Forestville is located 15 kilometers north east of the Sydney central business district; it is in the local government area of Warringah Council and is part of the Northern Beaches region and also a part of the Forest District.
The area was originally a thick wooded forest until 1856 when James French settled here and began felling timber. He eventually built a small wharf on Bantry Bay to move timber to Sydney.Forestville means Town in the Forest. The nearby suburb Frenchs Forest was named after him, following his acquisition of more land in that area. The area is now dotted with many beautiful reserves and parks and is surrounded by bushland that is home to some lovely flora and fauna. The area is predominantly full of low density housing with a shopping centre on Darley Street containing specialist shops and a Coles Supermarket.