Barden Ridge, New South Wales

Barden Ridge is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Barden Ridge is located 29 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire. Barden Ridge is colloquially known to locals as 'The Ridge'.

Location

Barden Ridge is located on the Woronora River, which flows north into the Georges River. 'The Needles', is a body of water (fjord) on the Woronora River, on one of the original roads west from Helensburgh. On the northern side of the fjord lies the fresh water source of the Woronora River, whilst on the other side is salt water. The water, between two steep hills, remains so cold that even during summer it has been known to have caused heart attacks. While car access has been generally blocked, pedestrian access is still available. This area is also popular for recreational activities such as hiking and mountain biking.

Barden Ridge has shifted from a remote bushland area, when known as Lucas Heights, to an expanding suburb that now contains all the necessary amenities that have established a strong community.

History

Barden Ridge was named after Alfred Barden, whose pioneering family is associated with the Bangor area prior to the 1850s. In early times Barden Ridge had been used to identify the geographical location and Lucas Heights was given to the suburb that developed here.^[2]

The land was originally home to the Dharawal People.

The area has faced several extreme bushfire incidents, with the most notable evacuation occurring in the early 2000's.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census of Population, there were 4,041 residents in Barden Ridge. 82.8% of residents were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were England 3.0%, South Africa 1.4% and New Zealand 1.2%. 87.7% of residents spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Arabic 1.8%, Spanish 1.7% and Greek 1.5%. The most common responses for religious affiliation were Catholic 32.8%, Anglican 28.8% and No Religion 11.2%.^[1]

Transport

The nearest train station is at Sutherland on the Sydney Trains Illawarra line and South Coast lines. There is also another close railway station at Padstow, New South Wales. Transdev NSW, formerly Veolia and Southtrans, operates the local bus service.

In 2005, the Bangor Bypass was completed. It takes motorists directly from Sutherland to Barden Ridge, instead of passing through Menai and Bangor. A new section of the Bypass was constructed and passes by Barden Ridge improving the current access to the area and Heathcote Road (to the south).

Sport and recreation

The Ridge Sports Complex is a major sporting facility on the western side of New Illawarra Road. It features playing fields and associated amenities buildings, netball courts, men's shed, a synthetic athletic track, a golf driving range, The Ridge Golf Course, and club facilities to service the needs of the sporting and golfing community. Also planned for this area are hockey fields and a BMX track.^[3]

There is also another Baseball/AFL oval and a park directly adjacent to Lucas Heights Community School, which itself has two sporting fields and three basketball courts. Shire Christian School also has a sporting field and two multi-use tennis courts. There are other parks and nature reserves scattered throughout the suburb.

Barden Ridge is home to the Barden Ridgebacks Football Club, the Barden Ridgebacks Netball Club, the Shire R/C Aircraft club, Illawong Marlins Baseball Club and The Barden Ridge Comets Cricket Team.

Schools

Barden Ridge has two schools: Lucas Heights Community School and Shire Christian School.

Churches

St Paul's Anglican Church and the Sutherland Reformed Church.

Politics

Barden Ridge has a long Liberal party history, which only changed in recent memory during the stalled construction of the Woronora Bridge. It comes under the Federal seat of Hughes, which is currently held by Liberal MP Craig Kelly. In State Government, it comes under the seat of Holsworthy, which is currently held by the Liberal Party MP Melanie Gibbons. In Local Government, Barden Ridge falls under Sutherland Shire E Ward, which has three representatives.

Emergency Services

Barden Ridge has its own Bushfire Brigade station and is served by the very close-by Menai police station, Ambulance post and Fire Brigade.

Aged Care

The suburb is home to the Barden Lodge Retirement Home.

Notable residents

Home and away and Blue Water High star Rebecca Breeds attended Shire Christian School

References

1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Barden Ridge (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
↑ The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8
↑ http://www.bardenridgebacks.com.au/

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Coordinates: 34°01′55″S 151°00′36″E / 34.032°S 151.010°E / -34.032; 151.010

Suburbs and localities within the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, Sydney

Suburbs	Alfords Point Bangor Barden Ridge Bundeena Bonnet Bay Burraneer Caringbah Caringbah South Como Cronulla Dolans Bay Engadine Grays Point Greenhills Beach Gymea Gymea Bay Heathcote Illawong Jannali Kangaroo Point Kareela Kirrawee Kurnell Lilli Pilli Loftus Lucas Heights Maianbar Menai Miranda Oyster Bay Port Hacking Sandy Point Sutherland Sylvania Sylvania Waters Taren Point Waterfall Woolooware Woronora Woronora Heights Yarrawarrah Yowie Bay

Localities	Audley Bate Bay Caravan Head Como West Cronulla Beach Cronulla sand dunes Elouera Beach Garie Beach Gundamaian Gunnamatta Bay North Cronulla Beach North Engadine Royal National Park Shelly Beach Sylvania Heights Towra Point Wanda Beach Warumbul Wattamolla

List of Sydney suburbs

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