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Birchgrove is a neighbourhood of Balmain, Australia. It shares borders with Balmain and Rozelle to the west, Glebe to the east and Leichhardt to the south. Birchgrove has a beautiful waterfront on Iron Cove with parks all around it. The area was originally inhabited by the Cadigal people for over 10,000 years before European settlement in 1790s. In 1801, Governor Lachlan Macquarie made an official grant of land which became known as “The Farm” or “Macquarie’s Farm”. This is where the name Birchgrove derives from – ‘birch groves’.
Public Transport
Birchgrove is serviced by buses to the Sydney CBD and surrounding areas. It is also serviced by the Dulwich Hill Line of Sydney Trains.
Public Schools
There are two public schools in Birchgrove – Kogarah High School and Balmain Community Centre (P-12) which is a small school for children aged between 12 years old to 18 years old.
Private Schools
Birchgrove does not have any private schools, but there are many surrounding suburbs that do offer them. For example, Glebe offers six private primary schools and one high school while Leichhardt has four Catholic primary schools and three high schools.
Shopping Areas
Birchgrove has many shopping centres for residents such as the Birchgrove Shopping Centre, which houses Woolworths and other stores. Dulwich Hill offers everything from a range of retailers to cafes, restaurants, and bars
Houses & Apartments
There are plenty of housing options in Balmain including apartments, townhouses, and detached family homes. The median price for a house is around $950k but this can vary depending on what suburb you’re looking in (e.g Glebe). It’s also important to note that there are no development plans set anywhere near Birchgrove or any neighbouring suburbs so it will still be like living in the country with good access to Sydney City if you choose this area!
Parks
There are many parks in the Balmain area – Birchgrove has parks on both sides of Iron Cove, including Tom Wren Park which is a favourite amongst locals.
Local Shops
Birchgrove has many local shops that you can walk to from your doorstep! There are cafes, butcheries and fruit and veg stores among others such as the Big C grocery store, Dulwich Hill Markets (every Saturday), La Casa Gelateria Cafe or Alpha One Hairdressers.
Sense of Community
Birchgrove has a sense of community and residents tend to know each other. There are many social events put on by locals such as BBQs, potlucks and tree planting days which makes it feel like living in the country with close proximity to Sydney CBD!
Sense of Identity
Living here means you can take part in local traditions that date back over 200 years or be involved in something really new – there’s plenty for everyone at Birchgrove, NSW! Plus, if people don’t recognise your suburb they might just ask you where you’re from…and then realise how cool your neighbourhood is.
