Macarthur, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MacarthurNew South Wales |
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Eastern
Suburbs Penrith
Northern
Suburbs Canterbury
Bankstown Forest
District South-western
Sydney Sutherland Shire
Macarthur
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| Population | 309,792 (2016) | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Wollondilly, Campbelltown, Camden | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Greater Sydney | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Campbelltown, Macquarie Fields, Camden, Wollondilly | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Macarthur, Werriwa, Hume | ||||||||||||||
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Macarthur is a special area in the south-west part of Sydney, Australia. It is located in the state of New South Wales. This region includes three main local government areas: Campbelltown, Camden, and Wollondilly Shire.
Macarthur covers a large area of about 3,067 square kilometres. Around 310,000 people live here. Geographically, it sits in the foothills between the famous Blue Mountains and the Southern Highlands.
The region has clear boundaries. To the north, it reaches Glenfield. In the south, it extends to Yanderra. To the east, you'll find the town of Appin. And to the west, it goes as far as the small village of Nattai.
Most of Macarthur is made up of the rural Wollondilly Shire. However, most people live in the bigger city of Campbelltown and its nearby suburbs.
Macarthur is one of the fastest-growing areas around Sydney. Many new, modern suburbs have appeared in recent years. Some of these include Glen Alpine, Macquarie Links, Harrington Park, Blair Athol, Mount Annan, Currans Hill, Englorie Park, Picton, Oran Park, Gregory Hills, Gledswood Hills, Spring Farm, and Catherine Field.
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How Macarthur Got Its Name
The Macarthur region is named after John Macarthur and Elizabeth Macarthur. They were important pioneers who helped start the Australian wool industry.
The town of Camden was built on land owned by the Macarthurs. It was named after Lord Camden. He helped John Macarthur get the first land grant when Macarthur was in England. The original Macarthur family property covered the three local council areas that are now part of the Macarthur region.
Exploring Macarthur's Geography
Macarthur is often seen as the place where the big city of Sydney meets the countryside of New South Wales. It is part of the south-west area of Greater Sydney.
Campbelltown and Camden used to be small country towns. They grew into new urban communities after a big plan in 1973.
The Wollondilly Shire is the largest, most southern part of the region. It is mostly rural, with some small businesses. Wollondilly is very important because it supplies much of Sydney's water. This water comes from dams like Warragamba Dam, Cataract Dam in Appin, and Cordeaux Dam in Wilton.
The region has experienced two earthquakes. One happened in Appin on March 17, 1999. The other was in Picton on March 9, 1973. The Picton earthquake caused about $2.8 million in damage.
Local Councils in Macarthur
The Macarthur Region has three main administrative towns, each with its own council:
- Campbelltown is where the Campbelltown City Council is located.
- Oran Park is home to the Camden Council.
- Picton is where the Wollondilly Shire Council is based.
In May 2012, Camden Council announced it would move its main office to Oran Park.
A Glimpse into Macarthur's History
The history of the Macarthur region goes back over 40,000 years. It is rich with the continuing culture of the Tharawal Aboriginal people.
You can still find reminders of their past lives here. These include rock engravings, cave paintings, and axe grinding grooves. Their culture also lives on in songs, stories, and their descendants. The Tharawal nation's land stretched from Botany Bay to Shoalhaven. The lyrebird is a main symbol of the Tharawal nation.
European history began in 1788, soon after Sydney was settled. The colony's cattle wandered off and were lost. In 1795, a much larger herd of 61 cattle was found between the Nepean River and Georges River. This area was called the "Cowpastures." It was kept as a special protected area for the herd.
In 1803, John Macarthur was given 5,000 acres (20 square kilometres) at the Cowpastures. He started raising Merino sheep there. His sons, William and James, began growing grapes for wine and running a plant nursery. Emily Stone, James's wife, started a successful dairy farm.
The Macarthur region has a deep and interesting history. Many important people, adventurers, and even some villains have been connected to this area. This makes it a popular place for tourists to visit.
Fun Places to Visit in Macarthur
Macarthur has many exciting attractions for everyone to enjoy!
Camden Area Attractions
- Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan
The Mount Annan Botanic Garden opened in 1988. It is a huge 416-acre (1.68 square kilometre) garden. It is currently the largest botanic garden in Australia. It is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. You can see a large collection of native Australian plants here. There are also picnic areas with barbecues, walking trails, and a restaurant.
- Camden Park Estate, Camden
Camden Park Estate was the country home of Australian wool pioneers John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth Macarthur. It became their family's main home after John passed away. The main house, Camden Park House, was designed by John Verge. It was built between 1832 and 1834. Macarthur himself did not live to see it finished. Today, the house still stands on 388.5 hectares (960 acres) of the original land. Macarthur's family still lives there.
