Before 1788, the Garigal Aboriginal clan called this land home. Today we stand in Frenchs Forest. It is a suburb of northern Sydney in New South Wales. Frenchs Forest sits 13 kilometers north of Sydney’s central business district. It falls within the Northern Beaches Council area. Locals affectionately call this area “The Forest”.
European exploration began shortly after settlement in 1788. Governor Phillip journeyed through Warringah. He documented the landscape and Aboriginal culture. Some historians believe Phillip viewed the area from Frenchs Forest.
In 1853, the Pearce brothers acquired 200 acres here. Later, James French, a police constable, acquired the property. It then became known as Rodborough. French also developed land in the neighboring Forestville.
Despite its closeness to Sydney, Frenchs Forest stayed rural for a long time. That is until the twentieth century. A 1951 article described the area. It mentioned wallabies and koalas. Also native flowers grew amid the scrub. The article noted increasing garbage dumping. It also warned of dangerous spiders and ants.
Frenchs Forest is near Garigal National Park. Its elevation leads to high rainfall. Ridges and native bushland define the landscape. The eastern parts offer ocean views. The western side overlooks Chatswood and North Sydney.
Frenchs Forest experiences a climate like Sydney. Winters are cooler and wetter. Summers are typically less hot.
Forestway Shopping Centre sits at Forest Way and Warringah Road. It features supermarkets and many stores. Smaller shopping areas are on Sorlie Road and Skyline shops. The Skyline shops got their name from a drive-in movie theatre. It was nearby until the mid-1980s. A new shopping mall and residential development are planned. It will be known as Frenchs Forest Town Centre.
Several schools serve the area. These include The Forest High School and Davidson High School. Also Frenchs Forest Public School is located here. Mimosa Public School and Arranounbai School are here too.
Frenchs Forest offers various churches. Frenchs Forest Anglican Church and Uniting Church are here. You can also find Forest Alliance Church and Frenchs Forest Baptist.
Warringah Road is a main route through Frenchs Forest. It connects Roseville and Brookvale. Forest Way heads north to Terrey Hills. Wakehurst Parkway runs north-south. “The Blinking Light” was a notorious intersection. A blinking light warned motorists of danger.
CDC NSW connects Frenchs Forest with Chatswood. Buses also run to Westfield Warringah Mall and Terrey Hills. Keolis Downer Northern Beaches operates bus lines through the area.
Frenchs Forest Showground offers areas for dogs and horse events. Forest Funday is a free annual fair. It is held by Christian churches on Anzac Day. Eurofest takes place at Ararat Reserve. It involves local ethnic clubs.
Ararat Reserve features ethnic clubs. The Warringah Aquatic Centre has a swimming pool. Lionel Watts Oval provides sports fields and a skate park. A cycle path connects Frenchs Forest with Dee Why. The playground at Lionel Watts Oval has a mini-track for toddlers. Manly Dam Reserve offers bush tracks.
In 2021, Frenchs Forest had a population of 14,267. Most residents were born in Australia. Common birthplaces included England and China. Most people spoke English at home.
Faith Bandler, a civil rights activist, resided here. Actress Leila Hayes also lived here. Television presenter James Mathison once called Frenchs Forest home. Singer Donald Shanks and sprint canoeist Shelley Oates also resided here.