In Sydney’s northwest, the Hills District is an area defined by rich heritage and an unmistakeable sense of local pride.

Once known primarily for its rolling orchards and paddocks, The Hills has evolved into one of Sydney’s premier economic powerhouses and lifestyle destinations.

Driven by major infrastructure milestones like the Sydney Metro Northwest, thriving commercial precincts like Norwest Business Park, top-tier schools, and bustling community hubs, the region continues to attract families, entrepreneurs, and community leaders alike.

While every person who calls the area home contributes to the community, we’ve put together a list of the most influential from across faith, politics, business, sport, and civic life who deserve a special shout out for helping shape The Hills.

Phil and Lucinda Dooley

Hillsong Church Interim Global Senior Pastor Phil Dooley. Picture: Facebook

As Global Senior Pastors of Hillsong Church, Phil and Lucinda Dooley lead one of the largest and most globally recognised Christian movements which traces its heart and headquarters to the Hills.

Hillsong Church has been in the Hills district of Sydney for 43 years, having first been established in Baulkham Hills in 1983.

The duo remains deeply connected to their local roots, driving extensive community outreach, youth programs, and charitable work through Hillsong CityCare.

Their leadership represents a major spiritual, cultural, and community anchor in the Hills region.

Mitchell federal Liberal MP Alex Hawke

Alex Hawke has represented the electorate for two decades. Picture: Martin Ollman

Federal Liberal MP Alex Hawke has represented the electorate of Mitchell for nearly two decades and has had deep, decades-long roots in the Hills.

He grew up in the area, completed his education at Hills Grammar School, and worked in the region for most of his life, spanning nearly three decades since his youth and university days in the late 1990s

Having held senior ministerial portfolios in the federal government, Mr Hawke continues to be a powerful voice in Canberra for the Hills district, advocating for crucial local road upgrades and federal investment to match the area’s booming residential growth.

The Colosimo Family

The Colosimo family have hired and trained many local hospitality stars in the Hills. Pictures Supplied

Momento

The Colosimo family has built an event and venue empire in the Hills through Momento Hospitality. Operators of popular local venues including The Bella Vista Hotel, The Hillside Hotel, The Governor, and Mullane’s Hotel, the family has transformed the local night-life and dining scene, while remaining major sponsors of local charities, foundations, and community events.

“Our family has been serving people of the hills for over 60 years now,” Marcello Colosimo told this masthead. “My father built Crestwood Shops and started a bottle shop there. Moving onto Castle Hill Tavern, where I joined, and then my brothers

subsequently came into the business.”

Castle Hill Tavern, he says, became more than just a local fixture.

“It became an institution not just for Hills residents but for Sydney night-life in general,” he said. “Funny how so many locals met their partners at that venue.”

Mr Colosimo says their motto of ‘creating memories’ has guided every venue since. “We are a local family business catering to local families. We try and have a diverse offering in between our venues, from casual to corporate, to cater for everyone’s taste.”

Their newest venture, Bella Live, will bring major new entertainment to the Hills.

“Our newest addition Bella Live will be bringing in world-class entertainment that normally our locals would have to travel over an hour to go and see.” Mr Colosimo said.

Berowra federal Liberal MP Julian Leeser

Image of MP Julian Leeser. Picture: Supplied

Berowra federal Liberal MP Julian Leeser has lived in the electorate for close to 20 years and says being included on the list is a humbling reminder of the people working quietly behind the scenes.

Roads remain one of his defining local battles. He’s spent years campaigning for the widening of New Line Rd, which he calls “such a vital artery” linking Annangrove Rd, Kenthurst Rd and Old Northern Rd to the city.

“People have been promised that would be widened for 50 years,” he said. “I’ve got a petition going to restore the funding so we can give people in the hills the road that we’ve been promised for half a century.”

He’s equally proud of the impact of NorthConnex on Pennant Hills Rd. “They thought it would take 5000 cars off Pennant Hills Road but it has taken 6000 cars off. It’s given the road back to the community.”

But it’s the people, he says, that keep him in the area after two decades. “It’s the amazing people that are there, the way people help their neighbours, whether it’s helping somebody with their shopping to the car, or a neighbour in trouble when there’s a flood on the Hawkesbury or a hailstorm.”

Hills Mayor Michelle Byrne and Deputy Mayor Frank De Masi

Dr Michelle Byrne and Frank De Masi work together to better the Hills. Picture: Facebook

Mayor Michelle Byrne and Deputy Mayor Frank De Masi form the civic leadership duo guiding local government strategy across The Hills Shire.

Dr Byrne, a medical researcher and legal professional, has dedicated years to local public service, while Cr De Masi has been involved in numerous council, community and charitable events across The Hills.

“The is to make a difference for all our residents, from the Fighting for a Fairer Hills Future campaign, moving the motion to build Waves Fitness and Aquatic Centre, and to strategically continue to future proof The Hills through discussions that will benefit every resident,” he told this masthead.

