Killara facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Killara Sydney, New South Wales
Residential home, Springdale Road, Killara
Population	10,620 (2021 census)
• Density	2,181/km2 (5,650/sq mi)
Established	1821
Postcode(s)	2071
Elevation	120 m (394 ft)
Area	4.87 km2 (1.9 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	14 km (9 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Ku-ring-gai Council
State electorate(s)	Davidson
Federal Division(s)	Bradfield
Suburbs around Killara: Gordon Gordon East Killara West Pymble Killara East Lindfield Macquarie Park Lindfield Lindfield

Killara (pronounced kə-LAR-ə) is a suburb located on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It is about 14 kilometers north-west of the Sydney city center. Killara is part of the Ku-ring-gai Council area. There is also a separate suburb called East Killara, and West Killara is a smaller area within Killara.

Discovering Killara's Past

The first Europeans came to this area around 1805. They were convicts and their supervisors who set up a camp to cut timber near the Lane Cove River. On April 5, 1821, five pieces of land in Killara were given to settlers by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. One of these was 40 acres given to Joseph Fidden.

Killara is an Aboriginal word that means permanent or always there. This name was chosen for the suburb when the railway line opened in 1899. James George Edwards was one of the people who asked for a train station to be built here. Killara was planned as a "Gentlemen's suburb," meaning it was designed to have very few shops or businesses. This is why you won't find many stores in the older parts of the suburb.

The Killara Post Office first opened on November 7, 1904.

Famous Homes and Buildings

Killara was once home to the famous architect Harry Seidler. He and his wife Penelope designed their house in the 1960s. This house, sometimes called Killara House or Harry and Penelope Seidler House, is still in Kalang Avenue. The Seidlers moved into their unique home on Harry Seidler's birthday in 1967. The garden has a sculpture by the artist Eric Orr from Los Angeles. This house is now a heritage-listed site, meaning it's protected for its historical importance.

The Marian Street Theatre was an important cultural place for the North Shore. It is currently closed for renovations.

Places with Special History

Killara has several places that are listed for their historical importance:

• 13 Kalang Avenue: Harry and Penelope Seidler House
• 1 Werona Avenue: Woodlands

Getting Around Killara

Killara has its own train station. You can catch trains on the T1 and T9 lines. These lines connect to places like Berowra, Gordon, and the Sydney city center.

The Pacific Highway is the main road that goes through Killara.

There are also bus routes that run through Killara:

• 556: From Lindfield to East Killara
• 565: From Chatswood to Macquarie University, passing through Roseville, Lindfield, and Macquarie Park.

Community and Development

Beautiful Gardens

The Swain Gardens were given to the Ku-ring-gai Council by Mr. Swain, a bookseller from Sydney, in the 1920s. Today, the council and volunteers help take care of these gardens. The gardens are listed by the National Trust of Australia, which helps protect important places.

Schools in Killara

Killara has two public primary schools: Killara Public School and Beaumont Road Public School. The suburb is also home to Killara High School. This high school is known for being one of the best non-selective government high schools in New South Wales. A private school called Abbotsholme College used to be in Killara, and two future prime ministers of Australia studied there.

Killara also has child care centers, like Handprints Pre School and Child Care.

Churches in the Suburb

Churches in Killara include St Martin's Anglican Church and Killara Uniting Church. The Uniting Church used to be called Killara Congregational Church and is located on Karranga Avenue.

Fun Clubs and Sports

Killara has places for sports and recreation. These include the Killara Lawn Tennis Club and the Killara Golf Club. The golf club is ranked among the top 100 golf courses in Australia. It offers beautiful views towards the Blue Mountains, attracting many golfers.

Shopping and Businesses

Most of the businesses in Killara are located along the Pacific Highway. These include the Greengate Hotel, Beacon Lighting, and Poolwerx. For bigger shopping trips, residents usually go to nearby suburbs like Gordon, Macquarie Park, and Chatswood.

Homes and Architecture

Most of the houses in Killara are built in the Federation and Californian Bungalow styles. However, you can also find many other types of homes.

The Harry and Penelope Seidler House at 13 Kalang Avenue was designed by Harry and Penelope Seidler. This modern house from the 1960s is made with strong walls, concrete floors, and a concrete roof. It also has stone walls and a fireplace. The house won an award called the Wilkinson Award in 1967.

People of Killara

Rosetta Avenue

According to the 2021 Australian census, Killara had a total population of 10,620 people. About 48.1% were male and 51.9% were female.

• Where people were born: 50.6% of residents were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included China (13.8%), England (4.3%), Hong Kong (4.0%), South Korea (2.7%), and India (2.2%).
• Languages spoken at home: 56.1% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages included Mandarin (17.3%), Cantonese (7.8%), Korean (3.4%), Hindi (1.1%), and Japanese (1.0%).
• Religion: The most common responses for religion were No Religion (43.4%), Catholic (15.4%), and Anglican (12.5%).
• Income: The average weekly personal income was $1,117, which was higher than the national average of $805. The average weekly household income was $2,802, compared to $1,746 nationally.
• Homes: In 2021, 54.7% of homes were separate houses, and 42.6% were flats or apartments. The average household had 2.8 people.

Famous People from Killara

Many interesting people have lived in Killara:

• John Alexander – A tennis champion and former politician.
• Kim Gamble – A well-known illustrator of children's books and an artist.
• Carlyle Greenwell – An architect and generous person who designed the Killara Uniting Church and many heritage-listed houses.
• Peter Jackson – A famous boxer who was a British Commonwealth and Heavyweight champion.
• David Koch – An Australian financial expert and TV presenter, known for hosting Sunrise.
• Elle Macpherson – A famous model who grew up in Killara and went to Killara High School.
• Harry Messel – A scientist who led the School of Physics at Sydney University.
• Penelope Seidler – A talented architect.
• Ethel Turner – The author of the famous book Seven Little Australians. She lived on a large property now known as Kiamala Crescent.
• Jim Waley – A former news presenter for National Nine News.