Northbridge is a suburb on the Lower North ShoreofSydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located 6 kilometres north of the Sydney Central Business District, in the local government area of the City of Willoughby. Northbridge is a leafy suburb, set in surroundings of bush bounded by the northwestern banks of The Outpost, located within proximity of Middle Harbour.
| Northbridge Sydney, New South Wales | |||||||||||||||
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Long Gully Bridge as viewed from Northbridge
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| Population | 6,493 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 2,320/km2 (6,010/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2063 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 91 m (299 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 2.8 km2 (1.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 6 km (4 mi) north of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Willoughby | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Willoughby | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | North Sydney | ||||||||||||||
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Northbridge is an affluent suburb, ranking in the top 10 postcodes in Australia by average taxable income.[2] As of April 2024 the median house price is $5.2m[3] and Northbridge is also home to Australia's most expensive street, Hallstrom Close. [4]
The Suspension Bridge, linking the suburb to Cammeray, has become a recognised symbol of Northbridge, completed in January 1892 and purchased by the state government in 1912.
The suburb celebrated its centenary in 2013.
Northbridge took its name from its location, north of a sandstone suspension bridge built in 1892. The bridge was constructed by a team of land developers at a cost of A£42,000 and originally known as North Sydney Bridge.[5] The engineer responsible for the construction was J. E. Coyle and the style was Federation Gothic, with medieval motifs as "unexpected embellishments".[6] It has been known as the Northbridge and Cammeray Suspension Bridge but is now called the Long Gully Bridge.
The land where the suspension bridge was built belonged to William Twemlow, a Sydney jeweler. In 1868 he purchased the land extending from Fig Tree Point to the head of Long Bay, (now Northbridge). He initially regarded the land as valueless but changed his mind when he made a handsome profit by selling some of it to an English syndicate who built the suspension bridge. Twemlow decided to build a two-storey home called The Hermitage, on Fig Tree Point, from sandstone quarried on the estate, which took a year to cut. As this was the first house built in this locality, transport was a problem and Twemlow had to sail through The Spit and around Middle HeadtoCircular Quay, from where he walked to his shop at Sydney Arcade.
Northbridge Post Office opened on 25 November 1920.[7]
In the aftermath of World War I, Northbridge underwent a suburban development and through the 1920s, new houses, roads, schools and shops were built.
Since that time, Northbridge has maintained a number of Federation-style detached houses.
Northbridge Plaza is a shopping centre managed by AMP Capital for two overseas owners. It is located on the corner of Eastern Valley Way and Sailors Bay Road, and it features a Woolworths supermarket, groceries, a butchery, a bakery, a chemist, and a selection of clothing and specialty shops.
Located outside of Northbridge Plaza along Sailors Bay Road are several cafes providing breakfast, lunch and coffee options, and restaurants including Indian, Thai, Japanese, and pizza establishments, offering eat-in or takeaway food.
Busways routes 202, 203, 207, 208 and 209 from Bridge Street, in the Sydney CBD, travel through Northbridge via North Sydney. Peak hour bus routes 204, 205 and 206 operates to city via the Warringah Freeway. CDC NSW also operates bus route 194 to Wynyard and Town Hall via the Warringah Freeway. A bus stop is located at the major intersection between Strathallen Avenue and Sailors Bay Road.
At the 2011 census, 22% of employed people travelled to work on public transport and 52% by car (either as driver or as passenger). This is compared with the 2021 census, where 2% of employed people stated they travelled to work on public transport and 25% by car (either as a driver or as passenger). 60% of employed people worked at home.[8]
Northbridge has a vantage point over Middle Harbour with the harbourside parks (Clive, Elizabeth and Hallstrom Parks) all offering great views.
Northbridge features an 18-hole harbour view golf course, soccer club, sailing club, marina, salt water baths, scout hall, girl guides, tennis courts, parks, ovals, local reserves and bike track. The Bond's Corner bike track was designed and created by a group of friends who believed Northbridge needed an area that appealed to the increasing bike riding population of the town. The nearby Willoughby Leisure Centre is easily accessible through Small Street or a nearby track.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 5,795 | — |
| 2006 | 6,031 | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 5,932 | −1.6% |
| 2016 | 6,347 | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 6,493 | +2.3% |
| Source: [10][11][12][13][1] | ||
As of the 2021 census, the suburb of Northbridge recorded a population of 6,493. Of these:
Several notable Australians live in Northbridge including former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, federal 'teal' independent MP and businesswoman Kylea Tink, former rugby league champions Laurie Daley and Jason Taylor, former Wallabies player Phil Waugh, Seven News presenter and journalist Chris Reason and Australian journalist Kathryn Robinson.
The composer Dulcie Holland[14] and her conductor husband Alan Bellhouse both lived in Kameruka Road in Northbridge until their deaths.[15]
The businessman and philanthropist, Edward Hallstrom, lived in a large house, 'Figtree House', since demolished, at what is now Hallstrom Close and Hallstrom Point Park, until his death in 1970.[16][17]
Former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke purchased a waterfront property in Northbridge shortly before the end of his tenure and resided there until his death in 2019.
33°48′48″S 151°13′02″E / 33.81325°S 151.21717°E / -33.81325; 151.21717