Frenchs Forest, New South Wales
| Frenchs Forest Sydney, New South Wales |
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| File:NASA image STS079-834-6 of Sydney cropped and modified to show Frenchs Forest borders.gif
NASA satellite view of Frenchs Forest
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| Population | 13,192 (2011 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 1,450/km2 (3,755/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2086 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 9.1 km2 (3.5 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 13 km (8 mi) north of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Warringah | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Davidson, Wakehurst | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Warringah, Mackellar | ||||||||||||||
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Frenchs Forest is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Frenchs Forest is 13 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Warringah Council. Frenchs Forest is part of Sydney's Northern Beaches region and also considered to be part of the Forest District, colloquially known as The Forest.
Contents
History
Aboriginal culture
Prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in Port Jackson in 1788, the area of land we now know as Frenchs Forest, and surrounding Warringah areas, was the home of the Guringai (Ku-ring-gai) language group of the Garigal Aboriginal clan. Evidence of their habitation remains today in the form of rock engravings, rock art, open campsites, rock shelters, scarred trees and middens. The word Warringah has many interpretations including "sign of rain", "across the waves" and "sea".[citation needed]
European settlement
European exploration into Warringah began within the first weeks of settlement at Sydney Cove in 1788. Governor Phillip made a number of journeys throughout the area, detailing the landscape, flora and fauna, as well as observing Aboriginal lifestyle and culture. Although Beacon Hill advertises the "Arthur Phillip lookout" at its peak, it is believed by some historians [2] that Phillip's travels actually took him through Bantry Bay and up into Frenchs Forest to gain views over the area.
In 1853 Simeon Henry Pearce (1821–1886) and his brother James acquired 200 acres (0.81 km2) in this area. The property was later known as Rodborough when it was acquired by John French, a police constable,[3] who also developed the land that became neighbouring Forestville. Despite its relative proximity to Sydney, Frenchs Forest remained predominantly rural throughout the nineteenth century.[4]
Geography
Frenchs Forest is close to the Garigal National Park. It is elevated (~110 m ASL) regularly having high rainfall compared with the rest of Sydney and is spread along ridgelines surrounded by native bushland. The eastern parts have distant views (3 km) over the Pacific Ocean and the temperature extremes typical of Sydney are moderated by this proximity. Garigal National Park features native wildlife, birds, turtles, wallabies, lizards, snakes. Bush tracks include bluff track and natural bridge track.[citation needed]
Climate
- Current Frenchs Forest rainfall data (Manly Hydraulics Lab) [1]
| Climate data for Macquarie Park | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 41.5 (106.7) |
41.4 (106.5) |
40.7 (105.3) |
33.5 (92.3) |
28.5 (83.3) |
24.8 (76.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
30.1 (86.2) |
34.4 (93.9) |
39.1 (102.4) |
42.0 (107.6) |
43.1 (109.6) |
43.1 (109.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 27.7 (81.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
25.9 (78.6) |
23.4 (74.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
17.1 (62.8) |
18.5 (65.3) |
21.1 (70) |
23.3 (73.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
27.1 (80.8) |
22.8 (73) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 16.9 (62.4) |
16.9 (62.4) |
15.2 (59.4) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.2 (48.6) |
6.5 (43.7) |
4.9 (40.8) |
5.7 (42.3) |
7.8 (46) |
10.8 (51.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.2 (52.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 8.5 (47.3) |
8.9 (48) |
6.1 (43) |
2.5 (36.5) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−1.1 (30) |
0.1 (32.2) |
0.9 (33.6) |
1.2 (34.2) |
6.5 (43.7) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 115.7 (4.555) |
142.1 (5.594) |
133.4 (5.252) |
107.6 (4.236) |
86.9 (3.421) |
114.4 (4.504) |
51.7 (2.035) |
57.6 (2.268) |
59.3 (2.335) |
83.9 (3.303) |
94.8 (3.732) |
84.4 (3.323) |
1,135.3 (44.697) |
| Source: [5] | |||||||||||||
Commercial areas
Forestway shopping centre is at the intersection of Forestway and Warringah Roads.[6] During the 1960s and 1970s, this centre had the name Arndale. Smaller shopping centres are located at Sorlie Road featuring a variety of restaurants and Skyline shops on Frenchs Forest Road East, the name being derived from the 'Skyline Drive-in Movie Theatre' that existed nearby until the mid-1980s.
