Stanwell Tops, New South Wales

Last updated

Stanwell Tops
Wollongong,  New South Wales
Population517 (2021 census) [1]
Postcode(s) 2508
Elevation275 m (902 ft)
Location
LGA(s) City of Wollongong
State electorate(s) Heathcote
Federal division(s) Cunningham
Suburbs around Stanwell Tops:
Helensburgh Helensburgh Otford
Appin Stanwell Tops Stanwell Park
Cataract Coalcliff Stanwell Park

Stanwell Tops is an exurban locality between the cities of Sydney and Wollongong on the New South Wales, Australia coastline. It lies northwest of Stanwell Park and southwest of Otford.

Contents

Demography

With a population of 517 residents [1] Stanwell Tops is almost entirely residential. In 1996 Australian Bureau of Statistics data reported Stanwell Tops as having the fourth-highest proportion of males in the state at 59.4%, [2] however by 2011 Stanwell Tops had lost its outlier status with that percentage figure dropping to 51.8%. [3] The population of Stanwell Tops decreased from 545 to 471 between 1996 and 2011, indicating a loss of 13.6% of its residents. [3] [2]

In the 2021 Census, 86.3% of people were born in Australia and 94.4% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 37.7%, Catholic 20.3% and Anglican 16.2%. [1] Stanwell park had a few close shops to Stanwell Tops. Helensburgh is the main town out of Coalcliff, Otford, Stanwell Park, and Stanwell Tops because they have the same post code as the main town, Helensburgh.

Economy

There are no retail stores or industrial facilities in Stanwell Tops. Groceries, liquor, public hotels and some restaurants can be found in the surrounding towns and villages less than 10 minutes drive away. The majority of residents work either in the Greater Sydney area or in the Wollongong metropolitan area, and the proportion of households whose income is above A$3000 per week is more than double the Australian national average. [3]

Businesses that operate in Stanwell Tops are the 'Tumbling Waters Retreat', [4] 'The Tops Conference Centre' [5] (formerly known as the Christian Conference Centre, [6] a wholly owned subsidiary of Churches of Christ Community Care), [6] [7] 'Stanwell Tops Technical Services' and several hobby farms – some with farmstay options. At least one hang gliding businesses operates from Bald Hill, which is technically a part of Stanwell Tops.

Geography

Stanwell Tops rests on the Illawarra escarpment, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the neighbouring village of Stanwell Park. It is bounded on all sides by state-forest reserves and other forested crown lands, which are contiguous with the Royal National Park and the Garawarra State Conservation Area.

History

Stanwell Tops has its origins as a private parcel of land owned by property developer Henry Ferdinand Halloran. Since the 1930s, the area had been host to health retreats, recreational facilities, and popular bushwalking tracks. [8]

The Stanwell Tops Pleasure Park complex operated during the 1930s and 1940s and evolved into a caravan park, until it was shut down in 1951 due to stagnating business. At the same time, the majority of the site was subdivided and sold, creating the permanent community that exists today. [8] The site of the dance hall, the only remaining building of the former Pleasure Park, remained unused until it was sold in 1970 to a private owner who renamed the property and the accompanying mineral pools as the 'Garden of Peace', a meditation retreat and de facto community centre. At the turn of the century, the site was sold again and in 2003 opened as the boutique hotel and function centre 'Tumbling Waters Retreat'.

At the same time as the original Pleasure Park, the Princess Marina Cliff Walk [9] was established; also by Henry Halloran. The walk extended throughout the surrounding bushlands and is still largely intact. Another walking track, the Wodi Wodi trail, [10] links Stanwell Tops with Stanwell Park railway station.

Indigenous history

Stanwell Tops is a part of the Aboriginal land formerly occupied by the Tharawal people, specifically the Wodi Wodi clan.

