Gordon, New South Wales
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Gordon is a
Geography
Gordon is located on the northern outskirts, about 18 kilometres from the Sydney central business district in the upper area of the North Shore. Most of the suburb is residential and sits within bushland along the banks of Stony Creek.
History
The name 'Gordon' first appears as the name of the survey parish covering most of the upper north shore, assigned by the NSW Surveyor-General Sir
Settlement of the area commenced about 1820. The early settlement at Gordon was originally known as Lane Cove. The earliest school at 'Lane Cove', as Gordon was then known, was established at the behest of Governor Macquarie in 1816.[3] The first Lane Cove Post Office opened on 1 February 1860. The name of the village and Post Office was changed to Gordon, after the Gordondale estate of Robert McIntosh, on 1 June 1879.[3][4] Gordon Railway Station on the North Shore Line was built in 1888.
In the late 20th century Gordon was the Australian headquarters of
Gordon Public School
The former Gordon Public School, now largely demolished and rebuilt as the library and police station, was constructed in 1878 on the Pacific Highway, having been designed by George Mansfield. A Gothic Revival style was used in accordance with the tradition that educational buildings, like churches, were designed in a Gothic style. A second block was added in 1912. The school was originally called Lane Cove School, and the name was officially changed to Gordon Public School in November 1885.[3] The school buildings are one of the few remaining buildings that date back to the pioneering days of northern Sydney. It is listed on the Register of the National Estate.[7] The Gordon Public School was closed in 1989, however East Gordon Public School and West Gordon Public School remain nearby.
Heritage listings
Gordon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- 17 McIntosh Street: Eryldene, Gordon[8]
- Middlemiss Street: Gordon railway station, Sydney[9]
- 691 Pacific Highway: Iolanthe, Gordon[10]
- 707 Pacific Highway: Tulkiyan[11]
- 799 Pacific Highway: Gordon Public School (former)[12]
In addition, Gordon is home to Sydney's largest flying fox colony, land for the protection of which was jointly purchased by the
Notable former residents
- Dr John Bradfield (1867–1943), chief engineer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, lived in Gordon where his grave is located at St Johns Anglican Church. Bradfield also lends his name to the electoral division of Bradfield which contains part of Gordon.[14]
- Tim Schenken, a Formula One driver, was born in Gordon.[15]
- Annie Wyatt was the founder of the National Trust in Australia. She lived for a time in a single-storey cottage in Park Avenue.[16]
- Professor Sydney University garden designer and trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.[17]
- Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney, grew up in Gordon.[18]
Transport
Gordon is located on a major transport artery, the
Churches and education
Churches in Gordon comprise: St Johns Anglican Church (with an adjoining cemetery and columbarium), Gordon Uniting Church, Gordon Baptist Church and The Liberal Catholic Church of St. Francis.
Gordon is home to two schools:
- Gordon East Public School (K–6)
- Ravenswood School for Girls (K–12)
Gordon Community Preschool supports children from 3–5 years of age.
Commercial
Gordon has a commercial area with many shops and restaurants along the
The administrative buildings for the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council are located in Gordon.
Residential
Eryldene is a local historic house that is open to the public. Located in McIntosh Street, the house was designed for Professor Eben Gowrie Waterhouse by William Hardy Wilson and built circa 1913. The extensive garden is a significant part of the property in its own right. House and garden as a whole are listed on the Register of the National Estate.[19][20] The house also has a state heritage listing.[21]
Another notable home in the area is Tulkiyan, located on the Pacific Highway. This home was designed by
The Arts and Crafts style favoured by Waterhouse was just one of the styles that were part of the
Gordon is also the location of a notable house designed by the architect Alexander Stewart Jolly. Nebraska, in Yarabah Avenue, is a distinctive home reminiscent of a log cabin. One of its features is the irregular stonework. It is heritage-listed.[23]
45.3% of occupied private dwellings in Gordon are separate houses, 48.3% are flats, units or apartments and 3.5% are semi-detached (mainly townhouses). The average household consists of 2.7 people.[1]
Population
At the 2021 census, there were 8,795 residents in Gordon.[1]
- The population of Gordon was about the same age as the rest of New South Wales, with a median age of 39 compared to the national median of 38, and 15.8% of people aged 65 years and over.
- 44.2% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were China 16.0%, South Korea 4.3%, Hong Kong 4.2%, England 3.6% and Taiwan 2.3%.
- 48.1% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 20.2%, Cantonese 9.0%, Korean 5.0%, Persian 2.2% and Japanese 1.3%.
- The median household income of $2,460 was higher than the national figure of $1,746.
- 35.3% of Gordon's population rent their home compared to 32.3% who own their home without a mortgage and 30.6% who do have a mortgage. The median weekly rent was $577 and the median monthly mortgage payment was $3,033.
- Gordon responded to the Census question about religion with No Religion 46.2%, Catholic 12.7%, Anglican 10.6%, 4.9% of people did not state their religion and 4.4% who practice Buddhism.
Gallery
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Home of Annie Wyatt, Park Avenue
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Federation house, Nelson Street
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Federation bungalow, Nelson Street
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Tulkiyan, designed by B.J.Waterhouse
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Nebraska, designed by Alexander Stewart Jolly
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Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist
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Cemetery adjoining Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist
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Ravenswood School
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War Memorial and Council Chambers
References
- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gordon (NSW)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ Gregory's Sydney Street Directory, Gregory's Publishing Company, 2007
- ^ a b c d "Ku-ring-gai Historical Society - Gordon Local History".
- ^ Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "Court Rejects Challenge to Amber Light Approval". 12 March 2018.
- ^ Giammetta, David (20 November 2014). "Bunnings Retail Plans in Pymble on Hold as Building Becomes Heritage Listed". Daily Telegraph.
- ^ The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.2/33
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- ^ Edwards, Zeny; Rowland, Joan (2008). "Gordon". Dictionary of Sydney. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023.
- ^ "Profile of the electoral division of Bradfield (NSW)". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
Named in honour of Dr John Job Crew Bradfield CMG, 1867–1943. Bradfield was a civil engineer who was associated with the Cataract and Burrinjuck Dams and was instrumental in the design of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
- ^ "Tim SCHENKEN". driverdb.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023.
Hometown Gordon, Sydney
- ^ Simpson, Caroline (2006) [2002]. "Wyatt, Annie Forsyth (1885–1961)". Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
In 1926 the family (with two children) moved to Gordon.
- ^ O'Neil, W. M. (2006) [1990]. "Waterhouse, Eben Gowrie (1881–1977)". Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, (Melbourne University Press), 1990. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023.
Back in Sydney, they bought land at Gordon
- Sydney Morning Herald. Archivedfrom the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
[Moore grew up in Gordon, the heart of Sydney's north shore]
- ^ The Heritage of Australia, p.2/33
- ^ "The Eryldene Trust". Collections Australia Network. Commonwealth of Australia. 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
- ^ State Heritage Website
- ^ State Heritage Website
- ^ State Heritage Website
External links
- Erydene Historic House and Gardens - official trust website
- Gordon, Ku-ring-gai Council - community profile
- Zeny Edwards and Joan Rowland (2008). "Gordon". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 27 September 2015. [CC-By-SA]
- Zeny Edwards and Joan Rowland (2008). "Killarney Castle". Dictionary of Sydney. Dictionary of Sydney Trust. Retrieved 16 October 2015.[CC-By-SA]
- St Johns Cemetery, Gordon. History of the cemetery and list of burials. Accessed 4 October 2019.