Narrabeen, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Narrabeen is a beachside suburb in northern Sydney
, in the state of New South Wales
, Australia
. Narrabeen is located 23 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district
, in the local government area of Warringah Council
and is part of the Northern Beaches region.
who settled in the area with his family. They were killed during an attack by bushranger
s and his homestead burned. The popular belief is that the location was then named after a young Aboriginal girl Narrabine, who lived near the lake, and who helped soldiers capture the escaped convicts involved in the massacre. Another theory is that on 26 January, 1801, Lieutenant James Grant and a party of three were walking to Pittwater
, where they hoped to find a small rowing boat which had been stolen from Sydney. According to Grant's journal, at the mouth of the lagoon, he was confronted with the problem of crossing a stream, which the Aborigines told him was called Narrowbine . James Meehan mentions Narrowbang lagoon in his survey in 1815. It has also been suggested that the name could have been derived from Narrabin, a native plant growing near the lake entrance or narrow beans eaten by early explorers.
The first land grants were made to John Lees (40 acres), Philip Schaffer (50 acres), and James Wheeler (80 acres) all along the south bank of Mullet Creek. Alex Macdonald was granted 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) at the beach in 1815 and west of this land JT Collins had 93.5 acres (378,381.4 m²) by 1857.
During the nineteenth century travellers had to ford the lake until 1880 when the first bridge opened. A second bridge at the mouth of the lagoon in Ocean Street was built in 1925. With the extension of the tram to Narrabeen in 1913 providing easier transport, the whole area around the lake became popular for holidays and camping. A large camping ground became established on the north shore of the lagoon. In 1946 the Wakehurst Parkway was opened to North Narrabeen connecting the whole Pittwater area directly to Frenchs Forest
and Seaforth
.
In December 2007, workmen excavating around the bus shelter near Octavia St. found the remains of a human body, which subsequent investigation revealed to be the remains of a 4000-year old Indigenous Australian who had died from a spear wound. He was named the "Narrabeen Man
". His bones were to be buried in nearby Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
in 2008.
, Narrabeen, South Narrabeen and Collaroy beach. Although Collaroy
is a separate suburb, its beach lies along the same stretch. All beaches have their own Surf Life Saving Club. There is also a lagoon
at Narrabeen. Narrabeen beach is mentioned in the Beach Boys song Surfin' USA
.
rugby league
club. North Narrabeen beach is commonly used for surfing
competitions.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, in the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Narrabeen is located 23 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district
Sydney central business district
The Sydney central business district is the main commercial centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It extends southwards for about 3 kilometres from Sydney Cove, the point of first European settlement. Its north–south axis runs from Circular Quay in the north to Central railway station in...
, in the local government area of Warringah Council
Warringah Council
Warringah is a local council area in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, Australia. Warringah Council overlaps with a number of suburbs from the Manly Council area to the south and the Pittwater Council area to the north...
and is part of the Northern Beaches region.
History
There are a number of theories on the origins of the name "Narrabeen". One is that it derived from an Aboriginal word Narrabine meaning swan. Another involves Captain Henry Reynolds, a first fleeterFirst Fleet
The First Fleet is the name given to the eleven ships which sailed from Great Britain on 13 May 1787 with about 1,487 people, including 778 convicts , to establish the first European colony in Australia, in the region which Captain Cook had named New South Wales. The fleet was led by Captain ...
who settled in the area with his family. They were killed during an attack by bushranger
Bushranger
Bushrangers, or bush rangers, originally referred to runaway convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who had the survival skills necessary to use the Australian bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities...
s and his homestead burned. The popular belief is that the location was then named after a young Aboriginal girl Narrabine, who lived near the lake, and who helped soldiers capture the escaped convicts involved in the massacre. Another theory is that on 26 January, 1801, Lieutenant James Grant and a party of three were walking to Pittwater
Pittwater
Pittwater is a body of water extending south from Broken Bay, New South Wales, Australia parallel to the coast.The waterway was surveyed by crew members of HMS Sirius in 1788, and named Pitt Water after British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger...
, where they hoped to find a small rowing boat which had been stolen from Sydney. According to Grant's journal, at the mouth of the lagoon, he was confronted with the problem of crossing a stream, which the Aborigines told him was called Narrowbine . James Meehan mentions Narrowbang lagoon in his survey in 1815. It has also been suggested that the name could have been derived from Narrabin, a native plant growing near the lake entrance or narrow beans eaten by early explorers.
During the nineteenth century travellers had to ford the lake until 1880 when the first bridge opened. A second bridge at the mouth of the lagoon in Ocean Street was built in 1925. With the extension of the tram to Narrabeen in 1913 providing easier transport, the whole area around the lake became popular for holidays and camping. A large camping ground became established on the north shore of the lagoon. In 1946 the Wakehurst Parkway was opened to North Narrabeen connecting the whole Pittwater area directly to Frenchs Forest
Frenchs Forest, New South Wales
-Commercial areas:Forestway shopping centre is at the intersection of Forestway and Warringah Roads. During the 1960s and 1970s, this centre had the name Arndale...
and Seaforth
Seaforth, New South Wales
Seaforth is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Seaforth is located 12 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Manly Council and is part of the Northern Beaches region....
.
In December 2007, workmen excavating around the bus shelter near Octavia St. found the remains of a human body, which subsequent investigation revealed to be the remains of a 4000-year old Indigenous Australian who had died from a spear wound. He was named the "Narrabeen Man
Narrabeen Man
Narrabeen Man is the name given to a skeleton of an Aboriginal man found by contractors digging a ditch for cabling near the corners of Octavia Street and Ocean Street, Narrabeen - North of Sydney, Australia in January 2005....
". His bones were to be buried in nearby Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Ku-ring-gai Chase is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 25 km north of Sydney located largely within the Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, Warringah and Pittwater municipal areas. Ku-ring-gai Chase is also officially classed as a suburb by the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales...
in 2008.
Beaches
There are four beaches along the Narrabeen stretch of beach, North NarrabeenNorth Narrabeen, New South Wales
North Narrabeen is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Narrabeen is located 25 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Pittwater Council...
, Narrabeen, South Narrabeen and Collaroy beach. Although Collaroy
Collaroy, New South Wales
Collaroy is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Collaroy is located 22 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Warringah Council and part of the Northern Beaches region...
is a separate suburb, its beach lies along the same stretch. All beaches have their own Surf Life Saving Club. There is also a lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
at Narrabeen. Narrabeen beach is mentioned in the Beach Boys song Surfin' USA
Surfin' USA (song)
"Surfin' USA" is a song with lyrics written by Brian Wilson for The Beach Boys, set to the melody from Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen". Berry received co-writing credit for composing the song after litigating. "Surfin' USA" was recorded by The Beach Boys and released as a single on March 4,...
.
Sport and recreation
The Sydney Institute of Sport is based in Narrabeen and has recently become the headquarters of the Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesManly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club. North Narrabeen beach is commonly used for surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
competitions.
External links
- Beach Location from SurfingAtlas.com
- - Narrabeen Beach Surf Life Saving Club
- Narrabeen - the Northern Beaches Tour - photographs and description.
- Narrabeen Head Aquatic Reserve
- Narrabeen History