Turramurra

Updated on Sep 29, 2024

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Population 11,083 (2011 census) Postcode(s) 2074 State electorate(s) Ku-ring-gai, Davidson Founded 1822 Federal division Division of Bradfield		Established 1822 LGA(s) Ku-ring-gai Council Area 6.13 km² Postal code 2074

Location 17 km (11 mi) north of Sydney

Turramurra is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 17 kilometres (11 mi) north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. It shares the postcode of 2074 with the adjacent suburbs of North Turramurra, South Turramurra and Warrawee.

Map of Turramurra NSW 2074, Australia

History

Turramurra is an Aboriginal word which is thought to mean either high hill, big hill, high place, or small watercourse. The Aboriginal reference of high hill covered the range from Pymble to Turramurra. Early European settlers referred to the area as Eastern Road.

The name Turramurra was adopted when the railway station was built in 1890.

One of the early local landmarks was Ingleholme, a two-storey Federation home in Boomerang Street. It was designed by John Sulman (1849–1934) as his own home and built circa 1896. The house was part of the Presbyterian Ladies College (now the Pymble Ladies' College) until 1977 and is now on the Register of the National Estate. It is notable as an example of John Sulman's style.

Turramurra Post Office opened on 16 August 1890.

St Andrew's in Kissing Point Road is an example of the Federation Carpenter Gothic style. In 1932, Lewy Pattinson, founder of Washington H. Soul Pattinson, gave the Presbyterian Church in NSW the land for Mission Hall, at what is now 106 Kissing Point Road. In 1936, ownership was transferred by Pattinson to St Margaret's Presbyterian Church, Turramurra.

A Turramurra East Post Office opened on 1 May 1959 and closed in 1993. The Turramurra North Post Office opened on 1 September 1953.

North Turramurra and South Turramurra became separate suburbs on 5 August 1994.

Hillview

The Hillview estate, situated on the Pacific Highway, started circa 1890 with a modest Federation cottage facing the highway. Later, the owner realized the commercial potential of the site, with its sweeping views, and built a grand, two-storey Federation home at the rear, to be used as a guesthouse, circa 1913. A large, six-car garage with a dwelling above it was added at the western end of the site in 1915. The estate was later leased out to Ku Ring Gai Hospital, Hornsby, to be used as the Hillview Community Health Centre. The entire estate is heritage-listed.

Transport

The Pacific Highway (A1) is a major arterial road in Turramurra. Turramurra railway station is on the North Shore, Northern & Western Line of the Sydney Trains network. Transdev NSW buses run services from the railway station to local residential areas.

Commercial area

The largest commercial area in Turramurra is located along the Pacific Highway and Rohini Street, beside Turramurra railway station. This shopping precinct includes real-estate agents, fruit-markets, banks, bakeries, a musical instrument store, and a petrol station. There are two supermarkets in this vicinity. There is Turramurra Plaza with shops, such as shoe-repairs, a fruit shop and a newsagent. A Coles supermarket is located behind Turramurra Station, on Ray Street, near the public library.

Princes Street shops are located in East Turramurra, on the corner of Princes Street and Bannockburn Road, near to Pymble Public School. Princes Street shops include a fine wine store, veterinary hospital, gift shop, delicatessen, butcher and grocer. Street renovations were completed in late 2013 and opened by Ku Ring Gai Mayor Jennifer Anderson during the annual community fair.

There are shops at South Turramurra on Kissing Point Road including a newsagent, bakery, post office, BP petrol station and other services.

There is also a shopping village in North Turramurra on Bobbin Head Road which has an IGA supermarket, bakery, post office, newsagent and other facilities.

Geography

Turramurra is a hilly suburb approximately 170 metres above sea level. On the south-eastern boundary, bordering with Pymble is Sheldon Forest, which has some of the best preserved examples of blue gums and turpentine high forest.

North Turramurra is a separate suburb, north of Burns Road. Bobbin Head Road runs in a north-south direction through North Turramurra and then into the Ku-ring-gai National Park. The North Turramurra shops are located next to North Turramurra Public School. Further north are Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Ku-ring-gai Creative Arts High School.

South Turramurra is a separate suburb, south of the Commenarra Parkway and centred on Kissing Point Road. South Turramurra is bordered by Lane Cove National Park start of the Great North Walk. Turramurra High School is in South Turramurra.

East Turramurra is an unofficial urban locality of Turramurra. It is situated in the area of Turramurra east of Bobbin Head Road. It has a small shopping area called Princes Street shops.

