West Pymble, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West Pymble Sydney, New South Wales
Bicentennial Park, Yanko Road
Population	5,298 (2016 census)
• Density	1,479.9/km2 (3,833/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	2073
Elevation	85 m (279 ft)
Area	3.58 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Location	18 km (11 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Ku-ring-gai Council
State electorate(s)	Ku-ring-gai
Federal Division(s)	Bradfield
Suburbs around West Pymble: South Turramurra Turramurra Pymble Marsfield West Pymble Gordon Macquarie Park Macquarie Park Killara

West Pymble is a suburb located on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 15 kilometers north-west of the center of Sydney. It's part of the Ku-ring-gai Council area. The nearby suburb of Pymble is to the east, and both share the postcode 2073.

History of West Pymble

The land where West Pymble now stands was originally home to the Guringai people. Sadly, when Europeans arrived, diseases greatly reduced the Aboriginal population. By 1824, only a few Aboriginal people remained in the area. They would sometimes walk through on their way from Bobbin Head to Pymble Hill.

The first big industry here was logging. Workers cut down large trees and moved them to the Lane Cove River. Families like the Lofbergs, who arrived in the 1860s, even shipped timber to Sydney markets.

Because the land was hilly and rugged, West Pymble was settled slower than other areas. It became a hidden spot in the bush.

After the trees were cut down, the land was used for farms. By the 1880s, growing fruits like citrus, apples, and pears was a major business. Families like the Lofbergs, Kendall, and Munday grew fruit and raised pigs. These farms continued into the 1920s.

The Lofberg family also started a sandstone quarry. In 1926, the Ku-ring-gai Council took over the quarry. They used the sandstone to build roads and footpaths in the area.

West Pymble was divided into smaller blocks for homes between 1900 and 1915. However, not many people lived here at first because it was far from the railway station in Pymble. Much of the area stayed semi-rural until after World War II.

Most of West Pymble was developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Many homes were built for soldiers returning from the war and for defense workers. The West Pymble war memorial hall opened in 1959. The first houses were often three-bedroom weatherboard cottages. Many of these homes are still here, but some have been updated or replaced with bigger houses.

Two public primary schools were opened to teach the children of the new residents. West Gordon Public School opened in 1951, and West Pymble Public School opened in 1960.

A part of West Pymble, east of Ryde Road, was once called "West Gordon." It was considered part of the suburb of Gordon. But in 1990, the boundaries were changed, and this area became part of West Pymble. The public school there still keeps the name Gordon West Public School.

Shopping and Services

Ku-ring-gai Council logo

The main shopping area in West Pymble is Philip Mall, located on Kendall Street. It's an outdoor mall with two rows of shops. You can find an IGA supermarket, a hairdresser, a beauty salon, and places to get takeaway food. There's also a greengrocer, a bread shop, a newsagent, cafes, a Chinese restaurant, a butcher, a pizza shop, and a pharmacy. You can also find a chocolate shop, a bottle shop, an ATM, a physiotherapist, a dentist, and a veterinary clinic. A BP petrol station is nearby.

Philip Mall was updated in the 1990s and again in 2012. These changes made more space for shoppers and improved the children's playground.

The Boonah Creative Arts Centre is also in Philip Mall. It was started in 1998 and helps people with disabilities learn fine arts.

Another smaller group of shops, called the Gordon West Shops, are on Duneba Avenue. They have a dentist, a hair salon, and German and Italian restaurants.

Getting Around West Pymble

The closest train station is Pymble railway station, which is about 2.5 kilometers from the center of West Pymble.

However, it's easier to get to Gordon railway station by bus. CDC NSW runs bus route 560 from West Pymble to Gordon station. Other bus routes, like 575 and 572, connect West Pymble to places like Macquarie University, Hornsby railway station, and Turramurra railway station. Route 197 also runs through West Pymble, connecting Macquarie University to Gordon station and then to Mona Vale.

Many people in West Pymble use cars to get to work. About 61% of employed people drive to work. About 18% use public transport.

The Comenarra Parkway is a main road that starts in West Pymble and goes to Thornleigh.

Parks and Green Spaces

West Pymble is surrounded by Lane Cove National Park, which is great for bushwalking.

Bicentennial Park on Lofberg Road is a large sports complex. It has netball courts, soccer and cricket fields, a public swimming pool, a children's playground, and barbecue areas. This park used to be a quarry and then a bike track. It was rebuilt in 1988 to celebrate Australia's 200th birthday.

Other parks in the area include:

• Frogmore Park, Wyomee Avenue
• Shoppers Rest
• Shoppers Glen
• Ramsay Avenue Park
• Claire Taylor Park

Schools in West Pymble

• West Pymble Public School, Apollo Avenue (government primary school)
• Gordon West Public School (also in West Pymble) (government primary school)
• Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary School, Kendall Street (Catholic primary school)
• West Pymble Pre-school, Lofberg Road (private pre-school)
• ABC Learning day care center, Kendall Street

Places of Worship

• St Matthew's Anglican Church, Eppleston Place
• Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church, Kendall Street

Sports and Fun Activities

West Pymble offers many ways to stay active and have fun!

Community Groups and Activities

• West Pymble Cricket Club – plays at Lofberg Oval
• [West Pymble Scout Group] – meets at Bicentennial Park
• Rover Scouts – for young people aged 18–25, with groups nearby
• Girl Guides – meets at Bicentennial Park
• Dance classes – held on Lofberg Road
• Netball training – at Bicentennial Park
• West Pymble Football Club – plays at Norman Griffiths Oval
• Boonah Creative Arts Centre – in Philip Mall, Kendall Street
• Killara West Pymble Rugby Union Football Club – plays at Lofberg Oval

Sporting Facilities

• Cricket pitch and training nets, Lofberg Road
• Netball Courts with lights for night games, Bicentennial Park
• Football oval and club house, Lofberg Road
• West Pymble Bowling and Sports Club
• Swimming Pools – heated 25m and 50m pools, plus a covered children's splash pool, all at Bicentennial Park
• Tennis Courts, Kendall Street

People of West Pymble

In 2016, West Pymble had a population of 5,298 people.

• Many families (64.5%) are couple families with children.
• The average age of people living here is 40 years old.
• Children under 15 make up 24.1% of the population.
• Most people (69.2%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces include England (5.2%), China (3.3%), and New Zealand (2.0%).
• English is spoken at home by 77.5% of people. Other languages include Mandarin (4.2%), Cantonese (3.3%), and Korean (2.0%).
• When it comes to religion, 28.3% said they had no religion, 24.1% were Catholic, and 20.7% were Anglican.
• The average household income is quite high, showing that West Pymble is a well-off area.
• Most homes (96.5%) are separate houses. The average household has 3.2 people.

Famous People From West Pymble

Several well-known people have lived in West Pymble:

• Mel Gibson – the famous actor, grew up here.
• Jacki Weaver – an actress, spent her teenage years in West Pymble.
• Rai Thistlethwayte – from the band Thirsty Merc, grew up here.
• Shane Gould – an Olympic swimmer, grew up here.
• Johnny O'Keefe – a rock and roll singer, lived in West Pymble.
• Christine Jensen Burke – lives in West Pymble.
• Peter Garrett – a musician and politician, attended Gordon West Public School.