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Shopping

The local shopping centre has some 35 retail and service shops.

Available locally are:

  • Flowers
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Butchers
  • Wine and spirits
  • Chemist
  • Delicatessen
  • Women’s wear
  • Interior decoration
  • Real estate agents
  • Post Office, Newsagency and Gift Shop
  • Travel agency
  • Doctors
  • Dentist

The suburb has restaurants, coffee shops and fast food suppliers.

Services

Doctor:

Castlecrag Medical Practice
95 Edinburgh Rd
Ph:9958 1119

Dentist:

Castlecrag Dental Center
105 Edinburgh Rd
Ph: 9958 4557

Physiotherapist:

Castlecrag / Willoughby Physiotherapy Centre
49 Edinburgh Rd Willoughby NSW 2068
ph: 9958 0410

Castlecrag Private Hospital:

150 Edinburgh Rd
Ph 9935 0200

Real Estate Agents:

Richardson & Wrench Ph 9958 1200

Travel Agent:

TravelPlan
118 Edinburgh Rd
Ph 1300 130 754

Places of Worship

Castlecrag:

  • St. James Anglican Church 184 Edinburgh Road

Other nearby places of worship are:

  • Chatswood Baptist Church 70 Albert Avenue, Chatswood
  • St. Philip Neri Catholic Church 224 Sailors Bay Road, Northbridge
  • Chatswood Seventh-Day Adventist Church cnr. Johnson and Devonshire Streets, Chatswood
  • North Shore Temple Emanuel 98 Koola Avenue, Killara
  • Salvation Army cnr. Johnson and Archer Streets, Chatswood
  • Willoughby Congregational Church cnr. Church and Penshurst Streets, Willoughby

Castlecrag Community Fair

The Castlecrag Progress Association has organised a major Community Fair since 2000. Following the 2001 Fair, it has been held in June each alternate year (interrupted by COVID).

The purpose of the Castlecrag Community Fair is to bring the various elements of our community – particularly our residents and business owners – together in a manner that generates ongoing benefits for all. It is also an opportunity to promote the special features of our suburb to the wider community.

Federal and State Governments, Local Council and Community Groups

Federal and State Governments

Castlecrag is represented at Federal level by the Member for North Sydney and at the State level by the Member for Willoughby. For up to date contact information and election details call the AEC or the NSW State Electoral Office on 1800 043 188 or seo.nsw.gov.au Comprehensive guides to government services are in the front pages of the White Pages telephone book.

Willoughby City Council

The local council comprises the mayor and twelve councillors, three from each of four wards. Castlecrag is part of Sailors Bay Ward. Council meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month at 7pm in the Chambers on level 6, 31 Victor Street, Chatswood. Residents are welcome. It is possible, if request is made in writing, both to address the meeting and to raise issues not on the agenda. For information contact the Council’s Help and Service Centre on 9777 1000 or www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au

Council Services

Willoughby City Council provides a vast array of community, cultural and sporting facilities and services – mostly free to residents. The council’s free “Information for New Residents” pack lists some 50 direct contact telephone numbers for these services and provides details on their activities. Residents might be particularly interested in the following:

Garbage and recycling:

Every Monday morning council collects three separate wheelie bins – one for household waste; one for recyclable materials (the recycle bin is for glass, plastic bottles and cans, newspapers, cardboard and paper); and one bin for vegetation. You will receive notices about council’s quarterly clean-up of bulkier material.

Ethnic Services

Over thirty percent of Willoughby’s population comes from non-English speaking backgrounds and council runs a Multicultural One Stop Assistance and Information Service (MOSAIC). This runs ethnic support groups, English classes and training seminars. MOSAIC can be contacted on 9777 7951.

Community Groups

Castlecrag’s residents have a strong tradition of grouping together, dating back to the Griffins’ emphasis on communal involvement in local affairs, the arts and recreation.