Recent history

Black Christmas 2001

On 25 December 2001, Stanwell Tops and Helensburgh were the sites of the most dangerous bushfire to reach the area in living memory. The fire affected the entire population of both localities, with 12 homes and two businesses destroyed and more damaged. Helensburgh residents were issued with a general evacuation order. [9] [11] The immediate fire danger lasted from midday on 25 December until midnight. Helensburgh was still closed for the next three days due to the health hazard associated with a malfunctioning electricity grid, and sewage and water systems, which were also damaged in the fire. [12]

Local community groups remarked on the solidarity of residents during the crisis, particularly in helping to preserve property; however opinions of the actions of authorities were mixed. [12] An official inquiry found that fire originated from powerlines operated by Integral Energy, and that the company was liable for compensation claims made by residents of affected homes and businesses. [13]

In 2008, five Helensburgh firefighters who responded to the Black Christmas bushfires were awarded bravery medals and meritorious conduct awards by the NSW Fire Brigades, as well as a Commissioner's Commendation for their courageous efforts during both the Black Christmas bushfires and the Waterfall rail accident. [14]

Development controversies

The nearby town of Helensburgh has been the subject of numerous proposals, beginning in the early 1970s, for expanded urban development. [15] Since then, various additions to the township have moved its effective boundary closer to Stanwell Tops, however development that would increase the urban footprint of Stanwell Tops itself has not been approved.

More recent proposals that included plans for expanding Stanwell Tops as well as Helensburgh and Otford were submitted to Wollongong City Council from 2004 [16] onwards. Proposals to rezone Environmentally Protected '7(d)' zones in 2010 and 2011 were met with large-scale community opposition. [17] [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illawarra</span> Region in New South Wales, Australia

The Illawarra is a coastal region in the southeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour and the coastal town of Kiama. Wollongong is the largest city of the Illawarra with a population of 240,000, then Shellharbour with a population of 70,000 and Kiama with a population of 10,000. These three cities have their own suburbs. Wollongong stretches from Otford in the north to Windang in the south, with Maddens Plains and Cordeaux in the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Keira</span> Suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

Mount Keira is a suburb and mountain in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanwell Park, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

Stanwell Park is a coastal village and northern suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is the northernmost point of the Illawarra coastal strip and lies south of Sydney's Royal National Park. It is situated in a small valley between Bald Hill to the north, Stanwell Tops to the west and Mount Mitchell to the south. It has two lagoons from the village's two creeks, Stanwell and Hargrave Creeks, and a beach running between headlands. Stanwell Park and the surrounding suburbs are colloquially referred to by its postcode 2508.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Coast railway line, New South Wales</span> Railway line in New South Wales, Australia

The South Coast Railway is a commuter and goods railway line from Sydney to Wollongong and Bomaderry in New South Wales, Australia. Beginning at the Illawarra Junction, the line services the Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otford, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

Otford is a village in the Otford Valley located 55 km south of the Sydney and 30 km north of the Wollongong CBD in New South Wales, Australia. Otford is within the local government area of the City of Wollongong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanwell Park railway station</span> Railway station in New South Wales, Australia

Stanwell Park railway station is located on the South Coast railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the seaside village of Stanwell Park opening on 23 December 1901, relocating to its current location on 10 October 1920.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Coast Line</span> Rail service in New South Wales, Australia

The South Coast Line (SCO) is an intercity rail service operated by NSW TrainLink that services the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The service runs from Central, and runs the entire length of the eponymous South Coast railway line to Bomaderry. The service also runs along the Eastern Suburbs railway line at peak hours and the Port Kembla railway line to Port Kembla. It is operated with NSW TrainLink H sets and Sydney Trains T sets, with Endeavour railcars operating the service on the non-electrified line between Kiama and Bomaderry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hacking River</span> River in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The Hacking River is a watercourse that is located in the Southern Sydney region of New South Wales in Australia. For thousands of years traditional owners called the river Deeban, however the colonial settlers renamed the river after Henry Hacking, a British seaman who killed Pemulwuy and was a pilot at Port Jackson in colonial New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bald Hill (Australia)</span> Hill on the Illawarra Range, New South Wales, Australia

Bald Hill is a hill on the Illawarra Range, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. With an elevation of approximately 180 metres (590 ft) AMSL, Bald Hill is one of the best known and most popular lookouts in the Illawarra region providing panoramic vistas across the Illawarra escarpment and over the Illawarra plain and the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helensburgh railway station</span> Railway station in New South Wales, Australia

