current access to the area and Heathcote Road (to the south). Sport and recreation The Ridge Sports Complex is a major sporting facility on the western side of New Illawarra Road. It features playing fields and associated amenities buildings, netball courts, men's shed, dog park, BMX track, synthetic athletics track, a golf driving range, The Ridge Golf Course, and club facilities to service the needs of the sporting and golfing community. Also planned for this area are hockey fields. There is also another Baseball/AFL oval and a park directly adjacent to Lucas Heights Community School, which itself has two sporting fields and three basketball courts. Shire Christian School also has a sporting field and two multi-use tennis courts. There are other parks and nature reserves scattered throughout the suburb. Barden Ridge is home to the Barden Ridgebacks Football Club, the Barden Ridgebacks Netball Club, the Shire R/C Aircraft club, Illawong Marlins Baseball Club and The Barden Ridge Comets Cricket Team. Schools Barden Ridge has two schools: Lucas Heights Community School [K-12] and Shire Christian School. Churches St Paul's Anglican Church and the Sutherland Reformed Church. Politics Barden Ridge has a long Liberal party history, which only changed in recent memory during the stalled construction of the Woronora Bridge. It comes under the Federal seat of Hughes, which is currently held by Liberal MP Jenny Ware. In State Government, it comes under the seat of Holsworthy, which is currently held by the Liberal Party MP Melanie Gibbons. In Local Government, Barden Ridge falls under Sutherland Shire E Ward, which has three representatives. Emergency Services Barden Ridge has its own Bushfire Brigade station and is served by the very close by Menai police station, Ambulance post and Fire Brigade. Aged Care The suburb is home to the Barden Lodge Retirement Home. Notable residents Home and away and Blue Water High star Rebecca Breeds attended Shire Christian School References Suburbs of Sydney Sutherland Shire