Engadine, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Engadine Sydney, New South Wales
Shops on Old Princes Hwy
Population	17,375 (2016 census)
Postcode(s)	2233
Elevation	196 m (643 ft)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	33 km (21 mi) S of Sydney CBD 49 km (30 mi) N of Wollongong
LGA(s)	Sutherland Shire
State electorate(s)	Heathcote
Federal Division(s)	Hughes
Suburbs around Engadine: Woronora Heights Woronora Loftus Lucas Heights Engadine Yarrawarrah Holsworthy Heathcote The Royal National Park

Engadine is a suburb located in southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 33 kilometers south of the main city center of Sydney. Engadine is part of the Sutherland Shire local government area.

Engadine's Story: A Look at Its History

Engadine was first set aside as a national park area in 1879. However, in 1890, a man named Charles McAlister bought some land here. This land became known as McAlister’s Estate. After a trip overseas, his family decided to rename their estate 'Engadine'. They chose this name after the beautiful Engadin Valley in Switzerland. The wildflowers and hills around Engadine reminded them of that Swiss valley.

Charles McAlister divided his land into smaller blocks after 1900. He continued to live in Engadine for some time before moving to Cronulla.

How Engadine Grew Over Time

At first, Engadine was used for grazing animals. Soon, it became a popular spot for camping and day trips for people from inner Sydney. The area stayed quite isolated until 1920. That's when the railway station was built. Local people even helped pay for some of the costs!

After World War I, many soldiers settled in Engadine. You can still see streets named after battles from that war, like Anzac, Tobruk, and Amiens.

Dunlea Centre: Helping Young People

The Dunlea Centre is located in the western part of Engadine. It was Australia's first "Boys' Town," similar to the one in America. This school and its programs help young people who might be struggling to follow society's rules. It welcomes children of all backgrounds. The center was started in 1939 by Father Thomas Dunlea.

Becoming a Residential Area

The post office in Engadine opened on January 1, 1927. The local school started in September 1932. In the 1960s, Engadine became more of a place for people to live. More land was made available for families to buy and build homes. The last remaining land was developed in the 1990s, especially in North Engadine and Woronora Heights.

Natural Beauty: Engadine's Landmarks

Heathcote National Park.

Engadine is surrounded by amazing nature. To the east, you'll find The Royal National Park. To the west, there's Heathcote National Park. From the southern edge of Engadine, you can see far across the Sydney Basin all the way to the Sydney city center.

The area has rolling sandstone hills and cliffs. You'll also see lots of native trees. Some cool natural spots include 'the Needles' and 'the Blue Lagoon' along the Woronora River. There are also the Engadine Wetlands, which are east of the railway station.

Shopping and Services: Commercial Areas

Engadine is mainly a place where people live, but it also has some shops and light industrial areas. The main shopping area is near the Engadine railway station and the Princes Highway.

Engadine Central Shopping Centre

A shopping center called Engadine Central has supermarkets, grocery stores, and other specialty shops. The Engadine Library is also located here.

Getting Around: Transport in Engadine

Engadine railway station is on the Illawarra line of the Sydney Trains network. It's very close to the Princes Highway. Buses also serve the area, with routes like 991, 992, 993, and 996 run by U-Go Mobility.

An interesting fact is that a road on Old Princes Highway was built using recycled soft plastics, glass, and asphalt.

Learning and Growing: Schools in Engadine

Engadine has several schools for students of all ages:

• Engadine High School
• Engadine Public School
• Engadine West Public School
• Marton Public School
• St John Bosco College
• St John Bosco Primary School

Places of Worship: Churches in Engadine

Engadine Anglican Church

Engadine has many different churches:

• Connect Church
• Engadine Anglican Church
• Engadine Congregational Church
• Engadine Jehovah's Witnesses
• Engadine Presbyterian Church
• Engadine Uniting Church
• Exclusive Brethren
• Heathcote-Engadine Baptist Church
• Salvation Army
• Southern Cross Baptist Church
• St John Bosco Catholic Church

Being Part of the Community: Local Life

The heart of Engadine is its town center. Here you'll find unique shops, banks, restaurants, cafes, and three major supermarkets.

Engadine Community Centre

The Engadine Community Centre is a public space for meetings. It also houses Essential Community Solutions (ECS). ECS is a non-profit group that helps the community. Since the 1970s, ECS has offered programs and services for older people, young people, children, families, and people with disabilities.

Engadine District Youth Services (EDYS)

Engadine District Youth Services (EDYS) offers free help to local young people. It's a safe place where teens can relax with friends, join fun activities, and talk about challenges with trained youth workers. Many local churches also have playgroups for parents with young children and youth groups for older kids.

Fun Community Events

Engadine hosts several free annual events:

• Carols for the People: The Rotary Club of Engadine has held this Christmas carol event at Cooper St Park every year since 2007.
• McAlister Community Fete: The Lions Club runs this fete with rides and stalls at Cooper St Park every year since 1988.
• Q Club: This is a free daily program for primary school kids. It runs during the second week of the winter holidays at the Baptist Church every year since 1995.

Playing Outdoors: Parks and Recreation

Cooper Street Reserve

Engadine has many public parks, a skate park, and gardens for everyone to enjoy.

• Engadine Leisure Centre: This is a heated outdoor swimming center with a gym.
• Ferntree Reserve and Park: This park is used by the Engadine Eagles netball teams.
• Anzac Oval: This oval is used for rugby league by the Engadine Dragons, Cricket by the Engadine Dragons CC, and Soccer by the Engadine Eagles.
• Preston Park: This park is used for soccer by the Engadine Crusaders F.C. and cricket by the Engadine Dragons CC.
• Engadine Lawn Bowls Club
• Engadine Returned Services Club (RSL)
• Old Bush Road: This area is used for rugby union by the Engadine Lions, who started in 1994. They now have teams in both Illawarra and Sydney competitions. It's also used for touch football in the summer.
• Cooper Street Reserve

Keeping Engadine Safe: Important Services

• Engadine Rural Fire Brigade: This group protects the bushland and valleys around Engadine from fires.
• Engadine Ambulance Station
• Fire and Rescue NSW Engadine (Station 33)
• Engadine District Youth Services

Who Lives Here: Engadine's Population

According to the 2016 census, there were 17,375 people living in Engadine.

• About 1.4% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
• The most common backgrounds were Australian (31.2%), English (31.1%), Irish (10.1%), Scottish (7.4%), and German (2.4%).
• Most people (84.5%) were born in Australia. The next most common places of birth were England (3.9%) and New Zealand (1.3%).
• A large majority (91.8%) of people spoke only English at home.
• For religion, the most common answers were Catholic (30.5%), No Religion (25.6%), and Anglican (23.2%).

Famous Faces: Notable People from Engadine

• Les Bursill – An Aboriginal historian and archaeologist.
• Billy Dib – A World Champion Boxer.
• Thomas Dunlea – The person who started the Dunlea Centre.
• Robbie Kearns – A rugby league player.
• Rodney Martin – A squash player.
• Paul O'Grady – A soccer player.
• Robert Stone – (1956–2005), a rugby league player for the St. George Dragons.
• Markus Zusak – A famous author.