Gordon is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia north-west of the Sydney Central Business District and is the administrative centre for the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. East Gordon is a locality within Gordon, and West Gordon is a locality within West Pymble.
History
The name 'Gordon' first appears as the name of the survey parish covering most of the upper north shore, assigned by the NSW Surveyor-General Sir Thomas Mitchell. This is believed to commemorate Sir Willoughby Gordon, with whom he had served during the Peninsular War and who was the quartermaster-general of the regiment in which Mitchell had served. The survey parish, and later suburb and municipality of Willoughby also commemorates his name.
Settlement of the area commenced about 1820. The early settlement at Gordon was originally known as Lane Cove. The earliest school at 'Lane Cove', as Gordon was then known, was established at the behest of Governor Macquarie in 1816. The first Lane Cove Post Office opened on 1 February 1860. The name of the village and Post Office was changed to Gordon, after the Gordondale estate of Robert McIntosh, on 1 June 1879. Gordon Railway Station on the North Shore Line was built in 1888.
In the late 20th century Gordon was the Australian headquarters of Sun Microsystems Australia (opposite the present Gordon library site). It also had a significant Ikea store on the corner of the Pacific Highway and Ryde Road (opposite the former 3M site on the northern or Pymble side of the intersection, circa 2014-2020 under legally frustrated intent to renovate for use by Bunnings).
Gordon Public School
The former Gordon Public School, now largely demolished and rebuilt as the library and police station, was constructed in 1878 on the Pacific Highway, having been designed by George Mansfield. A Gothic Revival style was used in accordance with the tradition that educational buildings, like churches, were designed in a Gothic style. A second block was added in 1912. The school was originally called Lane Cove School, and the name was officially changed to Gordon Public School in November 1885. The school buildings are one of the few remaining buildings that date back to the pioneering days of northern Sydney. It is listed on the Register of the National Estate. The Gordon Public School was closed in 1989, however East Gordon Public School and West Gordon Public School remain nearby.
Heritage listings
Gordon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: 17 McIntosh Street: Eryldene, Gordon Middlemiss Street: Gordon railway station, Sydney 691 Pacific Highway: Iolanthe, Gordon 707 Pacific Highway: Tulkiyan 799 Pacific Highway: Gordon Public School (former)
In addition, Gordon is home to Sydney's largest flying fox colony, land for the protection of which was jointly purchased by the Heritage Council of New South Wales and Kuringai Council.
Notable former residents
Dr John Bradfield (1867 - 1943), chief engineer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, lived in Gordon where his grave is located at St Johns Anglican Church. Bradfield also lends his name to the electoral division of Bradfield which contains part of Gordon. Tim Schenken, a Formula One driver, was born in Gordon. Annie Wyatt was the founder of the National Trust in Australia. She lived for a time in a single-storey cottage in Park Avenue. Professor Eben Gowrie Waterhouse, academic linguist, Goethe Medal recipient, camellia breeder, Sydney University garden designer and trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney, grew up in Gordon.
Transport
Gordon is located on a major transport artery, the Pacific Highway and near the intersection of Ryde and Mona Vale roads which form a link between the Northern Beaches, Homebush Bay and the St George District and Sutherland Shire.
Gordon railway station is on the North Shore railway line of the Sydney Trains network with frequent commuter services and express rail services during peak hours. The railway station was built in 1888 and has an important heritage relationship with its landscaped gardens - it has been preserved as an example of a historic Edwardian station. Lifts to the platforms have been recently added. A bus stop outside the station is a terminus for various routes including those to St Ives, West Pymble, Mona Vale/Warriewood and Macquarie University. These are operated by CDC NSW.
Churches
Churches in Gordon comprise: St Johns Anglican Church (with an adjoining cemetery and columbarium), Gordon Uniting Church, Gordon Baptist Church and The Liberal Catholic Church of St. Francis.