Mulgoa, New South Wales facts for kids

Mulgoa is a small village located in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 66 kilometers west of the main city center of Sydney. Mulgoa is part of the City of Penrith area and covers about 55 square kilometers. It sits south of suburbs like Regentville and Glenmore Park.

History of Mulgoa

First Peoples: Aboriginal Culture

Mulgoa gets its name from the Mulgoa people, who were the original Indigenous inhabitants of this area. They spoke the Dharug language. The name "Mulgoa" is thought to mean "black swan".

The Mulgoa people shared the Mulgoa Valley with the Gandangara people from the Southern Highlands. Aboriginal people in this region mostly lived by hunting and gathering. They followed traditional laws based on their mythology, known as the Dreamtime. Their homes were simple bark huts called gunyah. They hunted animals like kangaroos and emus for food. They also gathered yams, berries, and other native plants.

European Settlement and Early Days

After the First Fleet arrived in Sydney, there were some conflicts between the British settlers and the local Indigenous people. It's believed the Mulgoa people were generally peaceful, and most clashes were with the Gandangara.

The first government land grants in Mulgoa were given in 1810 to Edward Cox, the young son of Captain William Cox. Captain Cox was famous for building a road across the Blue Mountains in 1814. William Cox built a home called The Cottage around 1811. Later, a grander house called Fernhill was finished in the 1840s. This house and its gardens are now considered important historical sites.

Another important early settler was Sir John Jamison, a friend of Cox. He built a large mansion called Regentville House in 1824, which overlooked the Nepean River. In 1821, the Norton family also received large land grants in Mulgoa.

St Thomas' Anglican Church

The heart of Mulgoa's community life in the early days was St Thomas' Anglican Church. It was built in 1838 and was the first public building in the Mulgoa Valley. It was made from sandstone and cedar, on land donated by the Cox family. Sir John Jamison was one of its supporters. The first church leader was Reverend Thomas Cooper Makinson. The church also had Mulgoa's first school, which operated until 1871–72.

Mulgoa as a Municipality

In 1893, Mulgoa had enough people to become its own municipality, which is like a local government area. Its boundaries were larger than the suburb today. However, in 1949, many local councils joined together. Mulgoa merged with Penrith, St Marys, and Castlereagh to form the larger Penrith Municipality. Today, Mulgoa is still mostly a rural area with lots of open space. The Mulgoa Post Office opened on 1 September 1863.

Mulgoa in the 20th Century

During World War II, after the bombing of Darwin in 1942, some Aboriginal children were moved from Alice Springs to an Anglican home in Mulgoa for safety. This group included Rona and Freda Glynn, and John Kundereri Moriarty.

The Church Missionary Society Home for Half-Castes operated from 1942 to 1947. It housed Aboriginal children aged 1–14, and some mothers. Most came from South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland. They were moved by the Department of Native Affairs under military orders. The children stayed in Mulgoa until January 1949.

Historic Places in Mulgoa

Mulgoa has several places that are listed for their historical importance:

• Fairlight Road: Fairlight Homestead
• Mulgoa Road: Fernhill, Mulgoa
• 754-760 Mulgoa Road: Glenmore, Mulgoa
• St Thomas Road: St Thomas' Anglican Church, Mulgoa
• 2 St Thomas Road: Cox's Cottage

Getting Around Mulgoa: Transport

Mulgoa Road is the main road in the suburb. It connects Mulgoa with Penrith. Busways provides a bus service, route 795, which travels from Warragamba to Penrith along Mulgoa Road.

Learning in Mulgoa: Education

Mulgoa has two schools:

• Mulgoa Public School, which is a government-run primary school.
• Nepean Christian School, which is a privately run school.

Who Lives in Mulgoa: Demographics

In 2016, the population of Mulgoa was 1,898 people. Most residents (79%) were born in Australia. Smaller groups were born in England (2.8%), Germany (1.6%), and Malta (1.5%).

When it comes to religion, the most common responses were Catholic (36.7%), Anglican (24.7%), and No Religion (14.1%). Many households in Mulgoa are couples with children (52%). Most houses are owned outright (42.6%) or are being paid off (41.9%). The number of people renting (12.9%) is much lower than the average for Australia. The average household income in Mulgoa ($2,217 per week) was higher than the national average ($1,438).

Well-Known People from Mulgoa

Some notable people who have lived in Mulgoa include:

• Stuart Ayres: A former New South Wales government minister.
• Edward Cox: A son of William Cox and a politician, as was his son, Edward King Cox.
• Captain William Cox (1764–1837): An early Mulgoa settler, military officer, and road-builder.
• Robert Dulhunty (1803–1853): A landowner, police magistrate, and one of the founders of the Dubbo district.
• Sir John Jamison Kt, MD (1776–1844): A landowner, doctor, and member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales.
• The Reverend Thomas Cooper Makinson (1809–1893): Mulgoa's first resident Anglican clergyman and schoolmaster.
• Emmanuel Margolin: An entrepreneur who used to run El Caballo Blanco, which had Sydney's largest private zoo.
• Senator The Honourable Marise Payne: A former federal Foreign Affairs Minister.
• David Stove (1927-1994): A philosopher.

How Mulgoa is Governed

At a local level, Mulgoa is part of the south ward of Penrith City Council. The current mayor is Tricia Hitchen.

For state government, Mulgoa is in the Electoral district of Badgerys Creek. This area is represented by Tanya Davies from the Liberal Party.

At the federal level (national government), Mulgoa is part of the Division of Lindsay. This area is represented by Melissa McIntosh from the Liberal Party.