Leonay, New South Wales facts for kids

Leonay (pronounced LEE-oh-nay) is a lovely suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 58 kilometres west of the main city centre of Sydney. Leonay is part of the City of Penrith area.

This suburb is located on the western side of the Nepean River. It sits right at the bottom of the famous Blue Mountains. Leonay is surrounded by the M4 Motorway, the western railway line, and the Nepean River. A cool feature of Leonay is its golf course, which winds its way through the whole suburb.

Leonay's Past: A Brief History

This area was once a large vineyard. A vineyard is a place where grapes are grown to make wine. The vineyard belonged to a man named Leo Buring. The suburb of Leonay was named after Leo and his wife, Nay.

Today, instead of grapevines, you'll find modern homes. These houses climb up the hills at the base of the Blue Mountains.

First People: Aboriginal Culture

Before Europeans arrived, the land where Leonay now stands was home to the Mulgoa people. They spoke the Darug language. The Mulgoa people lived by hunting animals and gathering plants. They also had a special way of managing the land. This included knowing when to grow or leave certain foods alone.

These traditions are very old and come from the Dreamtime. The Mulgoa people lived in bark huts called 'gunyahs'. They hunted animals like kangaroos and emus for food. They also gathered plants such as yams and berries.

European Settlement and Growth

The first British explorers to visit this area were Jamison, Johnston, Wentworth, and Jones. They came in 1818. They named Glenbrook Creek where it flows into the Nepean River.

For many years, Leonay was considered part of Emu Plains. It was first part of Sir Francis Forbes' Edinglassie Estate. Later, it became part of Leo Buring's vineyard. Leo Buring even built a small fort called Fort Sanctuary. This fort overlooked his vineyard.

After Leo Buring passed away in 1961, the vineyard closed. Most of the land was sold to people who wanted to build houses. The first houses were built in 1965. In 1974, the area was officially named Leonay. A post office opened in Leonay in 1977 but closed a few years later in 1979.

Fort Sanctuary was used as a shelter by some people for a while. It was boarded up in 1987. Some local people want the fort to be protected as a heritage site.

Getting Around: Transport in Leonay

The closest train station is Lapstone Railway Station. You can only reach it by walking. The nearest train station that you can drive to is Emu Plains Railway Station. Both are on the Western Line of the Sydney Trains network.

Local buses are run by the Blue Mountains Bus Company. These buses connect Leonay to Penrith. Leonay Parade is the main road into the suburb. It connects to both Emu Plains and the M4 Western Motorway. The M4 Motorway helps you get quickly to other parts of Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

Learning in Leonay: Education

Leonay Public School is the only school right in the suburb. For high school, students usually go to Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School. This school is located in Emu Plains.

Who Lives Here: Population and Demographics

In 2016, a census counted 2,518 people living in Leonay. Most residents (78.4%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included England (5.6%), Germany (1.3%), and Scotland (1.0%). About 88.6% of people spoke only English at home.

When it comes to religion, the most common choices were Catholic (31.3%), No Religion (24.4%), and Anglican (22.9%). All the homes in Leonay are detached houses. This means there are no apartments or townhouses. The average income in Leonay was higher than the national average.

Famous People from Leonay

Leonay has been home to some well-known people, especially in rugby league:

• Ivan Cleary (a professional Rugby League coach for the Penrith Panthers)
• Nathan Cleary (a professional Rugby League player for the Penrith Panthers)

How Leonay is Run: Governance

Leonay is part of the local government area called Penrith City Council. This council helps manage things like local roads, parks, and rubbish collection. Leonay is in the south ward of the council.

At the state level, Leonay is part of the Electoral district of Penrith. This means people in Leonay vote for a representative in the New South Wales Parliament. This person helps make laws for the state.

At the federal level, Leonay is part of the Division of Lindsay. This means people here vote for a representative in the Australian Parliament in Canberra. This person helps make laws for the whole country.