Rydalmere, New South Wales
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| Rydalmere Sydney, New South Wales |
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| Population: | 6,458 (2001 census) | ||||||||||||
| Established: | 1856 | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 2116 | ||||||||||||
| Area: | 2.0479 km² | ||||||||||||
| Property Value: | AUD $448,000 (2005) | ||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Parramatta | ||||||||||||
| County: | Cumberland | ||||||||||||
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Rydalmere is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rydalmere is approximately 17 kilometres west-north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Parramatta[1]. Adjacent suburbs include Parramatta, Oatlands, Dundas, Ermington and Camellia.
Rydalmere currently consists of residential and commercial development. The residential eastern side of Rydalmere is divided by Victoria Road. The northern side has generally higher property prices and less Department of Housing and this is reflected in the more conservative voting pattern.[2] The western side of Rydalmere is commercial consisting primarily of light manufacturing industry and service industries.
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[edit] History
[edit] Aboriginal history
The Darug is the clan name for the indigenous people of the area. The Darug fashioned tools and spears for hunting native animals and collected wild berries and flora as a valuable source of vitamins. The Darug had a close relationship with the river, from which they caught fish, eels, and other food. Their stable bark canoes often carried a small fire in the middle - built on a mound of soil to allow them to cook their catch fresh. 'Firebrand farming' was also practised in the region.[3]
[edit] European disruption
Soon after Governor Phillip's arrival with the First Fleet (of convicts from England) in 1788, Parramatta was developed as a farming settlement to feed the new English colony. This led to the immediate and tragic displacement of local Aborigines from the land they had lived off for thousands of years.
Local Aboriginal groups led a resistance against the new settlers. The most prominent warrior was Pemulwuy. Once when he tried to spear a soldier in retaliation, he was shot in the head and body. Despite being held in chains in the hospital where he was sent to recover, he managed to escape. In retaliation, the British ordered that any groups of Darug Aborigines be attacked, and a reward was placed on Pemulwuy's head. In 1802 he was shot and killed, and his head was cut off and sent to England. The conflict continued on and off until 1805 when the first recorded act of reconciliation occurred between Indigenous people and the British settlers.
The introduction of foreign diseases was the most debilitating trend - and many of the Barramatagal clan disappeared in the Small Pox epidemic during early European settlement. However against the odds others survived and their descendants live in the region to this day. In the early 19th century, more positive developments occurred and the region became a meeting place for tribes from surrounding regions. An annual feast was held by Governor Macquarie to encourage Aboriginal people to leave their children at a local school, but this focus later shifted to Blacktown area.
The suburb of Rydalmere was named in 1866 by land speculator Thomas O'Neill when he subdivided Hannibal Macarthur's old Vineyard Estate. 'Rydal' is named after the Lake District of England where O'Neill was born, while 'mere' means a lake. The earliest grant in the district was to Phillip Schaeffer who was settled in 1791.
[edit] 2006 property summary
- Property Prices, 12 months to 1/March/2006.
- Houses Average: $461,000.
- Houses Median: $448,000.
- Median change over last 12 months: -6%.
- Units Average for postcode: $377,000.
- Based on sales reported to Australian Property Monitors[4]
[edit] Politics
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Federal Parliament of Australia[7]Division of Parramatta[8]
- Julie Owens[9] (Australian Labor Party) is the elected representative for the Division of Parramatta in the Federal Election 2004 with a swing of 1.92% against Ross Cameron after Cameron revealed in an interview in Good Weekend that he had had an extra-marital affair while his wife was pregnant. Cameron said he had told his wife about the infidelity, because he was tired of "this sense of living with your own hypocrisy."