Weather

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Turramurra was the wettest suburb in Sydney in the years 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

Education

Turramurra High School

Sport and recreation

Ku-ring-gai Council has several sporting fields in the area, including a large tennis and netball facility at the end of Canoon Road and Kent Oval which has children's play equipment and tennis courts. Tennis courts and a basketball court are located at Hamilton Park. Irish Town Grove is a park located behind Princes Street shops in East Turramurra. Karuah Oval is a large oval located next to Karuah Road. Turramurra Memorial Park is a large park with an oval, four tennis courts (two grass and two hard), two table tennis tables, a running track, children's play area, outdoor exercise area and public toilets.

Comenarra Park on the Comenarra Parkway has cricket and a soccer field. It also has bushwalking tracks leading into the Lane Cove National Park.

Scouting groups in Turramurra take part in a range of outdoor, social and community service activities. 1st Turramurra Scout Group has active programs for boys and girls aged from 8-11 (Cub Scouts), 11-15 (Scouts) through to young men and women 15-17 (Venturer Scouts) and 18-25 (Rovers).

Kissing Point Rover Crew is also based in Turramurra.

Three teams which compete in the Northern Suburbs Football Association (NSFA) association football League have a venue in Turramurra as their home ground: Kissing Point Football Club (KPFC), Wahroonga Tigers Football (WAH) and Bannockburn Rovers (RVS).

Demographics

At the 2011 census, the suburb of Turramurra recorded a population of 11,083 people. Of these:

Age distribution: The median age was 42 years, compared to the national median of 37 years. Children aged under 15 years made up 20.4% of the population (national average is 19.3%) and people aged 65 years and over made up 17.5% of the population (national average is 14.0%).

Ethnic diversity : 64.2% were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 70%; the next most common countries of birth were England 7.0%, South Africa 2.8%, China 2.6%, New Zealand 2.1% and Korea 1.7%. At home, 78.6% of residents only spoke English; the next most common languages spoken at home were Cantonese 3.3%, Mandarin 3.2%, and Korean 2.1%.

Finances: The median household weekly income was $2,293, compared to the national median of $1,234. This difference is also reflected in real estate, with the median mortgage payment being $3,000 per month, compared to the national median of $1,800.

Transport: On the day of the Census, 25.7% of employed people traveled to work on public transport, and 51.3% by car (either as driver or as passenger).

Housing: The great majority (82.1%) of occupied private dwellings were separate houses, 13.5% were flats, units or apartments, and 4.2% were semi-detached. The average household size was 2.8 people.

Notable residents

Brett Beyer, Olympic sailing coach

Eric Campbell, Leader of the New Guard lived at Boongala, 28 Ku-ring-gai Avenue

Grace Cossington Smith 20th-century Australian painter lived in Ku-ring-gai Avenue, Turramurra most of her life

Shane Gould, gold medallist swimmer at 1972 Summer Olympics (Munich), attended Turramurra High School

Stuart Inder, journalist, editor and specialist in Pacific Islands affairs

Kamahl, singer

John Kerr, Governor-General of Australia, lived on the corner of Kissing Point Road and Catalpa Crescent for part of his life

Gretel Killeen, host of Big Brother Australia and author, was born in the suburb and spent some of her childhood at 24 Fairlawn Avenue

Chris Lilley, actor and comedian (Summer Heights High), grew up there

Gail Neall gold medallist swimmer at 1972 Summer Olympics (Munich), attended Turramurra High School

Barry O'Farrell, Premier of New South Wales 2011-14, has lived with his family in Turramurra since 2011 or 2012. As a member of parliament, he has represented the electoral district of Ku-ring-gai, including Turramurra

Leslie Alfred Redgrave, author of the 1913 novel Gwen: a romance of Australian station life and proprietor headmaster of Highfield College at 51 Ku-ring-gai Avenue, Turramurra, from 1907 until 1915.

Frank Riethmuller, German–Australian rose-breeder, boarded for seven years at "Wychwood" in Ku-Ring-Gai Avenue, in 1937 made a house and garden containing many original roses at 21 Eastern Road. Died in 1965

Tony Roche, former coach of world number-one tennis player, Roger Federer

Ken Rosewall, tennis great, became a resident in 1960

George Szekeres, mathematician

Barrie Unsworth, Premier of New South Wales 1986–88, lived in Geoffrey Street

Charles Weston, horticulturalist

Prof Sir Brian Wellingham Windeyer (1904-1994), born in Turramurra; Professor of Therapeutic Radiology at Middlesex Hospital Medical School, University of London 1942-69; Vice-Chancellor, University of London (1969–72)

References

Turramurra Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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