Crows Nest was the name of an estate founded by Edward Wollstonecraft, a successful businessman in colonial Australia, nephew of ground-breaking feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and cousin to Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein).

 

The estate, named “Crows Nest House,” was founded in 1819 and though the house has since been demolished the gates remain standing at the Pacific Highway entrance of the North Sydney Demonstration School.

 

Wollstonecraft was said to have chosen the name “on account of it’s elevated and commanding position.”

Situated on the lower North Shore of Sydney, Crows Nest is a mere 5 kilometres north of the Sydney CBD and is a growing commercial district known for having a wide variety of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

 

At the heart of the suburb is the junction of five major roads less than 1 km away from the original site of Crows Nest House. It is here, at the crossroads, that residents are offered an array of places to eat out and socialise.

 

Architecturally, Crows Nest is very diverse, boasting a range of homes from Edwardian cottages to urban apartments.

Demographics show 44% of residents in Crows Nest are between the ages of 20 and 39, 25% between the ages of 40 and 59, 28% under 19 and 19% over 60. The Median Property Trends for houses and units in Crows Nest show the average price of a unit at $430,000 (with a long term growth rate of 4.8%) and of a house at $885,000 (with a long term growth rate of 8.9%)

 

Crows Nest is a bustling and diverse suburb with a pleasantly energised atmosphere and a warm “village” ambiance, all within a walks distance from the commercial centre of North Sydney.