Frenchs Forest, New South Wales

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Frenchs Forest
Sydney, New South Wales

Frenchs Forest from space

Population:

12,435

Established:

1960s

Postcode:

2086

Area:

9.1 km²

Property Value:

AUD $683,000

LGA:

Warringah

Suburbs around Frenchs Forest
Belrose	Terrey Hills	Oxford Falls
Davidson	Frenchs Forest	Beacon Hill
Forestville	Seaforth	Allambie Heights

Frenchs Forest is a suburb in the Warringah Local Government Area, in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately 12 kilometres north of Sydney's central business district and comprises both residential and light industrial zoning. Frenchs Forest's shopping precinct is centred around "Forestway" shops (formerly the Arndale shopping centre), and the suburb is popular due to the leafy surrounds of 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. The suburb was formed in the early 1960s when the rural area became suburban. To the north of Frenchs Forest is the suburb of Terrey Hills, to the east is Beacon Hill, to the south is Seaforth, and to the west is Forestville. The boundaries of Frenchs Forest are haphazardly defined by Glen St and Wearden Rd to the North, Pound Ave and Mimosa St on the west side (including a detour around the cemetery) and Harbour Creek to the West, Carroll Creek through to the "pipeline" on Warringah Rd, Maxwell Pde and Currie Rd to the South West and Utyana Pl (where the Scout Hall is) to the south, and Wearden Rd, Oxford Falls Rd & Jones St to the east and Allambie Rd, Aquatic Dv to the South East (including a detour around the Warringah Aquatic Centre).

Collectively Frenchs Forest & surrounding suburbs of Belrose, Davidson, Forestville & Killarney Heights are colloquially known as The Forest.

[edit] History

Frenchs Forest is part of the Warringah Region.

[edit] Aboriginal

The word warringah has many interpretations including "sign of rain", "across the waves" and "sea".

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.

[edit] European

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 that Phillip's travels actually took him through Bantry Bay & up into Frenchs Forest to gain views over the area.

Despite its relative proximity to Sydney, Frenchs Forest (and Warringah as a whole) remained predominantly rural throughout the nineteenth century.

[edit] Residents

In the 2001 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing, the population of the Frenchs Forest postcode area was 12435 people, in an area of 9.1 square kilometres. The population was 50.3% females, 49.7% males. 22% of the population was born overseas. The eight strongest religious affiliations in the area were in descending order: Anglican, Catholic, No religion, Uniting Church, Presbyterian and Reformed, Other Christian, Oriental Christian and Pentecostal.
The three most common forms of dwelling were in decreasing order

A separate house (3883)
A semi-detached, row or terrace house, or townhouse (115)
A flat, unit or apartment (36)

[edit] Notable Residents

The following notable people were born or lived in Frenchs Forest:

Matt Shirvington (Athlete)
Bryan Gaensler (Astronomer)

[edit] Amenities

[edit] Shops

Although Frenchs Forest has its main shops at Forestway at the intersection of Forestway & Warringah Roads, it is also serviced by satellite strip shopping.

At the western side at Sorlie Road Shops, most is quality suburban restaurants, styles including Thai, pizza/Italian cafe, Indian and Chinese, a well regarded Vegetarian as well as a highly professional therapeutic massage. At the eastern end there are the Skyline shops on Frenchs Forest Road East, its name being derived from the Skyline Drive-in Movie Theatre that existed nearby until the mid 1980's. These shops include daytime take-away food stores and a mini-supermarket, with a Fish and Chip shop and Chinese shop that are open into the evening. At the central/southern side is Bantry Bay shops with food types including Indian, quality Pizza, Thai, hamburger, pan-Asian as well as a day/evening pharmacy and 3 doctors (daytime) surgeries.

[edit] Educational

There is a public Primary school, Frenchs Forest Public School (K-6) at Ann St and a public High School, The Forest High (7-12) on Frenchs Forest Rd. Although there is also a public Primary school, Mimosa Public School (K-6) and a public High School, Davidson High School (7-12) both on Mimosa St at the western end of Frenchs Forest, these are essentially for the neighbouring suburb of Davidson.

[edit] Medical

There are numerous General Practitioners in the area, particularly at Bantry Bay Shops and next to (north) of Forestway shops, as well as few doors west of Skyline Shops.

The accessible hospitals with an emergency department include (approx non-peak car travel times)

Royal North Shore Hospital (~15-20min) via Warringah road westbound
Mona Vale Hospital (~15min) via Wakehurst Parkway northbound
Manly Hospital (~15min) via Wakehurst Parkway southbound
Sydney Adventist Hospital PRIVATE Wahroongah (~25-30min) via Forestway

There has been an announcement that there will be a new 300 bed Hospital built in Frenchs Forest on the bushland adjacent to The Forest High but it isn't expected to be operational until 2012. (See Mona Vale Hospital)

[edit] Transport

[edit] Road

The main Routes through Frenchs Forest include the east-west Warringah Road (State route 29), connecting Roseville in the west with Brookvale in the east; the north-south Forestway, starting at Warringah Rd 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.

