Castle Hill, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Castle Hill Sydney, New South Wales
Public school (1879)
Castle Hill Location in Sydney
Population	40,874 (2021 census)
Established	1802
Postcode(s)	2154
Elevation	142 m (466 ft)
Location	34 km (21 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Hornsby Shire The Hills Shire
State electorate(s)	Castle Hill
Federal Division(s)	Mitchell
Suburbs around Castle Hill: Kellyville Glenhaven Dural Norwest Castle Hill Cherrybrook Baulkham Hills West Pennant Hills West Pennant Hills

Castle Hill is a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 34 kilometres north-west of the main city centre of Sydney. It's also about 9.5 kilometres north of Parramatta. Castle Hill is part of the Hills District. It is managed by two local councils: The Hills Shire and Hornsby Shire.

A Look Back: Castle Hill's History

Who Lived Here First?

The land where Castle Hill is today was originally home to the Bidjigal people. They are believed to be a group within the Darug people. The Darug people lived in the areas west of Sydney.

A famous Aboriginal leader from this time was Pemulwuy. He was a Bidjigal leader who fought against the European settlers. He led attacks on farms in Castle Hill. He was later captured and killed.

Today, the Bidjigal people are remembered by the Bidjigal Reserve. This bushland area is located across Castle Hill and nearby suburbs.

How Did European Settlement Begin?

The first Europeans to visit this area were led by Governor Phillip in April 1791. They traveled from Parramatta and reached the 'hills'. They followed paths made by Aboriginal people. These paths are now the Windsor and Old Northern Roads. Governor Phillip was looking for new land for farming. This was important to feed the new colony.

Governor King started a farm here on 8 July 1801. He called it "Castle Hill" in March 1802. Many of the convicts who worked on this farm were Irish Catholics. They had been sent to Australia for political reasons in 1798. They were exiled for life.

The first free settler in Castle Hill was Baron Verincourt de Clambe from France. He received a large piece of land in 1802. People at the time might have called his house "The Castle." This was because of his noble background.

Former church, Old Northern Road

On 4 March 1804, the convicts at Castle Hill rebelled. This event is known as the Castle Hill convict rebellion. It is also called the Second Battle of Vinegar Hill.

Later, Castle Hill became known for its market gardens and fruit orchards. These farms supplied fresh produce to Sydney. As Sydney grew, the farms were replaced by houses and shops. The Hills Shire Council still celebrates this history. They hold the Orange Blossom Festival every year.

The Castle Hill Post Office opened on 1 January 1869.

Castle Hill in the 1900s

In the past, Castle Hill had a railway line. It was called the Rogans Hill railway line. It connected Castle Hill to Parramatta. This helped transport farm produce to the city. However, the line closed in 1932. This was because buses, trucks, and cars became more popular.

Some important old buildings in Castle Hill include:

• Castle Hill House (built around 1844) on Old Northern Road.
• The public school (built in 1879) on Old Northern Road.
• The former parsonage (built in 1866) on Parsonage Road.
• The former church on Old Northern Road, which is now used for businesses.

A famous writer, Patrick White, lived in Castle Hill for many years. He won the Nobel Prize for literature. He lived at 74 Showground Road until 1968. He wrote many of his famous novels while living here. Castle Hill inspired the settings for his books. He even based some characters on people he met in the suburb.

Places with Special History

Castle Hill has several sites that are listed for their historical importance:

• Gilbert Road: Third Government Farm
• 221 Old Northern Road: St Paul's Anglican Church, Castle Hill (former church building)

Who Lives in Castle Hill?

Castle Hill is home to many people from different backgrounds.

Population Facts

According to the 2021 census, 40,874 people live in Castle Hill.

• About 53.3% of residents were born in Australia.
• Other common birthplaces include China (9.2%), India (5.4%), England (3.0%), South Korea (2.5%), and Hong Kong (1.9%).
• About 54.4% of people speak only English at home.
• Other languages spoken include Mandarin (11.4%), Cantonese (4.8%), Korean (3.1%), Hindi (2.3%), and Persian (2.0%).
• For religion, the most common responses were No Religion (29.6%), Catholic (23.7%), Anglican (11.3%), and Hinduism (6.2%).

How People Live

Castle Hill residents generally have higher incomes than the national average.

• The average weekly personal income is $931. This is higher than the national average of $805.
• The average weekly family income is $2,858. This is also higher than the national average of $2,120.
• The average weekly household income is $2,551. This is higher than the national average of $1,746.

Most homes in Castle Hill are separate houses (73.7%). There are also some townhouses (10.9%) and apartments (15.3%).

Shopping and Business Areas

Castle Towers Shopping Centre in May 2020

Castle Hill has a busy commercial area. It is mainly along Old Northern Road. On the southern side, there is an older shopping area with the Castle Mall shopping centre.