Helensburgh railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the South Coast railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the town of Helensburgh. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illawarra escarpment</span> Mountain range in New South Wales, Australia

The Illawarra escarpment, or officially the Illawarra Range, is the fold-created cliffs and plateau-eroded outcrop mountain range west of the Illawarra coastal plain south of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The range encloses the Illawarra region which stretches from Stanwell Park in the north to Kiama, Gerringong and the Shoalhaven River in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Hargrave Drive</span> Road in New South Wales, Australia

Lawrence Hargrave Drive, part of the Grand Pacific Drive, is a scenic coastal road and popular tourist drive connecting the northernmost suburbs of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, to Wollongong, in the south, and Sydney, in the north across the scenic Sea Cliff Bridges. It was named after Lawrence Hargrave, an Australian aviation pioneer who lived nearby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coalcliff, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

Coalcliff is a town on the coast of New South Wales, Australia, between Sydney and Wollongong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helensburgh, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Helensburgh is a small town, located 45 kilometres (28 mi) south of Sydney and 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Wollongong and north and above the Illawarra escarpment and region. Helensburgh is in the Wollongong City Council local government area. It is surrounded by bushland reserves adjacent to the southern end of the Royal National Park and Garawarra State Conservation Area and the Woronora reservoir water catchment is to its west.

Lilyvale is a locality in New South Wales in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney. Most of the locality is now in the Royal National Park and Garawarra State Conservation Area. The former Lilyvale village centre, which at one stage had a population of about 200 people, was at Lilyvale railway station on the South Coast railway between Helensburgh and Otford.

Green's Northern Coaches was an Australian bus company operating services in Wollongong.

The Wodiwodi or Wodi Wodi, also pronounced Whardi Whardi, are a sub-group of the Dharawal people, an Indigenous Australian people of the east coast of the continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otford railway tunnel</span> Historic site

The Otford railway tunnel is a heritage-listed former railway tunnel on the Illawarra railway line at Otford, City of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Government Railways, and built by W. Rowe and W. Smith (tunnel) and Mr. McDonald. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanwell Creek railway viaduct</span> Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

The Stanwell Creek railway viaduct is a heritage-listed railway bridge on the Illawarra railway line at Stanwell Park, City of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Government Railways and built in 1920 by day labour. The property is owned by Transport Asset Holding Entity, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Stanwell Tops (State Suburb)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 July 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. 1 2 "Census of Population and Housing: selected characteristics for urban centres and localities, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, 1996". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Stanwell Tops (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 February 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  4. ↑ "Tumbling Waters Retreat and Restaurant". 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  5. ↑ "Welcome to The Tops Conference Centre". 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  6. 1 2 Australian Tax Office (3 November 2009). "ABN Lookup – Current details for ABN: 41 041 851 866". Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  7. ↑ , itself a division of the Churches of Christ in Australia Churches of Christ Community Care (29 June 2012). "Churches of Christ Community Care: Creating Communities of Care where people can find a place". Churches of Christ Community Care. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  8. 1 2 Helensburgh and District Historical Society. "Holidaying and sightseeing in 1930s" . Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  9. 1 2 Helensburgh and District Historical Society. "The Princess Marina Cliff Walk" . Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  10. ↑ NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (9 March 2012). "Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area". NSW Government. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  11. ↑ Mercer, Phil (2003). "Eyewitness: Sydney's residents face fire wrath". BBC News. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  12. 1 2 Helensburgh and District Historical Society. "Black Christmas" . Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  13. ↑ Trenwith, Courtney (27 April 2009). "Black Christmas bushfire victims still battle for compensation". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  14. ↑ "Disaster heroes finally honoured for bravery – Local News – News – General – St George & Sutherland Shire Leader". Theleader.com.au. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  15. ↑ "The Hacking River Catchment". Ssec.org.au. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  16. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ↑ "Helensburgh rezoning faces opposition". Australia: ABC News. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  18. ↑ Laurel-Lee Roderick (8 September 2010). "Thousands oppose Helensburgh rezoning bid". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 9 June 2012.

34°13′12″S150°59′31″E / 34.2199°S 150.99181°E / -34.2199; 150.99181

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.