Kellyville state Liberal MP Ray Williams

Ray Williams is passionate about Hills schools and sporting facilities for kids. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

A lifelong Hills local and former state minister and Hills councillor, Ray Williams has spent decades representing the northwestern suburbs in the NSW parliament.

He is a passionate advocate for local sports facilities, schools, and public transport access, and Williams continues to play a central role in ensuring state government planning aligns with the needs of families moving into the fast-growing Kellyville and Rouse Hill corridors.

Charbel El-Hazouri and Anthony El-Hazouri

 Sydney developers Anthony El-Hazouri and Charbel Hazzouri. Picture: Supplied

Brothers Charbel and Anthony El-Hazouri are the driving forces behind Revelop, one of Australia’s premier property development and investment firms headquartered right in the Hills.

Responsible for developing and revitalising neighbourhood retail centres, commercial spaces, and mixed-use precincts, the El-Hazouri brothers have played a massive role in shaping the modern commercial footprint of northwest and western Sydney.

Michael Gremmo

The Gremmo Family, Michael and Kylie Gremmo with their daughters Annaliese and Ashley.

Michael Gremmo founded Gremmo Homes more than 30 years ago, establishing one of the most recognised names in luxury residential construction across the Hills. Spanning executive addresses in Bella Vista Waters, Dural acreage, and Castle Hill, his award-winning custom builds set the architectural benchmark for high-end living in the region.

Beyond his commercial success, Mr Gremmo is widely revered for his profound community legacy as the co-founder of Jersey Day.

Established following the tragic loss of his 13-year-old son Nathan in 2015, whose organ donation saved six lives, Jersey Day has grown into a major national campaign promoting organ and tissue donor awareness across schools, workplaces, and sporting codes throughout Australia.

Br Steve Hogan

Oakhill College principal Brother Steve Hogan at Castle Hill. Picture: Troy Snook

As principal of Oakhill College in Castle Hill, Br Steve Hogan leads one of the most prominent coeducational Catholic secondary schools in Sydney.

Guiding thousands of students through academic excellence, sporting success, and Lasallian values of service, Br Steve has helped shape generations of young leaders, community champions, and high achievers from the Hills.

Peter Gangemi

Image of Peter Gangemi. Picture: Supplied

A long-serving local councillor and former mayor of the Hills, Dr Peter Gangemi has been a tireless champion for local young people, environmental conservation, and suburban infrastructure.

First elected to council in September 2012 at the age of 26, making him the youngest person ever elected to the council in its history, he quickly established himself as a dedicated advocate for the region’s expanding family footprint, spearheading major investments in local parks, sporting fields, and road network upgrades.

Jason Owen

Sydney Hills Business Chamber chairman Jason Owen is helping drive the area’s local economy.

Combining a background in engineering, broadcast media, and emergency services as a volunteer firefighter, Jason Owen serves as Chairman of the Sydney Hills Business Chamber.

Mr Owen is a champion for local business owners, acting as a crucial link between small enterprises, corporate giants in Norwest, and government bodies to drive economic development and local job creation across the shire.

Before the Chamber, Mr Owen spent 35 years in broadcast engineering, working on Olympic Games, World Cups and Survivor around the globe.

“It just kind of made my eyes open up really wide as to what the opportunities look like around the planet,” he said.

He’s described his role at the chamber as a “custodianship”. “We’re all here by passion,” he said.

Six months into the chairmanship, he says building a strong team has been his proudest achievement so far.

“Pulling that team together to all this rowing in the same direction is probably the greatest achievement, because we’re far more powerful as a group that’s connected and cohesive.”

Mr Owen is also the president of Oakhill Rural Fire Brigade, one of the busiest in the state with nearly 400 calls a year, and co-founded Young Momentum, the chamber’s under-30s leadership pathway, an idea sparked by his own daughter.

“My big dream is that 10 or 15 years from now someone that joins Young Momentum ends up in my seat,” Mr Owen said.

Former state MP and minister David Elliott

A former state MP for Baulkham Hills and high-profile cabinet minister across key portfolios including transport, police, and emergency services, David Elliott has spent decades in public leadership.

Now serving as CEO of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, Mr Elliott remains an influential local figure with deep ties to infrastructure, community safety, and public policy.

“We’ve been here for over a quarter of a century,” he said. “Parts of the Hills were still very much semirural back then. We’ve watched Box Hill, Rouse Hill, and Kellyville completely transform, but the region has also gained the Metro, upgraded schools, and Norwest Business Park coming of age.

“I’m thrilled at the community it has become.”

For Mr Elliott, the metro tops his list on his mark on the community, alongside the new Bella Vista School and the upgrade of Memorial Ave.

Despite holding demanding ministerial roles in state parliament, Mr Elliott insisted on keeping one foot firmly planted in his local electorate.

“I had a very strong view that even as a cabinet minister, I always spent one or two days a week in my electorate. I loved living in Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, and Kellyville, which is why we haven’t left the area and certainly don’t intend to.”

When asked about his personal favourite spot in the Hills, Mr Elliott said “Castle Hill RSL is very much a family venue for us. We’ve had kids’ christenings there, birthday parties, and my mother’s wake. Having celebrated so many milestone events there over 25 years, it holds a very special place for our family.”

