Islington, New South Wales

Islington has been described as an affordable alternative to Hamilton. The suburb is located close to the CBD and provides residents with a variety of facilities including parks and shops.

1 History
2 Present day
3 Transport
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Islington was developed in the late 1870s for residential purposes. The convenience of the site of Maitland Road attracted small factories, which processed primary products.^[1]

The Regent Theatre in Islington, located on the corner of Maitland Road and Beaumont Street, opened on Monday 2 December 1928. In 1941 or 1942, Hoyts Theatres obtained a majority interest in the property. But eventually, with the advent of television in Newcastle in the early 1960s, the Regent could not survive and closed its doors on Saturday 27 June 1964. It remained empty for until August 1969, when it was converted into a Builders Hardware Store, which it still operates as today.^[2]

In 1947, Lettesi (a settler group made up of nearly 150 families from the village of Lettopalena in the Abruzzo Region of Italy) settled in the Islington region, primarily due to its proximity to the BHP steel works.^[3]

Islington park, looking towards Throsby Creek.

[edit] Present day

The majority of residents are low-income earners and the area has poor urban amenities^[1]. The antique district of Newcastle, with numerous shops is primarily located on Maitland Road, which also houses Islington's main trade area, with a couple more shops on Beaumont Street.

Islington is now abundant with prostitutes, working the streets and in legitimate brothels along Maitland Road. This is creating concerns with some religious groups^[4]. Also located on Maitland Road is the Gateway Hotel which is a gay friendly pub.

[edit] Transport

Maitland Road, a suburban carrier of the Pacific Highway, runs through the suburb and links it to Mayfield and Wickham.

Islington is served by bus services operated by Newcastle Buses & Ferries, including routes 100, 101, 103 and 108 along Maitland Road, and route 111 through the suburb's east. In addition, the Hamilton railway station, located on the Newcastle and Central Coast and Hunter Lines, is located on the suburb's southern boundary and provides regular services to Newcastle, Maitland, the Central Coast and Sydney.