Oakhurst, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids OakhurstSydney, New South Wales |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Blacktown Native Institution Site, now mostly a vacant lot.
|
|||||||||||||||
| Population | 6,955 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2761 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 47 m (154 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 46 km (29 mi) west of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Blacktown | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Mount Druitt | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Chifley | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Oakhurst is a suburb located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 46 kilometres west of the main city centre, known as the Sydney CBD. Oakhurst is part of the City of Blacktown area and is found in the Greater Western Sydney region.
Contents
History of Oakhurst's Development
The land where Oakhurst now stands was once used for farming. In the mid-1900s, there were many poultry and vegetable farms here.
From Farmland to Homes
In 1981, the NSW State Government changed the land's purpose. It was now set aside for building homes. Soon after, a group called the Land Commission of NSW (Landcom) started developing the area. This land was bordered by Jersey Road, Daniels Road, Cook Road, and Rooty Hill Road North.
Naming "The Oaks Estate"
Landcom called this new development "The Oaks Estate." This name was chosen to honour an old house on Hyatts Road that Landcom kept. They even built a special "Exhibition Village" where people could see different types of homes before buying one. This village was featured in TV ads with Australian TV stars Julie McGregor and Dave Gibson.
How Oakhurst Got Its Name
Most of "The Oaks Estate" was finished by 1985. The NSW Geographical Name Board decided to officially name the suburb "Hassall." This was to honour Reverend Thomas Hassall, who started Western Sydney's first Sunday School.
However, local residents were not happy with the name "Hassall." They felt it didn't fit the area and was a bit silly. People thought the suburb would be named "The Oaks," like the estate. So, the residents worked together and successfully asked the Board to change the name to "Oakhurst."
A Part of the Estate Becomes Hebersham
Some residents living west of Daniels Road were also part of "The Oaks Estate." They were disappointed when their part of the development became part of Hebersham. Hebersham was a nearby community with many public housing homes.
Transport and Housing Changes
By 1991, a new housing area called Hassall Grove began to be built north of Oakhurst.
Road Upgrades for New Suburbs
Developers and the community realised that Cook Road was too small for all the extra traffic. So, Luxford Road was made longer and connected to an improved part of Cook Road. This new, bigger road became the main road for the area.
It was also decided that this new road would be a better boundary between Oakhurst and the new Hassall Grove.
Houses Join Oakhurst
Because of the new road, some houses that were already built or being built were moved. These homes, on streets like Southee Circuit and Bancroft Street, were officially taken from Hassall Grove and added to Oakhurst. Parts of Cook Road that were no longer needed for traffic were closed or turned into lawns and children's play areas.
Shopping and Services
Oakhurst has good access to local shops and services.
Local Shopping Centres
The main shopping centre for Oakhurst is Plumpton Marketplace. Here you can find big stores like Woolworths and BigW. There are also banks like the Commonwealth Bank and travel agencies like Flight Centre.
Hassall Grove Plaza is another option for residents. It has smaller shops like a green grocer, a bakery, hair salons, and take-away food places.
Education and Sport in Oakhurst
Oakhurst offers good options for schooling and sports activities.
Schools in Oakhurst
Richard Johnson Anglican School is a well-known school in Oakhurst. It teaches students from Kindergarten all the way up to Year 12.
Sports Activities
Oakhurst shares a local soccer team with Plumpton. This team is called the Plumpton/Oakhurst Soccer Club inc. Their home ground is at Hanna Reserve, on Hyatts Road.
The team is part of the Blacktown & Districts Soccer Football Association. This group organises yearly competitions for teams from nearby suburbs. Players of all different age groups can join in.
Heritage Sites in Oakhurst
Oakhurst has some places that are important for their history. These are called heritage-listed sites.
- Richmond Road: Blacktown Native Institution Site
