Chatswood, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

An aerial image looking south over Chatswood, with St Leonards and the Sydney central business district in the distance.

Population

25,553 (2021 census)

• Density

8,810/km² (22,800/sq mi)

Established

1876

Postcode(s)

2067

Elevation

114 m (374 ft)

Area

2.9 km² (1.1 sq mi)

Location

10 km (6 mi) north of Sydney CBD

LGA(s)

City of Willoughby

State electorate(s)

Willoughby

Federal Division(s)

Suburbs around Chatswood:
Roseville	Castle Cove	Middle Cove
Chatswood West	Chatswood	North Willoughby
Lane Cove	Artarmon	Willoughby

Chatswood is a busy suburb located on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. It is about 10 kilometres north of the main Sydney city centre. Chatswood is also the main office for the City of Willoughby, which is a local government area.

History of Chatswood

Victoria Avenue in 1900

Chatswood got its name from Charlotte Harnett, who was the wife of Richard Harnett. He was the Mayor of Willoughby and an important person in the early days of the area. The name comes from her nickname, "Chattie," and the fact that the area used to be very "wooded." So, it was shortened from "Chattie's Wood" to "Chatswood" in the mid-1800s.

People started to settle in Chatswood in 1876. The area grew even more when the North Shore railway line opened in 1890. Growth also picked up after the famous Harbour Bridge was built in 1932.

The Chatswood Post Office first opened on 1 August 1879. It closed for a short time in 1886 but then reopened in 1887.

By 1900, it was easy to get to Chatswood using public transport. An electric tram line reached Victoria Avenue in 1898. This line was later extended to Chatswood railway station in 1908. In 1903, the local council's main offices moved to Victoria Avenue.

In the past, Chatswood had many orchards and dairy farms, especially on the west side of the train station. There were also factories, like Dairy Farmers Inc and Three Threes Pickle Factory. Other factories included Ferguson Transformers and the Caroma factory. While Chatswood is now mostly a place for businesses and homes, it used to have a strong industrial side. Some light industry still exists in the eastern part of the suburb.

Chatswood was officially called a "town centre" in 1983. It was then declared a "city" in 1989.

Economy and Shopping

Chatswood is one of the biggest business and shopping areas on Sydney's North Shore. It's part of what people call the "Sydney global economic corridor." This is an area where many international companies have their offices. You'll find many shops along Victoria Avenue and lots of office buildings along the Pacific Highway.

Big Companies in Chatswood

Many large companies have their main Australian offices in Chatswood. These include Smith's Snackfood, Carnival Australia, Coffey, PepsiCo, and Carter Holt Harvey. Other companies like Nortel Networks, Optus, Lenovo, NEC, Ventia, and Huawei also have offices here. Chatswood also has many tall apartment buildings.

Victoria Avenue pedestrian mall, also known as Chatswood Mall, looking towards Chatswood railway station

Shops and Malls

Chatswood has two very large shopping centres: Chatswood Chase and Westfield Chatswood. There are also several smaller shopping places. These include Mandarin Centre, Chatswood Interchange, Chatswood Place, Lemon Grove, The Gallery, Victoria Plaza, and Orchard Arcade.

Outdoor Markets

The Chatswood Mall Markets happen every Thursday and Friday in Chatswood Mall on Victoria Avenue. You can find food and craft stalls there, and often enjoy live music.

Restaurants and Cafes

Chatswood is famous for its wide range of restaurants and cafes. It's a popular spot for dining out on the Lower North Shore of Sydney. You'll find many Chinese (including Cantonese), Japanese, and Korean restaurants and eateries.

Getting Around Chatswood

Chatswood railway station with apartments built above it

Sydney Trains

Chatswood railway station is a key stop on the North Shore railway line of the Sydney Trains network. Trains going south travel to Central Station and then continue to Sydney's western suburbs. Trains going north go to Hornsby. During busy times, some trains also go to Gosford and Wyong.

Sydney Metro

The first part of the Sydney Metro train line runs from Tallawong railway station in North West Sydney to Chatswood Station. This modern train line is being extended to Sydenham and is expected to open in 2024.

Buses

Chatswood is a major hub for buses. You can catch Busways, CDC NSW, and Keolis Downer Northern Beaches services to many places. These include the city, North Sydney, Mosman, Manly, Macquarie Park, Castle Hill, and many other suburbs.

Main Roads

Important roads that go through Chatswood include the Pacific Highway, Mowbray Road, Boundary Street, Willoughby Road, Eastern Valley Way, and Victoria Avenue. A part of Victoria Avenue in the main shopping area is a pedestrian mall, meaning only people can walk there, not cars.

People of Chatswood

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
2001	10,218	—
2006	13,513	+32.2%
2011	21,194	+56.8%
2016	24,913	+17.5%
2021	25,553	+2.6%

Victoria Ave and Archer St, looking towards Chatswood Station

In the 2021 Australian census, Chatswood had a total population of 25,553 people. About 47.7% were male and 52.3% were female. Around 34.4% of people living in Chatswood were born in Australia. Many people were also born in other countries, with the most common being China (20.1%), Hong Kong (5.5%), South Korea (4.3%), India (4.0%), and Japan (2.5%).