On the northern side, you'll find the large Castle Towers shopping centre. It has two department stores and two Event cinema complexes. This means there are 16 movie screens! A new library and community centre opened next to Castle Towers in 2004.

The local council has changed the part of Old Northern Road between Castle Mall and Castle Towers into a walking plaza. Traffic has been moved to Terminus Street. There are plans to make Castle Towers even bigger. It could become the largest shopping centre in New South Wales.

Castle Hill also has an area for light industry on its western side. This area is connected to the commercial area by Showground Road. The Castle Hill Showground is also nearby.

Where Do People Live?

Castle Hill has a mix of housing types. Most homes are single houses or low-rise apartments and townhouses.

The biggest residential area is on both sides of Showground Road. It is located between the shopping and industrial areas. Smaller residential areas are to the east and north-east of the main shopping area. These areas mostly have free-standing houses.

Many schools and an RSL Club are in these areas. North of Showground Road, you'll find the Samuel Gilbert Public School, Castle Glen Oval, and Knightsbridge Shopping Court. South of Showground Road, the East Excelsior area is known for its green streets and large gardens. This area is next to the Bidjigal Reserve. The Bidjigal Reserve is a large bushland area. It has many walking trails.

Getting Around Castle Hill

Most people in Castle Hill use private cars to get to work. However, there are also good bus services and a train line.

In 2021, about 34.6% of people drove or were a passenger in a car for work. About 3.7% used public transport. A large number, 47.6%, worked from home.

Bus Services

Castle Hill has many bus services run by CDC NSW and Busways. These buses connect Castle Hill to:

• Sydney central business district (express services)
• Parramatta
• Pennant Hills
• West Pennant Hills
• Beecroft
• Dural
• Hornsby
• Macquarie Park
• Baulkham Hills
• Rouse Hill
• Cherrybrook
• Stanhope Gardens
• Kellyville
• Glenwood
• Bella Vista
• Blacktown

Castle Hill Bus interchange

Here are some of the main bus routes:

• 600 – Hornsby to Parramatta
• 610X – Castle Hill to Queen Victoria Building (Sydney CBD)
• 626 – Kellyville to Pennant Hills
• 730 – Castle Hill to Blacktown

Train Services

Castle Hill has two train stations: Castle Hill and Hills Showground. These stations are part of the Metro North West & Bankstown Line. This line opened in May 2019. It connects Tallawong to Chatswood. Soon, it will also connect to the Sydney central business district.

From 1910 to 1932, Castle Hill had a steam tramway line to Parramatta. It was later upgraded to a railway. But it closed in 1932 due to protests. Many years later, new plans for a train line led to the Sydney Metro Northwest being built. Construction started in 2014.

Schools in Castle Hill

Castle Hill has many schools, both public and private:

• Gilroy Catholic College
• William Clarke College
• Oakhill College
• St. Bernadette's (Primary School)
• Castle Hill High School
• Castle Hill Public School
• Excelsior Public School
• Samuel Gilbert Public School
• St. Angela's (Primary School)
• Oakhill Drive Public School
• Castle Hill House (Vocational Centre)
• Hills Adventist College

Fun Things to Do

Castle Hill offers several cultural activities:

The Hills Centre for the Performing Arts used to be a theatre and convention venue. It opened in 1988 but was taken down in 2013. This made way for the Sydney Metro Northwest train line.

The Castle Hill Players perform six plays each year. They perform at the Pavilion Theatre, located at the Castle Hill Showground. They have been performing there since 1966.

Castle Hill is also home to the Museums Discovery Centre (MDC). This is a storage and care facility for the Powerhouse Museum, Australian Museum, and Sydney Living Museums. It holds about 400,000 objects! These objects cover history, science, technology, design, and more. The MDC is open to the public. You can take tours and join educational programs there.

The Hills Craft Markets are held on the fourth Sunday of most months. You can find arts, crafts, and food for sale. Kids can enjoy activities like plaster painting and music.

Every year in late March, the Castle Hill Agricultural Show takes place. It's held at the Castle Hill Showground. This show has been happening since the 1880s. It celebrates the farming history of the Hills District. You can see sheep, cattle, and horse competitions. There are also games, showbags, and educational stalls. The show runs for three days.

Famous People from Castle Hill

Some well-known people have lived in Castle Hill:

• Patrick White – A Nobel Prize-winning writer.
• Ray Warren – A famous sports commentator.
• Christina Parie – A singer who was on The X Factor Australia.
• Georgia Garnett – An AFL Women's player.
• Jonathon Webb – A racing car driver.
• Josh Green – A basketball player.

Images for kids

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  Castle Hill House (built around 1844), Old Northern Road

• 

  Former parsonage (1866), Parsonage Road

• 

  St Columbas Church

• 

  Castle Hill Station

See also

In Spanish: Castle Hill (Nueva Gales del Sur) para niños