Toronto, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TorontoGreater Newcastle, New South Wales |
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 Toronto
Location in the Hunter-Central Coast Region
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| Population | 5,973 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 629/km2 (1,630/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1829 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2283 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 19 m (62 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 9.5 km2 (3.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | City of Lake Macquarie | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Hunter | ||||||||||||||
| County | Northumberland | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Awaba | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Lake Macquarie | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hunter | ||||||||||||||
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Toronto (
i/təˈrɒntoʊ/ tə-RONT-oh) is a lakeside suburb in New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the City of Lake Macquarie and Greater Newcastle.
Toronto is about 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Newcastle's city centre. It is a busy commercial area for the many suburbs on the western side of Lake Macquarie. Toronto is one of the main towns in the City of Lake Macquarie area.
Contents
History of Toronto
The first people to live in this area were the Awabakal Aboriginal people.
Early Settlement and Coal Discovery
In 1829, a mission for Aboriginal people called Ebenezer was started here. It was set up by Reverend Threlkeld. He found coal while building a chimney with local black stones. This discovery led to the naming of Coal Point, which is nearby.
The discovery of coal and Toronto's location by the lake helped the area grow. The mission closed in 1841.
How Toronto Got Its Name
In 1885, a company bought land from the old mission site. They divided it into smaller blocks in 1887. Ebenezer was then renamed Toronto.
It was named after Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This was to honour Edward Hanlan, a Canadian world-champion rower. He visited Australia in 1884. The company that divided the land chose the name during his visit. The name of the Canadian city, Toronto, comes from a Mohawk language word, tkaronto. It means "where there are trees standing in the water."
Growth and Royal Visit
The new land division happened at the same time as the Great Northern Railway opened. This helped Toronto become the town it is today. The Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VIII, visited Toronto by train on 24 June 1920.
People Living in Toronto
At the 2021 census, there were 5,973 people living in Toronto.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 8.3% of the population.
- Most people (82.4%) were born in Australia.
- The next most common country of birth was England (3.5%).
- Most people (89.3%) spoke only English at home.
- The most common religions were No Religion (41.7%), Anglican (16.6%), and Catholic (15.3%).
Services in Toronto
Toronto has many important services for its residents.
Schools in Toronto
There are three public schools:
- Toronto High School
- Toronto Primary School
- Biraban Public School
There are also three private schools:
- Charlton Christian College
- St. Joseph's Primary School
- Toronto Adventist Primary School
Healthcare and Emergency Services
Toronto has a polyclinic (a clinic with many types of doctors) and a private hospital. There is also a new healthcare centre called the Alec Rice Centre.
The town has an ambulance station, a police station, and a Fire Brigade. There is also a Court House that serves the whole Western Lake Macquarie area.
The Boulevarde: Toronto's Main Street
The Boulevarde is Toronto's main street. It starts at the lake and stretches west for 1.2 kilometres. This road is the main shopping and business area for Toronto and nearby suburbs.
The part of the road closest to the lake is where you'll find many shops.
Over the years, the street has been improved. In 2013, the Lake Macquarie City Council started a project to make it look better. This included replacing old trees and walkways.
Victory Parade Landmarks
Victory Parade is home to several important historical sites in Toronto.
War Memorial
The War Memorial was first shown to the public on 30 September 1922. It was first placed in Victory Parade. Later, it was moved several times to different parks. No matter where it has been, the Monument is always the main spot for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services in Toronto.
Victory Theatre
The Victory Theatre was a cinema that opened on 19 July 1922. It was located in Victory Parade, across from the old Railway Station. It was the first cinema outside Newcastle to have CinemaScope in the 1950s. The theatre closed on 12 August 1961. The building was later used by other businesses. It was destroyed by fire in the early 1990s and no longer exists.
Hotel Toronto
The Hotel Toronto was built in 1887 using bricks made locally. It has been a famous landmark in the town's history. The company that built it promoted it as a beautiful building with many rooms. It had great views of the lake and large grounds with sports areas.
The hotel has been changed and updated many times over the years. It is now listed as a heritage building. Today, tall trees make it harder to see the hotel from the lake.
Places of Worship
Toronto has many churches for different faiths:
- The Foursquare Church of Australia 'New Day Christian Church' on Day Street
- Christ the King Anglican Church on Brighton Avenue
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Bandalong Street
- Jehovah's Witnesses Church on Excelsior Parade
- Goodlife Church Toronto held at Charlton Christian College
- Pentecostal 'Living Word Lakeside' Church held at Toronto Primary School on Bay Street
- St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Wangi Road
- Toronto Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Parkside Parade
- Toronto Uniting Church on The Boulevarde
- Toronto Baptist Church on the corner of The Boulevarde and Jindalee Street
- Westlakes Independent Baptist Church on Ridge Road, Kilaben Bay.
Getting Around Toronto
Toronto is a central point for public transport on the western side of Lake Macquarie.
Bus and Train Services
A private bus service called 'Hunter Valley Buses' serves Toronto. It connects the town to areas west, south, and north.
Toronto used to have train services until March 1990. The NSW Government closed the line because not many people were using it. Now, a bus service connects Toronto to Fassifern railway station. From Fassifern, you can catch trains to Sydney and Newcastle. There is also an XPT service to Brisbane.
Road Connections
Toronto has good road links to Newcastle and Sydney. It is about 8 minutes from the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway (M1).
Nearby Communities
Toronto serves many local communities. These include:
- To the south: Kilaben Bay, Coal Point, Carey Bay, Rathmines, and Wangi Wangi.
- To the north: Teralba, Booragul, Woodrising, Fennell Bay, Bolton Point, Fassifern, and Blackalls Park.
Sports and Recreation
Many people in Toronto enjoy water sports. The Royal Motor Yacht Club and the Toronto Amateur Sailing Club are located near the town's shore. You can see yachts and boats on the lake.
Local Sports Teams
Toronto has several sports teams that play in Newcastle competitions:
- The Toronto Awaba Stags FC plays in the Northern NSW Football competition (soccer).
- The Macquarie Scorpions play in the Newcastle Rugby League.
- The Toronto Workers Kookaburras play in the Newcastle cricket competition.
- Toronto Netball Club plays at Westlakes Netball Association.
Famous Athletes from Toronto
- Nathan Outteridge, an Olympic gold medal winner for sailing, learned to sail at the Toronto Amateur Sailing Club when he was young.
- Nathan Green, a golfer who won the 2009 RBC Canadian Open, was born when his family lived in Toronto.
The Macquarie Shores Swimming club represents Toronto in swimming. Many swimmers from this club compete at regional and state levels.
