Rooty Hill is a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located about 42 kilometres west of the main city area of Sydney. Rooty Hill is part of the City of Blacktown and the larger Greater Western Sydney region.

A Look Back: Rooty Hill's History

Early Days: Before European Settlers Arrived

Long ago, before Europeans came, the land where Rooty Hill now stands was home to the Darug people. They were the original inhabitants of this area.

The Colonial Era: How Rooty Hill Got Its Name

In 1789, Captain Watkin Tench explored this area. The name "Rooty Hill" has a cool story! It comes from Norfolk Island. Governor Philip Gidley King was in charge of a settlement there. He noticed a hill that was very hard to dig because of all the tree roots. So, they called it "Rooty Hill."

When Governor King came back to New South Wales, he found a hill that reminded him of the one on Norfolk Island. He decided to give it the same name. The name "Rooty Hill" first appeared on a map in 1803.

Later, in 1819, Captain William Minchin received a large piece of land, about 1000 acres (405 hectares). This led to the creation of the Minchinbury estate. Over the years, this land was divided up.

Many important buildings were built around this time:

The Imperial Hotel was built in 1890. It was meant for people who came to watch greyhound races nearby. Today, it's a special heritage-listed building.
The Pioneer Memorial Church was built in 1891. It started as a Baptist church and is still used today.
Watts Cottage was built by the Watts family. It's a unique old house that is also heritage-listed.

After Federation: Community and Changes

In 1902–1903, the School of Arts was built by local residents. This was a place for community activities and events. It's also a heritage-listed building now.

An important person named James Angus, who owned the Minchinbury estate, sadly died in 1916. He was hit by a train at the railway crossing. Today, you can find streets and places named after these early families, like Angus Avenue and Dr Charles McKay Reserve. The Fairholme building, now part of St Agnes Catholic High School, is another heritage-listed spot.

After the Wars: A Multicultural Community

After World War II, Australia welcomed people from many different countries. This was because the country needed more people. Over time, especially from the 1990s to 2010s, many families from places like the Philippines, India, Pakistan, and China moved to Rooty Hill. This made Rooty Hill the diverse and multicultural place it is today.

In 1964, the Rooty Hill RSL Club opened. It's now called West HQ. This place has grown into one of the biggest clubs in New South Wales! It's a huge hub for fun, fitness, and lifestyle. Some people even call it the "Vegas of the West." West HQ has a very large gym, a hotel, and the Sydney Coliseum Theatre. This theatre is sometimes called the "Sydney Opera House of Western Sydney."

Special Places: Heritage Listings

Rooty Hill has several sites that are important because of their history. These are called heritage-listed sites:

Dunsmore Street: The Government Depot Site
Eastern Road: Rooty Hill (the actual hill)
1 Rooty Hill Road: Imperial Hotel

Who Lives Here: Demographics

In 2021, there were 16,176 people living in Rooty Hill. The average age was 37, which is a bit younger than the average for all of Australia.

Rooty Hill is known for its diverse community. Many people have family backgrounds from different parts of the world. The most common ancestries include Filipino, Australian, English, Indian, and Pakistani.

Many people living in Rooty Hill were born in Australia, but a lot also come from the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Fiji, and New Zealand. People practice many different religions here, like Catholic, Islam, and Hinduism. While English is spoken by many, other languages like Tagalog, Filipino, Urdu, Hindi, and Arabic are also common.

Because there are so many people from the Philippines, some call Rooty Hill the "Little Manila" of Sydney. You can find many Filipino restaurants and businesses here!

Fun and Games: Sport and Recreation

Rooty Hill is home to the amazing Blacktown International Sportspark. This is a huge place for many different sports! It has:

Two cricket grounds (also used for Australian rules football)
An athletics track
Three baseball diamonds
Two soccer fields
Four softball diamonds

Many sports teams use this park for training and games, including the Sydney Blue Sox baseball team. There's also a smaller stadium for local soccer matches.

West HQ, which used to be the Rooty Hill RSL, is another great place for fun. It has a Zone Bowling centre, the Sydney Coliseum Theatre, many restaurants, a hotel, a gymnastics and aquatics centre, and a gym.