State Parliament of New South Wales[10]
Local Government [12]
- Councillors for Elizabeth Macarthur Ward (includes Rydalmere)[13]
- David Borger (Lord Mayor) Australian Labor Party[14]
- Anita Brown Australian Labor Party
- John Chedid Australian Liberal Party
[edit] Population statistics
| Rydalmere Demographics | |
| Population: | 6,458 |
| Country of Origin: | Australian Born 66% |
| Age Statistics : | Rydalmere |
| *0 to 4= 7% | |
| *5 to 19= 20% | |
| *20 to 39= 32% | |
| *40 to 59= 25% | |
| *60+ 16%= 17% | |
| Location: | Sydney, NSW |
The eight strongest religious affiliations in the area were in descending order: Catholic, Anglican, Not stated, No religion, Presbyterian, Uniting Church, Baptist Church, and Orthodox Christian. The three most common forms of dwelling were in decreasing order: a separate house; a semi-detached, row or terrace house, or townhouse; a flat, unit or apartment
[edit] Transport
In the 2001 census, for people travelling to work using just one method of transportation from Rydalmere, 54% travelled in a car as the driver, 6% took the train, 5% walked, 4% travelled in a car as passenger, 4% took the bus. Commuting to work via ferry, truck, motorbike, bicycle accounted for only 1% each of the Rydalmere population.
Rydalmere railway station is located on the Carlingford line. To the south the next station is Camellia and to the north Dundas.
Rydalmere has ferry wharf on Parramatta River that links it to the Sydney Ferries network. The next wharf west is Parramatta and east is Meadowbank. The ferry primarily services tourists on weekends and city workers during the week. RiverCat catamaran type ferries work the Parramatta River route due to shallow waters, particularly during low tides.
There are five Sydney bus routes that service the area— the 520/L20 travels to and from Parramatta Station to City and Circular Quay. The 523 travels via Spurway and Bartlett Streets in Ermington and on to West Ryde. The 524 services the industrial area of Rydalmere stopping along South Street and then on to the south side of Ermington and Melrose Park. The 525 is a Parramatta Station to Burwood service. All routes travel along Victoria Road at some point and stop at Rydalmere Station.
[edit] Attractions
[edit] Local schools
- Rydalmere Public School[15]
- University of Western Sydney Parramatta Campus [16]
- St Marys Catholic School
[edit] Local landmarks
- Holy Name of Mary Roman Catholic Church
- Female Orphan School
- Gaspipe Bridge over Parramatta River
- Giant Flagpole on Victoria rd
- Big Flagpole at Berlei factory on South st
- The Family Inn
- Spur Ranch Steakhouse
[edit] Sporting teams
Rydalmere is home to 'The Mighty Wrens'; The Rydalmere Cricket Club [17], which plays in the Northern Districts Cricket Association (NDCA)[18]
The Rydalmere Cricket Club, or 'The Wrens' as they are known, have four senior teams, comprising of 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Grades and one team in the junior competition (U/15's)
The club has produced grade, state and international players; with former NSW and Australian player Greg Matthews, playing junior cricket with the club and citing it as being instrumental in his career.
W.S. Hellas is a Greek associated soccer team whose home ground is located at Eric Primrose Reserve in Rydalmere. There colours of the team is light blue and white.
[edit] Parks/recreation areas
- UpJohn Park (also known as The Nolan Oval) 'The spiritual home of the Rydalmere Cricket Club'
- Crowgey Street Reserve
- Eric Primrose Reserve
- John Carver Reserve
- Rydalmere Park
- Rydalmere section of Parramatta to Putney cycleway
- Rydalmere section of Parramatta River
- Schaeffer Park
[edit] Local organisations
- Rydalmere Bowling Club
- Rydalmere Cricket Club [19]
- Rotary Club of Rydalmere
- Roman Catholic Church
- Rydalmere Branch of Australian Labor Party
- 1st Rydalmere Scout Group
[edit] External links
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- Street map from Street Directory, MSN Maps and Multimap.
- Satellite image from Google Maps, WikiMapia and Terraserver.
| Suburbs and localities within the City of Parramatta | Western Sydney | Hills District | Sydney |
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Camellia | Chester Hill | Clyde | Dundas | Dundas Valley | Eastwood | Epping | Ermington | Granville | Guildford East | Harris Park | Kingsdene | Model Farms | Northmead | Oatlands | Old Toongabbie | Parramatta | North Parramatta | Pendle Hill | Rosehill | Rydalmere | South Granville | Telopea | Toongabbie | Winston Hills | Wentworthville | Westmead | |
| List of Sydney suburbs |
