NORTH ROCKS, NEW SOUTH WALES

'North Rocks' is a suburb of Sydney, Australia, located approximately 26km northwest of the central business district. It is considered part of the Hills District of Sydney.
A massive sandstone outcrop gave its name to the suburb of North Rocks. The area was originally known as Jerusalem Rocks. The rock outcrop, which was north of Parramatta later referred to as the "Northern Rocks" and was used to build Parramatta gaol, and the wall for the Lake Parramatta dam.
North Rocks is situated in the "Garden Shire", also known as Baulkham Hills Shire.
Neighbouring suburbs include Carlingford, West Pennant Hills, Epping and Baulkham Hills.

Contents

History

Demographics

Population and age

Citizenship, country of birth and language

Religion

Marital status

Income

Features

Schools

Transport

References

External links

History

North Rocks Historical Background
The name “North Rocks” dates back to the beginning of the settlement at Parramatta; and is older even than the name of the city itself which at first was called Rosehill. In 1789 Governor Phillip reserved large areas to the north and west of Rosehill for the use of Government stock - the present Northmead and Westmead. The reserve to the north was described as extending as far as “the North Rocks.”
The North Rocks were a massive sandstone outcrop, which terminated the ridge on the south side of Hunts Creek. These rocks so dominated the landscape and were such prominent features that they gave their name to the locality. They were not preserved. In 1841 when it was decided to build a new gaol, a shrewd contractor bought the Rocks as they consisted of the best sandstone in the district - and were very conveniently situated. His tender was accepted, and much of the North Rocks became gaol walls and flagstones in 1844. Further inroads were made on what was left when the wall of masonry was erected in 1855, 6 which held back the waters of Lake Parramatta. Much stone was needed for that as the wall is about 240 feet long and is fifteen feet through at the base.
There was no settlement in the North Rocks area proper till well into the nineteenth century. It became a Township Reserve, and much of it has never been alienated from the Crown. That is not to say that it was neglected. It became a favoured place for picnics; and many parties explored the banks of the two streams that met there, admiring the plant life, which provided numerous examples of botanical novelty and beauty. Also many gallons of poteen found their way from the rocky recesses to the ready market at Parramatta for the many caves in the area gave splendid cover for illicit stills.
Settlement along North Rocks Road came from a different direction. From the earliest times grants of land were made in the area north of Parramatta extending approximately to our Pennant Hills Road. This district was known as The Northern Boundary. Further grants were made in the area at present served by the Carlingford Railway. This district was called The Ponds. By 1796 the two met at Mobbs Hill; and when Richard Partridge was given his grant of 60 acres dated September 15th 1976, a note was added: “This farm to be considered in the Dist. of Field of Mars.” The name appears to have been suggested to the Govenor by the taking up of landing the area by a group of soldiers. But it must not be concluded that all who received grants in the Field of Mars were ex-soldiers. The great majority were ex-convicts. The name was applied to the area north of the existing settlements and which sprawled across the map from Baulkham Hills to North Sydney. When Parishes were surveyed that to the north of Parramatta which embraced the whole of North Rocks Road, has the title Field of Mars bestowed on it.
Richard Partridge arrived in the First Fleet and together with a later grant, his holding upon which he resided, extending from Pennant Hills Road, to Brown's orchard in Jenkins Road. Other grants along Pennant Hills Road quickly followed to John Jennings. James Larra, Simon Taylor, John and James Kenny, until the corner of North Rocks Road was reached. The block bounded by Pennant Hills, North Rocks, and Jenkins Roads was granted to Peter Smith on May 1st 1797. One month later Timothy Hollister was granted the first block on North Rocks Road itself - a block of 30 acres adjoining Smith on the west. No extension along the road took place for a further three years. Smith immediately sold his block, but Hollister remained on this with unfortunate results.
In 1803 he borrowed a large pit saw from the Irish rebel Joseph Liolt. It was stolen from him - and such saws in those days were very hard to get. Timothy battled hard to clear and bring his block under cultivation. The struggle was too much for him. He went insane and died January 6th, 1806, aged 40. His will was the sixth recorded in New South Wales.
The next group of land grants is particularly interesting. Between April 16th and 20th, 1799, grants of 100 acres each were made to Thomas Arndell, Samuel Marsden, Francis Oakes, Rowland Hassall, William Henry, and James Fleet Cover. Arndell came out as Assistant Surgeon in the First Fleet and was Parramatta's first doctor; Marsden was the Rev. Samuel first incumbent of St. John's Parramatta; Oakes Hassall, Henry, and Cover were members of the first Christian mission to the South Sea Islands. They arrived on board the “Duff” at Tahiti on March 6th 1797. Unfortunately tribal war broke out and they were forced to flee. Fortunately a damaged vessel, the “Nautilus,” put in at the right time for repairs, picked up the missionaries, and landed them in Sydney on March 31st 1798.
