R&H Suburb Profile WILLOUGHBY

Willoughby is on Sydney’s lower North Shore, about 8km north of the CBD, in the local government area of the City of Willoughby. The City of Willoughby takes its name from the suburb but its administrative centre is in the adjacent suburb of Chatswood, the local area's major commercial centre.

Willoughby has several small shops, restaurants and hotels and is home to the headquarters of the Nine Network. The majority of shops are on Mowbray Road, Willoughby Road, Penshurst Street and High Street.

Bicentennial Reserve, which includes Hallstrom Park, features a soccer field, T-ball and softball fields and a children's playground. Willoughby Leisure Centre has a 25m lap pool, spas, children's pool, swim school, gym, basketball courts, netball courts and baseball field.

Willoughby is not on a train line but is serviced by several bus routes. It is close to St Leonards, Artarmon and Chatswood railway stations. The Gore Hill Freeway, a route into the Sydney CBD, runs along the southern border of Willoughby, with entrance and exit at Willoughby Road.

Schools include Willoughby Public School (K - Year 6), Willoughby Girls High School (Year 7 - Year 12, girls only) and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School (K - Year 6, Catholic School).

Willoughby is known for its large Armenian community, which arrived in the 1960s-1970s, and has several Armenian Churches and Community Centres (cultural clubs). It is home to the first Armenian Saturday School, which still operates at Willoughby Girls High.

Willoughby is served by Royal North Shore and St Vincent’s hospitals.