Greystanes, New South Wales Facts for Kids

In the early years of British settlement the area was known as Prospect Hill and was the site of the first land grants to emancipated convicts in 1791. At this period it was one of several areas of conflict between the Darug people and the settlers, the Darug people being led for many years of guerrilla warfare by Pemulwuy.

The area later became differentiated into Prospect, to the west of Greystanes Creek, and Greystanes to the east of the Creek, the latter taking its name from a historical home on Prospect Hill, built by Nelson Simmons Lawson, third child of Lieutenant William Lawson. The name 'Grey Stanes', given by Nelson Lawson, came from the outcrops of basalt on Prospect Hill, "Grey" being its colour and "Stanes" being the Scottish word for stones. The land was originally granted to William Cummings in 1799, before being acquired by William Lawson in approximately 1810.

The area was used for poultry farming in the early twentieth century until Greystanes developed in the 1950s and 1960s as a residential suburb. Frank Cefai, a Maltese migrant, is a well known developer who built thousands of residential homes throughout Greystanes and its surrounding suburbs. Frank built and helped fund the Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in 1975 and the surrounding primary and secondary schools.

Culture

Many of the early residents of Greystanes were from Malta and many of them operated poultry farms. Three family poultry businesses from Greystanes became household names throughout Australia - Cordina Chickens, Baiada Chickens and Pace Farm Eggs. Greystanes still has a large Maltese-Australian community. The Maltese community have hosted a Festa (Festa tal-Vitorja & Maria Bambina) every October since 1965 in and around the church.

The Maltese community purchased the land and built a new church dedicated to Our Lady of Victories in 1975. The Maltese Festa has its origins in the religious festivals held annually in each village of Malta, celebrating the patron saint of the village. The church and parish were named after Our Lady of Victories, a beautifully hand crafted statue from Italy, a replica of Maria Bambina from Gozo. Despite hundreds of years of tradition, the clergy of the Catholic Church deemed it incorrect to have the moniker Victories attached to Our Lady. The church then became the Parish of Our Lady Queen of Peace. The statue is on display in the church and at the annual procession of the Maltese Festa.

Religion

Greystanes has a small number of Christian churches of many denominations:

Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church
Greystanes Uniting Church
Holroyd New Life Church

Transport

Greystanes is primarily accessible by road. At the Greystanes M4 Junction several major roads meet including: the Cumberland Highway, the Great Western Highway and the M4 Western Motorway. The fastest route from the Sydney CBD is via the M4 Western Motorway, exiting at the Cumberland Highway.

Greystanes is serviced by Region 3 Transit Systems Sydney bus services with routes linking to Parramatta railway station and Blacktown railway station on the T1 North Shore & Western Line and Merrylands railway station and Liverpool railway station on the T2 Inner West & Leppington Line of the Sydney Trains network.

Bus Number	route	Major Stops/ Roads	Other
800	Blacktown Stn to Fairfield Stn
806	Parramatta Stn to Liverpool Stn	Merrylands Station, via Prairiewood
809	Merrylands Stn to Pemulwuy Marketplace	South Wentworthville, Old Prospect Rd, Gozo Rd
810	Parramatta Stn to Merrylands Stn	Merrylands West, Sth Wentworthville, Pemulwuy Marketplace, Old Prospect Rd, Gozo Rd	No longer running from 18 Apr 2021, All normal 810 buses running through Greystanes will be replaced by the 810x. A new 824 bus from Parramatta to Westmead via South Wentworthville will be in operation, this does not operate around Greystanes.
810X	Parramatta Stn to Merrylands Stn/ Nijong Rd	T- Way, Gt Western Hwy, Old Prospect Rd, Pemulwuy MarketPlace	Full week operation from 18 Apr 2021.
811	Parramatta Stn to Pemulwuy Marketplace	Hilltop Rd, Merrylands West, Sth Wentworthville, Old Prospect Rd, Bathurst St	No longer running from 18 Apr 2021, All normal 811 buses running through Greystanes will be replaced by the 811x. A new 824 bus from Parramatta to Westmead via South Wentworthville will be in operation, this does not operate around Greystanes.
811X	Parramatta Stn to Pemulwuy Marketplace	T- Way, Gt Western Hwy, Old Prospect Rd, Bathurst St	Full week operation from 18 Apr 2021.
818	Westmead to Merrylands Stn	Westmead Hospitals, Wentworthville, Old Prospect Rd, Ringrose Ave	Operates on weekdays

Parks and recreation

Boothtown Aqueduct off Macquarie Rd in 1990

Greystanes contains a large number of parks, ovals, and sporting facilities, as well as a golf course. The south side of Greystanes features the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve what is simply known by residents as the Canal. Small neighbourhood parks are scattered around the suburb. One prominent park is the Canal Road Park, which is 70 metres above sea level and thus features a panoramic lookout of southwest Sydney.

Originally it was a water canal once used to transport water from the Prospect Reservoir, but has since been decommissioned and converted into a cycle and walkway. Despite this, it is still referred to by its original function. The Canal features the regionally well-known Boothtown Aqueduct (as its original function was) located on Macquarie Rd, Greystanes.

The south-west of Greystanes contains the Gipps Road Sporting Complex and the Rosford Street Reserve, which consist of multiple ovals suitable for sports such as football and cricket. Around the ovals are large, open fields, suitable for other forms of recreation and a small BMX track in Rosford Street Reserve. A small-bore rifle club is located on Hyland Road, near the aforementioned sporting complexes and the Hyland Road Youth Centre. The Cumberland Country Golf Club is located to the geographic centre of the suburb.

Population

Demographics

According to the 2011 census there were 21,703 residents in Greystanes. Of these:

48.9% were male and 51.1% were female.
The median age was 38 years, compared to the national median of 37. Children aged 0–14 years made up 20.1% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 14.7% of the population.
65.7% were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Malta 3.6%, Lebanon 3.1%, India 1.8%, England 1.8% and Italy 1.5%.
The most common ancestries were Australian 20.5%, English 16.3%, Lebanese 8.1%, Maltese 6.5% and Irish 5.9%.
62.2% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Arabic 9.1%, Greek 2.3% and Italian 2.3%.
The most common responses for religion were Catholic 49.2%, Anglican 13.5%, No Religion 7.7% , Eastern Orthodox 5.7% and Islam 4.7%.
The most common occupations in Greystanes were Clerical and Administrative Workers 20.8%, Professionals 16.8%, Technicians and Trades Workers 15.2%.

Education

Greystanes is serviced by a number of educational institutions including many child-care centres, Department of Education schools including Greystanes Public School, Beresford Rd Primary School, Ringrose Primary School, Widemere Public School, Greystanes High School, Holroyd High School and two Catholic Education, Diocese of Parramatta schools which include Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary School and St Pauls Catholic College (originally St. Simon Stock High School and later Newman High School).

Holroyd High School houses an Intensive English Centre which provides a specialised program to non-English speaking migrants and refugees so that they can better participate in Australian society.

Images for kids

Frank Cefai laying the first stone at OLQP Church.
Boothtown Aqueduct off Macquarie Rd

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Greystanes, New South Wales facts for kids

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History