Hassall's grant is now the Pennant Hills Golf Course; Eaton and Oakes Roads cross towards the middle of Oakes' farm; the others were to the north of these. Marsden's covering the junction of the present Pennant Hills and Castle Hill Roads. All the grants were described as being the District of Dundas. Three other grants in the same district (including William Suton's 148 acres on North Rocks Road), and portion of the great Government Reserve of nearly 35,000 across which included Castle Hill were also described as being Dundas. No other grants were ever made in a district of that name. So the correct designation of West Pennant Hills should be Dundas. The district so called today has no historical title to the name. Much confusion has been caused by the shifting about of names. Dundas itself should carry the name Pennant Hills for there was situated the signal relaying station between Sydney and Parramatta; and on account of that the hills were known as The Pennant Hills. Later a Government Timber Camp was established there which supplied much of the wood for Macquarie's vast building operations. As the timber was cut out, the camp moved along the ridges and took its name with it. There are all too many examples of the wrong use, and shifting of names. Even in North Rocks at times Field of Mars was dropped and Northern Boundary used in describing the situation of the grants; and the name North Rocks itself has moved far along the road from its original position.
The grants situated in Dundas did not bring population to any extent rather the opposite. Certainly Henry returned to Tahiti and forfeited his block, which later was granted to William Bellany - a name well known in the district. But the others were absentee owners. Arndell made his home at Cattai Creek on the Hawkesbury; Marsden, Oakes, and Hassall resided in Parramatta; Cover bought Peter Smith's block and other land but returned to England in 1800. He sold out to John McArther who had already bought up most of the original grants already mentioned. By 1805 McArthur's sheep roamed over most of the land from Mobbs Hill to the Golf Links and well westward of Pennant Hills Road. The farms, sheep and cattle were looked after by Assigned Servants - convicts still under sentence. Contrary to current beliefs these men did not work in irons, nor were they locked up at night. They were free except that could not leave their master's property without his permission.
For long there were few permanent settlers. A track branched off Pennant Hills Road and led to John Aikens 30 acre farm. After John McArthur had exchanged his holdings for land in the Camden district. Robert Jenkins acquired possession of an area at Mobbs Hill, and Andrew Murray built up his large farm which stretched from Devlin's Creek almost to North Rocks village. But much of McArthurs land fell to another absentee owner - James Dunlop.
Dunlop has been bought out by Governor Brisbane as assistant in his own private observatory, which he erected in Parramatta Park. Dunlop studied diligently, and when Brisbane dismissed his astronomer, Charles Rumker, Dunlop was elevated to the position. He did so well that, after Brisbane had left the Colony, he was retained as Government Astronomer. But Dunlop lived and worked in the Observatory and not on his farm. Such conditions did not spell rapid progress. Indeed development was almost at a standstill, and the new ventures at the North Rocks end were indeed to put fresh life into the district.
In 1823 John Raine landed in New South Wales with the intention of establishing a steam-driven flourmill. He chose the site at North Rocks where the two streams met. The Governor made him a grant of 20 acres from the Township Reserve and Raine had the stone building under construction by 1825. The opening of the mill in 1826 was celebrated in right royal fashion for it was the first flourmill in the Parramatta district not dependant upon wind and water for its operations. The mill had a capacity of over 2,500 bushels of wheat per week and its establishment gave a great impetus to the growing of grain.
The effect upon North Rocks was immediate. All the arable land included in the Township Reserve was released. George Eccleston obtained 20 acres which covered the flat area on top of the ridge, and William Charles Wentworth received the whole remaining area between the two creeks which was worth having - some 260 acres. Joseph Seville was granted 50 acres south of the creek and adjoining the Windsor Road. The two streams also got their names at this time Raine called his venture the Darling Mills after the Governor, and the name was passed onto the Creek. Seville lived with his brother in law Samuel Hunt, and so Hunts Creek obtained its name.
With the advent of the mill North Rocks Road began to take shape. Early grants contained the provision that roads could be formed along their boundaries. But the bullock drays which conveyed the grain to the mill ignored boundaries and followed the natural road along the crest of the ridge. There was a little variation in the track then followed and the road of today. The only important deviation began beyond Statham Avenue. The road curved round behind the bus depot and continued in a southerly direction until it entered William Smith's 40 acre grant, then it curved towards the north and rejoined the present road on the eastern end of North Rocks park. The Governor's Arms Inn which for so long gave its name to the road, stood just beyond the southern boundary of the park on Richard Owen's 30 acre grant made in 1800. Doubtless the traffic of the bullock carts called it into existence for it was in being in 1828 and could have been established a little earlier.