[edit] The Blinking Light

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 (first half of the 20th century) to warn motorists of the danger. Long-time residents are known to still refer to the intersection as "the blinkin' light".

[edit] Buses

Historically there was little Sydney Buses public bus service in The Forest except the original peripheral Skyline shops-Manly 145 (now replaced with 142) and City Services 169 and 173, these routes only servicing the eastern end of the large suburb. A private bus firm, Forest Coach Lines filled the void for many years, connecting The Forest with Chatswood railway station in the west, Warringah Mall Shopping Centre at Brookvale in the east and Terrey Hills in the north. More recently, their network has included an express City bus service to Town Hall Station in the CBD as well.

Not having serviced the area well before the mid 1980's, Sydney Buses provides an east-west Manly-Chatswood Station 136 connection, starting at Manly via Dee Why Beach, through Frenchs Forest (last pickup westbound before Forest High) then express to Roseville, then Chatswood. The return Journey is express from Roseville Bridge until (next set down) Naree Rd, Frenchs Forest. This oblique pickup/setdown regime is in deference to the negotiated rights of Forest Coach Lines to privately service the area for many years, when Sydney Buses saw it as an unprofitable service.

Sydney Buses also has (previosuly mentioned) Skyline Shops-Manly service and Skyline Shops-City 142 and E66 respectively.

[edit] Rail

Forest Coach Lines bus 279-285 to Chatswood Station
Forest Coach Lines bus 276-280 Warringah Mall to Chatswood Station
Forest Coach Lines bus 270 to Jamison St, Wynyard Station and Town Hall Station (City)
Sydney Buses bus 136 to Chatswood Station

[edit] Ferry

Skyline shops-Manly bus 142) connects eastern Frenchs Forest with Manly Wharf for Ferry & JetCat city services.

[edit] Air

It is about a (non peak car time) 40 minute drive via Warringah Road westbound to Sydney's domestic & international Kingsford Smith Airport (IATA: SYD, ICAO: YSSY) at Mascot using the Sydney Harbour Tunnel & Eastern Distributor. A fare in a Taxi would be in the order of $70 (2006)

There is a general aviation airport located in Bankstown, Bankstown Airport (IATA: BQU, ICAO: YSBK) which is of the order 70minute drive via Warringah Road westbound then crossing the harbour using the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Distributor and M5 motorway.

[edit] Cycling

There are some cycling amenities in the area including:

Two main road overbridges that people often ride over providing safer pedestrian/cycle access than the main roads.
- Crossing Warringah Road at the junction of Forestway, connecting the western side of Frenchs Forest with the southern side
- Crossing of Wakehurst Parkway from Bantry Bay road to the Aquatic centre, connecting the southern side with the south-eastern side.
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 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).
The Northern Beaches Mountain Biking Group (NoBMoB) have details of trails around Cascades at the western end of Frenchs Forest.

[edit] Attractions

Garigal National Park
- Bush tracks e.g Carrol Ck track, Governor Phillip track.
- Bantry Bay
- Native wildlife, birds, turtles, wallabies, lizards
Close to beaches, e.g. Dee Why Beach by car(6min), bike(15min) or bus (20min).
Olympic indoor heated swimming pool, baseball pitchs, overbridge access at the Warringah Aquatic Centre
Reasonable shopping centres, fulfilling many general needs including a non-inspection RTA Motor Registry
Organic Food Market, every Sunday morning at the Parkway Hotel, Frenchs Forest Rd (east).
Reasonable commuting access to major business districts of
Glen Street Theatre
Frenchs Forest Showground (Cnr Blackbutts Rd and Pringle Ave)
- "Off leash" areas for dogs
- Horse events
- Fireworks nights (Queens Birthday)
- FOREST FUNDAY, once a year free fair provided by the combined Christian churches of The Forest on ANZAC Day, 25th April.
Lionel Watts Oval (between Blackbutts Rd and Glen St), providing sports fields for
- Australian Rules football
- Soccer
- Rugby League football
- Netball
Ararat Reserve (Bantry Bay Rd). Here you can find a number of ethnic clubs: Dutch, Scandinavian (Danish Swedish), Sokol Czech/Slovak, Armenian, Austrian.
- EUROFEST in Mid September
- soccer

[edit] Esoteric Services

The Manly-Warringah Radio Society provide a number of radio repeaters for amateur radio use, including
- VHF VK2RMB 146.875 MHz (-600 kHz offset) covering Frenchs Forest, Warringah and the Northern Beaches.