Duffys Forest is located 28km north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and 10km from Mona Vale or Narrabeen, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. At 199m above sea level, the temperature is often a degree or 2 cooler than the beachside suburbs. Duffys Forest is one of the smallest suburbs in Sydney, encompassing approximately 125 properties. The suburb has a friendly rural atmosphere as the minimum lot size is 2ha, and most of the suburb is surrounded by the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
The area where Duffys Forest now stands was originally home to the Gurungai People, evidence of whom abounds in the form of Rock Art- engravings and hand stencil paintings- stone groupings, tools and middens. The first grants were taken up in the 1850’s, and unfortunately are no documented interactions with local Aboriginals in Duffys Forest at this time. It is thought the local populations had all been ravaged by the Smallpox introduced to Sydney inadvertently in1788.
In 1857 Peter Joseph Duffy was awarded 100 acres at Duffys Forest, and he immediately commenced the construction of a wharf at Cowan Creek, widened the road and commenced felling trees. The remains of the old wharf built on an Aboriginal midden are still there, partly submerged. The track to the wharf starts at the end of Booralie Rd. Most of the workers did not have permanent settlements at Duffys Forest, and the area was home to people living ‘rough’. Around 1907 land was offered by the Government on conditional purchase at a rate of £1 per acre with a minimum purchase of 5 acres. By the late 1930’s there were about 40 families in the area of Duffys Forest and Terrey Hills, each with their own ‘farmlet’. In 1956, 70 x 5 acre (2Ha) lots were released for soldier settlements. However, the land was not suitable for agriculture, poor public transport made accessing jobs outside the area difficult, and many walked off their properties or sold up and left the district. However, some residents persisted and the area was known for it’s nurseries, chicken sheds and riding schools.
The Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade was formed in 1942, and in 1965 the current premises in Anembo Rd were built by volunteer labour.
The DFRA was formed in 1967 to try and improve the supply of electricity, roads, water and telephone lines to the area. The DFRA was instrumental in fighting against a proposed Airport in 1970.
Duffys Forest became famous in the 1970’s when land was purchased to film the Skippy TV series. This land became known as Waratah Park, home of Skippy. The ownership of Waratah Park has recently been transferred to the MLALC, and after many years of neglect, it is being rehabilitated by the DFRA working in close consultation with the MLALC. It is hoped Waratah Park will become the Headquarters of the new Aboriginal State Park
Over the years the area has slowly changed, and today most of the properties now have equine facilities, and large houses have replaced the nurseries and chicken sheds of previous years. It is believed that Duffys Forest has one of the highest concentrations of horses in NSW. The DFRA has been instrumental in the building and refurbishing of the 2 Public Horse Arenas in the area (Anembo Rd and Kinka Rd) and the establishment of the Bridle Path along Booralie and Thuddungra Rd. There are 2 Pony Clubs in the area- Forest Hills Pony Club based at JJ Melbourne Hills Memorial Reserve on Mona Vale Rd, and Avondale Pony Club in St Ives. There is access to over 22kms of horse and walking trails through the neighbouring National Park, and the St Ives Showground, home of Northside Riding Club, is only a 15 minute drive(or 1 hour ride) away.
Duffys Forest is also home to the Terrey Hills Golf Club and the NSW Rifle Club.
The Duffys Forest Residents Association is still an active voice for the residents, and the Volunteer Rural Fire Service has over 130 members, many of them local residents, using the local Fireshed at Anembo Rd, as a regular meeting place.