South Penrith, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids South Penrith Sydney, New South Wales
Representative view of South Penrith
Population	11,640 (2011 census)
• Density	2,296/km2 (5,950/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	2750
Elevation	51 m (167 ft)
Area	5.07 km2 (2.0 sq mi)
Location	55 km (34 mi) west of Sydney CBD 51 km (32 mi) east of Katoomba
LGA(s)	Penrith City Council
State electorate(s)	Penrith
Federal Division(s)	Lindsay
Suburbs around South Penrith: Penrith Penrith Kingswood Jamisontown South Penrith Kingswood Glenmore Park Glenmore Park Orchard Hills

South Penrith is a suburb located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 55 kilometres west of Sydney's city centre. South Penrith is part of the City of Penrith area, which is a local government area, and also part of the bigger Greater Western Sydney region.

South Penrith has clear borders: Jamison Road to the north, York Road to the west, the M4 Western Motorway to the south, and The Northern Road to the east. The suburb of Penrith is just north of South Penrith.

History of South Penrith

First People: Aboriginal Culture

Before Europeans arrived, the land that is now South Penrith was home to the Mulgoa people. They spoke the Darug language. These Aboriginal people lived by hunting and gathering. They followed traditional laws that came from the Dreamtime, which is their spiritual understanding of the world.

Their homes were simple bark huts called 'gunyahs'. They hunted animals like kangaroos and emus for food. They also gathered plants such as yams, berries, and other native plants.

European Settlement and Development

The first land grant in this area was given to Simeon Lord in 1816. This grant was for about 400 hectares (1000 acres). Later in the 1800s, the area became known as York's Estate. This was named after the landowners at the time, Charles and James York.

In 1888, a part of the estate, about 40 hectares (100 acres), was bought by the Penrith and Nepean Jockey Club. They used it to create a racecourse. The rest of the land was used for orchards, dairy farms, and vineyards.

In the 1970s, the area started to be divided into smaller blocks for houses. However, the old racecourse was not turned into homes. Instead, it became Jamison Park. This park is named after Sir John Jamison, an important early settler in the Penrith region. He lived at Regentville House.

Getting Around South Penrith

The Northern Road is the main road in South Penrith. It connects the suburb to Penrith and the M4 Western Motorway. The M4 Motorway makes it easy to travel to wider Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

The closest train station is Penrith Station. This station is on the Western Line of the Sydney Trains network. Local buses also serve the area. Westbus provides two bus services:

• Route 791 connects most of South Penrith with Penrith.
• Route 793 links the Southlands Shopping Centre and Racecourse Road with Penrith.

Schools in South Penrith

South Penrith has several schools for young people:

• Primary Schools: There are two government-run primary schools: Penrith South Public School and York Public School. There is also a Catholic primary school called Mary Mackillop Primary School.
• High School: The local high school is the government-run Jamison High School. Their sports teams are known as the Jamison Highlanders. They won the Panther Trophy in 2005.

A new school named St. Among opened in 2024. However, it did not get enough students and closed down quickly.

People of South Penrith

Population Snapshot

In the 2011 census, South Penrith had a population of 11,640 people. The average age of people living in the suburb was 36 years old. This is a little younger than the national average age of 37.

Most homes in South Penrith are detached houses (93.4%). Many people were still paying off their homes (43.4%), while fewer owned them outright (33.6%) or rented (20.8%). The average income in South Penrith was $617 per week. This was slightly higher than the national average of $577.

How South Penrith is Governed

South Penrith is part of different levels of government:

• Local Government: At the local level, South Penrith is part of the south ward of Penrith City Council. This council is responsible for local services like parks and roads. The councillors representing this area include Jim Aitken, Mark Davies, Karen McKeown, Kathryn Presdee, and Joshua Hoole. The mayor at the time was John Thain.
• State Government: For the state government, South Penrith is part of the Electoral district of Penrith. This area is represented by Liberal MP Stuart Ayres.
• Federal Government: At the national level, South Penrith is part of the Division of Lindsay. This area is represented by Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh.

Famous People from South Penrith

• Mark Geyer: A former professional National Rugby League player and a well-known media personality.