Fairlight, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids FairlightSydney, New South Wales |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||||||||||
| Population | 5,840 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2094 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 55 m (180 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 13 km (8 mi) north-east of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Northern Beaches Council | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Manly | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Warringah | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Fairlight is a cool suburb in northern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 13 kilometres north-east of the Sydney city centre. Fairlight is part of the Northern Beaches area. It is looked after by the Northern Beaches Council. You can find Fairlight between the suburbs of Balgowlah and Manly. It sits right along Sydney Road.
Contents
A Glimpse into Fairlight's Past
Fairlight got its name from a special house called Fairlight House. Henry Gilbert Smith built this house in 1853. He named it after a historic village in England called Fairlight, East Sussex.
At first, only the area near the beach was called Fairlight. The suburb at the top of the hill had a different name: Red Hill. This was because Sydney Road used to have a red gravel surface before World War II.
How Fairlight's Name Lives On
The Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company used to name its ferries after suburbs in the Northern Beaches.
- In 1878, they launched a paddle steamer ferry named "Fairlight".
- Later, in 1966, a fast hydrofoil boat was also named Fairlight.
- This hydrofoil then inspired the name of a famous music synthesizer, the Fairlight CMI.
- Even a well-known computer group, Fairlight, was named after this synthesizer!
More recently, in February 2021, Transport for NSW announced that a new ferry would be named Fairlight. This new ferry is part of the series 2 Emerald-class ferries. It started service on the Manly ferry route around mid-2021.
Places to See in Fairlight
Fairlight has a cemetery on Griffiths Street. You can also find the Manly Fire Station on Sydney Road in Fairlight.
Exploring Fairlight Beach
Fairlight Beach is a lovely spot located on the Sydney Harbour. It's part of the Manly Scenic Walkway. This walkway stretches for several kilometres all the way to Spit Bridge. The beach has calm harbour waters. It also has sand mixed with tiny shell pieces. There's even a small swimming pool that fills up with the tide.
The Story of the K-12 Submarine
In 1949, a Dutch submarine called the K-12 had an adventure near Fairlight Beach. After World War II, this submarine was bought by private owners. They wanted to turn it into a museum. But during a big storm in June 1949, the ropes towing the submarine broke. The K-12 ended up stuck on rocks near Fairlight Beach!
It took a while to free the submarine. On January 7, 1951, it was finally re-floated and towed away. However, it sank again later. Some people thought parts of the submarine were still at Fairlight. But it turns out, the remains found there are actually from a large aluminium speedboat that sank in 1952.
Who Lives in Fairlight?
In 2016, about 5,840 people lived in Fairlight. Most people (63.6%) were born in Australia. The next biggest groups were from England (11.8%) and New Zealand (2.8%). About 84.3% of people spoke only English at home.
Many people in Fairlight work as professionals (38.4%) or managers (21.7%). The average household income was quite high, around $2,620 per week. Housing in Fairlight can be expensive. The average weekly rent was $648, and the average monthly mortgage payment was $3,000.
Fun and Games in Fairlight
Fairlight Beach is a great place for swimming and snorkelling. It's also a good spot to watch yacht races on the harbour. Fairlight is home to the Manly Golf Club and its golf course. You can find shops and cafes along Sydney Road.
Yearly Events
Fairlight hosts a fun annual Christmas Lights competition on Edwin Street. This event helps raise money for good causes.
