Concord, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Concord Sydney, New South Wales
Clocktower entrance to the "Monica Centre" shopping arcade on Majors Bay Road
Population	14,533 (2016 census)
Postcode(s)	2137
Elevation	19 m (62 ft)
Location	10 km (6 mi) west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	City of Canada Bay
State electorate(s)	Drummoyne
Federal Division(s)	Reid
Suburbs around Concord: Concord West Mortlake Breakfast Point North Strathfield Concord Cabarita Strathfield Burwood Canada Bay

Concord is a suburb located in the inner west part of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. It is about 10 kilometers west of the main Sydney central business district (CBD). Concord is part of the City of Canada Bay local government area. You might hear of Concord West, but that's actually a separate suburb located to the north-west.

History of Concord

Concord got its name from a town in the USA called Concord, Massachusetts. This American town was famous for the Battle of Concord, which was one of the first big fights in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1778). Some people think the Sydney suburb was named Concord to help create a peaceful feeling between soldiers and settlers back in the day. The very first land grants in this area were given out in 1793.

The local council for Concord was first set up in 1883. After 117 years of managing itself, Concord Council joined with Drummoyne Council in 2000. Together, they formed the City of Canada Bay that we know today.

Shopping and Food

Concord has a lively shopping area called Majors Bay Road Shopping Village. Here, you can find lots of cafes and restaurants, a Coles Local supermarket, a post office, and a medical center, along with other shops. There's also a smaller group of shops on Cabarita Road, in an area known as Cabarita Junction. If you head towards Breakfast Point, you'll find even more cafes and restaurants at the corner of Mortlake Street and Brays Road.

Churches in Concord

St Lukes Anglican Church

St Luke's Anglican Church is one of the oldest churches in Concord, being over 150 years old! It's located on Burton Street, close to Concord Oval. The church's organ was a gift from Dame Eadith Walker on her 21st birthday in 1883.

A recreation of a possible old flag of Concord, flown in 2009.

St Mary's Catholic Church is a well-known building on Parramatta Road. The first church building here was built in 1845. A new, bigger church was built in 1874. A school also operated in the original church building until a separate school was opened in 1894. The current church building was finished in 1929.

Parks and Green Spaces

Concord is home to many parks and open spaces, perfect for sports and relaxing:

• Queen Elizabeth Park (it used to be called 'Concord Park' but was renamed after Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia in 1954).
• Henley Park
• Majors Bay Reserve, which includes Arthur Walker and Ron Routly Reserves. This is also where the Concord Foreshore Trail begins.
• Concord Golf Course, Massey Park, Cintra Park
• Concord Oval (This is a home ground for the Inter Lions Soccer Club and the West Harbour Pirates Rugby Union Club. The Wests Tigers NRL club also trains here.)
• Sid Richards Park (home ground for the Concord Comets Baseball Club)
• Central Park, St Lukes Park, Bayview Park, Edwards Park, Greenlees Park, Goddard Park, Rothwell Park.

Getting Around Concord

Buses and Trains

Transit Systems runs several bus routes through Concord, connecting it to other parts of Sydney like Hurstville, Ryde, Ashfield, and the City.

You can also catch a train from Concord West railway station and North Strathfield railway station. These stations are on the Northern line and are about 14 kilometers from Central Station in Sydney.

Bayview Park ferry wharf

Ferries

If you prefer traveling by water, Sydney Ferries also serves the Concord area, with a stop at Cabarita Wharf.

Old Tram Lines

Did you know that from 1901 to 1948, Concord also had a tram line? Trams connected Mortlake and Cabarita to Burwood. Even though the trams are long gone, you can still see hints of them today. For example, Majors Bay Road and Brewer Street are wider than usual because they used to fit a double tram track! There's even a "Tramway Lane" and "Cabarita Junction," which is where the tram tracks used to split.

Schools in Concord

Concord has several schools for students of different ages:

• Concord Public School
• Concord High School
• St Mary's Primary School
• Mortlake Public School

People of Concord

Community Mix

At the 2021 census, there were 14,551 people living in Concord. Many different backgrounds make up the community. The most common ancestries reported were Italian, Australian, English, Chinese, and Irish. Most residents (about 64%) were born in Australia. Other common countries of birth include Italy, China, England, South Korea, and Lebanon.

While most people in Concord speak English at home, many other languages are also spoken, including Italian, Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, and Greek. The main religions in Concord are Catholic, No Religion, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox.

Famous Residents

Many interesting people have lived in Concord over the years:

• Neil Armfield (born 1955) – A well-known director for theatre, film, and opera.
• Selwyn Edge (1868–1940) – A businessman and famous racing car driver.
• Michael Kirby (born 1939) – A very important judge in Australia.
• Peter Luck (1944–2017) – An author, TV host, and producer.
• Isaac Nichols (1770–1819) – Australia Post's very first postmaster.
• Mervyn Victor Richardson (1893–1972) – He invented the famous Victa lawn mower right here in Concord!
• Thomas Walker (1804–1886) – A politician and banker who owned a lot of land in Concord. He built the beautiful Yaralla mansion.
• Dame Eadith Walker (1861–1937) – A kind person who gave a lot of money to help others. She owned much of the land in Concord and helped set up the Concord Repatriation General Hospital.
• Phillip Wilcher (born 1955) – A classical pianist and composer, and one of the original members of The Wiggles!
• Ellen Redchester/ Fraser (1764-1840) - One of the First Fleet convicts and the first woman to own land in the colony.

Yaralla Mansion in Concord, once home to Dame Eadith Walker, is now a hospital.

Concord in Pop Culture

Concord has been featured in many TV shows and movies!

• The Australian drama series All Saints used the Concord Repatriation General Hospital for its external shots. Some scenes were also filmed around Concord and Majors Bay Road.
• The series Grass Roots used the Concord Council Chambers for its fictional council building.
• Parts of the mini-series Bangkok Hilton were filmed in the grounds of the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital.
• The drama/comedy series Packed to the Rafters filmed some scenes in Riverview Street and other parts of Concord.
• The movie Dirty Deeds (2002) was filmed in Concord, using Henley Park and a 1960s house.
• The mini-series Brides of Christ (1991) filmed some church scenes at St Mary's Catholic Church Concord.
• The series The Cut (2009) filmed in a shop on Majors Bay Road and at Concord Oval.
• The Victa Mower was invented by Mervyn "Victor" Richardson in a garage in Concord in 1952.
• Scenes from the movie Superman Returns were shot at Rivendell Hospital, which was used as Lex Luthor's mansion.
• The drama series Rake and the 2013 mini-series Carlotta also filmed scenes in Concord.