Chester Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chester HillSydney, New South Wales |
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Nugent Park, Chester Hill
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| Population | 12,814 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2162 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 42 m (138 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 25 km (16 mi) west of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
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| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Blaxland | ||||||||||||||
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Chester Hill is a lively suburb in Sydney, Australia. It is about 25 kilometres west of the main city centre. You can find Chester Hill mostly within the City of Canterbury-Bankstown. A small part of it is also in the Cumberland Council area. It's part of Western Sydney and shares its postcode, 2162, with the nearby suburb of Sefton.
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Discovering Chester Hill's Past
The name Chester Hill comes from "Hillchester," which was almost chosen first. The word 'Chester' comes from the Latin word 'castra'. This means a fortified camp, like an old army fort. Mrs. H. A. McMillan suggested the name. She first wanted to call it Hillcrest, then Hillchester. But these names were not approved.
This area was once part of a large estate. It belonged to John Thomas Campbell and was called Campbell Hill. It covered about 1,000 acres (4 square kilometres). For many years, the land was used for growing vegetables and fruit. This changed when a railway line opened in 1924. After that, Chester Hill started to grow with homes and small factories.
From the 1960s, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) used a big piece of land here. This land was between Priam and Hector Streets. It provided housing and food for RAAF staff. Later, this land was sold. It became home to the Southern Cross Bible College. Now, it is the site of Salamah (Muslim) College.
Shopping and Local Services
Chester Square is the main shopping centre in Chester Hill. It serves people from Chester Hill, Sefton, Birrong, and Bass Hill. The centre is right behind Waldron Road, a main street.
The suburb also has useful services for everyone. You can visit the Chester Hill branch of the Bankstown City Library. There is also a Chester Hill Fire Station. A community centre helps bring people together.
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Getting Around Chester Hill
Chester Hill has good transport options.
- The Chester Hill railway station is on the Main Southern railway line. This makes it easy to travel by train.
- Buses connect Chester Hill to other major areas. You can catch a bus to Parramatta or Bankstown.
Schools in the Area
Chester Hill is home to several schools. They help students from kindergarten to high school.
- Chester Hill Public School and Chester Hill North Public School teach students from Kindergarten to Year 6.
- Chester Hill High School is for students in Years 7 to 12.
- Sefton High School is also for Years 7 to 12. It is a partially selective high school.
- Salamah College is a newer school, opened in 2012. It is a sister school to Al Amanah College.
Parks and Fun Activities
Chester Hill has many parks and places for recreation.
- You can visit Campbell Hill Reserve, Everley Park, and Nugent Park.
- The Terry Lamb Complex includes Frank Bamfield Oval.
- Abbott Park is home to local sports clubs. These include the Chester Hill Youth Cricket Club and the Chester Hill Hornets Junior Rugby league Club.
- For other fun, there's an RSL Club and a bowling club. There's also a community garden where people can grow things together.
Places of Worship
Chester Hill has several churches for different faiths.
- St John Mark's Parish Church (Anglican) is on Proctor Parade.
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church is also on Proctor Parade.
- Hope Central Church (formerly Priam, now Christina Road) is on Campbell Hill Road.
- St Columba's Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Church are both on Priam Street.
- Hope Harvest Centre: Christian Mission Fellowship is another place of worship.
Who Lives in Chester Hill?
Community and Backgrounds
The 2016 census counted 12,814 people living in Chester Hill.
- About half of the residents (50.7%) were born in Australia.
- Other common birthplaces include Vietnam (9.9%), Lebanon (7.1%), and China (4.1%).
- Many different languages are spoken at home. About 32.9% of people speak only English.
- Other popular languages include Arabic (23.3%) and Vietnamese (12.1%).
- The most common religions are Islam (27.1%) and Catholic (20.1%). Many people also reported no religion (13.3%) or Buddhism (10.7%).
- The average weekly income for households in Chester Hill was $1,125. This was a bit lower than the national average.
Famous People from Chester Hill
Chester Hill has been home to some well-known people.
- Christian Heim is a composer and medical researcher. He grew up in Chester Hill.
- Terry Lamb was a famous professional rugby league player. He played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Australian team.
- Rebecca Rippon is an Australian women's water polo player. She won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
- Melissa Rippon is also an Australian women's water polo player. She won bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
- Michael McCann (field hockey) is an Australian Men's hockey player. He won an Olympic gold medal in 2004 in Athens.
