby League and it covers the area of the famed Holy Cross College, Ryde. This league following can be attributed to the large Catholic population of the early developmental days of Rugby League in Australia, though the area now only retains two Junior rugby league clubs, both feeding to Holy Cross.
Eastwood District Rugby Union Football club
represents the region in Rugby Union. It is considered one of the stronger clubs in the Shute Shield, consistently performing well. This club is considered a gateway club for Rugby Union into the Western Sydney area. Its consistent performance is due to the fact it has established a strong Juniors and Sub District competition within the area, many children from the area are sent to the elite private schools of Sydney and hold Rugby Union as the preferred code. Local school St Josephs, Hunters Hill is a traditional rugby school and the Kings School to the west help reinforce this strength.
(Ryde-Hunters Hill & Western Lane Cove) tribe. The first settlement in the Northern Suburbs and in fact the third-earliest in Australia, after Sydney and Parramatta, was at Ryde; then known by the Aboriginal name Wallumetta.
Little is known about the original inhabitants of the Northern districts. All of the information that we have is from the accounts of Europeans in the first few years of the founding of the colony. The territory from Sydney Cove to Parramatta, on the northern side of the Parramatta River, was thought to be that of the Wallumedegal, and had the aboriginal name Wallumetta, the territory of the Wallumede people.
Aboriginal people in the Sydney district were clans of larger groups sharing a common language. Three language groups have been identified in the Sydney Region - the Kuringgai (or Guringai), the Dharug (or Dharruk / Dharuk / Darug), and the Dharawal(or Tharawal). The Wallumedegal are thought to have been within the Dharug speaking area.
On 3 January 1792, the first land in the Ryde area was granted to eight marines, along the northern bank of the river between Sydney and Parramatta. The area was named by Governor Phillip the 'Field of Mars', Mars being the ancient God of war, named to reflect the military association with these new settlers. Today's Field of Mars Reserve is the remnant of a district which once extended from Dundas to the Lane Cove River. These grants were followed soon after by grants to ten emancipated convicts in February 1792, the land being further to the east of the marines grants, thus the area was called Eastern Farms or the Eastern Boundary. By 1794 the name Eastern Farms had given way to Kissing Point, a name believed to have originated from the way in which heavily laden boats passing up the Parramatta River bumped or 'kissed' the rocky outcrop which extends into the river at today's Kissing Point.
Further grants were issued in 1794 and 1795, gradually occupying most of the foreshores between Meadowbank and Gladesville.
Some of the grants were at the North Brush, north of the Field of Mars settlement, in the area of Brush Farm and Eastwood. Most of the Grants were small, from thirty to 100 acre (0.404686 km²).
By 1803 most of the accessible land had been granted. Settlement was based along the Parramatta River and overlooking ridges. Governor King recognised that most of the smaller settlers had insufficient land for their stock but it was not possible to grant them larger allotments. In 1804 it was decided that a 'traditional English common' - a large area of public land for use by local inhabitants - would be set aside. Six commons were gazetted.
The Field of Mars Common, an area of approximately 5050 acres (20.4 km²) located north of the Field of Mars and the Eastern Farms, covered most of the Ryde municipality. The village itself comprised only a modest scattering of houses in a few streets around the church, surrounded by farms, orchards and some large estates. Nevertheless the name was well established by 12 November 1870 when the Municipal district of Ryde was officially proclaimed.
has frequent services to the city via Strathfield
with the integration of the new Epping to Chatswood rail link into the Northern railway Line
.
There are also an abundance of bus routes serving the region such as the 200 series bus routes and the 500 series bus routes, all operated by Sydney Buses. The Southern part of this region is frequented by ferry services to the CBD and westbound towards Parramatta.
, The Ryde Civic Plaza, Brush Farm House in Eastwood
, Gladesville Bridge
, Ryde Bridge
, Ryde Hospital, Macquarie Centre
& Ice Skating Rink and Curzon Hall in Marsfield
.