Matthew Knight and Ryan Tesoriero

Ryan Tesoriero and Matthew Knight, during the launch of the new look for the athletes, at Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Matthew Knight and Ryan Tesoriero are the entrepreneurs behind Valour Sport, an industry-leading Australian sportswear brand based in the Hills. Supplying high-performance apparel to professional sports teams, elite and young athletes, and

hundreds of schools nationwide, Knight and Tesoriero have turned a local passion for sport into a national manufacturing and retail success story.

The Hills-based company designed, manufactured, and supplied an extensive 80-piece range, including all training apparel, village wear, and podium tracksuits for the Australian Commonwealth Games team that headed to Glasgow this year.

“We’re a couple of boys from the Hills in Sydney whose sportswear company is now supplying the Australian team,” Mr Tesoriero said.

Mr Knight said the Glasgow partnership was not just a milestone for the business, but for the wider Hills community that had supported Valour from the beginning.

“We want Australian sport to back Australian businesses and we want the Hills district to be proud of what we’ve done,” he said.

Patrick and Jennifer Carr

Louis Carr Real Estate’s Jennifer Carr, who has spent 35 years shaping the Hills property market alongside husband Patrick. Picture: Supplied

In the fast-moving Hills real estate market, Louis Carr Real Estate stands out as one of the region’s most successful property directors.

They have brokered many of the highest residential sales in Hills history, guiding thousands of families through buying, selling, and building wealth through property in Sydney’s northwest.

Jennifer Carr, Patrick Carr’s wife and business partner at Louis Carr Real Estate, spoke to this masthead on his behalf. She says 35 years in the industry has a way of sneaking up on you.

She got her start through her grandmother, a real estate agent in Dural back in the 1950s. “I was in a situation where I got to see all facets of a small business, from selling, leasing, everything.”

Louis Carr was born out of her husband Patrick’s decision to open his own agency with business partner Louis Evangelidis. Mrs Carr has been with the business for 35 years

and says her connection to the area runs deep. “I live in the suburb that I sell in. I have a vested interest in the suburb, in the prices. I feel like I’m here for everybody to carry the torch of trying to keep the prices as strong as we can.”

Two of her five children have now joined the family business. “It’s a really warm feeling to know that I’ve got children that genuinely have an interest in the business and it’s going to keep going.”

Reflecting on three and a half decades as a household name in local real estate, Jennifer Carr says the secret to the agency’s longevity isn’t complicated.

“We just do our job and, I guess most importantly, treat people how we want to be treated,” she said.

“Our reputation speaks for how we do business. If you do the right thing by people and you genuinely care about them and genuinely want to get the right outcome for them, well, that’s called reputation. They keep coming back to you, they tell their friends, because you’ve done the right thing.”

Delta Goodrem

Delta Goodrem performs during the Closing Ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images

One of Australia’s most celebrated chart-topping musicians and performers, Delta Goodrem grew up in the Hills, attending local schools before exploding onto the global music scene as a teenager.

Since then she’s gone on to release multiple ARIA-topping, multi-platinum albums, taken on high-profile coaching roles on The Voice Australia, and built a career that’s kept her firmly in the national spotlight for over two decades.

Beyond the music, Delta has philanthropic work through the Delta Goodrem Foundation, which supports cancer research and young people facing serious illness.

Nathan and Bonnie Hindmarsh

The Hindmarsh family at home in Glenhaven. Picture: Angelo Velardo

A true Hills power couple, Nathan Hindmarsh is an NRL and Parramatta Eels legend who played more than 330 games and represented state and country.

Alongside him, Bonnie Hindmarsh is co-founder of Three Birds Renovations, a massive media and interior design phenomenon that has transformed how Australians approach home design and remodelling. Together, they represent the ultimate mix of local sports royalty and creative business success.

Jack Iori

Jack Iori has a grandstand named after him in Kellyville.

Jack Iori has spent more than six decades as one of the Hills’ most committed supporters of grassroots and junior rugby league, ties that go back to his association with the Parramatta Eels in the late 1960s.

That lifetime of service was recognised earlier this year when a 1500-seat grandstand at Kellyville Memorial Park was officially named the Jack Iori Grandstand Mr Iori built one of the region’s largest egg-producing businesses out of Rouse Hill before going on to serve on the NSW and Australian Egg Boards. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2008 for his service to industry and to the Rouse Hill community.

Ryan Papenhuyzen

Melbourne Storm superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen. Picture: HIA NRL PHOTOS

A Clive Churchill Medallist and premier fullback who lit up the rugby league world, Ryan Papenhuyzen developed his elite athletic talent on the sporting fields of Castle Hill.

After serving as School Captain at Oakhill College, Papenhuyzen quickly took on professional sport. Following a high-impact NRL career, he remains a key figure across the Hills, regularly returning to support grassroots footy initiatives, mentor student-athletes, and champion local youth sports programs.

The Daily Telegraph
Hannah Farrow
12/08/2026