Active community groups are:

  • Castlecrag Progress Association
  • Walter Burley Griffin Society Inc. Promotes the life and works of Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin who designed Castlecrag and lived here from the early 1920s until shortly before Walter’s death in India in 1937.
  • Castlecrag Conservation Society. Has folded into a sub-committee of the Progress Association.
  • The Haven Amphitheatre Committee manages the historic amphiteatre, established by Walter and Marion Griffin in the 1920s, on behalf of Willoughby City Council. Email: info@thehaven.com.au
  • Castlecrag Community Centre (corner of The Postern and The Rampart). Volunteers manage the centre that houses a library and a kindergarten.
  • Castlecrag Community Library (at the Community Center). Volunteers manage the library in the Community Centre as part of the Willoughby Public Library Network. Open Saturdays 10-12; Tuesdays and Thursday 3-4:30pm; – Phone: 9958 8395
    Neighbourhood Watch. Works with the NSW Police Force on community safety and crime deterrence.
  • Sailors Bay Sea Scouts (Eastern Valley Way. Northbridge). Runs a Sea Scout troop for boys and girls.
  • Willoughby District Historical Society / Willoughby Museum

Schools

Pre-school Kindergartens

Castlecrag has the following kindergartens:

  • Castlecrag Kindergarten. Run in the Community Centre, under the auspices of the Kindergarten Union. Contact: 9958 5393
  • Castlecrag Montessori Preschool. Follows Montessori principles in the hall behind St.James Church at 184 Edinburgh Road for children from 3 to 6 years, Contact: 9958 7903 or visit their website at www.cms.nsw.edu.au

There are also private kindergartens in Willoughby and Northbridge.

Infants and Primary Schools

  • Castle Cove Public School (9417 1039)
  • Willoughby Public School (9958 1355)
  • Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School (corner of Edinburgh Road and Edith Street). Runs an infants’ school for children from Little Kindy to year 2. Contact: 9417 3193 or Glenaeon Web Site
  • St.Philip Neri Catholic School, Northbridge (9411 4733).

Secondary Schools

While school entrance is no longer regionally based, the closest public high schools are:

  • Willoughby Girls’ High School (9958 5939).
  • Chatswood High School (9419 6127).

Selective public high schools. Entrance for these schools is based on competitive examinations in year six. The closest are:

  • North Sydney Boys’ High School (9955 4748)
  • North Sydney Girls’ High School (9922 6666).

Public Transport – Sydney Buses

Castlecrag is well served by various routes of Sydney Buses, namely:

Services to North Sydney and City:

194 From St Ives to Wynyard and QVB via Freeway.  Via Eastern Valley Way, stops at Edinburgh Road

203  Monday to Friday limited service between Castlecrag (The Pinnacle) and North Sydney.
The following services operate via Eastern Valley Way from bus stops near the shops

205  Monday-Friday peak hour service between East Willoughby to Wynyard via Freeway.

206  Monday-Friday peak hour service between East Lindfield to Wynyard via Freeway.

207  Daily daytime service between East Lindfield to North Sydney.

208  Daily early morning and evening service between East Lindfield to Wynard via North Sydney.

209  Monday-Friday peak hour service between East Lindfield and Milson Point.

Services to Chatswood Interchange:

267  Monday to Saturday daytime service between Chatswood, Willoughby, Northbridge, Cammeray and Crows Nest – from bus stops on Edinburgh Road west of Eastern Valley Way.

275  Off Peak service between Castlecrag (The Pinnacle) and Chatswood Monday-Friday (and daytime service Saturdays) via Middle Cove and North Willoughby.

Contact Sydney Buses for timetable information on
131 500 or visit their website at www.sydneybuses.info/timetable/

Sport

Tennis

The Castlecrag Sports Club, in Cortile Reserve, off The Parapet, features two synthetic grass courts. The Club provides coaching for children, adults and organized tennis matches for players at intermediate skill levels. New members are welcomed. For On-line Bookings, Memberships, and Coaching, please visit www.castlecragtennisclub.com.au  Additionally, a larger tennis facility, Tennis Cove, is located at 325a Eastern Valley Way, Castle Cove.

