Middle Dural, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Middle Dural Sydney, New South Wales
Middle Dural Location in Sydney
Population	1,040 (2021 census)
Postcode(s)	2158
Elevation	181 m (594 ft)
Location	37 km (23 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	The Hills Shire Hornsby Shire
State electorate(s)	Hawkesbury Castle Hill Hornsby
Federal Division(s)	Berowra
Suburbs around Middle Dural: Kenthurst Glenorie Arcadia Kenthurst Middle Dural Arcadia Dural Dural Galston

Middle Dural is a lovely semi-rural suburb located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 37 kilometers (23 miles) north-west of the main city center of Sydney. Being "semi-rural" means it has a mix of country-like open spaces and some suburban areas.

This area is managed by two different local councils: Hornsby Shire and The Hills Shire. You might hear of Dural too; it's a separate suburb just south of Middle Dural.

What's the History of Middle Dural?

How Did Middle Dural Get Its Name?

The name Dural comes from an Aboriginal word, Dooral-Dooral. This word means "a smoking hollow tree." The first people to live in this area were the Darug people.

Early Days and Settlements

The name Dooral first appeared on a map in 1817, drawn by Surveyor James Meehan. Back then, it covered a much larger area. This included places we now know as Glenorie, Galston, Arcadia, and Dural.

In the early 1800s, people who cut down trees (timber cutters) started to open up the land. The settlements were known by different names like Upper, Middle, Lower, North, and Little Dural.

Middle Dural is located along the Old Northern Road. This historic road was built by convicts between 1825 and 1836. It was an important link between early Sydney and the rich farming lands to the north. In 1831, a place called the Half-Way Inn was set up in Middle Dural by George Best. It was a stop for travelers on the road.

Animal Sanctuary in Middle Dural

Since the 1970s, Middle Dural has been home to the Banana Cabana Primate Sanctuary. This special place is a retirement home for monkeys that used to be in circuses or zoos. Some of the monkeys living there include hamadryas baboons, long-tailed macaques, rhesus macaques, black-handed spider monkeys, and brown capuchins. There are also common marmosets and even a leopard tortoise!

Who Lives in Middle Dural?

A Look at the Population

According to the 2021 census, Middle Dural had a population of 1,040 people. Here's a quick look at who lives there:

• Age: The people in Middle Dural are a bit older than the average Australian. The median age (the middle age) was 46 years. The national average is 38 years.
  • Kids under 15 made up 17.8% of the population.
  • People aged 65 and over made up 21.2% of the population.

• Where People Were Born: Most residents (73.4%) were born in Australia. Other countries where people were born include England (4.4%), Italy (2.8%), China (2.1%), India (2.1%), and Lebanon (1.6%).

• Languages Spoken: Most households (80.7%) speak only English at home. Other languages spoken include Italian (3.4%), Arabic (2.1%), Mandarin (2.1%), Punjabi (1.1%), and Greek (1.0%).

• Money and Homes: The average household income per week was $3,067. This is higher than the national average of $1,746. The average monthly payment for a home loan was $3,588.
  • Most homes (88.9%) were family households.
  • About 11.1% were single-person households.
  • The average household had 3.4 people living in it.

Notable People from Middle Dural

• Adam Wilkinson – A talent manager who used to live in Middle Dural.