Cabramatta, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cabramatta Sydney, New South Wales
Friendship Arch, Freedom Plaza
Population	21,783 (2016 census)
• Density	4,840/km2 (12,500/sq mi)
Established	1850s
Postcode(s)	2166
Area	4.5 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Location	30 km (19 mi) south-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	City of Fairfield
State electorate(s)	Cabramatta
Federal Division(s)	Fowler
Suburbs around Cabramatta: Canley Heights Canley Vale Carramar Cabramatta West Cabramatta Lansvale Liverpool Warwick Farm Chipping Norton

Cabramatta (often called 'Cabra') is a lively suburb located in south-western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 30 kilometers south-west of the Sydney central business district. Cabramatta is part of the City of Fairfield local government area.

Exploring Cabramatta's History

How Cabramatta Began

In 1795, an early explorer named Hatfield called this area ‘Moonshine Run’. This was because it had so many trees that the moonlight couldn't shine through! The name Cabramatta started being used in the early 1800s. This happened when the Bull family named their new property "Cabramatta Park".

A small village grew near this property in 1814. It took its name from "Cabramatta Park". A town then grew from this village. A railway line was built through Cabramatta in the 1850s. It was first used for moving goods and animals. The railway station opened for people to travel in 1856. A school was built in 1882, and a post office opened in 1886. For a long time, Cabramatta was mostly a farming town.

Growing into a Diverse Community

Cabramatta and its neighbor, Canley Vale, had a close community. They even shared a local government until 1899. In 1948, Cabramatta joined with the Fairfield local government. Today, it is still managed by the Fairfield City Council.

Cabramatta became a suburb of Sydney in the mid-1900s. This was partly because of a big housing project nearby in the 1960s. A special place called a migrant hostel was built next to Cabramatta High School. This hostel played a big role in shaping the community after World War II.

In the 1950s and 1960s, many immigrants from Europe stayed at the hostel. They then settled in the area. These new residents helped meet the need for workers in local factories and building projects. This led to a fast-growing population in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Many people started their own businesses.

By the 1980s, Cabramatta and the surrounding Fairfield area were very diverse. Many children born in Australia had parents who came from other countries. Cabramatta High School was known as one of the most multicultural schools in Sydney. A study showed that only a small number of students had both parents born in Australia. While other parts of Sydney had a specific cultural feel, Cabramatta was a true "melting pot" of different cultures.

During the 1980s, a second wave of immigrants arrived. These were people from Southeast Asia, especially after the Vietnam War. Cabramatta quickly changed into a busy Asian community. Students at Cabramatta High School came from many different Asian and European backgrounds. The busy center of Cabramatta felt like walking through the streets of Saigon or a historic "Chinatown".

Cabramatta's Town Centre

Freedom Plaza is the main public square in the heart of Cabramatta. It is a walking area between John Street and Arthur Street. The most special feature of Freedom Plaza is the Pai Lau, which is a beautiful gateway. It stands for harmony and different cultures living together. The Pai Lau was opened in 1991 by Nick Greiner, who was the Premier of New South Wales at the time. This happened during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

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  Entrance to Freedom Plaza

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  Freedom Plaza, view from John Street

Parks and Green Spaces

Cabravale Park is the main public park in Cabramatta. It is located along Railway Parade, and also bordered by Park, McBurney Roads, and Bartley Street. Cabravale Park has fun play equipment for kids, fitness equipment, a basketball court, and places to sit. The park was greatly improved in 2009.

The park also serves as a war memorial. A historic bandstand, built in 1922, honors soldiers from the First World War. It is located near the center of the park. The Vietnam War Comradeship Memorial is also in the park. This monument has a fountain and a pond with a bronze statue of two soldiers. It is near the main entrance on Railway Parade. This monument was built to remember the friendship between Australian and Vietnamese soldiers during the Vietnam War.

Other parks in Cabramatta include Heather King Park, Hughes Street Park, Longfield Street Park, Bolivia Street Park, Antonietta Street Park, Bowden Street Reserve, and Panorama Street Reserve.

Getting Around Cabramatta

Cabramatta railway station is an important train station on the Sydney Trains network. It is where the Inner West & Leppington, Cumberland, and Bankstown train lines meet. You can also find a taxi stand on Arthur Street, in front of the Cabramatta Post Office. There are many taxis available for quick trips.

For more information about bus services, you can check the Cabramatta station page.

Who Lives in Cabramatta?

A Mix of Cultures

Cabramatta has been a place where many different Asian and European people have come to live. This has been true for the last half of the 20th century. Since the 1980s, Cabramatta has become a main center for people from Vietnam. It is also home to many residents from other Asian and European backgrounds.

According to the 2011 census, there were 20,780 people living in Cabramatta. About 29.4% of these people were born in Australia. The most common countries where other residents were born include Vietnam (32.6%), Cambodia (9.4%), and China (5.2%).

When it comes to languages spoken at home, 11.6% of people spoke only English. Other common languages included Vietnamese (37.1%), Cantonese (12.9%), Khmer (9.0%), and Mandarin (5.1%). The most common religions in Cabramatta were Buddhism (49.6%) and Catholic (15.2%).

Famous People from Cabramatta

Many interesting people have lived in Cabramatta, including:

• Khoa Do (born 1979), a filmmaker
• Michael Dwyer (1772–1825), an early settler
• Jon English (1949-2016), a musician and actor
• Jarryd Hayne (born 1988), an NFL player
• Paul Langmack (born 1965), a rugby league player
• Gertrude Melville (1884–1959), a politician
• John Newman (1946–1994), a politician
• Gough Whitlam (1916–2014), the 21st Prime Minister of Australia
• Margaret Whitlam (1919-2012), a social worker and champion swimmer
• Nicholas Whitlam (born 1945), a businessman
• Tony Whitlam (born 1944), a politician and judge
• Darren Yap (born 1967), an actor and director

Cabramatta in Movies

Cabramatta has been featured in several films and documentaries:

• Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta is a three-part documentary. It was shown on SBS One in English and SBS Two in Vietnamese.
• Little Fish (2005) was filmed in the Cabramatta area. It starred famous actors like Cate Blanchett, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving, and Martin Henderson.
• Before Little Fish, a film called The Finished People was made by Khoa Do. He grew up nearby. This movie was filmed in Cabramatta and focused on three different people's lives. It won many awards and helped give the area a positive and creative reputation.
• Taking Charge of Cabramatta, a documentary by Markus Lambert and Dai Le, was filmed in 1998. It was funded by SBS and shown on ABC TV.
• Change of Our Lives (2013) is a film by Maria Tran. It is about the Vietnamese community and health, and it was set in Cabramatta.