Beecroft, New South Wales

Beecroft Sydney, New South Wales
Federation style cottage, Beecroft
Population	9,396 (2016 census)[1]
• Density	1,842/km2 (4,770/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	2119
Area	5.1 km2 (2.0 sq mi)
Location	22 km (14 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Hornsby Shire City of Parramatta
State electorate(s)	Epping
Federal Division(s)	Bennelong Berowra
Suburbs around Beecroft: West Pennant Hills Pennant Hills Pennant Hills West Pennant Hills Beecroft Cheltenham Carlingford Carlingford Epping

Beecroft is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 22 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire and City of Parramatta. Beecroft is considered to be in the Northern Suburbs of Sydney.^[2]

History

Beecroft was orchard country before its suburban development. The railway arrived in 1886 and Sir Henry Copeland, Minister of Lands, conducted a survey of the area to determine its suitability as a residential area. He named the suburb after the maiden name of his two wives, Hannah and Mary Beecroft, (two sisters he married in succession). Their names are also remembered through the respective naming of the suburb's east-west streets; Hannah Street, Copeland Road and Mary Street. Beecroft Post Office opened on 10 February 1890.^[3] Due to the strength of the temperance movement in Beecroft at that time there have never been any hotels in Beecroft. The bushland and amenity of Beecroft has been largely preserved due to the efforts of the Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust which has been very active since its inception in 1958.^[4]

Commercial area

Shops at Beecroft

The majority of commercial activity conducted in Beecroft is concentrated within a couple of blocks. Although not large by Sydney standards, it is nonetheless important in servicing the suburb and its immediate area, including parts of Cheltenham. The commercial area is located between Beecroft Road and Beecroft railway station. In keeping with the spirit of the traditional heritage, Old English is used throughout as the typeset of the Beecroft Village arcade. Hannah Street, the suburb's main commercial street, underwent a significant beautification upgrade in 2005.

As of 2016, a large portion of houses and commercial shops in the block have been knocked down to make room for new units and shops that will be built there. Shops will be located on the bottom, while the units will be on top. A large portion of the demolition has been carried out as of the 03.11.16, and units have been partially built. Machinery used for building has caused some disruptions for local residents, with some roads temporarily being closed. Beecroft Place (at the corner of Hannah Street and Beecroft Road) was officially opened on 20 September 2017.with Woolworths supermarket as its anchor tenant. Woolworths Beecroft was the supermarket's first location in NSW to not offer single-use plastic bags, extending the "Bag-Free Beecroft" movement commenced earlier in 2017 across the majority of Beecroft shops.

Transport

Beecroft railway station

Beecroft railway station is on the North Shore, Northern & Western Line of the Sydney Trains network. In addition to passenger railway traffic, the Main Northern Line also acts as an intercity and freight train thoroughfare passing through Beecroft. Beecroft is also serviced by various bus routes including route 553 from State Transit and routes 651 and 635 from Hillsbus.

Prior to the construction of the M2 Hills Motorway, Beecroft's main road thoroughfare was commissioned as part of Sydney's Metroad system of major arterial roads and throughways. Beecroft Road was part of the Metroad 2 thoroughfare which took motorists between Sydney's Central Business District and Windsor via the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Epping and Castle Hill.

Churches

The Anglican church - formerly the Church of England - was especially prominent in Beecroft society. The suburb itself has three churches within its boundaries; St. John's Anglican (Church of England) Church and Beecroft Uniting Church on Beecroft Road, with Beecroft Presbyterian Church on Mary Street, opposite the school.

Education

Beecroft has four Primary Schools, an independent Anglican school and a high school on the border of Carlingford:

• Beecroft Primary School - established in 1897.
• Roselea Public School
• Epping Heights Public School
• St. Gerard Majella Catholic Primary School
• Arden Anglican School
• Carlingford High School

Sport and recreation

A walking track in the part of Chilworth Reserve known as "Byles Bush", at the end of York Street.

Beecroft has a number of recreational facilities within its boundaries. Beecroft is home to Pennant Hills Golf Club,^[5] a lawn bowls club now known as "The Beecroft Club" (previously "Beecroft Bowling and Recreation Club"),^[6] a lawn tennis club,^[7] as well as general park space at the Village Green, walking trails through Chilworth Reserve and other forested areas.

Birdlife

A selection of native birds photographed in and around Chilworth Reserve

The central bushlands are known for the presence of the satin bowerbird, and many blue objects such as milk bottle tops and clothes pegs from nearby homes can be found in their nests. Other bird species found in the local bush include the kookaburra, yellow-tailed black cockatoo, galah, corella, sulphur-crested cockatoo, rainbow lorikeet, whipbird, king parrot, eastern and crimson rosella, bush turkey, butcher bird, crested pigeon, powerful owl, magpie and currawong.

Population

References

External links

• Joan Rowland (2008). "Beecroft". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 24 September 2015. [CC-By-SA]

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