Berowra

Geography

Berowra is located 36 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and lies at an altitude of 215 metres. Surrounded by bushland within rugged terrain, it borders the national parks of both the Berowra Valley and Ku-ring-gai Chase.

Commercial area

Berowra is largely residential with a small retail precinct lining the Pacific Highway near the railway station. In May 2007, a new shopping complex opened on Turner Road in Berowra Heights; this was a landmark development for the future prospects of the area.

Transport

Berowra is located off the Pacific Highway. The Pacific Motorway runs to the east, between Berowra and the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. In January 1960 a heavy vehicle checking station opened. In December 1968 the Pacific Motorway opened from Berowra to the Hawkesbury River. As it was a toll road, toll booths were installed at Berowra adjacent to the heavy vehicle checking station. This closed when the Pacific Motorway was extended south to Wahroonga in March 1989.

Berowra railway station is located on the Main Northern line. It is served by Sydney Trains North Shore & Western Line and NSW TrainLink Central Coast & Newcastle Line services to Sydney, Hornsby, and Newcastle.

History

The Traditional Owners of the land are the Darug and GuriNgai peoples. They had been there at least 15,000 to 20,000 years before European settlers arrived.

Berowra is a Darug word that means place of many shells. The Berowra area has many Aboriginal carvings.

British settlement

One of the early land grants in the Berowra area was to John Crumpton in 1867. George Collingridge was granted 88 acre in 1880 and played a part in having the Main Northern railway line extended, so that a station was opened at Berowra in 1887. He also supported the building of a post office in 1900 and a road to Berowra Waters which opened in 1902. Berowra Post Office opened on 1 April 1897. Mary Wall was granted 60 acre of land near Goodwyn Road off the Pacific Highway in 1887.

The first school was set up in Mary Wall's house before it was moved to what is now the Berowra District Hall on the corner of Berowra Waters Road and Crowley Road roundabout.

Electrification of the North Shore railway line reached Berowra on 4 June 1958.

Image:Berowra0001.jpg|Remains of a bush hut, Berowra area Image:Berowra Creek Sydney-1.jpg|Berowra Creek Image:Berowra0003.jpg|Aboriginal rock carving, Berowra area Image:Berowra Creek Sydney.jpg|Junction of Berowra and Calna Creeks

Primary schools

Berowra and Berowra Heights share four primary schools:

• Berowra Public School (Berowra).
• Pacific Berowra Christian School (Berowra).
• Wideview Public School (Berowra Heights).
• St Bernard's Catholic Primary School (Berowra Heights)

Churches

Berowra and Berowra Heights share four churches:

• St Mark's Anglican Church (Berowra)
• Berowra Baptist Church (Berowra)
• St Bernard's Catholic Church (Berowra Heights)
• Berowra Uniting Church (Berowra Heights)

Clubs and Community Groups

• Apex
• Berowra Musical Society
• Berowra Toastmasters
• Berowra Rotary Club
• Lions Club
• Scouts
• Girl Guides
• The Probus club of Berowra
• Netball Club
• Soccer Club
• Football Club
• Cricket Club

Demographics

At the time the 2021 census was conducted, the population of Berowra was 4,762, consisting of 2,363 (49.7%) males and 2,396 (50.3%) females. 72.2% of residents were born in Australia, while the next most common country of birth was England at 7.1%. 84.0% of residents only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion (38.7%), Catholic (20.8%) and Anglican (16.9%). Of the 1,493 occupied dwellings in Berowra, 93.9% were separate houses. The median weekly household income is A$2,781 and the mean household size consists of 3.0 individuals.

Notable residents

• Margaret Preston - painter

Events

Every year on the 2nd Sunday of August Berowra hosts the Annual Woodchop Festival. Running since 1995, this festival attracts thousands of people every year.

References

References

1. {{Census 2021 AUS
2. (22 January 2007). "Berowra". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
3. Checking Station Open October 3 ''[[Truck & Bus Transportation]]'' October 1960 page 5
4. New Sydney – Newcastle Expressway Section Opened ''[[Railway Digest]]'' December 1968
5. Additional Toll Work ''Truck & Bus Transportation'' December 1968 page 127
6. Motorists Rejoice as Bypass Opens ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' 23 March 1989
7. (2018-05-02). "Hornsby Shire Council - Aboriginal heritage".
8. Rowland, Joan. (2008). "Berowra". Dictionary of Sydney Trust.
9. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List".
10. ''The Book of Sydney Suburbs'', Compiled by Frances Pollon, [[Angus & Robertson]] 1990 {{ISBN. 0-207-14495-8, page 27