Wattle Grove, New South Wales facts for kids

Wattle Grove is a suburb located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 30 kilometres south-west of the main city area of Sydney. Wattle Grove is part of the City of Liverpool local government area.

This suburb is mostly a place where people live. It has a small shopping centre and many fun outdoor areas. These include Wattle Grove Park, Australis Park, and the beautiful Wattle Grove Lake with its Lakeside Park.

History of Wattle Grove

How Wattle Grove Began

Wattle Grove was built on land that originally belonged to the Tharawal people. Before it became a suburb, the Australian Defence Force used some of this land.

In the 1970s, the Australian government, led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, first planned to create a suburb here. Roads and other important structures were built. However, the area remained quiet until the 1990s.

Developing the Suburb

In the 1990s, a company called Delfin Property Group, with help from the Defence Housing Authority, started to develop Wattle Grove. In 1992, the suburb's name was changed from Holsworthy Village to Wattle Grove. Prime Minister Bob Hawke officially opened Wattle Grove on April 12, 1992.

Changes to the Streets

Around 2006, many of the tall Casuarina trees (also known as Australian Pines) along the main roads were replaced. Their roots were causing problems for nearby houses, and they could fall during storms. Now, native shrubs have been planted instead.

Wattle Grove Lake: A Special Place

Wattle Grove Lake
Wattle Grove Lake Location in Sydney
Location	Wattle Grove, Sydney, Australia
Coordinates	33°56′57″S 150°56′26″E / 33.9492°S 150.9405°E / -33.9492; 150.9405
Type	Reservoir
Catchment area	Georges River
Managing agency	Delfin & Liverpool City Council
Built	1990 (1990)
Islands	1

Wattle Grove Lake is a lake that was built by people. It was created in 1990 by Delfin, at the same time as the houses around it were built.

Where is the Lake?

The lake is part of the Georges River area. It is also within the Liverpool District. The lake is an important spot for migratory birds in Australia.

Parkland Around the Lake

Lakeside Park completely surrounds Wattle Grove Lake. This park has two play areas and several fitness spots. There is also a walking trail around the lake that takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Wildlife at the Lake

Wattle Grove Lake has a special area for wildlife. Many different water birds live here. There is even an island that people cannot reach, which is home to ducks, swans, and other birds.

The lake also has various fish, including eels. To protect the animals, activities like fishing and boating are not allowed on the lake.

Who Lives in Wattle Grove?

Population Snapshot

In 2016, a census counted 8,952 people living in Wattle Grove.

• About 1.9% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Most people (67.7%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included India (4.2%), Egypt (2.8%), and the Philippines (2.2%).
• English was the main language spoken at home by 66.3% of people. Other languages included Arabic (5.3%) and Hindi (2.2%).
• The most common religions were Catholic (30.9%), No Religion (18.3%), and Anglican (13.3%).

Shopping and Services

The Wattle Grove Club Hotel

Wattle Grove has its own shopping centre, which opened in 1998. In 2005, a fire damaged some of the shops. The centre reopened in 2007.

Today, it has a Coles supermarket, a hairdressing salon, a real estate office, a pizzeria, and a pharmacy. You can also find a charcoal chicken shop, a news agency, and other special stores. The Wattle Grove Club Hotel is also part of this shopping area.

Getting Around Wattle Grove

Wattle Grove is easy to reach because it is close to major highways like the M5 and M7 Motorways.

Bus routes 901 and 902 run through the suburb. These buses are operated by Transit Systems. Route 901 connects Wattle Grove to Holsworthy and Liverpool train stations.

Community Life in Wattle Grove

A Strong Community Feel

When Wattle Grove was redeveloped in the 1990s, it was designed to have a strong community spirit.

Today, you can see this in action. Many young families walk along the tree-lined paths on weekends. Community events, like Christmas Carols and the Annual Easter Egg Hunt in Australis Park, also attract large crowds.

Schools in the Area

Wattle Grove has several primary schools: Holsworthy Primary School, Wattle Grove Primary School, St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College, and St Christopher's Catholic Primary School.

For older students, there are secondary schools like Holsworthy High School, Moorebank High School, and St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College. St Christopher's Catholic Primary School often sends its students to All Saints Catholic College Liverpool.

Local Churches

St. Thomas' Indian Orthodox Church

Wattle Grove is home to a chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can also find St. Thomas' Indian Orthodox Church here.

Sports and Fun Activities

You can find playgrounds all around Wattle Grove. There are also paths for walking and biking that lead to the artificial lake in the middle of the suburb.

The Moorebank Sports Club, located nearby, offers many sports. You can train in rugby league, soccer, hockey, baseball, cricket, Australian rules football, and netball. Most of these sports are played at the club, except for hockey and AFL, which have other locations.

Wattle Grove Lake is an artificial lake surrounded by houses. It is a home for many water birds. Anzac Creek is a small stream that flows into Wattle Grove Lake.

Notable People from Wattle Grove

• Avani Dias (born in 1991) is a journalist and radio presenter from Australia with Sri Lankan heritage.

Images for kids

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  Anzac Creek

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  Anzac Creek