Landmark churches and cathedrals in the area include St Annes in Top Ryde
(Australia's third oldest) and St Andrews in Eastwood
.
and North Ryde
) are where many global companies have their Asia Pacific or Australian Headquarters.
The area is undisputedly Australia's hi-tech hub and is home to scores of international corporations including Microsoft
, Boeing
, Fujitsu
, HP, Avaya
and Optus
. The area also has the Ryde-Hunters Hill Equestrian Club, a quality golf course, an Olympic
field hockey
venue, the Macquarie University
and Macquarie Centre
.
held in the suburb of Eastwood
usually in October of each year. The festival's attendance record set in 2004 currently stands at approximately just over 90,000. Many are attracted each year by the live bands, shows, stores, rides, the main street parade down Rowe Street and of course the massive fireworks display in the skies over Eastwood.
Other festivals/events include: The Ryde Aquatic Festival & Bridge to Bridge run, the Guringgai Festival honouring northern Sydney's Aboriginals, the Moocooboola Festival at Hunters Hill, and the Ryde Summer Festival which mainly includes outdoor cinemas
. All local government areas in the region and around the country celebrate Australia Day
, which is the 26th of January.
Parramatta River
The Parramatta River is a waterway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson, along with the smaller Lane Cove and Duck Rivers....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
east of West Pennant Hills and west of the Lane Cove National Park
Lane Cove National Park
Lane Cove National Park is a small national park located within metropolitan Sydney. The park islocated about ten kilometres north-west of the Sydney CBD...
, south of Hornsby
Hornsby
- Places :* Hornsby, Cumbria, a place in Cumbria, Northern England* Hornsby, New South Wales, suburb of Sydney, Australia** Hornsby Shire, New South Wales, local government area of Sydney...
. This area includes suburbs in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire
Hornsby Shire
Hornsby Shire is a Local Government Area in the Northern region of Sydney, Australia. The Shire stretches from the suburb of Eastwood in the south to the Hawkesbury River town of Wisemans Ferry, some to the north...
, City of Ryde
City of Ryde
The City of Ryde is a Local Government Area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on the Lower North Shore and Greater Western Sydney over West Ryde and Eastwood District....
, City of Parramatta
City of Parramatta
The City of Parramatta is a Local Government Area in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.Initially in 1861 it was formed as Municipality of Parramatta...
and Municipality of Hunters Hill. Because this is not a clearly defined region (although having a clearly differently defined lifestyle and social groups over the north shore region), the term 'Northern Suburbs' may also be applied to suburbs in the Upper North Shore, Lower North Shore, Hills District and even the Northern Beaches.
The Northern Suburbs of Sydney are characterised by pristine waterways with immense greenery, a good public transport system, large plots of land, and substantial bungalow style homes. The region is home to an innumerable amount of parks and reserves, the region's largest being Pennant Hills Park. Major waterways in the region include the Parramatta River
Parramatta River
The Parramatta River is a waterway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson, along with the smaller Lane Cove and Duck Rivers....
, Lane Cove River
Lane Cove River
The Lane Cove River is a tributary of the Parramatta River, Sydney, Australia. Its lower reaches form an arm of Sydney Harbour.-Description:...
and the many creek systems that branch out from these aquatic lifelines.