Schools
- Frenchs Forest Public School (K-6) [2] is on Ann Street; Established 1916.
- The Forest High School (7-12) [3] is on Frenchs Forest Road; Established 1961.
- Mimosa Public School (K-6) [4] is on Mimosa street, Frenchs Forest servicing Davidson; Established 1970.
- Davidson High School (7-12) [5] is on Mimosa Street at the western end of Frenchs Forest; Established 1972.
Churches
- Frenchs Forest Catholic Parish
- Frenchs Forest Anglican Church
- Frenchs Forest Uniting Church
- Forest Alliance Church
- Combined Forest Churches
Transport
Road
The main Routes through Frenchs Forest include the east-west Warringah Road (State route A38), connecting Roseville in the west with Brookvale in the east; the north-south Forestway, starting at Warringah Road in Frenchs Forest and heading north through Belrose to Terrey Hills (8 km); the north-south Wakehurst Parkway (State route 22), starting at Narrabeen in the northeast, crossing Warringah road in Frenchs Forest, and heading south to Seaforth. Following any of these three major roads lead to the only three road routes off the Warringah peninsula.
The intersection of Wakehurst Parkway and Warringah Road was the scene of multiple high speed collisions when these two roads were dirt tracks through the bush. To improve this, a blinking light was suspended above the intersection in the first half of the 20th century to warn motorists of the danger.[citation needed]
Buses
Forest Coach Lines[7] connects Frenchs Forest with Chatswood railway station in the west, Warringah Mall shopping centre at Brookvale in the east and Terrey Hills in the north. An express City bus service to Town Hall railway station in the Sydney CBD.[8]
Sydney Buses provides an east-west connection (route 136), starting at Manly via Dee Why Beach, through Frenchs Forest then to Roseville and Chatswood railway station. The return journey is from Roseville Bridge to Naree Road, Frenchs Forest and to Dee Why Beach and Manly.Sydney Buses also provides a north-south service(route 169/E69) Coming from Manly via Brookvale, Dee Why, Narraweena and Beacon Hill, through Frenchs Forest via Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest Road and the Wakehurst Parkway and then to Seaforth and city.
Culture
- Frenchs Forest Showground has "off leash" areas for dogs and horse events.
Events
- Forest Funday,[9] is an annual free fair provided by the combined Christian churches of The Forest on ANZAC Day, 25 April at Frenchs Forest Showground.
- Eurofest [10] at Ararat Reserve in mid-September involves all the ethnic clubs in the area.
Clubs
- Lions club
- The Scout Hall is at Utyana Place.
- Ararat Reserve (named after the Ararat plains of Ancient Armenia) on Bantry Bay Road features a number of ethnic clubs: Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Sokol (Czech/Slovak), Austrian and Armenian.
- DAS Neerlandia, Dutch club in Bantry Bay Road
Sport and recreation
- The Warringah Aquatic Centre features an Olympic indoor heated swimming pool and baseball pitches.
- Lionel Watts Oval provides sports fields for Cricket, Australian Rules Football, Soccer, Rugby League and Netball.
- A combination cycle/cycle-pedestrian shared/cycle-road path (completed circa 1982) from the corner of Wakehurst Parkway and Frenchs Forest Road, connecting Frenchs Forest with Dee Why. The signposting/painted lines on roads is aged and can be a little difficult to follow.
- The fenced playground for young kids at Lionel Watts Oval (Blackbutts Rd) has a mini-track suitable for toddlers and small kids on tricycles.
- Manly Dam Reserve is adjacent to (southeast of) Frenchs Forest, containing pedestrian/mountain bike bush tracks (map).
Population
In the 2011 census of Population and Housing, the population of the Frenchs Forest postcode area was 13,192 people. The population was 50.1% females, 49.9% males. In Frenchs Forest, 29.4% of people were born outside of Australia. The top religious affiliations in the area were in descending order: Catholic, Anglican, No religion, Uniting Church, and Presbyterian and Reformed. The three most common forms of dwelling were in decreasing order: separate house (4,035), semi-detached, row or terrace house, or townhouse (96) and flat, unit or apartment (32).[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Forest History, 1977, paperback ISBN 0-9596484-0-2
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ *The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 106
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.forestway.com.au/
- ↑ http://www.forestcoachlines.com.au/
- ↑ http://www.forestcoachlines.com.au/images/time/map/Forest-Network-map.pdf their network
- ↑ Forest Funday
- ↑ Eurofest
External links
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