Focus on Berowra

Berowra embodies everything locals love about the Upper North Shore –

ample family homes, big backyards and a serene bushland setting coupled with the ultimate convenience of a train station – at a family friendly price point.

History

Berowra is the traditional land of the Dharug People to the west of Berowra Creek and the Guringai People to the east, and its name honours its original inhabitants. Berowra is a Dharug word meaning ‘the place of shells’.

The area’s first colonial landowner was a woman named Mary Wall, who was granted land in Berowra in 1879. In 1894 a part-time school was opened in her house on the Peats Ferry Road (today’s Pacific Highway). Today, she is remembered by Mary Wall Crescent off The Gully Road.

The opening of Berowra’s railway station in April 1887 was a catalyst for the settlement’s growth. Day trippers from Sydney would visit to bushwalk and hire boats at Berowra Waters. In 1890 Berowra was finally declared a village. Development was slow due to the poor roads and rough terrain, but by 1900 there were enough people in the area (about 35 families) to warrant a post office.

Berowra’s growth remained slow until the 1950s when the first major land subdivisions took place. Development really took off between 1966 and 1981, during which time Berowra’s population almost tripled. In 1989 the Pacific Highway, Berowra’s main thoroughfare, became a much quieter stretch of road when long distance traffic was diverted to the newly extended Pacific Motorway.

In 2007 the Berowra Village Shopping Centre and neighbouring Berowra Village Tavern were reopened following a major redevelopment.

What the locals love about Berowra

1. Genuine neighbourhood lifestyle

According to a survey conducted by the ABC this year, about a third of Australians don’t know their neighbours by name. It’s certainly true that in many parts of Sydney the tight-knit neighbourhoods of years gone by seem to have disappeared. Not in Berowra. Here, everyone stops to say hello and have a chat. Locals love the genuine sense of community. The wide, quiet streets are ideal for kids to explore and the four local primary schools (Berowra Public School, Wideview Public School, Berowra Christian School and St Bernard’s Catholic School) are within walking or bike-riding distance for many families. Some of Sydney’s best high schools are just a short train ride away.

Locals don’t have to travel to enjoy café culture either, with Wise Monkey Cafe, Coho and Cafe Laurella just a few of the popular Berowra eateries. Nearby, they can grab fish and chips on the waterfront at Berowra Waters Fish Café or for those very special occasions visit one of Australia’s finest restaurants, the renowned Berowra Waters Inn.

2. Idyllic bushland setting

John Williamson’s classic song ‘Home Among the Gum Trees’ could have been written for Berowra, nestled as it is among the 4000 hectares of eucalypt forest that make up the Berowra Valley National and Regional Park. The Park offers stunning lookouts, barbecue and picnic areas and canoeing, boating and fishing in Berowra Creek. There are plenty of bushwalks too. The Great North Walk, an iconic 250km bushwalk stretching from Sydney to Newcastle, traverses the Park. Unusually for a National Park, there are even a handful of fire trails where dog walking is allowed. All this, and Berowra is still less than an hour’s train ride from Wynyard.

3. Priceless Aboriginal heritage

Berowra is home to numerous important Aboriginal heritage sites, both within the Berowra Valley National Park and around the suburb itself. There are sacred engravings, ochre paintings, campfire sites, grinding grooves, middens, and artefacts to be cherished all over the area. The land and waterways of Berowra are still of great significance to Aboriginal people today.

Berowra Sales market update

Family-sized homes on family-sized blocks are the hallmark of Berowra’s real estate. The vast majority (94%) of dwellings in the suburb are freestanding homes, with 56% of them boasting four or more bedrooms. Those looking for lower-maintenance living will find a handful of generously proportioned townhouses, duplexes and semis. Berowra is home to very few units.

The median house price in Berowra in August 2021 is $1.32m. Berowra home values have risen sharply – by approximately a third, in fact – since October 2020, when the median was $1.01m. According to realestate.com.au, houses listed for sale in Berowra average 2134 views, compared to the NSW average of 1675, reflecting the suburb’s popularity.

Berowra rental market update

The median rent for houses in Berowra is $620 per week. Property investors will be interested to know that 12.3% of homes in Berowra are rented, and the suburb’s vacancy rate as of August 2021 was a low 1.6%. The gross rental yield for houses in September 2021 was 2.7%.

If you’re thinking about buying, selling, renting or investing in Berowra, get in touch today.