Suburbs and localities of Northern Suburbs
Suburbs
|
Gladesville, New South Wales Gladesville is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Gladesville is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the Municipality of Hunter's Hill and is part of the Northern Suburbs area.Gladesville prides... Henley, New South Wales Henley is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Henley is located 9 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill... Hornsby, New South Wales * Highest Maximum Temperature: 42 °C* Lowest Maximum Temperature: 4.9 °C* Warmest Month: January* Coolest Month: July* Highest Precipitation: February* Lowest Precipitation: July-Notable residents:... Hunters Hill, New South Wales Hunters Hill is a suburb in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hunters Hill is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill.Hunters Hill is situated on a... Huntleys Cove, New South Wales Huntleys Cove is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Huntleys Cove is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill... Huntleys Point, New South Wales Huntleys Point is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Huntleys Point is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill... Macquarie Park, New South Wales Macquarie Park is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie Park is located 12 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Ryde... Marsfield, New South Wales Marsfield is a suburb on the Northern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Marsfield is located 16 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Ryde.-History:... Meadowbank, New South Wales Meadowbank is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Meadowbank is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area... Melrose Park, New South Wales Melrose Park is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Melrose Park is located 17 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and is part of the Northern Suburbs area... North Epping, New South Wales North Epping is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Epping is located 19 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire. North Epping is in the Northern Suburbs region... North Rocks, New South Wales North Rocks is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Rocks is located 26 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of The Hills Shire, in the Hills District.-History:... Normanhurst, New South Wales Normanhurst is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Normanhurst is located 23 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire.-History:... |
Pennant Hills, New South Wales Pennant Hills is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Pennant Hills is located 25 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire... Putney, New South Wales Putney is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located west-northwest of the Sydney central business district on the northern bank of the Parramatta River... Ryde, New South Wales Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ryde is located 13 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and 8 km east of Parramatta. Ryde is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area... Telopea, New South Wales Telopea is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Telopea is located 23 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta.-Name:... Tennyson Point, New South Wales Tennyson Point is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Tennyson Point is located 10 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde and is part of the Northern Suburbs area.... Thornleigh, New South Wales Thornleigh is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Thornleigh is located north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire... West Pennant Hills, New South Wales West Pennant Hills is a suburb located in the Hills District region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. West Pennant Hills is located 25 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire and The Hills Shire... West Ryde, New South Wales West Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. West Ryde is located 16 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde and is part of the Northern Suburbs area.... Westleigh, New South Wales Westleigh is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Westleigh is located 27 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire.-History:... |
Localities
|
Clown Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also... |
Ryde, New South Wales Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ryde is located 13 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and 8 km east of Parramatta. Ryde is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area... |
Culture and Sport
The Northern Suburbs is a culturally diverse region. Surrounding the Eastwood/Carlingford area a large number of Asian immigrants have settled, largely due to the high academic achievements of the local schools at the time. Furthermore, this area has become an area of the upper middle class and a breeding ground for "New Money".Sport is represented in many areas in the region, Ryde-Eastwood leagues club is the Club in the area, in regard to Rugby League and it covers the area of the famed Holy Cross College, Ryde. This league following can be attributed to the large Catholic population of the early developmental days of Rugby League in Australia, though the area now only retains two Junior rugby league clubs, both feeding to Holy Cross.
Eastwood District Rugby Union Football club
Eastwood Rugby Club
Eastwood Rugby Club is a rugby union club playing in the Sydney grade competition. The club is based at T G Millner Field, named in honour of its benefactor Colonel Tom Millner MC VD, and the club's players and supporters are primarily drawn from the Northern Suburbs and Hills District of Sydney....
represents the region in Rugby Union. It is considered one of the stronger clubs in the Shute Shield, consistently performing well. This club is considered a gateway club for Rugby Union into the Western Sydney area. Its consistent performance is due to the fact it has established a strong Juniors and Sub District competition within the area, many children from the area are sent to the elite private schools of Sydney and hold Rugby Union as the preferred code. Local school St Josephs, Hunters Hill is a traditional rugby school and the Kings School to the west help reinforce this strength.
History
Before European settlement, the Central North Region was home to the WallumettagalWallumettagal
The Wallumettagal or Wallumedegal tribe was an indigenous Aboriginal tribe that inhabited the area of Lower Northern Sydney today known as the Ryde-Hunters Hill area of the North Shore...
(Ryde-Hunters Hill & Western Lane Cove) tribe. The first settlement in the Northern Suburbs and in fact the third-earliest in Australia, after Sydney and Parramatta, was at Ryde; then known by the Aboriginal name Wallumetta.
