North Ryde, New South Wales
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| North Ryde Sydney, New South Wales |
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 Australia Day Fireworks at North Ryde Commons |
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| Population: | 17,208 | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 2113 | ||||||||||||
| Property Value: | AUD $850,000 - $1,166,000 (2007)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Location: | 15 km (9 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Ryde | ||||||||||||
| State District: | Ryde, Lane Cove | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | Bennelong | ||||||||||||
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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. North Ryde is in the Lower North Shore region of Sydney.
One of Australia's major business districts, North Ryde is home to many computer corporations such as Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, and Sun Microsystems. The suburb is the site of Macquarie University and its residents include those from the university academe and the research sector. Ryde, East Ryde and West Ryde are separate suburbs.
North Ryde shares the postcode of 2113 with adjacent suburbs Macquarie Park and East Ryde. These suburbs were once part of North Ryde and many businesses and residences in these suburbs still advertise their address as being in North Ryde. Adjacent Macquarie University was issued with its own postcode by Australia Post, 2109, in the late 1980s.
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[edit] History
The earliest reference to the area being known as North Ryde appears to be after the district's first public school (which opened on 25 January 1876) changed its name from City View Public School to North Ryde Public School in 1877. North Ryde is an extension of the adjacent suburb of Ryde which was named after the 'Ryde Store', a business run by G.M. Pope. He adopted the name from his birthplace of Ryde on the Isle of Wight, UK.[1] Ryde was the name used from the 1840s and adopted as the name of the municipality in 1870.
[edit] Aboriginal culture
The whole area between Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers was originally known by its Aboriginal name Wallumatta. The Aboriginal name survives in a local park, the Wallumatta Nature Reserve, located at the corner of Twin and Cressy roads, North Ryde. The reserve is one of the last remnants of the remaining 0.5% (as at 2007)[2] of original and endangered[3] turpentine-ironbark forests on Wianamatta shale soil in Sydney.[4] See Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest.
[edit] European settlement
Ryde is the third oldest settlement in Australia, after Sydney and Parramatta. The area between Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers was originally known by white settlers as the Field of Mars and then the Eastern Farms. North Ryde was established in the mid 19th century as a farming district, in what was a heavily vegetated area, next to the already established district of Ryde. The Field of Mars Common was considered dangerous, as escaped convicts and bushrangers were known to frequent the area.[5]
[edit] Cox's Road
North Ryde's main street has historically always been Coxs Road. It was sandstone-lined, to make it easier to haul goods up from the wharf on the Lane Cove River, up Coxs Road to the top of the hill. Coxs Road was always spelt with an apostrophe (Cox's) until recent times.
The North Ryde Post Office in Coxs Road was opened in 1885, and despite relocating premises at least six times, is still located in Coxs Road. In 1908 the Post Office moved to Cox's Cottage. The North Ryde School of Arts and Literary Institute, built in 1901 on land donated by William Cox of Pomona, became the venue for the Annual Ball, community meetings, fetes, art exhibitions, dances, physical culture and the like. Extensions were built in 1907. The North Ryde Library Branch was also located within. The original building was demolished in 1980 and a new Community Centre, School of Arts and Library complex was built. The Coxs Road Shopping Centre was destroyed by a suspicious fire around 1990 and a new shopping mall was built with improved amenities.
Thompson's Shop (1904) in Cox's Road was the General Store and Post Office for many years, and apart from the Schoolhouse is the only remaining original building still standing from those early years. Three gas street lamps were installed in Cox's Road in the 1920s. One has been restored and is in front of the Schoolhouse.
In 2008 native trees were planted on both sides and the length of Coxs Road by Ryde Council and a footpath was finally constructed along Macquarie Hospital.
[edit] Post-war
North Ryde remained rural until after World War II when the state government purchased and subdivided much of the land for Defence Homes and public housing. The rapid development of North Ryde in the 1950s and 1960s saw many of the older dwellings and buildings demolished, which, if considered today, would likely have been heritage listed.
The Frew family operated the only service station in the area which was situated halfway down Wicks Road, and was a familiar stop on the way to the Fairygrounds Pleasure Park. A migrant hostel was located on the south side of Blenheim Road. An Army Vehicle Park was located in North Ryde, bounded by Epping, Wicks, Coxs and Blenheim Roads. Farming activity included orchards, market gardens and poultry. A pig farm was located in Wicks Road and was operational until the late 1960s. The House of David operated for many years on Lane Cove Road, and included a general store, picnic grounds, tennis courts, a miniature train ride, and a small zoo, later adding a VW car dealership to the complex. A Volkswagen car assembly plant was located behind the House of David in Waterloo Road before being moved to Mexico. The North Ryde Skyline Drive-In Theatre was opened in 1956 on the southern corner of Waterloo and Lane Cove Roads, adjoining the newly-built North Ryde High School, and operated until the mid-1970s.
