West Pymble, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = West Pymble
city = Sydney
state = nsw


caption = Ku-ring-gai area
lga = Ku-ring-gai Council
postcode = 2073
est =
pop = 4,826 (2001 census)
area = 3.58
propval = [http://www.domain.com.au/Public/SuburbReport.aspx?searchTerm=2073&mode= $850,000] (2006)
includes Pymble
stategov =
fedgov =
near-nw = South Turramurra
near-n = Turramurra
near-ne = Pymble
near-w = Marsfield
near-e = Gordon
near-sw = Macquarie Park
near-s = Macquarie Park
near-se = Killara
dist1 = 18
dir1 = north-west
location1= Sydney CBD

West Pymble is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. West Pymble is located 18 kilometres north-west of the Sydney Central Business District in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. Pymble is a separate suburb, to the east.

History

Much of the area was developed after the second world war for defense personnel housing and by returning soldiers. The original housing style was three bedroom weatherboard cottages; many remain but most have been significantly extended and upgraded since.

Commercial Area

The Philip Mall shops are located on Kendall Street, in the heart of West Pymble. It is an outdoor "strip-mall" type arrangement, with the two strips of shops facing each other, with a garden and paved area in between. Philip Mall includes a hairdresser, video shop, takeaway, greengrocer, newsagent, IGA supermarket, butcher, Chinese and Italian restaurants, pharmacy, cafe, deli, art and craft shop, bread shop, chocolate shop, bottle shop, children's gift and toy store, dentist, party supplies shop and physiotherapist.

Philip Mall shops were redeveloped in the 1990s. The deveopment included the removal of gardens between two shops which had become largely dilapidated, and home to an ear-less feral cat which begged mall patrons for food or a scratch. Some of the gardens were retained and replanted with the rest of the area being paved, which significantly increased space in the mall. Seating and additional bicycle stands were installed. At the same time the large children's playground was upgraded with improved safety features and playsets.

In 1998 the Boonah Creative Arts Centre was established in the old community centre, operated by the Sisters of Mercy. The Boonah Centre provides fine arts education to mentally disabled persons. Its establishment was a subject of contention between Council, local business owners and local residents, with a petition being established to stop council leasing the premises to Sisters of Mercy. Reasons for the petition cited by those opposed to the centre were that the supposedly large number of mentally disabled persons in the mall would deter other customers from shopping there. When the lease expired in 2003 council recommended that the premises be re-leased to the operators of the Boonah Centre, despite proposals to open a veterinary surgery in its place. [www.kmc.nsw.gov.au/files/repomc23september2003gb16.pdf] .

The Gordon West Shops are in Duneba Avenue. They include a dentist, butcher, hair salon, bottle shop, German bakery and German restaurant. The Gordon West Shops are significantly smaller than Philip Mall shops.

Transport

The closest railway station is Pymble railway station located about 2.5 km from the centre of West Pymble. Buses such as Shorelink's Route 560 run from Gordon railway station to West Pymble. Bus services are infrequent during working hours, public holidays and weekends. [http://www.shorelink.com.au/] Most residents are dependent upon car transport, making parking difficult at nearby Gordon and Pymble railway stations.

Parks

West Pymble is surrounded by Lane Cove National Park, and provides excellent bushwalking opportunities. The Bicentennial Park oval complex in Lofberg Road consists of netball courts, soccer and cricket fields, a public swimming pool, a children's playground and barbecue facilities.
*Frogmore Park, Wyomee Avenue.
*Shopper's Rest
*Shopper's Glen
*Ramsay Avenue Park

chools

*Gordon West Public School, Ryde Road, a government primary school
*West Pymble Public School, Apollo Avenue, a government primary school
*Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Grayling Avenue, a Catholic primary school
*West Pymble Pre-school, Lofberg Road, a private pre-school
*Private day care centre, Yanko Road

Churches

*St Matthew's Anglican church, Kendall Street [http://stmattsweb.org.au/]
*Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church, Kendall Street

Culture

Community groups and organised activities

*1/2nd West Pymble Scout Group and 4th West Pymble Sea Scouts - Bicentennial park.
*Girl Guides - Bicentennial park.
*Dance classes - held in the old SES hall on Lofberg Road.
*Netball training - Bicentennial Park.
*West Pymble football club - Bicentennial Park.
*Boonah Creative Arts Centre - Philip Mall, Kendall Street.

porting facilities

*Cricket pitch and training nets, Bicentennial Park.
*Netball Courts with night lighting, Bicentennial Park.
*Football oval and club house, Bicentennial Park.
*West Pymble Bowling and Sports club
*Swimming Pools - heated 25m and 50m, covered children's splash pool, Bicentennial Park.
*Tennis Courts

Notable residents

Mel Gibson was raised in West Pymble after his family moved to Australia.
Rai Thistlethwayte of Thirsty Merc grew up in West Pymble.
Shane Gould an Olympic Swimmer grew up in West Pymble

References

External links