Homebush Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Homebush BaySydney, New South Wales |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Homebush Bay with SS Ayrfield and Rhodes in the background.
|
|||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2127 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 13 km (8 mi) west of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) |
|
||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) |
|
||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Reid | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Homebush Bay is a bay located on the south side of the Parramatta River in western Sydney, Australia. It's about 13 kilometers west of the Sydney city center. The name "Homebush Bay" also used to refer to a larger area. This area is now divided into the suburbs of Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point, and part of Lidcombe. All these areas are part of the City of Parramatta.
The bay has both natural and man-made shorelines. It sits between the suburbs of Wentworth Point and Rhodes. In the 1900s, the bay became polluted with chemicals like dioxins. These chemicals came from a local chemical factory. Because of this pollution, commercial fishing is not allowed in most of Sydney Harbour. People are also advised to limit how much fish they eat from the Parramatta River. Other harmful substances found in the bay include lead and heavy metals. A big clean-up project started in 2008. By 2010, about 75% of the dioxins were removed. However, fishing is still not allowed in Homebush Bay for safety reasons.
The western side of Homebush Bay is in the City of Parramatta local government area. The eastern side is in the City of Canada Bay. This means the bay helps mark the border between two large Sydney regions: Greater Western Sydney to the west and the Inner West to the east.
Contents
Exploring Homebush Bay's Past
The Homebush Bay area has a rich history. It was originally the land of the Wann-gal people. They lived here thousands of years ago, using the river's resources for food and shelter.
Early European Settlement
The first European settlers arrived in 1793. They called the land 'Flats' and gave parts of it to free settlers. This is why the area became known as 'Liberty Plains'. Two important families, the Blaxlands and the Wentworths, owned much of the land during this time.
The Home Bush Estate and Name Origins
In the 1800s, the 'Home Bush Estate' was created by D'arcy Wentworth. He was an assistant surgeon in the colony. Some believe he named it after his "home in the bush." However, there is also a place called Homebush in Kent, England. The Wentworth family's estate was on the southwestern shore of the bay.
When the railway arrived in 1855, a station was built to serve the racecourse on the Wentworth estate. This station was named "Homebush." The village and later suburb that grew around the station also took this name. Over time, the Home Bush Estate became part of the Municipality of Rookwood in 1891. This area was later renamed Lidcombe in 1906. In 1989, this part of Lidcombe was renamed "Homebush Bay." This long history of shared names has caused some confusion over the years.
Industrial Past and Environmental Cleanup
In the 20th century, Homebush Bay became a hub for heavy industries. Large areas of land were filled in to build factories. When these industries closed down, the bay became a dumping ground. All sorts of unwanted materials, from waste to old ships and even toxic chemicals, were left here. A company called Union Carbide made chemicals, including Agent Orange, on the site. Harmful byproducts like dioxins were buried or left in barrels.
A major effort to clean up and restore the bay began in the 1980s. This led to the creation of Bicentennial Park. The park helped bring back some of the natural mangrove wetlands and saltmarshes. The decision to host the 2000 Sydney Olympics at Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush Bay further boosted the clean-up and restoration efforts. New homes and shops also started to appear around the bay, including a large shopping center at Rhodes.
Changes to Suburb Names
The former Auburn Council wanted to rename the suburb of Homebush Bay. This was to avoid confusion with the nearby suburb of Homebush. On October 2, 2009, the waterfront area was renamed Wentworth Point. The industrial area near Carter Street became part of Lidcombe. The main part of the suburb, where the Olympics were held, was officially renamed Sydney Olympic Park.
Understanding Homebush Bay's Waterways
Homebush Bay is on the southern side of the Parramatta River. To its east is Bray Bay, separated by a narrow piece of land that forms the suburb of Rhodes. Across the Parramatta River to the north is Meadowbank. Homebush Bay is the westernmost of the big bays along the Parramatta River.
Several smaller waterways flow into Homebush Bay. Powells Creek joins the bay from the south. Haslams Creek also flows into the bay further north.
Much of Homebush Bay's shoreline is man-made. Large areas were filled in during the 20th century for industrial use. Because of its past as an industrial site and dumping ground, the bay is still quite polluted. This includes dioxins and other chemicals from the old Union Carbide factory. For health reasons, fishing is still not allowed in Homebush Bay. Other pollutants include lead and heavy metals. A clean-up project from 2008 to 2010 removed about 75% of the dioxins.
You can see several old ship hulls in Homebush Bay. These are the remains of ships that were taken apart here in the mid-1900s. They include the SS Ayrfield, SS Mortlake Bank, SS Heroic, and HMAS Karangi. They were broken up in the early 1970s and now rest near the southwestern shore.
Key Places to Visit in Homebush Bay
Bicentennial Park is located on the southern shore of the bay. It has a restored area of mangrove wetlands. This shows what the bay might have looked like naturally.
Sydney Olympic Park is a large area of 640 hectares (about 1580 acres) southwest of Homebush Bay. It was the main site for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Since then, many new buildings have been constructed. These include offices and apartments in the center of Sydney Olympic Park. Some residential areas here are Newington, The Waterfront, and Mariners Cove.
The Sydney Showground moved here from Moore Park in 1998. This was to prepare for the Olympic Games. The Showground hosted many Olympic events. Other venues included Stadium Australia, Sydney Super Dome, and the Aquatic Centre.
On the eastern shore, in the suburb of Rhodes, you'll find the large Rhodes Waterside shopping center.
The Novotel Hotel has cafes, restaurants, and bars. It offers outdoor spaces for special events at Sydney Olympic Park.
The Bennelong Bridge crosses the bay near its entrance. It connects Rhodes on the east bank to Wentworth Point on the west bank. This bridge is open to people walking, cycling, and buses, but not cars. It opened on May 22, 2016.
Getting Around Homebush Bay
Two train stations are close to Homebush Bay. To the southwest, Olympic Park railway station was built for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It is very busy during big events at Olympic Park. A shuttle train connects it to Lidcombe railway station. On the eastern shore, Rhodes railway station is on the T9 Northern line.
Sydney Ferries run services to the Sydney Olympic Park ferry wharf on the bay. This wharf was originally for Sydney Olympic Park visitors. Now, it mostly serves the people living in Wentworth Point. Busways also run many regular bus services around the bay. There are also special Sydney Olympic Park bus routes for big events like the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
A light rail line is planned for the western shore of the bay. It will connect Olympic Park railway station with the center of Parramatta to the west.
Culture and Fun at Homebush Bay
Events to Enjoy
- The Sydney Royal Easter Show is a big annual agricultural show. It is held at the Sydney Showground in Homebush Bay.
Sports Action
- Many National Rugby League (NRL) games are played at Stadium Australia, including the Grand Final.
- AFL teams like the GWS Giants play their home games here. The Sydney Swans also play some games at Stadium Australia.
- Several NRL teams, such as the Wests Tigers and Canterbury Bulldogs, also use this stadium.
- The NSW Blues play domestic cricket matches at Stadium Australia.
- The Socceroos have played important soccer matches here. This includes a game against Uruguay for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification.
- The A-league team Sydney FC played a friendly game against David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. About 80,000 people watched this game.
- V8 Supercars have raced on a track within the area since 2009. This is part of the V8 Supercars championship.
Homebush Bay in Pop Culture
The Brickpit at Sydney Olympic Park was used as a filming location. It appeared in the movie Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.
Images for kids
-
Sydney Olympic Park hotels
-
Hill Road
-
Olympic Boulevard
-
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service headquarters on Carter Street.
