Fairfield West, New South Wales facts for kids

Fairfield West is a suburb located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 27 kilometres west of the main city centre of Sydney. It's part of the City of Fairfield area, which is in the bigger Greater Western Sydney region.

Fairfield West shares its postcode (2165) with nearby suburbs like Fairfield, Fairfield Heights, and Fairfield East.

A Look at Fairfield West's Past

When British settlers first came to Sydney, the land where Fairfield West now stands was home to the Cabrogal tribe. A railway station was built in nearby Fairfield in 1856. This led to many people moving to the area.

By the 1870s, Fairfield West began to be divided into smaller plots of land. At first, it was mostly small farms. Local people formed a "Progress Association" to help the community grow. This group helped build a post office, a school, and a sports ground.

Cutting timber became an important local business. Sawmills brought more businesses to the new town. By the end of the 1800s, Fairfield West was a well-established place. Fairfield West Public School was built here in 1925.

Schools in Fairfield West

Students living in Fairfield West have several options for high school. They can attend Westfields Sports High School or Fairvale High School. Some students also go to Fairfield High School or Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield.

Parks and Sports in Fairfield West

The Endeavour Sports Reserve is a large park in Fairfield West. It's located near Orphan School Creek. This park has lights for night games and fields for soccer, cricket, league, and hockey. There are also four tennis courts.

The plants along the creek are very special. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has identified them as an Cumberland Plain Endangered Ecological Community. This means they are a unique and important group of plants.

A narrow strip of woodland borders the creek. It has a path for walking and cycling. The main trees you'll see here are Eucalyptus moluccana and Eucalyptus tereticornis. While not directly in Fairfield West, Brenan Park is right next to its northeastern side.

Who Lives in Fairfield West?

In the 2021 census, there were 12,981 people living in Fairfield West. This community is very diverse!

The most common backgrounds for people were Vietnamese (17.7%), Assyrian (11.9%), Chinese (8.8%), Australian (8.4%), and English (8.4%).

About 38.1% of residents were born in Australia. Many others were born in countries like Iraq (18.0%), Vietnam (12.7%), Syria (4.7%), Cambodia (2.9%), and Lebanon (1.3%).

When it comes to languages spoken at home, 23.0% of people spoke only English. Other common languages included Vietnamese (18.9%), Assyrian Neo-Aramaic (11.4%), Arabic (11.2%), Chaldean Neo-Aramaic (6.3%), and Spanish (3.0%). If you combine Assyrian and Chaldean, then Neo-Aramaic is the second most spoken language at 17.7%.

Most people in Fairfield West identify as Catholic (35.1%). Other religions include Buddhism (14.5%) and the Assyrian Church of the East (6.0%). About 12.8% of people reported having no religion. Most homes (88.3%) in Fairfield West are separate houses.

Famous People from Fairfield West

Fairfield West has been home to some well-known people:

• John Paul Young – A famous Australian singer.
• Vic Hey (1912-1995) – A member of the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame.
• Maria Tran – An actress and filmmaker who grew up in Fairfield West and went to Fairfield West Public School.
• Moses Suli – An international Rugby League Footballer for Tonga.
• David Klemmer – An international Rugby League Footballer for Australia.