Waterfall, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WaterfallSydney, New South Wales |
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Waterfall Bushfire Station
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| Population | 522 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1887 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2233 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 230 m (755 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Sutherland Shire | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Heathcote | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hughes | ||||||||||||||
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Waterfall is a small suburb located in southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 40 kilometres south of the main city centre of Sydney. Waterfall is part of the Sutherland Shire area. It is the southernmost suburb of Sydney on the eastern side, right on the Princes Highway. It borders the town of Helensburgh.
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Exploring Waterfall's Location
Waterfall is surrounded by beautiful natural areas. To its north is the suburb of Heathcote. To the east, you'll find The Royal National Park, which is a huge area of bushland. To the west, there's Heathcote National Park. If you travel south from Waterfall, the next town you reach is Helensburgh. Waterfall also marks the southern edge of the Sutherland Shire. The suburb is about 230 metres above sea level.
Waterfall is a small place with only seven streets. The bushland around it makes it feel very natural. There are walking tracks that lead from the suburb right into the nearby national parks. To the west, there's a lake with a dam, and behind it stands Mount Westmacott.
A Look at Waterfall's Past
Waterfall began as a town for railway workers. These workers built the train line connecting Sydney to Wollongong in the late 1800s. Waterfall is the highest point on this railway line. This means trains had to go steeply uphill to reach it from one side and then steeply downhill from the other. Special tracks called sidings were built here to store and move freight wagons. The suburb got its name from the waterfalls found near the railway station. A road called McKell Avenue, which is the southern border of the Royal National Park, was once known as Waterfall Road.
In 1909, a special hospital called the Waterfall State Sanitorium was opened here. It helped people who were very sick with a lung disease called tuberculosis. Later, in 1973, Australia's first centre for advanced driver training opened in Waterfall. It taught people how to drive better and safer, but it closed a few years later.
Train Incidents at Waterfall
Waterfall has been the site of two notable train incidents.
1994 Train Collision
On December 20, 1994, two electric trains crashed at Waterfall station. This happened early in the morning during a shunting procedure, which is when trains are moved around in the station area. Luckily, both trains were empty, so no passengers were hurt. The train carriages ended up piled on top of each other in a dramatic way, damaging part of the station platform and its roof.
2003 Train Disaster
Another serious train accident happened on January 31, 2003. An interurban train crashed just past Waterfall. This accident was very sad and led to important changes in train safety. Investigations showed that the train driver became very unwell, and the train's safety systems did not stop it in time. This event made authorities improve safety equipment and procedures on trains.
Important Heritage Sites
Waterfall has some places that are listed for their historical importance. These are called heritage-listed sites.
- Woronora Dam Road: Woronora Dam
Who Lives in Waterfall?
According to the 2016 Census, there were 494 people living in Waterfall. Most people, about 85.4%, were born in Australia. Also, most people, about 91.3%, spoke only English at home. When asked about their religion, the most common answers were "No Religion" (29.6%) and "Anglican" (28.2%).
Getting Around Waterfall
Waterfall is the last suburb you pass when heading south on the Princes Highway. After Waterfall, the highway turns into the Princes Motorway. This motorway is a major road that takes you to the city of Wollongong.
The Waterfall railway station is an important stop for trains. It is the final stop for some Sydney Trains services on the Illawarra railway line. However, some trains continue one more stop to Helensburgh. Waterfall is also a stop for NSW TrainLink services on the South Coast Line. Platform 1 takes you towards Sydney, and Platform 2 takes you towards places like Port Kembla, Dapto, and Kiama.
Learning in Waterfall
Waterfall has its own local primary school. It's a small school with only two classrooms. One room teaches students from kindergarten up to 2nd grade. The other room teaches students from 3rd grade up to 6th grade.
Things to Do in Waterfall
Waterfall is a great place for outdoor adventures. It has two hiking trails, the Couranga and Lake Cooloomba. These trails go through large areas of bushland within the two national parks nearby. It's a perfect spot for exploring nature and enjoying the outdoors.
