Heathcote, New South Wales

Heathcote is a suburb, in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Heathcote is located 36 km south of the Sydney central business district in the Sutherland Shire. Heathcote is bordered by Engadine to the north and Waterfall to the south. It is bounded by The Royal National Park to the east, and Heathcote National Park to the west.

Heathcote is separated into two sections by the railway line. Heathcote East contains two of the schools and a sports oval. Heathcote West is the larger side with the majority of residents. South Metropolitan Scouts Association has a camping ground and training centre in Boundary Road. A small group of shops is located on the western side, near the railway station on Princes Highway. The Sutherland Shire Emergency Services Centre is located on the eastern side, beside the railway station.

History
Heathcote was originally known as Bottle Forest. There were fourteen town allotments in Bottle Forest in 1842, in what is now Heathcote East. In 1835 Surveyor-General Sir Thomas Mitchell (1792-1855) conducted a survey of the area and named it Heathcote, in honour of an officer who had fought with him during the Peninsula Wars against Napoleon. Heathcote railway station opened in 1886. Heathcote Hall was built in Heathcote East in 1887 by Abel Harber, a brick manufacturer. This grand Victorian house included a tower, which was a symbol of wealth. Harber suffered heavy financial losses during the construction of the Imperial Arcade in Sydney and attempted to dispose of the property but the 1892 depression did not help. The Financial Institution became the house’s possessor and they arranged with George Adams of Tattersalls to organise a sweepstake with the house as a prize. The winner was Mr S. Gillett, a Sydney builder. The property was sold to E.R. Brown in 1901 and still stands today.

The Heathcote to Waterfall bushwalk became popular as a day outing in the 1930s, and the many tracks in Heathcote National Park and Royal National Park are used by Scouts Australia as well as bushwalkers in general. There is a scout camping area called Camp Coutts in Heathcote National Park, adjacent to the suburb of Waterfall.

The Olympic Torch was carried through the shopping centre in 2000.

From Bottle Forest to Heathcote - the Sutherland Shire's First Settlement is the history of Heathcote which was written by Patrick Kennedy in 1999.

Transport
Heathcote railway station is on the City Rail Illawarra line. A bus service also links Engadine with Heathcote.

Heathcote Road meets the Princes Highway at Heathcote. Heathcote Road is a major link to the north western suburbs, while the Princes Highway links Sydney and Wollongong.

Over the last few years several people have been fatally struck by cars while crossing the highway. In July 2006, a 13-year-old boy was killed, crossing the highway with his bike at the traffic lights.

Education
Heathcote's government schools are operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training.

Heathcote has three public schools: Heathcote Public School, Heathcote East Public School, Heathcote High School. The high school services Heathcote residents and also residents of the nearby suburbs of Engadine, Helensburgh, Waterfall, Woronora Heights and Stanwell Park.