East Ryde

From bushland hideout to theatrical stage, East Ryde’s story unfolds. East Ryde, nestled in Sydney’s Northern Suburbs, boasts a history as dramatic as any play. Originally part of the Field of Mars Common, East Ryde was a vast expanse of turpentine-ironbark forest. Governor King designated this area for livestock breeding in 1804. However, the rugged terrain provided a perfect hideaway for escaped convicts and robbers. This gave the area a certain notoriety. By 1856, proposals arose to sell the common land for infrastructure development. This finally happened in 1874 with the Field of Mars Common Resumption Act. The first land sale in 1885 included parts of present-day East Ryde. At that time, it lacked a distinct name and simply belonged to North Ryde. Dreams of a tramway connecting the area to Balmain and Gladesville surfaced in 1884. A bridge over Strangers Creek was even envisioned. However, this tramway never materialized. In 1925, the New South Wales government approved a railway line from Eastwood to St Leonards. This sparked the development of the Dress Circle Estate. This elevated area, near a proposed station by Macquarie Hospital, formed about two-thirds of modern East Ryde. The 1926 subdivision plan, with its emphasis on the upcoming railway, promised “60 choice elevated lots overlooking the beautiful Lane Cove River”. The railway’s cancellation in 1929 brought development to a standstill. Only a single house had been built. The Dress Circle Estate was revived by Hooker Rex during the late 1950s building boom. They tackled the issue of a former sewerage dump by removing the contaminated soil and covering the area with clean earth. Hooker Rex preserved the name “Dress Circle Estate” and introduced a theatrical theme for the street names. Streets now bear the names of Australian stage and screen icons like June Bronhill, Dame Nellie Melba, Diane Cilento, and Peter Finch. In 1960, a drinking fountain and plaque were unveiled. They commemorated the construction of 250 homes on the estate. Ryde East Public School opened in 1961 to accommodate the growing population. Further development occurred in 1970 with the extension of Finch Avenue. Covenants ensured single dwellings on the estate’s one-sixth acre blocks. A small reserve at the corner of Twin and Cressy roads, the Wallumatta Nature Reserve, retains a link to the area’s Aboriginal heritage. This reserve represents a fraction of the original turpentine-ironbark forest. East Ryde’s story continued in 2006 when residents debated a name change. Suggestions included Bel Air, Melba, and Wallumatta. The proposal, however, was ultimately rejected, affirming East Ryde’s unique identity.