St Ives, New South Wales facts for kids

Ku-ring-gai area

St Ives is a suburb located on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. It is about 18 kilometres north of the main city centre of Sydney. St Ives is part of the Ku-ring-gai Council area. Close by, to the west and north, is St Ives Chase, which is a separate suburb.

History of St Ives

The St Ives area was first explored in 1788 by Governor Arthur Phillip and his team. They set up a camp near what is now Hunter Avenue. In the past, people cut down trees here for timber. You can still see some very tall trees in nearby Pymble, in the Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve.

St Ives was also known for its apple orchards. However, as more people moved in, there are no longer any commercial fruit farms here. During World War II, many soldiers stayed in the area. This led to the building of Archbold Road, which was a new route to the city.

Since the 1950s, St Ives has grown a lot. It has expanded from its main shopping areas to include hills and valleys. These areas are close to the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park to the north (now known as St Ives Chase) and Garigal National Park to the east.

The St Ives Post Office opened on 10 November 1885. The first public school started on 6 May 1889. It was officially opened by John Burns, a local politician.

At first, St Ives grew slowly because it felt far from the city. But by the late 1890s, more people moved in. Many were market gardeners, dairy farmers, or worked in orchards. After World War II, the suburb grew very quickly. Many families have continued to move to the area.

Today, St Ives is known as a safe and well-off suburb in Sydney. In 2021, the average weekly income for households in St Ives was $2,888. This is much higher than the state average of $1,829.

Shopping and Parks

St Ives Shopping Village

St Ives Shopping Village is a medium-sized shopping centre. It first opened in the 1960s. The centre has more than 110 stores. Some of the main shops include Harris Farm Markets, Coles, and Woolworths.

Village Green Park

The Village Green is a very popular park in St Ives. It is located right across from St Ives Shopping Village. The park is surrounded by Memorial Avenue, Village Green Parade, and Cowan Road.

The Village Green has many things to do:

• Sporting fields for different games.
• Baseball fields.
• Tennis courts.
• A skate park.

The park also hosts the yearly Festival on the Green. This is a fun event for the community.

Getting Around St Ives

CDC NSW runs five bus routes through St Ives. These buses connect St Ives to other suburbs and areas.

• 195: From Gordon to St Ives Chase, going through Pymble.
• 195/6: From Gordon to St Ives Chase, also through Pymble.
• 196: From Gordon to Mona Vale, passing through Pymble, Belrose, Terry Hills, and Ingleside.
• 197: From Macquarie University to Mona Vale, via West Pymble, Gordon, Pymble, Belrose, Terry Hills, and Ingleside.
• 594: From City Clarence Street to North Turramurra, going through Roseville, Lindfield, and Killara.

Schools in St Ives

St Ives has many schools for different age groups:

• Sydney Grammar School (St Ives Campus) for Kindergarten to Year 6.
• St Ives Public School for Kindergarten to Year 6.
• St Ives Park Public School for Kindergarten to Year 6.
• St Ives North Public School for Kindergarten to Year 6.
• St Ives High School for Years 7 to 12.
• Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School for Kindergarten to Year 6.
• Brigidine College for Years 7 to 12.
• Masada College for students from Preschool to Year 12.
• Handprints St Ives Pre School and Child Care for younger children.
• St Ives Prepare Early Education for children aged 0-6 years.

Sports and Fun in St Ives

St Ives offers many sports and recreation options:

• St Ives Rugby Club: They play rugby at Hassell Park, also known as 'Fortress Hassall'.
• Northern Wildcats Girls Rugby Club: They also play at Hassell Park.
• St Ives Wahroonga Cricket Club: They play cricket at Hassall Park.
• Pymble Golf Club: Located on Cowan Road in St Ives.
• St Ives Soccer Club: They play soccer at Warrimoo Oval in St Ives Chase.
• St Ives Saints Australian Football Club: They play Australian rules football at Acron Oval.
• Northside Monash Soccer Club: They play soccer at Mimosa Oval.
• North St Ives Scouts: Their hall is next to Warrimoo Oval in St Ives Chase.
• 2nd St Ives Scouts: Their hall is near Barra Brui Oval, off Hunter Ave.
• St Ives Radio Control Car Club: They race remote control cars at St Ives Showgrounds.
• St Ives Netball Club.
• St Ives Softball Club: They play softball at St Ives Village Green.
• St Ives Bowling Club: They play on the bowling greens opposite the St Ives Village Green.

Nature Reserves

• Dalrymple-Hay Nature Reserve: This reserve is 10.7 hectares big and is on the east side of Mona Vale Road. It has a beautiful blackbutt forest and is a popular spot for locals to enjoy nature.
• Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden: This is a large botanic garden, covering 123 hectares, located on the north side of Mona Vale Road. It has a visitor centre, a special Senses Track, and many walking paths to explore.

People of St Ives

At the 2021 census, St Ives had a population of 18,384 people.

• The average age was 43 years old.
• About 20.8% of the people were children aged 0 to 14 years.
• About 19.7% of the people were 65 years or older.
• Most people (51.8%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included South Africa (8.6%), China (7.1%), and England (6.3%).
• The most common backgrounds were English (23.9%), Australian (15.9%), and Chinese (11.9%).
• Most people (69.0%) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Mandarin (8.7%), Cantonese (3.7%), and Korean (2.4%).
• For religion, the most common answers were No Religion (28.6%), Anglican (17.6%), Catholic (17.3%), and Judaism (9.7%).
• Most homes (82.9%) were family households. About 16.2% were single-person households.
• Most homes in St Ives (70.1%) are separate houses. About 20.2% are flats or apartments, and 9.5% are semi-detached homes.

Famous People from St Ives

Many well-known people have lived in St Ives:

• Megan Connolly, an actress.
• Andrew Denton, a television presenter.
• Paula Duncan, an actress.
• Slim Dusty, a famous singer-songwriter and guitarist.
• Sue Fear OAM, the first Australian woman to climb Mount Everest.
• Andy Harper, a football (soccer) commentator.
• Adam Kellerman, a paralympic wheelchair tennis player.
• Georgie Parker, a television personality.
• Mitchell Pearce, a rugby league player.
• Wayne Pearce, a former great rugby league player.
• Kimberley Starr, a novelist.
• Karl Stefanovic, a television presenter.
• Basil van Rooyen, a former South African F1 racecar driver.