As is always the case when grants are made before roads are surveyed, and the roads themselves begin as bullock tracks, many problems arise of awkward subdivisions and nasty bends. North Rocks Road is not exempt from these. For the whole of its length, except for one short distance the road never once followed the boundary between two allotments. The exemptions covered probably less then two hundred yards - and it was surveyed before the grants were made. The situation is at Arnold Grove. There some farms were surveyed for a group of soldiers, Arnold Grove itself was allotted to Private John Booker, across the road were the grants to Corporal David Nairn and Private Joseph James, other farms lay along Loyalty Road and from there to Barclay Road. But few were taken up by the grantees. For instance the block upon portion of which the North Rock School stands was granted to Private John Pickup but he sold it to A. Imlay before the grant was even made out.
Unfortunately the district and climate were not fitted for wheat. Rust proved disastrous to the crops and the Darling Mills were forced to close. They were re-opened as woollen mills and has a checkered career under several owners before passing under the present successful management. The district fell back again mainly to grazing and the absentee owner. Joseph Hickey Grose, who owned the London Brewery in Parramatta held large areas particularly after he became a big business man in Sydney. But he crashed during the financial crisis in the early 1840s and his estate was broken up. Another successful Sydney businessman, Thomas Horton James, acquired all Wentworth's holdings and much of those of Grose. He was particularly interested in the growth and manufacturer of tobacco. James imported and distributed seed, bought leaf and manufactured tobacco. Perhaps some was grown on his estates at North Rocks. James made a tidy fortune and returned to England to spend it. Most of the village of North Rocks stands on the north and northwest portions of his 300 acre grant. Most of the remainder of the village is on Williams Wright's 30 acre grant.
A very able and public spirited man acquired Arnold Grove during this period. He was Edward Henry Stratham, a Journalist, who became editor of the “Australian” that famous fighting paper established by William Charles Wentworth and Dr Wardell which played such a large part in winning personal and political freedom for the inhabitants of New South Wales. When he retired from the Press, Statham devoted himself to farming, and in 1844 successfully established an apiary at Arnold Grove - the first in the district. For many years he was very active in all cultural and progressive movements in Parramatta and was held in the highest respect for his intelligence and sincerity. In 1850 he assisted in founding the School Of Arts and was elected its first President. It is recorded that Statham Avenue was the track he followed when traveling to and from Parramatta.
But the man who undoubtedly had the greatest influence of all upon the district of North Rocks was James Pye, generally known as Rocky Hall or Lucky Pye. He acquired virtually all the land at the lower ends of the two creeks and the area between them and “in a locality where most men would never have stuck the hoe or pick into” he established an orangey. His orchard became the show place of the district. No orange orchard in the whole of the County of Cumberland excelled it and it was generally considered that only two or three could even rival it. When the Royal Princes toured the Colony in the eighties. Pye was honoured by their presence at Rocky Hall; and rumor has it that during their stay red carpet was laid between the trees so that the young Princes could help themselves to oranges without soiling their shoes.
James Pye possessed a vigorous and combative temperament, which found expression not only in establishing an orchard among rocks and sand but also in public life. In May, 1844, be began his public career by being elected one of the two councilors who formed the first corporate body in Parramatta and for the next generation applied himself assiduously to municipal affairs serving a term as Mayor. He also found time to win a seat in the first Parliament elected under Responsible Government in 1856. But the great objective of his public life was to give Parramatta a water supply. As early as May 1850, a Water Committee was appointed - and Pye was on it. It decided to impound the waters of Hunts Creek and a contract was let in 1851 to build the wall. There were many setbacks and the work was not begun until 1855. Pye, the previous year had made a gift of the necessary land together with an area along the edge of the reservoir. But legal difficulties were not foreseen, and it took another twenty-five years of struggling before water poured from the taps in Parramatta. Later, the reservoir became Lake Parramatta, a popular pleasure resort. North Rocks came of age when its first Public School was opened under Herbert William Edwards in June 1923.

