Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Maroota

2008
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Maroota

Maroota, in the parish of Berowra and the shire of Hornsby, was known as Forest Glen when it was first settled in 1832, but was proclaimed Maroota village in February 1892.

It is believed that the Dharug people, who are the traditional owners of the land, called the area Maroota for the word 'muru', meaning 'pathway'. [1]

In 1832, army veterans were encouraged to farm the land, but the soil was found to be too poor for cultivation and by 1834 the settlement had failed.

Maroota has abundant biodiversity, as the spring-fed creeks and groundwater provide continuous water flow. [2] Other than the Blue Mountains, Maroota Forest – which covers 4,250 hectares – has the largest number of animal species of any reserve or national park within the Sydney region.

Farming and quarrying are the two main industries. The quarries have supplied sand and gravel to the Sydney region for many years.

Maroota, now a small township surrounded by state forest, is situated on a high plateau, and views across to the Blue Mountains can be obtained from vantage spots.

Notes

[1] John P Powell, Placenames of the Greater Hawkesbury Region, Hawkesbury River Enterprises, Berowra Heights, 1994, p 76

[2] 'Maroota and District News', Living Heritage, vol 6 no 8, p 2

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