Strathfield

Local Government Municipal Area of New South Wales, Australia, and a suburb of Sydney. It covers a total area of approximately 14.1 square kilometres and includes the suburbs of Strathfield, Strathfield South, Homebush, Homebush West, part of Enfield, part of Belfield and part of Greenacre. The estimated resident population as of June 2003 was 30,220 (Aust. Bureau of Statistics).

History

Strathfield was once home to the Wangle people whose country was known as WANNE. Although knowledge of life in Sydney prior to European settlement is limited there is evidence that Aboriginal people were living in the Sydney Basin for at least 20, 000 years prior to 1788. European settlement began in 1793 when the first free settlers were granted land to establish farms in the area then known as Liberty Plains.

Strathfield was proclaimed on 2nd June 1885. Formerly known as Redmire (or Redmyre), the area changed its name in 1885 to Strathfield after the home called 'Strathfield Saye' built by Walter and Anne Renny in about 1868. A plaque marking the location of 'Strathfield Saye" can be found in the footpath of Strathfield Avenue, marking the approximate location of the original house. At the time of incorporation the population of the Strathfield municipality was estimated at 600 and the net revenue was £1,210. The area at that time was only about 1/3 of the size of today's municipality with boundaries at Homebush Crescent and the railway in the north, the Boulevarde in the east, Liverpool Road and the Cooks River in the south and undeveloped land in the west.Following the introduction of the Local Government Act in 1919, the Municipality was one of the first to proclaim the major part of its area a residential district by proclamation in 1920. The proclamation excluded any trade, industry, shop, place of amusement, advertisements or residential flats and largely stayed in place until 1969 when the proclamation was suspended by the Strathfield Planning Scheme Ordinance.

The Flemington district (then a part of the former Municipality of Lidcombe) was added to Strathfield in 1892. In May 1947, the Municipality of Homebush voluntarily amalgamated with Strathfield and in January 1948 the west ward of the former Municipality of Enfield was added.

The Council Chambers in Homebush Road were opened in 1887. The building was designed by the noted architect John Sulman, a resident of Strathfield,. The adjoining Town Hall was added in 1923. In 1992, a section of the northern part of the Municipality was transferred to the Auburn Council area. In return, the area of and between Boundary Creek and the railway line, occupied by the former Ford factory building, was transferred from Auburn to Strathfield Council.

Geography

Homebush Bay Drive bounds the Municipality of Strathfield to the north, Powells Creek, The Boulevarde and Coronation Parade bounds it to the east, Punchbowl Road and Juno Parade form the southern border and Roberts Road, Chullora rail yards, Rookwood Cemetery and the Sydney Olympic Park Rail line bound the Municipality to the west.

Demographics

the Strathfield Local Government Area is a culturally diverse region.

• The 2001 Census recorded the population of the Municipality as 28, 206 an increase of 8.3% since the 1996 Census.
• 46% of the people stated that they were Australian-born.
• The number of people born overseas was 13, 454 (48%) compared with 11,364 (44%) in 1996 and 10, 176 (40%) in 1991.
• Of those born overseas the three main countries of birth were -Republic of Korea 1746 (6.3%); China 1636 (5.9%) and Sri Lanka 1534 (5.5%).