Killarney Heights, New South Wales

Killarney Heights is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Killarney Heights is 15 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Warringah Council. Killarney Heights is part of the North Shore and also considered to be part of the Forest District, colloquially known as The Forest.

Killarney Heights has panoramic views of Middle Harbour from a few locations. The suburb is located on a peninsula bound by the waters of Middle Harbour to the south-west towards Roseville Chase and Bantry Bay to the east. Garigal National Park is on the eastern border.

Commercial area

The commercial area features several restaurants and specialty stores, including a Japanese Bakery, French Patisserie, Chinese Restaurant, and the Talking Heads Cafe on the ground level. There is also a fresh fruit & vegetable shop that serves as a mini-grocer and features organic meats from the wholesale butcher in the retail shops area. There are also many professional shops and offices providing a range of services, including tax accounting, dance and music schools, early educational tutoring, financial planning, a shoe shop, hair salon, swimming pool supplies, bottle shop, skin care, children's gifts, landscape architects and the suburb's only real estate office, Ray White Fairweather Group. A playground suitable for young children is situated in the centre for the shops and this area is a popular gathering place for local parents and children, especially in the hours immediately after school, from 3pm onwards.

Schools

There are two schools in Killarney Heights and many more around the area. Killarney Heights Primary School is situated across the road from Killarney Heights Oval. This primary school is noted as having an extensive English - French bilingual program which has led to many French speaking parents moving to the area. Killarney Heights High School is situated next to the oval. A preschool is also nearby. Killarney Heights High School is a coeducational, comprehensive high school located on Starkey Street, the school has a strong tradition of high academic achievement, catering for individual student needs and providing a broad co-curricular program.

Transport

Killarney Heights is accessible by road, via the Roseville Bridge and Forest Way. Killarney Heights is about 20mins from the city during non peak hours. The only public transport around this area is through a private bus company, Forest Coach Lines. Routes that go through Killarney Heights include services to and from the City and Chatswood.

History

The suburb was originally part of Forestville and the area was developed from the 1950s as South Forestville and Heidelberg. The suburb east of Starkey Street became the site of considerable development by LJ Hooker in the early 1960s after the second Roseville Bridge was completed. West of Starkey Street was Crown land.

Killarney Heights Post Office opened on 1 December 1965 and closed in 1987.^[2]

In the early part of the 20th century, a picnic ground was developed around the edges of Middle Harbour, on the site where Mosman Rowing Club now stands. Boats would arrive for gatherings, carrying elegantly attired men in red and white striped jackets, pressed white pants and the requisite straw boater hat. Women were often dressed in accompanying white muslin frocks.

The picnic grounds were given the name 'Killarney' after Killarney in Ireland. The suburb later gained its name from this such picnic area. Each street in the development has an Irish placename (e.g. Galway Avenue, Blarney Avenue, Dublin Avenue, Donegal Road, Tipperary Avenue, Ballyshannon Road).

In February 1979, a Lithuanian couple who believed they were being chased by Soviet agents were discovered in bushland adjacent to the suburb. Stepan Petrosys (81) and his 68-year old wife were discovered after having lived in a cave for 28 years.^[3]

References

• The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-207-14495-8, p. 137

1. ↑ "2011 Census". 
2. ↑ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 12 June 2012. 
3. ↑ "Couple lived in cave for 28 years". The Straits Times. 14 February 1979. 

Coordinates: 33°46′27″S 151°12′56″E / 33.7742°S 151.2155°E / -33.7742; 151.2155