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Croydon, South Australia facts for kids

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Croydon
AdelaideSouth Australia
Heritage Shops on Elizabeth Street in Croydon, South Australia.jpg
Heritage Shops on Elizabeth Street
Established 1855
Postcode(s) 5008
Location 4.5 km (3 mi) NW of Adelaide city centre
LGA(s) City of Charles Sturt
State electorate(s) Croydon (2011)
Federal Division(s) Adelaide
Suburbs around Croydon:
West Croydon Renown Park Renown Park
West Croydon Croydon Ridleyton
West Hindmarsh West Hindmarsh Hindmarsh

Croydon is a cool suburb located in the western part of Adelaide, South Australia. It's part of the City of Charles Sturt area. This place got its name from a town called Croydon in London, England.

History of Croydon

Brooker Residence, Queen St Croydon approx 1910
Brooker Residence, Queen St Croydon, approximately 1910

The land where Croydon now stands was bought in 1853. Two people, Alfred Watts and Philip Levi, created the Village of Croydon in 1855. It included a large farm and smaller plots of land. Philip Levi was born in Surrey, England, which is near the original Croydon. This might be why they chose the name!

In 1904, a market gardener named John Brooker started a business in Croydon. He made jams and conserves, which are like fruit preserves. His products were even branded "Croydon"! The business grew, and a special Croydon Jam Factory was built in 1945. Later, in 1951, the factory moved. The old building then became a warehouse for a company that sold home appliances.

One of Croydon's very first farm barns is still standing today! It was built a long time ago and was turned into a home in the 1920s. This old brick and stone building shows us what Croydon was like in the past. It's believed that Richard Day, who helped develop the suburb, built this barn. Back then, Croydon was mostly farmland.

Where is Croydon?

Croydon Sign in Elizabeth Street
Croydon Sign in Elizabeth Street

Croydon is about 4.5 kilometers (that's about 2.8 miles) north-west of Adelaide's city centre. It's also about 6.5 kilometers (about 4 miles) directly east from the coast at Grange.

People of Croydon

St Barnabas Church in Croydon
St Barnabas Church in Croydon

In 2021, a count by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that 1,220 people lived in Croydon. About half were male and half were female.

Most residents (about 72.5%) were born in Australia. However, many people also come from other countries like Italy, Greece, England, Vietnam, and India. This makes Croydon a very diverse place! Also, about 2.2% of the people living in Croydon are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

The age of people in Croydon is similar to the rest of Australia. Most residents are over 25 years old, and about a quarter are younger than 25.

Fun Things to Do in Croydon

Bakery on Elizabeth Street, Croydon
Bakery on Elizabeth Street, Croydon
Train Park at Croydon Adelaide
Train Park at Croydon, Adelaide

Parks to Explore

Croydon has two cool parks located right next to the Croydon railway station. They are called Croydon Train Park and Croydon Playground Reserve. They are great spots to hang out and play!

Queen Street Music Festival

Imagine a free music festival right on the street! Croydon has hosted the Queen Street Music Festival in the past. It's a fun event where local bands play music for everyone to enjoy. The last one was in 2019 and featured awesome bands like Dead Roo and Last Days of Kali.

Getting Around Croydon

Croydon South Australia Train Station 1915
Croydon Train Station in 1915

Main Roads

Croydon is surrounded by important roads. Torrens Road is to the north, South Road is to the east, and Port Road is to the south.

There's also Day Terrace, which runs next to the train line. This road is part of the Outer Harbor Greenway, which is a special path for bicycles. It's a safe and fun way to ride your bike from Adelaide city all the way to Outer Harbor!

Public Transport

It's easy to get around Croydon using public transport, which is run by Adelaide Metro.

Trains

Train Station at Croydon, Adelaide
Croydon Train Station in 2019

The Grange and Outer Harbor train lines go through Croydon. The closest train station is Croydon Station.

Buses

You can also catch buses in Croydon to travel around the suburb and to other parts of Adelaide.

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