Little is known about the original inhabitants of the Northern districts. All of the information that we have is from the accounts of Europeans in the first few years of the founding of the colony. The territory from Sydney Cove to Parramatta, on the northern side of the Parramatta River, was thought to be that of the Wallumedegal, and had the aboriginal name Wallumetta, the territory of the Wallumede people.
Aboriginal people in the Sydney district were clans of larger groups sharing a common language. Three language groups have been identified in the Sydney Region - the Kuringgai (or Guringai), the Dharug (or Dharruk / Dharuk / Darug), and the Dharawal(or Tharawal). The Wallumedegal are thought to have been within the Dharug speaking area.
On 3 January 1792, the first land in the Ryde area was granted to eight marines, along the northern bank of the river between Sydney and Parramatta. The area was named by Governor Phillip the 'Field of Mars', Mars being the ancient God of war, named to reflect the military association with these new settlers. Today's Field of Mars Reserve is the remnant of a district which once extended from Dundas to the Lane Cove River. These grants were followed soon after by grants to ten emancipated convicts in February 1792, the land being further to the east of the marines grants, thus the area was called Eastern Farms or the Eastern Boundary. By 1794 the name Eastern Farms had given way to Kissing Point, a name believed to have originated from the way in which heavily laden boats passing up the Parramatta River bumped or 'kissed' the rocky outcrop which extends into the river at today's Kissing Point.
Further grants were issued in 1794 and 1795, gradually occupying most of the foreshores between Meadowbank and Gladesville.
Some of the grants were at the North Brush, north of the Field of Mars settlement, in the area of Brush Farm and Eastwood. Most of the Grants were small, from thirty to 100 acre (0.404686 km²).
By 1803 most of the accessible land had been granted. Settlement was based along the Parramatta River and overlooking ridges. Governor King recognised that most of the smaller settlers had insufficient land for their stock but it was not possible to grant them larger allotments. In 1804 it was decided that a 'traditional English common' - a large area of public land for use by local inhabitants - would be set aside. Six commons were gazetted.
The Field of Mars Common, an area of approximately 5050 acres (20.4 km²) located north of the Field of Mars and the Eastern Farms, covered most of the Ryde municipality. The village itself comprised only a modest scattering of houses in a few streets around the church, surrounded by farms, orchards and some large estates. Nevertheless the name was well established by 12 November 1870 when the Municipal district of Ryde was officially proclaimed.
Transport
The Northern Suburbs are very well serviced by public transport. The Northern railway LineNorthern railway line, Sydney
The Northern Line is part of the metropolitan rail network in Sydney known as CityRail. It serves the northern suburbs of Sydney and the Lower North Shore, along with parts of the Inner West and the Hills District. The line utilises the Epping to Chatswood Line and parts of the Main Northern Line,...
has frequent services to the city via Strathfield
Strathfield, New South Wales
Strathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield...
with the integration of the new Epping to Chatswood rail link into the Northern railway Line
Northern railway line, Sydney
The Northern Line is part of the metropolitan rail network in Sydney known as CityRail. It serves the northern suburbs of Sydney and the Lower North Shore, along with parts of the Inner West and the Hills District. The line utilises the Epping to Chatswood Line and parts of the Main Northern Line,...
.
There are also an abundance of bus routes serving the region such as the 200 series bus routes and the 500 series bus routes, all operated by Sydney Buses. The Southern part of this region is frequented by ferry services to the CBD and westbound towards Parramatta.
Landmarks
The Northern Suburbs have many landmarks, including Macquarie UniversityMacquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, The Ryde Civic Plaza, Brush Farm House in Eastwood
Eastwood, New South Wales
Eastwood is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eastwood is located 17 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the City of Parramatta...
, Gladesville Bridge
Gladesville Bridge
Gladesville Bridge is an arch bridge near Gladesville that spans the Parramatta River, west of central Sydney, Australia. It links the suburbs of Huntleys Point and Drummoyne. It is a few kilometres upstream of the more famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and is part of Victoria Road...
