Lambton, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lambton Newcastle, New South Wales
Lambton Park
Lambton Location in Newcastle, Australia
Population	4,909 (2016 census)
• Density	1,640/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	2299
Area	3 km2 (1.2 sq mi)
Location	8 km (5 mi) W of Newcastle 2 km (1 mi) SE of Jesmond
LGA(s)	City of Newcastle
Parish	Newcastle
State electorate(s)	Wallsend Newcastle
Federal Division(s)	Newcastle
Suburbs around Lambton: Jesmond North Lambton Waratah Wallsend Lambton Broadmeadow New Lambton Heights New Lambton Broadmeadow

Lambton is a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. It is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of Newcastle's main city area.

A Look at Lambton's Past

The land where Lambton now stands originally belonged to the Awabakal and Worimi peoples. They are the traditional owners of this area.

How Lambton Began

Lambton started as a town focused on coal mining. It became an official town, called a Municipality, on June 24, 1871. This included the nearby area of Jesmond. By 1891, about 3,434 people lived there. Lambton was special because it was the first town in the Newcastle area to have electric lights!

In the early days, miners had a unique way to have fun. They would gamble on dog races, which they called the "Dog & Rat." They would let a rat (which was actually a small wallaby) run on an open field. Then, dogs would chase it. The dog that caught the wallaby won the race. If the wallaby made it to the bushes, it won!

By 1901, Lambton had many important buildings. There were 14 churches, a Music Hall, and places for meetings. It also had a Post Office, a bank, a Court House, and good public schools. There were coal mines, coke ovens, and a soap factory nearby in Jesmond.

In 1938, many smaller towns, including Lambton, joined together. They formed one big local government area called the "City of Greater Newcastle."

Sporting History

Lambton has a rich history in sports in the Hunter Region.

• Lambton Park was the site of Australia's first organized soccer game. Miners from Lambton played against miners from Weston.
• Newcastle's oldest rugby league club, the "Western Suburbs (NCLE) Rosella's," started at a local pub.
• Lambton also had an Australian Rules football club from 1883 to 1887. They played against teams from Newcastle and Maitland.

Miners meeting at Lambton Park in 1896.

Lambton's Coal Mine

The biggest industry in Lambton was the Scottish-Australian Coal Mining Company's Lambton Colliery. A colliery is a coal mine and all its buildings. Three brothers, Frank, Thomas, and Sydney Croudace, managed the mine.

The mine finally closed in the late 1950s. However, the railway line that connected the mine to Newcastle harbor stayed open for another ten years. This was because other coal-loading places still used it. Today, houses cover the entire area where the mine once stood.

The Mechanics Institute

The Mechanics Institute first opened in Howe Street in 1867. It was a place where people could learn and read.

• In 1885, a second building was built. It had a reading room and a room for playing billiards.
• In 1894, a new stone and brick building was built on Elder Street. It cost £573. This building had a library and games room downstairs. It also had a bigger reading room upstairs.
• In 1950, a new public library opened across the road. This caused the Institute to lose many members.

Today, the building is home to the Newcastle Family History Society and the MG Car Club. In 2018, the New South Wales government gave money to repaint the outside of the building.

Education in Lambton

Lambton has several schools for students:

• Lambton High School is a public high school for both boys and girls. It is located on Young Road.
• Lambton Public School is a public primary school for both boys and girls. It is located on Croudace Street.
• St John's Primary School is a Catholic primary school for both boys and girls. It is located on Dickson Street.

Who Lives in Lambton?

According to the 2016 census, there were 4,909 people living in Lambton.

• About 2.6% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
• Most people (84.3%) were born in Australia. The next largest group (2.1%) was born in England.
• Most people (87.3%) spoke only English at home.
• The most common religions were No Religion (29.2%), Catholic (24.9%), and Anglican (18.8%).

Other Interesting Places

The former King's Theatre, now Lizottes.

Lambton used to have a popular movie theater called the King's Theatre. It showed movies until the 1980s. Today, it is a theater-restaurant called "Lizottes."

One of the best parts of Lambton is the beautiful Lambton Park.

• It has an old bandstand, which locals call "The Rotunda."
• There is a fun play area for children.
• The park also has bowling greens, tennis courts, and fields for cricket, soccer, and rugby league.
• You can find an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a diving pool, and pools for children and toddlers.
• The park is also known for its lovely gardens.

The local soccer team, Lambton Jaffas, has produced famous athletes. These include Cheryl Salisbury, who was captain of the Australian women's soccer team, and Suzy Batkovic-Brown, an Australian women's basketball player.

A song called "The Lambton Lights" was written by local musician Bob Corbett. It is about the time when Lambton first got electric lights.