Cowan, New South Wales

Cowan New South Wales
Pacific Highway passing through Cowan
Coordinates	33°35′27″S 151°10′10″E / 33.59072°S 151.16956°E / -33.59072; 151.16956Coordinates: 33°35′27″S 151°10′10″E / 33.59072°S 151.16956°E / -33.59072; 151.16956
Population	544 (2011 census)
• Density	62.5/km2 (161.9/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	2081
Area	8.7 km2 (3.4 sq mi)
Location	38 km (24 mi) north of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Hornsby Shire
State electorate(s)	Hornsby
Federal Division(s)	Berowra
Suburbs around Cowan: Berowra Heights Mooney Mooney Brooklyn Berowra Heights Cowan Brooklyn Berowra Berowra Berowra

Cowan is a small town and suburb near Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Hornsby Shire. It is described by some as part of the loosely defined North Shore region. Cowan shares the postcode of 2081 with Berowra. Brooklyn, which lies 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the north-east of Cowan, is sometimes considered the northernmost suburb of the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area.

The town takes its name from an Aboriginal word meaning big water.

Access by road to Cowan is via the Pacific Highway which traverses Cowan north to south. The M1 Sydney to Newcastle Freeway runs past Cowan. The Main Northern railway line runs parallel to the Pacific Highway through most of Cowan, descending north of the town via Cowan Bank. Cowan railway station is served by NSW TrainLink Central Coast & Newcastle Line services to Newcastle (Hamilton) and Sydney Central. Electric overhead railway power facilities are located in the north of Cowan. Cowan Bank was the location of the 1990 Cowan railway accident, in which there were five deaths.