[edit] Commercial areas
North Ryde features many commercial and industrial developments. The Coxs Road Shopping Centre is a small shopping mall that features a supermarket, the post office, and specialty shops. The Public School, Community Centre, Library and School of Arts are all located nearby. Another commercial development is located opposite featuring a number of cafes, and eateries. Another row of shops is located in Blenheim Road, including the Adwill Place Arcade.
The mid 1960s saw the combined establishment of the North Ryde Industrial Area and Macquarie University to emulate the industrial areas surrounding and associated with Stanford University near San Francisco, California [citation needed]. Industries were originally limited to being "light", science related, and include research activities. The area has seen massive growth since the 1960s with the precincts in Macquarie Park and the Riverside Corporate Park now having the reputation as the leading high-tech industrial areas in Australia, attracting major information technology, communication, electronic, computing, scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical companies [5].
The neighbouring suburb of Macquarie Park includes the regional shopping centre Macquarie Centre, Macquarie University, the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, Mix 106.5 Radio Station, Global Television Network Studios (demolished in 2007), Sony, Foxtel, Optus, and many corporate headquarters.
[edit] Schools
The district's first public school, City View Public School, opened on 25 January 1876 but changed its name to North Ryde Public School in 1877, which is the earliest reference to the name North Ryde. It was originally called City View as the city of Sydney was visible from the roof. The original building in Cox's Road now houses the NSW Schoolhouse Museum of Public Education.[6]
A second primary school, Truscott Street Public School, opened on 21 May 1958; in 1988 the Truscott Street school incorporated a "Special Unit P" for children with special needs.[7]
A large and modern senior school, North Ryde High School, was built on land between Epping and Waterloo Roads and opened around 1962. It was later re-named Peter Board High School which many residents felt took away its local identity. The school was subsequently phased out and closed down in 1998-99, demographics being used as justification for the decision. This move left North Ryde without a high school; Ryde Secondary College being the nearest alternative.[8] NRHS's most famous student was Shane Gould, a swimmer who won Gold at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. In December 2007 an application was made to Ryde Council to demolish all buildings of the former Peter Board High School, which had been unused as a school for over two decades. In November 2007 Ryde Council approved demolition of all school buildings of Peter Board High School (807/2007 144 Wicks Road.[9]
A Catholic school is located in Coxs Road, slightly further down from North Ryde Public School, on the opposite side of the road. Ryde East Primary School is located on Twin Road, with 350 students.
[edit] Hospitals
The Macquarie Hospital is bounded by Coxs, Wicks, Twin and Badajoz Roads. It was originally known as the North Ryde Mental Asylum but has undergone several other name changes from North Ryde Psychiatric Centre to Gladesville-Macquarie Hospital, following an amalgamation of services with Gladesville Hospital, and finally just Macquarie Hospital after Gladesville Hospital closed. It is an important 195 bed specialist mental health facility offering acute admission, non-acute recovery and extended care programs for adults with a mental illness/disorder who reside within the Northern Sydney Central Coast Health catchment area. The hospital works collaboratively with a range of community mental health and specialist non-government organisations and has a catchment population of approximately 1,110,000 residents. The hospital is gazetted under the New South Wales Mental Health Act 1990. Macquarie Hospital is involved in a major planning project to develop an evidence-based service model for the future delivery of mental health services involving Northern Sydney and Central Coast catchment areas for the next ten years. This includes the development of a Procurement Feasibility Plan for a proposed Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit which may be developed on the Macquarie campus. New Horizons Enterprises, part of the Macquarie Hospital North Ryde Auxiliary, operates an acute aged care facility in Badajoz Road, on the site of the former New Horizons Service Station, with sheltered workhops and Head Office in Twin Road. Arndell Special School is located in the Macquarie Hospital campus, along with other specialist providers and an Education Centre for training and evaluation[10].
There are no emergency services at Macquarie Hospital. The nearest Emergency Departments are at Ryde Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital.
[edit] Transport
North Ryde is well serviced by public buses. Primarily the Routes 285-297, 506, and 534-535 criss-cross the district. Private shuttle buses also provide local and Airport services.
The M2 Hills Motorway passes through North Ryde enroute to the Lane Cove Tunnel motorway, and then the Gore Hill/Warringah Freeway, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Sydney CBD. Lane Cove Road (Metroad 3), traverses North Ryde from north to south, linking Sydney's North Shore to Homebush Bay and Sydney Olympic Park. Epping Road runs west to east and crosses the Lane Cove River Bridge to link the City of Ryde to the Municipality of Lane Cove.
