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For the state electoral district, see Electoral district of Baulkham Hills.

Baulkham Hills Sydney, NSW
Postcode:	2153
Location:	31 km (19 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD
LGA:	Baulkham Hills Shire
State District:	Baulkham Hills
Federal Division:	Mitchell
Suburbs around Baulkham Hills: Bella Vista Kellyville Castle Hill Kings Langley Winston Hills Baulkham Hills West Pennant Hills Seven Hills North Rocks Northmead

Baulkham Hills is a suburb in the north-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Baulkham Hills is located 31 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Baulkham Hills Shire. Baulkham Hills is in Hills District of the Greater Western Sydney region.

Contents 1 History 2 Transport 3 Commercial Area 4 Hospital 5 Parks and Reserves 6 Culture 6.1 Events 7 Schools 8 Churches 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

The land that is now called Baulkham Hills was originally home to the Bidjigal people, who are believed to be a clan of the Dharuk people, who occupied all the land to the immediate west of Sydney. The best-known Aboriginal person from that time is Pemulwuy, a Bidjigal leader who led the resistance movement against the British forces, including sacking farms in Castle Hill, before his eventual capture and execution by the British militia.

The Bidjigal people are today commemorated by Bidjigal Reserve which straddles the suburbs of Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, North Rocks, and West Pennant Hills.

The first European settler in the Baulkham Hills Shire was William Joyce. In 1794, he was given a grant of 30 acres (121,000 m²) in what became Baulkham Hills. The name Baulkham Hills was given to the area by Andrew McDougall, a settler from Buckholm Hills, County of Roxburgh, Scotland. The name, which reminded McDougall of his homeland, was officially recognised in 1902.

Baulkham Hills is primarily accessible by road. The intersection known as Baulkham Hills Junction is the intersection of several major roads: Seven Hills Road, Old Northern Road and Windsor Road. The fastest route from the CBD is via the M2 Hills Motorway, exiting at Windsor Road.

As for public transport, Baulkham Hills is serviced by the Westbus bus company, which provides services to the nearby commercial centres of Castle Hill, Parramatta and frequent services to the Sydney CBD.

There is no train station at Baulkham Hills; the nearest is Seven Hills railway station. In the past, there was a railway link called the Rogans Hill line, connecting the suburb to Parramatta. Railway Street near Baulkham Hills Junction is a reminder of this. It was closed down in 1930 due to traffic problems on Windsor Road and large financial losses. Land owned by the rail authority was sold to the Hills Bowling Club in the mid 1970s to build their two front bowling greens.

Baulkham Hills has a Stockland shopping centre, located on the intersection of Windsor Road and Old Northern Road. It features a Coles supermarket, a Woolworths supermarket, an Aldi supermarket and 70 specialty shops. It is currently undergoing redevelopment to significantly expand the floor space of the centre. ^[1]

In the northern region there is another shopping centre, together with many businesses. The Norwest Business Park is partially located in Baulkham Hills (the rest belongs to Bella Vista).

The Hills Private Hospital on Windsor Road (near cnr Merindah Rd) includes Emergency for private patients and has a very large Maternity Section, ideal for women wishing to give birth. The current hospital site will be redeveloped into a rehabilitation centre when the hospital's owners, Healthscope, move the operations of the Hills Private Hospital to the Norwest Business Park in nearby Bella Vista which is expected to be complete in 2009.

Baulkham Hills includes a number of beautiful reserves, such as the Bidjigal Reserve (previously known as Excelsior Reserve), in which have been recorded many native fauna in recent years, including Koala, Swamp Wallaby, Echidna, and Eastern Water Dragon. Smaller reserves include the Sophia Doyle reserve and the Crestwood Reserve, which are habitat to Brushtail and Ringtail Possum, and a wide range of birds and lizards.

The Baulkham Hills Shire Bushland Conservation Committee is a voluntary committee of Council that assists with the management of the Shire's bushland.

Baulkham Hills has a public library. It does not have a theatre or a movie theatre and currently does not have a single bookstore either; although these can be found in the adjacent suburb of Castle Hill.

The annual Orange Blossom Festival is held in Baulkham Hills Shire each September. Some of the key events of the festival are:

• The Excellence in Youth Awards
• The Hills Cultural Festival
• Orange Blossom Festival Annual Art Awards Exhibition & Sale
• Crestwood Fair
• HYPE Festival

HYPE Festival is held every April during National Youth Week and September during the Orange Blossom festival and attracts large crowds of Youth each year. It has featured high-profile Australian acts such as Gerling and Something With Numbers.

• Matthew Pearce Public School
• Crestwood High School
• Crestwood Public School
• Baulkham Hills High School
• Model Farms High School
• Baulkham Hills North Public School
• Jasper Road Public School
• St. Michael's Catholic School
• Davin Griffiths-Jones School of Performing Arts

Baulkham Hills belongs to the area known as the "bible belt" of Sydney. Indeed, it has some 13 churches of various Christian nominations. Notably, the headquarters of the Hillsong Church is also located in this suburb.

• Bidjigal Reserve

• The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8

1. ^ Stockland Baulkham Hills

• Baulkham Hills, New South Wales is at coordinates 33°45′46″S 150°59′32″E / -33.76288, 150.99212Coordinates: 33°45′46″S 150°59′32″E / -33.76288, 150.99212
• Baulkham Hills Shire Council.
• History of Baulkham Hills Shire.
• Orange Blossom Festival.
• HYPE Program.

Suburbs and localities within the Baulkham Hills Shire | Hills District | Western Sydney | Sydney
Annangrove | Baulkham Hills | Beaumont Hills | Bella Vista | Box Hill | Burnside | Carlingford | Castle Hill | Cattai | Crestwood | Glenhaven | Glenorie | Hillside | Kellyville | Kenthurst | Maroota | Maroota South | Middle Dural | Nelson | North Rocks | Oatlands | Rogans Hill | Rouse Hill | Sackville North | West Pennant Hills |
List of Sydney suburbs