Chatswood West, New South Wales

Chatswood West is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Chatswood West is located 11 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Willoughby and the City of Ryde on the western shore of the Lane Cove River. Chatswood is a separate suburb. The area of Chatswood located west of the Pacific Highway is informally known as West Chatswood, which should not be confused with the separate suburb of Chatswood West, nor should it be confused with the West Chatswood Post Office on Railway Street in the Suburb of Chatswood.

Chatswood West is located between the bigger suburbs of Chatswood and North Ryde. It straddles the Lane Cove River, occupying the valley flats and ridges leading down to the river.

History

Chatswood is believed to be named after the pet name "Chat" of the second wife of Richard Harnett (a pioneer of the district) and the original "wooded" nature of the area.^[2]

Chatswood West played a part in a famous Australian mystery, with the bodies of Dr Gilbert Bogle and Mrs Margaret Chandler being discovered on the banks of the Lane Cove River, 70 metres south of Fullers Bridge, on 1 January 1963.^[3]

Site of the Dr Gilbert Bogle and Mrs Margaret Chandler mystery, Fullers Bridge, Chatswood West

Chatswood West split off from Chatswood to become a separate suburb on 20 January 2006.^[4]

Commercial area

Chatswood West is mainly residential, with small commercial areas on Fullers Road. The National Acoustics Laboratories is on Greville Street.

Houses

The residential buildings are overwhelmingly detached houses.

Schools

Chatswood West is served by Chatswood High School and Chatswood Public School, both situated close by in Chatswood.

Transport

There are regular buses that connect the area with the Chatswood CBD, and other suburbs such as Parramatta. Chatswood railway station is on the North Shore, Northern & Western Line of the Sydney Trains network.

Population

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, there were 1,426 residents in Chatswood West. 61.9% of people were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were England 5.8%, China 4.6%, New Zealand 2.9%, Korea, Republic of (South) 1.6% and Germany 1.2%. In Chatswood West 72.9% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 4.8%, Cantonese 4.4% and Korean 2.2%. The most common responses for religion in Chatswood West were No Religion 27.8%, Catholic 25.2% and Anglican 18.6%.^[5]

Notable residents

• Kenneth Slessor - poet
• Roger Woodward - pianist, lived at Peckham Street
• Errol Flynn - movie star, lived in McLean Avenue

Parks

There are a number of parks, walking tracks and a golf course. There are two entrances to Lane Cove National Park from Chatswood West, one on Lady Game Drive, and one on Delhi Road, next to Fullers Bridge.

Noteworthy indigenous flora includes the Blackbutt, Tree Heath, Celery Wood, Coachwood, Native Crabapple and Hard Corkwood. Ferns include Jungle Brake, Strap Water Fern, Filmy Fern and Necklace Fern.

Fauna includes Powerful Owl, Barking Owl, Australian King Parrot, Brush Turkey, Eastern Whipbird, Satin Bowerbird, Eastern Water Dragon, Emerald Spotted Frog, Enamelled Spider, Red triangle slug, Blue Planarian, Long-nosed Bandicoot and marsupial mouse.

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  Crossing of Swaines Creek, Chatswood West

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  Coachwood - Ferndale Park

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  Forest Scene - Ferndale Park

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  Tributary of Swaines Creek

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  Large Blackbutt - Ferndale Park

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  Coachwood Rainforest - Ferndale Park

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  Lilli Pilli Rainforest - Ferndale Park

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  Hawkesbury sandstone & the Rock Felt Fern, Pyrrosia rupestris

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chatswood West, New South Wales.

Coordinates: 33°48′08″S 151°09′47″E / 33.80210°S 151.16301°E / -33.80210; 151.16301