Swimming

In Sailors Bay the Northbridge Baths offers a 50-metre tidal pool with beach and picnic areas (9958 7915). Willoughby Leisure Centre has a 25 metre indoor heated pool. The Centre also houses courts for basketball, volleyball, netball and badminton. It also has a health and fitness club and gymnasium (9958 5799).

Golf

Willoughby has three courses: Northbridge Golf Club – 18 holes (9958 6900), Chatswood Golf Club – 18 holes (9419 2336) and Castle Cove Country Club – 9 holes (9417 5444).

Sea Scouts

  • 1st Sailors Bay Sea Scouts  http://www.firstsailorsbay.com.au/  https://www.facebook.com/firstsailorsbay/  for boys and girls – boatshed adjacent to Castlecrag Marina and hall at 43 Eastern Valley Way, Northbridge

Scouts

  • 1st Sailors Bay Sea Scouts (GL: 1stSailorsBay@nsw.scouts.com.au) have regular meetings during school terms at their hall, 43 Eastern Valley Way, Northbridge for boys & girls as follows:
    • Cubs (8 to 10.5 years) 2 packs:  Tuesdays &Wednesdays 18.00 – 20.00,
    • Scouts (10.5 to 14.5 years): 2 troops:  Thursdays & Fridays 19.00 – 21.00.

During Terms 1 & 4 the meetings often relocate to their boatshed at the end of Rockley St Castlecrag, next to Castlecrag Marina.

  • Venturers (14.5 to 18 years) meet most Sunday afternoons at the boatshed. The group is constantly seeking motivated adults as leaders.

Other nearby scout groups are:

  • 1st Northbridge https://joinscouts.com.au/scouts/1st-northbridge-scout-hall//  meet hall Sailors Bay Rd, Northbridge (between the oval & primary school):
    • Cubs Tuesdays & Thursdays 18.30 – 20.30,
    • Scouts Mondays 19.00 – 21.00,
    • Venturers Mondays 19.00 – 21.00.
  • 1st Willoughby  https://joinscouts.com.au/scouts/1st-willoughby-scout-group/  meet hall Laurel St Willoughby:
    • Joeys (6 to 8 years) Wednesdays 18.00 – 19.00,
    • Cubs Tuesdays 18.30 – 20.00,
    • Scouts Thursdays 19.00 – 21.00.

Sailing and Boating

Northbridge Sailing Club (9967 2632) has large Laser, Tasar and NS14 fleets which race on Sundays in season. New members of all ages are welcome. For availability of moorings, contact Waterways NSW at 131 256 (for long-term leases) or marinas at Castlecrag, Northbridge (9958 1261) or Cammeray (9953 4761).

Leisure

For small children, Castlecrag has parks with playground equipment in Edinburgh Road (Stoker Playground), The Bulwark (The Bailey) and in the Corteille Reserve, off The Parapet.

Council’s Willoughby Park Art and Recreation Centre offers a large variety of courses, sport clubs and distractions for all ages, but especially for children, with an excellent school holiday programme. Council also employs a full-time Youth Worker (9777 7976).

Nearby local clubs which are open to the public and which offer bistros, bars, entertainment and gambling are

  • Club Willoughby (Legions Ex-Services Club), Crabbes Avenue;
  • Norths in Cammeray (9466 8888);
  • Chatswood Ex-Services Club (9419 7386) and the Gordon Rugby Union Club .

Council’s “Leisure Guide to Willoughby” has a list of all the city’s sporting and leisure groups and facilities. (From the Central Library 9777 7900.)

A guide to the Castlecrag walks, which includes Walter Burley Griffin’s reserves, pathways and most of his surviving houses, is available from the Walter Burley Griffin Society. Nearby bushwalks and cycleways are described in “Wheeling and Walking in Willoughby” (from the Central Library 9777 7900). The walks in Harold Reid Reserve in Middle Cove are recommended. Council regularly organises guided bushwalks and special children’s activities in the bush. (For information or bookings call 9777 7755)