Jesmond, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jesmond Newcastle, New South Wales
Blue Gum Road, Jesmond, viewing south, location of Stockland Jesmond Shopping Centre c. 2011.
Jesmond Location in Newcastle, Australia
Population	3,045 (2016 census)
• Density	1,877.7/km2 (4,863/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	2299
Elevation	15 m (49 ft)
Area	1.3 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	151 km (94 mi) N of Sydney 9.4 km (6 mi) WNW of Newcastle 25 km (16 mi) SE of Maitland 62 km (39 mi) N of The Entrance 82 km (51 mi) N of Gosford
LGA(s)	City of Newcastle
Region	Hunter
County	Northumberland
Parish	Newcastle
State electorate(s)	Wallsend
Federal Division(s)	Newcastle
Suburbs around Jesmond: Birmingham Gardens Birmingham Gardens Callaghan Wallsend Jesmond North Lambton Wallsend Wallsend Lambton

Jesmond (/ˈdʒɛzmənd/) is a suburb in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is located about 9.5 kilometers (6 miles) west of the main city area of Newcastle. Jesmond is a busy place with both shops and homes. Many students from the University of Newcastle live here. This makes Jesmond a very multicultural area. In 2016, about 3,045 people lived in Jesmond.

History of Jesmond

The Aboriginal people, specifically the Awabakal tribe, were the first people to live on this land.

Jesmond was first called "Dark Creek" by European settlers. The area used to have fruit orchards and saw-mills that used steam power. By 1883, a small village had grown here with about 600 people. A factory that made soap also opened in the 1880s.

The name "Jesmond" might come from a suburb with the same name in Newcastle upon Tyne in England. It could also be named after "Jesmond Dene," a park in that English suburb.

Jesmond was greatly affected by the Great Depression. This was a time when many people lost their jobs and homes. Some families had to live in a shanty town, which was a collection of makeshift homes. This shanty town was called "Hollywood" or sometimes "Doggville." It was located near the Jesmond roundabout on an old railway track.

Schools in Jesmond

Jesmond has several schools for students of different ages. These include Heaton Public School and Jesmond Public School. Older students can attend the Jesmond Senior Campus, which is part of Callaghan College.

Shopping and Getting Around

Jesmond has a busy shopping area located on Blue Gum Road. You can find many different kinds of shops here. There is also a large shopping center called Jesmond Central.

Jesmond Central (which used to be called Stockland Jesmond) is a major shopping spot. It has big stores like Woolworths, Aldi, and Big W. There are also more than 60 smaller shops. The center has lots of parking spaces for over 900 cars.

Jesmond is also an important place for transport. Main roads that go east-west and north meet here. This makes it easy to travel to and from Jesmond.

Parks and Sports

Jesmond has two main public parks for sports and outdoor fun: Jesmond Park and Heaton Park. The University of Newcastle also has sports facilities nearby for older students.

Jesmond Park is a popular place for families to have barbecues. It also has a beautiful rose garden, which is often used for wedding photos. The park has a natural bushland area on its southern side.

The local soccer team is called Jesmond Football Club, also known as "The Rams." They play their games at Jesmond Park. The club started in 1928 and has a long history in the community. Heaton Park has a concrete skateboarding bowl, which is shaped like an oval.