Rouse Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rouse Hill Sydney, New South Wales
Main Street, Rouse Hill Town Centre shopping centre, 2010
Population	7,965 (2016 census)
Established	1802
Postcode(s)	2155
Elevation	49 m (161 ft)
Location	43.1 km (27 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD 19.2 km (12 mi) north-west of Parramatta CBD 13.3 km (8 mi) south-west of Windsor
LGA(s)	The Hills Shire City of Blacktown
State electorate(s)	Hawkesbury Kellyville Riverstone
Federal Division(s)	Mitchell Greenway
Suburbs around Rouse Hill: Box Hill Nelson Annangrove Riverstone Rouse Hill North Kellyville Schofields The Ponds Kellyville Ridge Beaumont Hills

Rouse Hill is a lively suburb located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Hills District. Rouse Hill is about 43 kilometres north-west of the main Sydney city centre. It is also 19 kilometres north-west of the Parramatta city centre. This area is managed by two local councils: The Hills Shire and the City of Blacktown. At the heart of Rouse Hill, you'll find the Rouse Hill Town Centre, a busy shopping and community hub.

A Look Back: Rouse Hill's History

Rouse Hill has a very interesting past! It was once known as the Village of Aberdour. Part of the area was also called 'Vinegar Hill'.

The Convict Rebellion of 1804

A 1804 watercolour depicting the 'Second Battle of Vinegar Hill'.

Rouse Hill is famous in Australian history for a big event. It was the site of a major battle during an Irish convict rebellion. This event is known as the Castle Hill rebellion. Some people also call it the 'Second Battle of Vinegar Hill'.

On March 4, 1804, Irish convicts escaped from a government farm. Many of them were political prisoners. They had been sent to Australia for being part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Their goal was to take control of the area. They also wanted to capture the town of Parramatta.

The next day, the military stopped the uprising at Rouse Hill. At least fifteen rebels died during the battle. Nine of the rebel leaders were executed. Hundreds more were punished. The exact spot of the battle is not fully known. However, there is a monument with a plaque. You can see it at Castlebrook Lawn Cemetery. It is on Windsor Road in Kellyville Ridge.

How Rouse Hill Got Its Name

The name Rouse Hill comes from Richard Rouse (1774-1852). He was a public servant and a free settler. He received a large piece of land in this area. Richard Rouse arrived in Australia in 1801. In October 1816, he was given 450 acres at Vinegar Hill. He had already started building his family home there in 1813.

Officials wanted to change the name Vinegar Hill. This was because of its link to the 1804 uprising. Governor Macquarie officially changed the name to Rouse Hill. But the name Vinegar Hill was still used by some until the 1860s.

In 1831, the first daily mail coach started running. It went between Windsor and Sydney. Horses were changed at the Rouse Hill Hotel. This hotel was run by a man named John Booth. He was also known as 'Crockery Bill'. The Vinegar Hill Post Office opened in 1857. It was renamed Rouse Hill Post Office in 1858. The Rouse Hill Hotel closed its doors in 1891.

Historic Places in Rouse Hill

Mungerie House, Rouse Hill, a heritage-listed farmstead dating back to 1890

Rouse Hill has several places listed for their historical importance. These are called heritage-listed sites. They include:

• Hunting Lodge, Rouse Hill
• Royal Oak Inn, Rouse Hill
• Mungerie House, Rouse Hill

Rouse Hill House and Estate

Rouse family in front of Rouse Hill House, in 1859.

Richard Rouse built his home, Rouse Hill House, between 1813 and 1818. It is built in the Australian Georgian style. Later, in 1863, more parts were added. These included service buildings and an arched courtyard. The garden's simple design is likely the oldest still existing in Australia.