Rooty Hill also has its own Skatepark for skateboarding and scootering!

Shopping and Services: Commercial Area

The main shopping and business areas in Rooty Hill are mostly around the railway station. You'll find shops and services along Rooty Hill Road North and Rooty Hill Road South. There's also a busy area where North Parade, Sherbrooke Street, and Railway Street meet, which is where the Sydney Coliseum Theatre is located.

Learning Places: Schools

Rooty Hill has several schools for students of different ages:

Rooty Hill Public School: This is a public school for students from Kindergarten to Year 6. It opened in 1957.
St. Aidan's Primary School: This Catholic primary school (Kindergarten to Year 6) is located on Adelaide Street and was founded in 1907.
St. Agnes Catholic High School: This secondary school (Years 7–10) is on Evans Road. It opened in 1962 and has had many new buildings added over the years.
Rooty Hill High School: This is a comprehensive high school for Years 7–12, located on North Parade.

Getting Around: Transport

Trains

Rooty Hill railway station is on the Main Western railway line. The station first opened way back in 1861! It was rebuilt in the 1940s. In 2020, the station got a big upgrade. It now has new platforms, four lifts, a new walkway over the tracks, and a large parking building.

Buses

Buses help people in Rooty Hill travel around. You can catch buses to places like Blacktown and throughout Mount Druitt and nearby suburbs. Some popular bus routes are the 756 and 728.

Roads

Rooty Hill has important roads that help people drive around. Rooty Hill Road North connects the suburb to Plumpton and other northern areas. Rooty Hill Road South connects to Minchinbury and gives access to bigger highways like the Great Western Highway and the M4 Motorway. Woodstock Avenue connects Rooty Hill to Mount Druitt and Whalan, and also to the Westlink M7 motorway.

Places of Worship: Religious Destinations

Christianity

Rooty Hill has several Christian churches:

St. Albans Anglican Multicultural Bible Ministry (MBM)
Rooty Hill Uniting Church
St. Aidan's Parish (Catholic church)
Pioneer Memorial Church
Minchinbury Anglican Church (MAC)
St Stephen (Serbian Orthodox Church)
Cornerstone Baptist Church

Islam

The Rooty Hill Masjid is the main mosque for the area. Even though it's named after Rooty Hill, it's actually very close to the border with Mount Druitt.

Hinduism

While there aren't specific Hindu temples in Rooty Hill, a Hindu Priest/Pundit named Prakash Maharaj offers religious services.

Green Spaces: Parks

Rooty Hill has many parks and reserves where people can relax and play:

Angus Park
Aquilina Reserve
Blacktown International Sportspark
Central Park
Harry Dennison Park
Kimberley Park
May Cowpe Reserve
Morreau Reserve
Nurragingy Reserve
Rooty Hill Skatepark

Famous Faces: Notable Residents

Some well-known people have connections to Rooty Hill:

Mile Jedinak: A famous footballer for the Socceroos (Australia's national soccer team), who was born and grew up here.
Douglas Mawson: A geologist and explorer known for his adventures in Antarctica.
Brian To'o: A rugby league player for the Penrith Panthers, who went to school in Rooty Hill.
Grentperez: A pop artist with Filipino heritage.

Images for kids

Rooty Hill Road South shops
The Imperial Hotel, Rooty Hill Road North
Rooty Hill School of Arts, built 1902
Railway line dividing Rooty Hill as seen from Davis overpass
Heritage-listed Pioneer Memorial Church on Rooty Hill Road South
Watts Cottage, Watt Street
Rooty Hill RSL Club with Holiday Inn Rooty Hill
Fairholme, built by the Evans family, now part of St Agnes Catholic High School
One55, the largest gym in Western Sydney
One of the cricket/AFL stadiums at BISP
St. Aidan's Primary School
Rooty Hill station in November 2019
Kimberley Park
Blacktown Baseball Stadium @ Blacktown International Sportspark @ sydney blue Sox
Cricket at Blacktown International Sportspark Oval

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Rooty Hill, New South Wales Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

Rooty Hill, New South Wales facts for kids

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