While 34.8% of people spoke only English at home, many other languages are also spoken. These include Mandarin (23.3%), Cantonese (12.3%), Korean (4.8%), Japanese (3.0%), and Hindi (1.9%). This shows that Chatswood is a very multicultural place!

Culture and Arts

The Concourse Chatswood

The Willoughby Spring Festival is a big event held in Chatswood every September. It's one of the largest festivals in Lower Northern Sydney. It celebrates Chatswood as a modern, multicultural, and successful place. The festival features music, theatre, live performances, outdoor events, activities for kids, and art displays.

The Willoughby Theatre Company, which performs musical theatre, is based in Chatswood. The Willoughby Symphony Orchestra also calls Chatswood home. There's a Chinese Cultural Centre that has been in Chatswood since 1996. The Willoughby Historical Society runs the Willoughby Museum, which is in an old cottage called Boronia.

A major cultural centre called The Concourse, Chatswood was built by the Willoughby Council. It opened in 2011. The Concourse has a large library, a concert hall with 1,000 seats, a theatre with 500 seats, art exhibition areas, shops, cafes, and restaurants.

Schools in Chatswood

Tall buildings in the business area of Chatswood

Chatswood has several schools for both primary and secondary students, including public and private options:

Chatswood High School (for Years 7–12). This school used to be only for boys until the 1950s, when it became a school for both boys and girls.
Chatswood Public School (for Years K–6). This school first opened its doors in 1883.
St Pius X College (for Years 5–12). This school was originally known as Christian Brothers.
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School (for Years K–6).
Mercy Catholic College (for Years 7–12). This school was originally called St Catherine's.

Some older schools that used to be in Chatswood include Mowbray House School (1906-1954) and the Church of England Girls' School Chatswood (closed in the 1940s).

Places of Worship

Chatswood is home to many different places of worship for various faiths:

Grace City Church Chatswood
LifeSource Christian Church
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Church
St Paul's Anglican Church
Redeemer City Church
Chatswood Baptist Church
Chatswood Presbyterian Church
Chatswood Church of Christ
Chatswood Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Chatswood Christian Science Church
Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection
Salvation Army, Chatswood Corps
Chatswood Malayalam (Pentecostal) Church
IBAA Chatswood Buddhist Centre
Tibetan Buddhist Healing Practices
Hillsong Chatswood (Chinese Extension Service)
Church of Scientology Advanced Organization and Saint Hill ANZO
North Shore Temple Emanuel (Jewish)

Sports and Clubs

Chatswood has many sports clubs and groups for young people and adults:

Chatswood Rangers Sports Club – for football and netball
Chatswood Gypsies Cricket Club – for cricket
Chatswood Rugby Club – for rugby union
Chatswood Lawn Bowls and Croquet club
Chatswood Tennis Club
Chatswood Golf Course
Chatswood Scout Group
Chatswood Girl Guides Group

Climate

Climate data for Chatswood
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	26.5 (79.7)	26.4 (79.5)	25.2 (77.4)	22.7 (72.9)	19.6 (67.3)	17.2 (63.0)	16.7 (62.1)	18.3 (64.9)	20.7 (69.3)	22.7 (72.9)	24.2 (75.6)	25.7 (78.3)	22.2 (72.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	17.5 (63.5)	17.7 (63.9)	16.1 (61.0)	12.9 (55.2)	9.9 (49.8)	7.7 (45.9)	6.4 (43.5)	7.1 (44.8)	9.3 (48.7)	12.0 (53.6)	14.1 (57.4)	16.3 (61.3)	12.3 (54.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	106.3 (4.19)	161.1 (6.34)	121.7 (4.79)	104.7 (4.12)	102.1 (4.02)	127.0 (5.00)	82.1 (3.23)	79.2 (3.12)	51.5 (2.03)	84.7 (3.33)	104.7 (4.12)	80.6 (3.17)	1,216.2 (47.88)

Parks and Green Spaces

Chatswood has several lovely parks where people can relax and play. Chatswood Oval is located just south of the railway station. Beauchamp Park, on Nicholson Street, has a playground, a large oval, a fenced area for dogs, and a bike track. This park was named after William Lygon, who was a Governor of New South Wales. In 2015, a special memorial for the Armenian community was put up in the park.

Mashman Park on Victoria Avenue is a smaller park with a cool industrial theme. It remembers the Mashmans brick and tile factory that used to be there. Chatswood is also very close to the beautiful Lane Cove National Park, which is great for exploring nature.

In July 2016, Bartels Park was opened in Chatswood West. It was named after Greg Bartels, who used to be the Mayor of Willoughby.

The Garden of Remembrance, near the railway station, is a special place. It honours the soldiers from Chatswood who fought in wars like the Boer War, World War 1, World War 2, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The roses in the garden were grown from cuttings of roses from the Somme region of France. More than a million soldiers were hurt or died at the Battle of Somme in 1916. In the middle of the garden is the Willoughby Council Peace Tablet, which marks the signing of The Treaty of Versailles in 1918, ending World War 1.