Westmead, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WestmeadSydney, New South Wales |
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Westmead Hospital
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| Postcode(s) | 2145 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 40 m (131 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 26 km (16 mi) west of Sydney | ||||||||||||||
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| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Parramatta | ||||||||||||||
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Westmead is a suburb located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 26 kilometres west of the main city centre of Sydney. Westmead is part of the Greater Western Sydney area. It falls under the local government areas of City of Parramatta and Cumberland Council.
Contents
Exploring Westmead's Geography
Westmead has natural borders like the Parramatta River, Toongabbie Creek, and Finlayson Creek to the north. To the east, it is next to Parramatta Park and the Parramatta Golf Club. The Great Western Highway forms its southern edge. On the west, its boundary includes Bridge Road, the railway line, and Finlayson Creek.
Westmead's Past: A Look at History
The Dharug people are the original owners and caretakers of the land where Westmead is today. They have lived there for thousands of years.
Early European Settlement
In 1770, Captain Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain. The First Fleet arrived in Sydney Harbour on January 26, 1788. A new colony was officially started on February 7, 1788. Soon after, Governor Arthur Phillip explored the Parramatta River. He decided that Parramatta would be the next important town. By November 1788, a small settlement was set up in Parramatta. This settlement later grew to include the area we now call Westmead.
How Westmead Got Its Name
When the British settled Parramatta, Westmead was originally part of the large land around Government House. What is left of this land, including Government House, is now Parramatta Park. The name Westmead began to be used in 1859. This was when the governor's land was first divided up. The division of the land was finished in 1889. The "Northern Meadow" and "Western Meadow" parts of the governor's land were separated. They were then named Northmead and Westmead. After this, many new settlers started fruit orchards. Some famous local families, like the Oakes, Payten, and Fullagar families, owned these orchards.
Oldest Catholic School
Parramatta Marist School is the oldest Catholic school in Australia. It was started by Father John Therry in Parramatta in 1820. In 1837, the school moved to its current junior school site. The Marist Brothers took over the school in 1875.
Westmead Railway Station
The Westmead railway platform appeared on a map of the "Parish of St John" in 1902. This map showed the area from Wentworthville East towards Parramatta. This region included parts of land in the District of Parramatta, Blacktown, and Baulkham Hills. It forms most of the Cumberland LGA today.
Important Heritage Sites
Westmead has several places that are listed as heritage sites. This means they are important historical buildings or areas. Some of these include:
- 2, 4, 6, and 8 Bridge Road: Essington
- 1 Amos Street: ‘Allengreen’ – a Federation-style house
- 24 Good Street: ‘The Firs’ – a Victorian Gothic-style house
- 43 Hassall Street: Westmead Progress Association Hall
Learning and Education in Westmead
Westmead is a hub for education, with several schools and university campuses.
University Campuses
- The University of Sydney has a campus in Westmead. About 2,000 students study, do research, or have clinical placements here. Nearly 1,000 staff members also work at this campus.
- Western Sydney University (WSU) also has a campus in Westmead.
- WSU College, Westmead Campus, is another part of Western Sydney University.
Local Schools
- Westmead Public School opened in 1917 as an Infants' School. The first school building was built in 1920. It was later expanded for primary students. Today, Westmead Public School is known for its high achievements in academics, sports, and arts. It teaches over 900 children.
- The Catherine McAuley Catholic High School is an all-girls school. It shares a campus with Parramatta Marist High School.
- Parramatta Marist High School is Australia's oldest Catholic school, founded in 1820.
- Sacred Heart Primary School is another primary school in the area.
- Westmead Christian Grammar School (formerly Essington Christian Academy) started in 1983. It provides Christian education for students from Kindergarten to Year 6.
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Deskford House
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UWS College, Westmead Campus
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UWS College St Vincents Building
Getting Around: Transport in Westmead
Westmead has good transport links, making it easy to travel to and from the area.
Train Services
Westmead railway station is on several train lines. These include the T1 North Shore & Western Line, the T5 Cumberland Line, and the Blue Mountains Line. These lines are part of the Sydney Trains network. The Western railway line was built through Westmead in 1861. Westmead got its own railway station in April 1893 after local people asked for one.
Bus and Future Transport
A special bus route, the North-West T-way, serves Westmead. It connects the suburb to Parramatta and The Hills District.
Westmead will also have new public transport options in the future.
- The Parramatta Light Rail project was announced in 2015. Westmead will be the starting point for both light rail lines. These lines will go to Carlingford and Sydney Olympic Park.
- In 2018, it was announced that Westmead would also be the end station for the Sydney Metro West line.
How People Travel to Work
In 2016, about 44.5% of working people in Westmead used public transport to get to work. About 40.2% drove a car. In 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdown, travel habits changed. Only 11.1% used public transport, and 26.4% drove. A large number, 45.8%, worked from home.
Who Lives in Westmead: Demographics
The 2021 census showed that 16,555 people lived in Westmead.
Age of Residents
People in Westmead are generally younger than the average for Australia. The average age was 33 years, compared to 38 years for the whole country. Children under 15 made up 20.9% of the population. This is higher than the national average of 18.2%. People aged 65 and over made up only 8.7% of the population. This is much lower than the national average of 17.2%.
Different Backgrounds
Westmead is a very diverse place. Only about a quarter (26.1%) of residents were born in Australia. This is much lower than the national average of 66.9%. The next most common countries of birth were India (38.1%), China (3.9%), Nepal (3.4%), Sri Lanka (2.8%), and the Philippines (2.2%).
Languages Spoken
At home, 21.6% of residents spoke only English. Many other languages are spoken in Westmead. These include Hindi (9.8%), Tamil (8.4%), Telugu (6.7%), Gujarati (6.3%), and Nepali (3.8%).
Religions
The most common religion in Westmead is Hinduism, with 43.6% of residents. About 12.8% said they had No Religion. Other common religions include Catholicism and Islam (7.4%).
