Wolli Creek, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wolli Creek Sydney, New South Wales
Apartments on Brodie Spark Drive
Population	10,654 (2021 census)
Established	2002
Postcode(s)	2205
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Location	10 km (6 mi) south of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Bayside
State electorate(s)	Rockdale
Federal Division(s)	Barton
Suburbs around Wolli Creek: Earlwood Tempe Tempe Turrella Wolli Creek Sydney Airport Turrella Arncliffe Arncliffe

Wolli Creek is a cool suburb in southern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's right next to the Wolli Creek and Cooks River waterways. This suburb is about 10 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district (the city centre). It sits between the suburbs of Arncliffe and Tempe. Wolli Creek is part of the Bayside Council area.

History of Wolli Creek

The land around the Wolli Creek Valley has a long history. The original owners were the Bidjigal people. They were part of the Eora Nation.

The suburb of Wolli Creek got its name from the waterway nearby. It used to be part of the suburb called Arncliffe.

Early Land Owners

Back in 1825, a man named Reuben Hannam was given land near the Cooks River. A year later, in 1826, Alexander Brodie Spark bought some land. He built a big house called Tempe House in 1836. He named it after a beautiful valley from an ancient Greek story. Tempe House was designed by John Verge and is known as one of Sydney's important old houses.

Tempe House and Its Uses

Later, a kind woman named Caroline Chisholm rented Tempe House. From 1863 to 1865, she used it as a boarding school for young women. She called the estate Greenbank. Caroline loved the big rooms and the lovely fruit orchard.

In 1884, Tempe House was sold to the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. They used it as a safe place for women who needed help. The Sisters added a beautiful building called St Magdalen's Chapel in 1888. This chapel is very old and important. It has now been fixed up and is part of the Discovery Point area. Tempe House is also listed as a special heritage site.

How Wolli Creek Became a Suburb

For a long time, the Wolli Creek area was mostly industrial, with factories and businesses. But in the late 1990s, plans were made to build new homes and shops. The new area was first going to be called North Arncliffe. However, people living there wanted a different name. They voted, and Wolli Creek was the most popular choice. The Wolli Creek railway station opened in 2000. Wolli Creek officially became its own suburb in 2002.

Heritage Sites in Wolli Creek

Wolli Creek has some important historical places. These are called heritage-listed sites. They include:

• 1 Princes Highway: Tempe House and St Magdalenes Chapel

Shops and Businesses

Restaurants and shops in the Village Square

Wolli Creek used to be an industrial area. But in the 2010s, it was rebuilt with many new homes and businesses. It's a popular place to live because it's close to Sydney CBD and Sydney Airport. It also has good public transport and nice parks by the river.

The main shopping area is called the Village Square. It's right across from the Wolli Creek train station. Here you can find many restaurants, cafes, a pharmacy, a barber, and other shops.

Wolli Creek also has two hotels: the Novotel Sydney International Airport and the CKS Sydney Airport Hotel.

People and Community

In 2021, Wolli Creek had 10,654 people living there. Many people in Wolli Creek are aged between 25 and 34. This is a higher number than the average for Australia.

People in Wolli Creek come from many different countries. The most common countries of birth are China, Australia, Mongolia, Indonesia, Colombia, and Brazil. Because of this, many different languages are spoken at home. These include Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Mongolian, and Indonesian. Only about a quarter of people speak English at home. Most homes in Wolli Creek are apartments.

Getting Around Wolli Creek

A T4 Illawarra line service at Wolli Creek station

The Princes Highway is a main road that goes through Wolli Creek. It connects the suburb north to Tempe and the city centre. It also goes south to Arncliffe and Rockdale. The M5 South Western Motorway is also nearby. It helps people travel south-west towards Liverpool and north-east towards Botany and the city.

The Wolli Creek railway station is a busy train hub. You can catch trains on the Illawarra line and the Airport & South Line from here.

There are also bus routes that serve Wolli Creek. The 348 bus goes from Wolli Creek station to Prince of Wales Hospital. The 422 bus travels from Kogarah to Wolli Creek and then continues to Railway Square.

Fun Things to Do

Wolli Creek has great places for recreation and fun.

Parks and Green Spaces

• Cahill Park is located along the Princes Highway. It has playground equipment and electric barbecues. You can also play cricket and rugby on the sports fields. There are tennis courts next to Cahill Park too.
• Discovery Point Park is a private park that is open to everyone. It's along the Princes Highway and Brodie Sparks Drive. This park has over three hectares of beautiful waterfront land. It's perfect for walking and cycling.
• Wolli Creek Region Park is a great place for bushwalks. You can also have picnics and barbecues there.

Sports and Clubs

• Kogarah Golf Course is located on Marsh Street if you like to play golf.
• The St George Rowing Club is on Levey Street for those who enjoy rowing.

Images for kids

• 

  St Magdalene's Chapel

• 

  Wolli Creek station and apartments

• 

  Tempe House in 2019

• 

  Shops and Residential Complex on Magdalene Terrace