Demographics

Population and age

Australian Bureau of Statistics data from the 2006 census records the population of North Rocks as 7,234 residents, with 3,525 males and 3,709 females.^[1] The median age of people in North Rocks was 40, compared with 37 for the whole of Australia.^[2]

Citizenship, country of birth and language

In 2006, 90% of people living in North Rocks were Australian citizens.^[2] 67.4% of people were born in Australia, with 3.8% born in China, 3.4% in England, 2% in Hong Kong, 1.7% in the Republic of Korea, and 1.6% in New Zealand.^[2] 72.7% of people only spoke English at home, while 5.9% spoke Cantonese, 4% spoke Mandarin, 2.2% spoke Korean, 1.9% spoke Arabic and 1% spoke Italian.^[2]

Religion

In North Rocks, 31% of people identify themselves as Catholic, 20.1% of people are Anglican, 14.6% have no religion, 7.6% belong to the Uniting Church and 3.7% belong to the Presbyterian and Reformed Church.^[2]

Marital status

For North Rocks residents aged 15 and over, 61.6% of people were married, 26.6% had never married, 6.7% were separated or divorced and 5.1% were widowed.^[2]

Income

In 2006, the median individual income for North Rocks residents aged 15 and over was $609 a week, compared with $466 for the whole of Australia. The median household income was $1619 a week compared with $1027 for Australia; and the median family income was $1737 a week, compared with $1171 for Australia.^[2]

Features

The "town centre" is centred around North Rocks Road and includes the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children school, Westfield Shoppingtown North Rocks.
North Rocks is somewhat notorious for its Computer fair which is held every Sunday from 9am at Muirfield high school and to a lesser degree for the "trash and treasure" market also held every Sunday at the Deaf & Blind school from 7am.
North Rocks also boasts an 18 hole competition Golf Course and club facilities.
A centre upgrade is currently underway in North Rocks Westfield. The centre upgrade will consist of a refurbishment to Kmart, thus allowing 6 more retail stores to open. These 6 stores are currently unknown, but it is rumoured that a McDonalds will open as one of these stores.
External to the shopping centre will be a brand new ALDI, Reject Shop and First Choice Liquor. These stores will open in August. The Warehouse and Discount Furniture were surrendered for these new modern stores to open.
Public services in the suburb include a number of large reserves, sporting facilities, a community centre, and a number of schools, and an active Rotary and Lions clubs as well as Boy scout & Girl scout associations.
There is a light industrial area towards North Parramatta, which includes industrial businesses such as Unilever and Rexona.

Schools

The major public high school is Muirfield High School. Muirfield is a comparatively small high school, containing around 500 students.
The major public primary school is North Rocks Public School. Neighbouring private schools include Christ the King, The King's School and Tara Anglican School for Girls.

Transport

The M2 Hills Motorway runs through North Rocks, and there is close access to this road from neighbouring suburbs. Public transport to, from and throughout the area is provided by bus, with train stations accessible from nearby Epping and Parramatta. The Barclay Road M2 Bus Station provides fast, frequent services to the City and Castle Hill 7 days a week via Route 610.

References

1. 2006 Census QuickStats : North Rocks (State Suburb)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

External links