Galston is a quiet, semi-rural suburb in the Hills District of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 36 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district. Galston is part of the Hornsby Shire local government area. It belongs to the NSW state electoral district of Hornsby and the Federal division of Berowra. Galston is also just a 16-minute drive from the suburb of Hornsby.

History of Galston

The original people of this area were the Dharug Aboriginal language group. The area was first called Upper Dural. In 1886, an early settler named Alex Hutchinson suggested a new name. He wanted the new school to be called Galston, after a town in Scotland. Since European settlement, Galston has been a farming town. Many people here grew orchids. Important historical places include Galston Public School, Fagan Park, and Waddell Cottage. In 1973, Galston was considered for Sydney's second international airport, but this plan did not happen.

Galston's Population

In the 2021 Census, there were 3,195 people living in Galston. Most people, 77.6%, were born in Australia. The next largest group, 5.1%, came from England. About 86.7% of people spoke only English at home. For religion, the most common answers were No Religion (31.9%), Catholic (25.2%), and Anglican (18.1%).

Heritage-Listed Sites in Galston

Galston has some places that are protected for their historical importance. These include:

161 Main Road: Tunks Creek Bridge
11 School Road: Galston Congregational Church Pipe Organ

Galston Gorge: A Winding Road

Galston Gorge is a deep valley between Galston and Hornsby Heights. It's at the bottom of Galston Road, which is a very winding road with sharp turns. This gorge road is the quickest way from Galston to Hornsby. More than 5,000 vehicles use it every day. As you can see in the picture, the road can get very wet. Sometimes, water covers the road during heavy rain. Because of its design, drivers and riders need to be extra careful. It was first built for horses and carts. Serious accidents can happen here. You might even spot wild chickens scratching around near the road! Vehicles longer than 7.5 metres are not allowed in the Gorge. A special roundabout with a barrier stops large vehicles from entering. Cameras record any oversized vehicles that try to go through, and big fines are given.

Waddell Cottage: A Glimpse into the Past

Historic Waddell Cottage is next to Galston High School. It was once the home of one of the first fruit growers in the area. The land was given to the NSW Department of Education & Training over 40 years ago. They decided to keep the cottage because of its long history. Waddell Cottage has been fixed many times and is well cared for. It has a small, beautiful garden around it. James Waddell built the cottage in 1866.

History Cottage: Local Stories

History Cottage is owned by Hornsby Council. It is next to Hayes Park (Galston Recreation Reserve). This cottage is home to the Dural & District Historical Society. They help keep local history alive.

Buddhist Temple: Peaceful Gardens

The Buddhist Golden Wheel Temple is on Galston Road. It's a modern building with amazing gardens. Members of the temple community look after these gardens. The gardens have beautiful flowering peach trees. They are open to the public every year in early September.

Crusaders: Camps for Everyone

The Crusader Union of Australia runs a Christian education campsite in Galston. It's called The Galston Gorge Conference & Recreation Centre. This centre is in a bushland area. It's used for church camps, music camps, school camps, and community groups. It can host up to 200 guests in lodges with bathrooms and lounge areas.

Fagan Park: A Great Place to Play

Fagan Park is a huge recreation area in Galston. It opened in 1988 and is located on Arcadia Road. The park has special areas like the Gardens of Many Nations. There's also a picnic spot called Carrs Bush. The Fagan family used to own this land for farming. They later gave it to the Department of Lands. Now, the Hornsby Shire Council looks after the park. Fagan Park's eco-garden was even shown on a TV show called Gardening Australia in 2014.

Fagan Park

Facilities in Galston

Galston has several useful facilities for the community.

Galston Aquatic and Leisure Centre

This centre has a 25-metre indoor heated pool with six lanes. It's great for swimming and has a squad club. The aquatic centre also has a gym and a learn-to-swim program. Many other water activities happen here. The facility is being updated in 2022.

Galston Skate Park

Right next to the Aquatic Centre is the Galston skate park. Many skaters enjoy riding here. It's easy for teenage skaters to get to because it's across from Galston High School. The Hornsby Shire Council often cleans up drawings and markings from around the area.

