The Ponds, New South Wales

The Ponds
Sydney, New South Wales

The Float
Population 2,932 (2011 census)[1]
Established 2007
Postcode(s) 2769
Location 40 km (25 mi) NW of Sydney CBD
State electorate(s) Riverstone
Federal Division(s) Greenway
Suburbs around The Ponds:
Schofields Rouse Hill Rouse Hill
Schofields The Ponds Kellyville Ridge
Quakers Hill Parklea Stanhope Gardens

The Ponds (postcode: 2769) is a suburb[2] of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Ponds is located approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-west of the Sydney central business district in the Blacktown local government area and part of the Hills District. At the 2011 census, The Ponds had an estimated resident population of 2,932.[1]

History

"The Ponds" was a name designed to reflect the geography of the area and was derived from the nearby creek called "Second Ponds Creek", and the growing population. The Ponds was officially designated as a separate suburb in January 2007. The Ponds had previously been part of the suburbs of Kellyville and Kellyville Ridge.

According to data from the 2011 census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics ranked The Ponds as the most advantaged suburb of Sydney by the use of twenty-five variables, including income, internet access, number of bedrooms and resident qualifications.[3] With more than 71 per cent of the population aged over 15 years married, census data shows that The Ponds has the highest percentage of married people per suburb in Australia.[1][4][5]

Housing

The Ponds is situated in the North West growth corridor, where the first stage of a major shopping centre and commercial space have opened. A new suburb was designed to make the estate a new community. The first lots of land was released on 31 March 2007.

In 2012, The Ponds scooped two industry awards by taking out first place in the Residential Development and Sustainable Development categories at the UDIA NSW Austral Bricks Awards for Excellence.[6]

Education

John Palmer Public School is a public school which opened in 2008. Nearby high schools include St Marks Catholic College, Glenwood High School, Terra Sancta College, Rouse Hill High School and Rouse Hill Anglican College.

A new high school was recently opened in The Ponds and accommodates 1,100 students in 52 classrooms. It opened in time for Term 1 2015. The school was built at the intersection of Hambledon Rd and an extended Riverbank Drive.[7]

Hospitals

Hospitals nearby include Norwest Private, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Children's Hospital, Westmead Private and Blacktown Hospital.

Churches

There are a number of churches nearby, including Every Nation Christian Church, Blessed John XXIII Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Rosary, Rouse Hill Anglican Church, Hillsong Church, NewHope Baptist Church and Life Anglican Church Quakers Hill.

Transport

Road

Both the Westlink M7 and the M2 Hills Motorway provide easy road access to the suburb from the south and east, respectively.

Bus

The Ponds is serviced by Busways which provides services to Blacktown (T74, 752), Rouse Hill (752), Schofields & Riverstone (T74).

Residents can commute to either Kellyville Ridge, Stanhope Gardens or Rouse Hill Town Centre to use Hillsbus services to Parramatta (T63, T65, T66) and the City (607X, 617X, 616/616X), or Busways services to Castle Hill (T71, 745).

Rail

The nearest Sydney Trains station is located at Schofields railway station, providing services to Blacktown, Parramatta, Richmond and the Sydney central business district.

Cudgegong Road station on the future North West Rail Link will be located close to The Ponds, providing services every 5 minutes to Norwest Business Park, Castle Hill, Macquarie Park and Chatswood, with connecting Sydney Trains services to Sydney CBD. The line will be operational by the end of 2019.

Shopping

Rouse Hill Town Centre is located about 1 km away, and features over 250 stores in addition to Coles, Woolworths, Target, Big W and Reading Cinemas. Stanhope Village is located 3 km from The Ponds, with Coles, Kmart and several speciality stores. Additional shopping can be found nearby at Castle Towers and Westpoint Blacktown, located about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) away.

A community centre and The Ponds shopping centre recently opened in 2015. It houses Woolworths as the anchor tenant, with coffee shops such as Michel's Patisserie, small restaurants such as Subway, newsagencies, bakeries, drycleaners, between 15 and 20 specialty shops, commercial offices and a car park. It will connect with the sales and display centre which is to be renovated and turned into a community resource centre.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "The Ponds". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "The Ponds". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  3. ↑ Barlass, Tim (31 March 2013). "Dispelling the myth of a suburban oasis". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Married couples love to live at The Ponds". Rouse Hill Times. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  5. ↑ Salt, Bernard (7 March 2013). "Outlying estates are our centres of wedded bliss". The Australian. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "UDIA: Awards".
  7. ↑ http://rouse-hill-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/promises-made-on-the-ponds-high-school-catchment/
  8. ↑ "New shops at The Ponds "the place to be"".

External links

Coordinates: 33°42′11″S 150°54′32″E / 33.7030°S 150.9090°E / -33.7030; 150.9090

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