North Ryde railway station will be a new underground railway station on the Epping to Chatswood railway line due for completion in 2008. It will be located close to the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road, near the M2 Motorway. Other railway stations nearby will be Macquarie Park railway station, near the corner of Waterloo and Lane Cove Roads and Macquarie University railway station near Macquarie University and Macquarie Centre.
During the steam era, there was a proposal to build a railway station in North Ryde near the intersection of Coxs Road and Wicks Road, but the Epping-St Leonards Railway was never built. A new island platform was built at Epping in preparation for the terminus of the new line.[citation needed]
The intersection of Epping and Pittwater Road was once destined to be a major junction of part of "Sydney's Missing Roads" until the cancellation of the North Western and Lane Cove Valley Expressways in the late 1970s.[11]
The Eastwood County Road (also referred to as Silverwater-North Ryde route or the Ermington-Epping Rd link) was also proposed, with the corridor remaining reserved today.[12]
[edit] Parks and reserves
North Ryde has many parks and reserves, including the adjacent Lane Cove National Park, the Field of Mars Reserve, and access to the Great North Walk and the Lane Cove River, once home to the famous Fairyland picnic grounds.
- Banool Reserve - Magdala Road
- Blamey Park - Blamey Street
- Blenheim Park - Blenheim Road (formerly Golf Land) (adjoins the current Tennis World)
- Boobajool Reserve - Pittwater Road
- Booral Reserve - between Bond and Dempsey Streets
- Bundara Reserve - Epping and Delhi Roads
- Delhi Park - Epping and Delhi Roads - sealed off for construction of the Epping to Chatswood railway is under regeneration - future use unknown
- ELS Hall Park - Kent Road
- Flinders Park - between Cook Street and Flinders Road
- Greenwood Park - between Kent Road and Wilson Street
- Gwandalan Reserve - Pittwater Road
- Holt Park - Holt Street
- Kathleen Reserve - between Kathleen and Marilyn Streets
- Lane Cove National Park - Plassey Road (access to Great North Walk). Access to Mangroves from Pittwater Road near Cox's Road
- Magdala Park - Magdala Road (access to Great North Walk)
- Martin Reserve - Pittwater Road
- Morsehead Park - Morsehead Street
- Myall Reserve - Pittwater and Blenheim Roads
- North Ryde Common - Twin Road between Wicks and Badajoz Roads
- North Ryde Park - Cressey & Pittwater Roads
- Nundah Reserve - Gilda Street
- Tindarra Reserve - between Kent Road and Ford Street
- Wallumatta Nature Reserve - Twin and Cressy roads
- Yinell Reserve - Epping Road
[edit] Sport and recreation
- Macquarie University Theatre has winter programs of Classical Concerts and other performances. Classical concerts and such other performances are by invitation from the University Vice-Chancellor.
- North Ryde Golf Club is a par 69 golf course, which was previously the a site for motorcycle racing in the late 1920s.
- North Ryde RSL Community Club
- Australia Day Concerts and Carols by Candlelight are held each year at North Ryde Common, adjacent to Macquarie Hospital. The grounds are open now after the removal of the original hospitals gates and fences, leased to Ryde Council for 99-years.
[edit] Politics
North Ryde is in the State of New South Wales electorates of Lane Cove and Ryde, and the Federal electorate of Division of Bennelong.
[edit] References
- ^ The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8
- ^ City of Ryde Council website, http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/environment/ironbark.htm "NATIVE VEGETATION: Sydney Turpentine - Ironbark Forest"], dated 1 January 2007. Accessed 1 July 2007.
- ^ National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales) "Sydney turpentine-ironbark forest - endangered ecological community listing", 16 October 1998. Accessed 1 July 2007.
- ^ Wallumatta Nature Reserve National Parks and Wildlife Service(information page). Accessed 1 July 2007.
- ^ The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8
- ^ NSW Schoolhouse Museum of Public Education
- ^ Truscott Street Public School
- ^ Parliament of NSW - Legislative Council Hansard (Friday, 19 June 1998)
- ^ Public Notices - Development Applications
- ^ Macquarie Hospital
- ^ OzRoads - Unbuilt NSW roads - Lane Cove Valley Expressway
- ^ OzRoads - Unbuilt NSW roads - Eastwood County Road
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- City of Ryde - Council site
- Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest (Ryde Council website, with list of local endangered plant species that residents should give preference to when making new plantings in their gardens).
- North Ryde, New South Wales is at coordinates Coordinates:
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