Next to Camden Park is Belgenny Farm. Many people call it the "Birthplace of Australia's Agriculture." Belgenny Cottage was built around 1821. John Macarthur passed away in this cottage in 1834. He was buried in the family cemetery nearby. Today, the farm has descendants of the sheep brought by the Macarthurs. It also has a working vineyard that makes wine and fruit orchards.
- Camden Valley Golf Resort, Catherine Field
Camden Valley Golf Resort opened in 1964. It is a popular 27-hole golf course. It has a clubhouse and a restaurant.
Wollondilly Shire Attractions
- Sydney Skydivers at Picton
Sydney Skydivers is Australia's biggest skydiving company. They have a Skydiving Centre near Picton. This is the closest full skydiving centre to Sydney. You can try tandem skydiving and other types of skydiving here. The centre is about 55 minutes from Sydney's city centre. It is open seven days a week.
- Antill Park Country Golf Club, Picton
Antill Park Country Golf Club is the largest golf course in the Wollondilly Shire. It has 18 holes. The Golf Clubhouse was built in 1863. It is an important historic building in the area.
- Wirrimbirra Sanctuary, Bargo
Wirrimbirra Sanctuary is a small 95-hectare reserve. It is managed by the National Trust of Australia. Thistle Harris opened the park in the 1960s. She wanted to honour her late husband and protect the plants and animals of 'Bargo Brush'. Bargo is thought to be where early explorers first saw the lyrebird, koala, and wombat. The sanctuary is open to the public. It teaches people about Australian environment and wildlife. It also grows native Australian plants and shows native animals. A dingo sanctuary is currently being built there.
- Mushroom Tunnel, Picton
The Mushroom Tunnel is near the Remembrance Driveway (Old Hume Highway). It was built in 1867. It is one of the oldest railway tunnels in New South Wales. In 1919, the 65-metre-long tunnel was no longer used for trains. It then became a mushroom farm and later a place to store ammunition during the war. Today, the tunnel is empty. It is popular with ghost-hunters because of many local stories that say it is haunted. It has even been featured in newspapers and on TV.
- NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere
- Thirlmere Lakes National Park, Couridjah
Thirlmere Lakes National Park is part of the Blue Mountains Heritage Area. The park has five important freshwater lakes. These lakes are full of waterbirds and native reeds. They are among the last undisturbed lakes near Sydney. They are believed to be very important for science and the environment. (For more information, see Thirlmere Lakes National Park.)
Campbelltown City Attractions
- Macarthur Square, Campbelltown
Macarthur Square is the biggest shopping centre in the Macarthur region. It serves the entire area. It has over 300 shops. These include big department stores like Big W, Target, and David Jones. Macarthur Square is in the suburb of Ambarvale, New South Wales. This is about 1 kilometre south of Campbelltown's city centre. It is also next to Macarthur railway station and University of Western Sydney, Macarthur.
- Eschol Park House, Eschol Park
- Campbelltown City Arts Centre, Campbelltown
The Campbelltown City Arts Centre is one of the largest art galleries in the Macarthur Region. It has the Campbelltown Bicentennial Art Gallery. This gallery has both permanent modern art collections and changing exhibitions. The centre also offers art workshops and performing arts shows. It is known for showing art that celebrates different cultures and Indigenous Australian art. The Japanese Tea Garden is also at the arts centre. It was a gift from Koshigaya, a city in Japan that is Campbelltown's sister city.
- Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Leumeah
The Campbelltown Sports Stadium can hold 21,000 people. It has grandstand seating for 9,000. It is one of the home stadiums for the Wests Tigers NRL Team. The team's club is next to the stadium. There is also an athletics centre and a large tennis court complex. Campbelltown Sports Stadium is also the home of the region's new A-League soccer club, Macarthur FC.
- Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown
Campbelltown Catholic Club is the largest club in the Macarthur Region. The club owns parts of The Cube (Campbelltown Convention Centre), Aquafit Gym, and the Rydges Hotel, which is next to the club.
Local Organisations and Media
- Macarthur Tourism is the official tourism group for the Macarthur Region. It helps promote tourism for the three councils: Wollondilly, Camden, and Campbelltown.
- Macarthur Credit Union is a local credit union bank. It serves only the people living in Wollondilly, Camden, and Campbelltown.
- Macarthur Chronicle is a company owned by News Limited. They manage three local newspapers for the region: Macarthur Chronicle Wollondilly, Macarthur Chronicle Campbelltown, and Macarthur Chronicle Camden. The company is based in Campbelltown.
- C91.3 is a commercial radio station that broadcasts on 91.3 FM.
- Vintage FM is another commercial radio station, broadcasting on 88.7 FM.
- 2MCR is a community radio station that broadcasts on 100.3 FM.
Stargazing in Macarthur
The Campbelltown Rotary Observatory is located at the University of Western Sydney (Campbelltown Campus). The Macarthur Astronomical Society holds public talks at the Macarthur Astronomy Forum. They also have public stargazing nights at different locations.