Today, Rouse Hill House is a museum. It is looked after by Sydney Living Museums. The house, its remaining land, and other buildings are very important. This includes stables designed by John Horbury Hunt. The house is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

Many family items have been kept safe. These include dolls, clothes, and writings. They belonged to two girls, Nina (1875-1968) and Kathleen Rouse (1878-1932). These items give us a special look into what childhood was like in Australia long ago. They even inspired a famous book called "Abyssinia" by Ursula Dubosarsky.

Shopping and Fun in Rouse Hill

Rouse Hill Town Centre is the main shopping area. It was built on an old golf course. The GPT Group owns and manages it. You can find it where White Hart Drive and Windsor Roads meet.

The first part of the Town Centre opened in September 2007. The full launch was in March 2008. It has big supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles. There is also a food court and many other shops. Later, more stores were added. These included Big W, Target (now Kmart), and Reading Cinemas. There are also more shops, a Community Centre, and a Library. The centre also has offices and homes.

The Town Centre is connected to the North-West T-way. This is a special bus route. The Rouse Hill railway station also opened here in 2019.

Rouse Hill Village Centre opened in 1999. It is a smaller shopping centre on Windsor Road. It has a large discount supermarket. You can also find specialty shops and restaurants there. The Terrace is another small shopping centre. It opened in 2004 on Panmure Street.

Churches in the Area

Rouse Hill Anglican Church

• Christ Church is an Anglican church. It is located on Windsor Road. It was built in 1863. For many years, it was a church, a school, and a community meeting place. In 2008, a new Ministry and Education Centre opened next to the church. The old hall, built in 1908, was also restored. The school moved from the church in 1875. It became Rouse Hill Public School. It moved again in 2003 to its current location.

Schools in Rouse Hill

Rouse Hill has several schools for students of different ages:

• Ironbark Ridge Public – A public primary school.
• Our Lady of the Angels Primary – A Catholic primary school.
• Rouse Hill Anglican College – A school for students from Kindergarten to Year 12.
• Rouse Hill High – A public high school.
• Rouse Hill Public – A public primary school.

Getting Around Rouse Hill

Rouse Hill is divided by Windsor Road. This is a big four-lane road. It runs from North Parramatta to Windsor. Most people in Rouse Hill use cars to get around. Many families have two or more cars.

Hillsbus provides bus services to many places. These include the Sydney CBD, North Sydney, Parramatta, Macquarie Park, and Castle Hill. Busways also offers services to Blacktown, Riverstone, and Castle Hill. Hillsbus also has weekday services from Rouse Hill to Windsor. In 2007, the North-West T-way opened. This provides a fast bus service to Parramatta railway station.

The Sydney Metro Northwest offers frequent train services. You can travel to Chatswood by train. The Rouse Hill station is right in the suburb.

Who Lives in Rouse Hill?

Let's look at the people who live in Rouse Hill. In 2016, a survey counted 7,965 people living here.

• Age
  • Rouse Hill has many young families. The average age was 34 years old. The national average is 38 years.
  • Children under 15 made up 26.2% of the population. The national average is 18.7%.
  • People aged 65 and over made up 7.6% of the population. The national average is 15.8%.
• Background
  • 68.8% of people were born in Australia. This is higher than the national average.
  • Other common birthplaces included the Philippines (3.6%), England (3.3%), China (2.4%), India (2.2%), and South Africa (1.9%).
  • 74.1% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages included Mandarin (3.2%), Tagalog (2.2%), Arabic (1.6%), and Hindi (1.4%).
• Beliefs
  • The most common religion was Catholic (32.5%).
  • 18.5% said they had no religion.
  • 18.3% were Anglican.
• Money
  • The average household income per week was $2,401. The national average was $1,438.
  • The average monthly mortgage payment was $2,600. The national average was $1,755.
• How People Travel
  • On the day of the survey, 11.9% of working people used public transport.
  • 73.4% drove a car to work.
• Homes
  • 59.5% of homes were separate houses.
  • 33.7% were semi-detached homes (like townhouses).
  • The average household had 3.4 people.