Blacktown, New South Wales

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the state electoral district, see Electoral district of Blacktown.

For the local government area, see City of Blacktown.

Blacktown is a suburb in the City of Blacktown, in Western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is adjacent to the suburbs of Seven Hills, Marayong and Quakers Hill.

[edit] History

Blacktown City map, 1945-55. Compare the difference with one of todays maps.

A school for Aborigines was moved in 1823 from Parramatta to the site where Richmond Road meets Rooty Hill Road North (this intersecton is now in the suburbs of Hassall Grove, Glendenning and Quakers Hill [1]). The road from Prospect to Richmond became known as the Black Town Road. In 1860 the Railway Department gave the name of Black Town Road Station to the railway station at the junction of the railway and the Black Town Road, with the name shortening to Blacktown by 1862.

Today, the City of Blacktown continues to be home to a large Aboriginal population; the largest Aboriginal population of any metropolitan local government area. It has a large population of recent migrants to Australia. [2] Blacktown is also the largest of any suburb or township in New South Wales.

There is a notably significant Filipino population in the Blacktown City area.

The city centre also contains a large Sudanese population.

It is the birthplace of actress Toni Collette.

[edit] Developments in the CBD

The CBD features the following landmarks:

Alpha Park
Blacktown Boys High School
Blacktown City Council corporate head office
Blacktown Courthouse and Police Station
Blacktown Girls High School
Blacktown Hospital
Blacktown International Ice Arena - home of the Western Sydney Ice Dogs of the AIHL
Blacktown railway station and bus interchange
Westpoint Blacktown
Blacktown Showground (Francis Park)
Blacktown TAFE
Max Webber Library - Blacktown City Council's newly completed central library
Patrician Brothers College Blacktown
Mitchell High School Blacktown