Killarney Heights, New South Wales
Killarney Heights has panoramic views of Middle Harbour from a few locations. The suburb is located on a peninsula bound by the waters of Middle Harbour to the south-west towards Roseville Chase and Bantry Bay to the east. Garigal National Park is on the eastern border.
Schools
There are two schools in Killarney Heights and many more around the area. Killarney Heights Primary School is situated across the road from Killarney Heights Oval. This primary school is noted as having an extensive English – French bilingual program which has led to many French-speaking parents moving to the area. A preschool is also nearby. Killarney Heights High School is situated next to the oval, and also has a strong French presence. The High School is a coeducational, comprehensive high school located on Starkey Street, the school has a strong tradition of high academic achievement, catering for individual student needs and providing a broad co-curricular program.
Transport
Killarney Heights is accessible by road, via Warringah Road. Access to Warringah Road is via Roseville Bridge, via Spit Bridge and Wakehurst Parkway or via Forest Way. Killarney Heights is about a 20-minute drive from the city during non-peak hours. The only public transport around this area is provided by bus company CDC NSW. Routes that go through Killarney Heights include services to and from the City and Chatswood.
History
Prior to the arrival of the First Fleet, the area was inhabited by the Aboriginal Cadigal peoples. It also got its name from a town in the County Kerry region of southwest Ireland.
The suburb was originally part of Forestville and the area was developed from the 1950s as South Forestville and Heidelberg. The suburb east of Starkey Street became the site of considerable development by LJ Hooker in the early 1960s prior to the completion of the second Roseville Bridge in 1966. West of Starkey Street was Crown land.
Killarney Heights Post Office opened on 1 December 1965 and closed in 1987.
In February 1979, a Lithuanian couple who believed they were being chased by Soviet agents were discovered in bushland adjacent to the suburb. Stepan Petrosys (81) and his 68-year-old wife were discovered after having lived in a cave for 28 years. Local children who frequented the bush knew of these people as early as 1960.
A guide book called "Killarney Heights – Secrets of a Sleepy suburb" was published in November 2022. The book is an A-Z of fascinating facts, interesting insights and hyper-local heritage.
Heritage listings
Killarney Heights has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Bantry Bay Explosives Depot
- Killarney Picnic Grounds
- Flat Rock Landing
- Soldiers Rock Landing
- Bantry Bay Reservoir
- Timber Getters Picnic Spot
- Old Bullock Track
Population
In the 2021 Census, there were 4,502 people in Killarney Heights. 63.8% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were England 6.3%, China 3.5%, France 2.7%, Hong Kong 2.1% and New Zealand 2.0%. 72.2% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included French 6.1%, Mandarin 3.9%, Cantonese 3.8%, Armenian 2.7% and Japanese 1.2%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 42.8%, Catholic 21.3% and Anglican 14.3%.
References
- The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-207-14495-8, p. 137
- Killarney Heights – Secrets of a Sleepy Suburb by Dan Haigh, 2022, ISBN 978-1-922629-74-6
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Killarney Heights (State Suburb)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "Killarney Heights Public School". Killarney Heights Public School. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ "Primary schools – Killarney Heights Public School". killarneyh-p.schools.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ Yump (10 March 2019). "Child Care Centre Killarney Heights". KU Children's Services. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ "About our school". Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "French expats reeling but steadfast". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- ^ Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ "Couple lived in cave for 28 years". The Straits Times. 14 February 1979. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015 – via National Library Board.
- ^ "Killarney Heights". killarneyheights.org. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
- ^ author. "State heritage inventory". NSW Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
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