, Ryde Bridge
Ryde Bridge
The Ryde Bridge, which is in fact two bridges, is located in Sydney, Australia that crosses the Parramatta River, linking the suburb of Ryde in Sydney's Northern Suburbs to the suburb of Rhodes in Sydney's Inner West...
, Ryde Hospital, Macquarie Centre
Macquarie Centre
Macquarie Centre is a regional sized shopping centre located between Herring, Waterloo and Talevera Roads in the suburb of Macquarie Park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and opposite Macquarie University's main campus....
& Ice Skating Rink and Curzon Hall in Marsfield
Marsfield, New South Wales
Marsfield is a suburb on the Northern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Marsfield is located 16 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Ryde.-History:...
.
Landmark churches and cathedrals in the area include St Annes in Top Ryde
Ryde, New South Wales
Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ryde is located 13 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and 8 km east of Parramatta. Ryde is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area...
(Australia's third oldest) and St Andrews in Eastwood
Eastwood, New South Wales
Eastwood is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eastwood is located 17 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the City of Parramatta...
.
Commercial Areas
The "Sydney Global Corridor", is used to describe a geographical 'arch' of Sydney, home to international corporations.Macquarie ParkMacquarie Park, New South Wales
Macquarie Park is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie Park is located 12 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Ryde...
and North Ryde
North Ryde, New South Wales
North Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Ryde is located 15 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde...
) are where many global companies have their Asia Pacific or Australian Headquarters.
The area is undisputedly Australia's hi-tech hub and is home to scores of international corporations including Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
, Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
, HP, Avaya
Avaya
Avaya Inc. is a privately held computer networking, information technology and telecommunications company that is a global provider of business communications systems. The international head quarters is in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States...
and Optus
Optus
SingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications...
. The area also has the Ryde-Hunters Hill Equestrian Club, a quality golf course, an Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
venue, the Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
and Macquarie Centre
Macquarie Centre
Macquarie Centre is a regional sized shopping centre located between Herring, Waterloo and Talevera Roads in the suburb of Macquarie Park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and opposite Macquarie University's main campus....
.
Events and celebrations
The largest annual event in the Northern Suburbs is the Granny Smith FestivalGranny Smith Festival
The Granny Smith Festival is held in Eastwood, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is the largest annual event of its type in Lower Northern Sydney...
held in the suburb of Eastwood
Eastwood, New South Wales
Eastwood is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eastwood is located 17 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the City of Parramatta...
usually in October of each year. The festival's attendance record set in 2004 currently stands at approximately just over 90,000. Many are attracted each year by the live bands, shows, stores, rides, the main street parade down Rowe Street and of course the massive fireworks display in the skies over Eastwood.
Other festivals/events include: The Ryde Aquatic Festival & Bridge to Bridge run, the Guringgai Festival honouring northern Sydney's Aboriginals, the Moocooboola Festival at Hunters Hill, and the Ryde Summer Festival which mainly includes outdoor cinemas
Outdoor cinema
An outdoor cinema consists of a digital or analog movie projector, scaffolded construction or inflatable projection screen, and sound system....
. All local government areas in the region and around the country celebrate Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
, which is the 26th of January.
Notable residents
The Northern Suburbs are home to various notable Australian identities:- Cate BlanchettCate BlanchettCatherine Élise "Cate" Blanchett is an Australian actress. She came to international attention for her role as Elizabeth I of England in the 1998 biopic film Elizabeth, for which she won British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Golden Globe Awards, and earned her first Academy Award...
(Hunter's Hill) - Member of Parliament for Bennelong from 2007 to 2010 Maxine McKewMaxine McKewMaxine Margaret McKew , is a former Australian politician and journalist; she was the Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government in the Rudd Ministry and the First Gillard Ministry. Between 2007 and 2010, she was the member of the House of...
(Epping)