Hayes Oval: Sports Hub

Hayes Oval is where the Hills Hawks Soccer team plays. Because many people use this field, coach rooms, a canteen, and a spectator area were built. These buildings are on the Galston Road side of the oval. Hayes Oval is used for soccer, softball, cricket, and many other sports.

Galston Library

The Galston Library is managed by the Hornsby Shire Council. Recently, the roof of the library was replaced. Galston Library is not very big, and it is an older building.

Housing in Galston

Galston has different types of homes. There are new brick townhouses and home units near the shopping village. You can also find hundreds of modern brick homes in new areas close to the village. Many properties are on large plots of land, about 5 acres. These homes range from older simple cottages to big, fancy brick houses. The Hornsby Shire Council is looking at plans to allow some of these large plots near the town centre to be divided. This would help the Galston town centre grow.

Schools in Galston

Schools within Galston include:

Galston High School (Years 7-12)
Galston Public School (Kindergarten-Year 6)
KU Galston Preschool

The Galston community can get an education from preschool all the way to Year 12 without leaving town. This is great for a semi-rural area. Galston does not have any private schools. The closest private schools are:

Redfield College
Pacific Hills Christian School
Barker College
The Hills Grammar School
Northholm Grammar School

Galston Community of Schools

The Galston Community of Schools is a group of schools in the Galston area. This group includes Galston Public School, Galston High School, and several other local public schools. They work together and have events like the Galston Community of Schools Band Workshop. Many of the schools also play sports against each other, like OzTag and Netball. All the schools take part in Spring Fest. This event involves marching down Galston Road in Spring. Big banners advertising Spring Fest and the schools are put up on Galston Road before the festival.

Galston Culture and Events

Local Events and Festivals

The Bushland Shire Festival is Hornsby Shire's biggest yearly community event. It happens at Fagan Park every September and is organized by Hornsby Shire Council. Galston used to host the annual Galston Country Music Festival. This event was held on a Sunday in early September, but 2008 was the last time it took place. The Galston Rotary Club used to host the music festival. Now, they put on Opera by the Lake at Fagan Park on the first Sunday in May. The Galston SpringFest also happens in early September each year. It started in the early 1980s. The Galston Garden Club holds an Open Gardens Weekend every October. During this weekend, several local gardens are open for the public to visit. Galston also hosts the Rotary Scarecrow festival. Families and friends gather to create the best scarecrow.

Commercial Areas in Galston

Galston does not have heavy industries. Many small businesses are run from homes in the area. Farming is an important industry here. Many orchards grow citrus fruits, persimmons, strawberries, and stone fruit. Some farms use hydroponics to grow produce. Chickens are also raised on several properties. Summertime Chickens and Game Farm are two of the largest businesses in this area. There are also many small and large plant nurseries in Galston.

Galston Shopping Village

The Galston shopping village is on Galston Road. The Galston Community Bendigo Bank branch is also on Galston Road, next to the shopping village. This bank is a big supporter of the Galston community.

New Galston Shopping Village Complex

The new Galston Shopping Village Complex is a newer part of Galston Village. It's located where Galston Road and Arcadia Road meet. This new complex can hold 11 stores. Currently, three stores are open on the ground level. The car park has been repainted and now closes 15 minutes after the last store closes.

Transport in Galston

Galston has limited public transport. The main ways to get around the suburb are by walking, driving, and cycling. The closest train station is Hornsby Station, which uses the Opal card system. The future North West Rail Link will help Galston. The nearest station for this new line will be at Castle Hill. It will offer fast train travel to the Sydney Central Business District. Hills Bus is the main bus operator in Galston. They provide public transport for the entire Hills District. Many buses pass through Galston during school mornings and afternoons. These buses serve Galston High School and Galston Public School. They also help with traffic from other local schools. Adults are usually not allowed on most of these school buses. However, bus routes 637 and 638 are public buses that anyone can use.

Route 637 goes from Glenorie to Castle Hill. It passes through Galston Village, Round Corner, and Rogans Hill. Sometimes during busy times, this route goes all the way to Pennant Hills.
Route 638 travels from Berrilee to Pennant Hills. It goes through Galston Village, Round Corner, and New Line Road. During busy times, this route sometimes goes to Castle Hill.

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Galston, New South Wales Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

Galston, New South Wales facts for kids

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