Penrose

Population 280

Brief History

Penrose is nestled in the Southern Highlands

10kms south –west of Bundanoon with a rich history of settlement for over 125 years.  Penrose recently celebrated 100 years since it was gazetted as a village. Penrose had its greatest population numbers before the Second World War with numerous orchards and packing factories.  In the 1920’s there were over five hundred acres of orchards planted and the orchardist built a cooperative packing shed very close to the Penrose goods yards for easy loading onto the railway line.  People could smell the apples in Bundanoon as the trains went past. The fruit was of high quality, winning awards at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.  Many people remember riding their bicycles from Bundanoon to Penrose for the apples. In its heyday, there were tea rooms and guest houses, Sunday school picnics and thriving industries.

Today Penrose has a range of commercial operations which provide employment and retail outlets including a busy timber mill. Highlands Sand and Gravel offers a wide range of hardware and landscape supplies. There are numerous specialist farming enterprises for alpaca and other breeding animals.

Village Life

It has an active social, sporting, artistic, volunteer and commercial life.   There are regular community events such as the Midwinter Party, musical concerts, seasonal dinners and the outstanding Sustainable Living Festival.  There is a well maintained community hall which is the venue for village activities and can be hired for private functions or classes adjacent to the oval and tennis courts.

The community is enriched by a large number of volunteers within the village.  The Bush care group has been actively protecting the natural environment with an enthusiastic group currently focusing on the bush area near the School.  The Penrose Rural Fire Brigade in particular, provides training and response teams for fires and other emergencies in the village. Volunteers also help at the thriving Penrose Primary School and playgroup.

Beside the wonderful environment to grow up in, children are well catered for in the village with the thriving Primary school, playgroup and playground beside the Hall.

What to do

The General Store and Lauren’s Café provide a social heart to the village. Try the Café for luscious lunches, dinners and not to be missed coffees. Both the Café and Penrose Store supply locally made products and are valuable sources of a wide range of much needed items.

For health and fitness there are regular yoga sessions at the Hall and a massage centre. Many people enjoy the kilometers of tracks through forest and wetland trails for walking and horse and bike riding. Meditation sessions can be joined at the local Buddhist monastery.

Penrose has many sporting opportunities through the Tennis Club, Sylvan Glen golf course and riding trails. Many fine equestrian venues feature throughout the village for riders and coaching.