| Yagoona Sydney, New South Wales |
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Hume Highway, Yagoona |
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| Population: | 14,876 (2006 census) | ||||||||||||
| Established: | 1927 | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 2199 | ||||||||||||
| Area: | 4.47 km² (1.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Location: | 20 km (12 mi) south-west of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Bankstown | ||||||||||||
| State District: | Bankstown | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | Blaxland | ||||||||||||
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Yagoona, a suburb of local government area City of Bankstown, is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is a part of the South-western Sydney region. Yagoona is an Aboriginal word meaning 'now' or 'today'.[1]
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Before European settlement, the area was originally occupied by the Bediagal people. The area now known as Yagoona, Bass Hill, and north Bankstown was once known as Irish Town, due to the high concentration of Irish rebels transported here from Ireland in the late 1700s. Land grants were issued to Irish families and finally the suburb of Yagoona was created in 1927.[2] St Matthew's Anglican Church was built on Liverpool Road (now Hume Highway) in 1861 to cater for the Protestants of the district as well as to function as a school.[3]
In 1963, the Westfield Group built a supermarket on the Hume Hwy, formerly a vacant site often visited by circuses which opened as Coles New World, it later became Franklins, and then IGA.[4] Yagoona was home to the first McDonald's restaurant in Australia, opened on 30 December 1971,[5] however it closed around 1994.[6]
The main commercial area is located on the Hume Highway (Liverpool Road), near Yagoona railway station. Over recent years this shopping strip has been in economic decline as a consequence of major banks (Commonwealth, National Australia, State and Westpac) and retailers leaving. Residents now find it more convenient to shop at nearby Bass Hill Plaza or further away at Chester Hill, Bankstown (Centro Bankstown, formerly Bankstown Square) or Parramatta (Westfields). There have been some plans to rejuvenate the town centre in Yagoona in recent years by Bankstown City Council. "Initial suggestions, already supported by residents and visitors, include a larger supermarket, a new community centre, improved shopping environment, and a variation in housing." [7]
Retailers here include an IGA Supermarket, a KFC fast food outlet,[8] Australia Post,[9] a number of discount stores, mixed businesses, three pharmacies, a fruit shop, bakery, a newsagent, a real estate agent, several cafés, furniture stores and medical centers. Another Australia Post is on Dargan Street, Yagoona West.
In 2006 a Salvation Army store opened in the town centre (where the Blockbuster videos store was once located and previously a Pizza Hut), which later was suspiciously destroyed in early January 2010. The fancy dress store next to the medical centre/pharmacy was originally occupied by the post office. Previous businesses in and around the main commercial area include Top Video (burnt down in 1995), Video Ezy, State Bank (which closed in the 90s and is now a medical centre and pharmacy), a fruit and vegetable market and a liquor store next to the supermarket (now both furniture stores), Franklins supermarket (now IGA), a newsagency next to the railway station (later a cafe until an explosion closed it), a photo shop (now a discount store).
The head office of RSPCA NSW is located in this suburb along Rookwood Road.[10]
Yagoona railway station is on the Bankstown line of the CityRail network. A number of bus services link Yagoona to Bankstown and Parramatta. Yagoona is located some 5–10 minutes from Bankstown Central Business District and about 10–15 minutes from Parramatta CBD.
The Hume Highway cuts through Yagoona and is the main road access for Yagoona to Liverpool and Sydney City; and Rookwood Road connects south to Stacey Street/Fairford Road (Entrance to the M5), and north to Silverwater Road (Access to the M4). A 30 metre pedestrian bridge costing A$2.3 million[11] linking the side footpaths of Hume Highway was built in 2006, primarily to ensure easy and safe access travel in this area for the students of Yagoona Primary School. Lifts are located at each end to ensure easy access for those with disabilities. The construction of the bridge was funded by the Government of New South Wales.[12] The bridge will also help streamline Hume Highway traffic by removing the previous set of traffic lights.[13]
There are three Primary Schools in Yagoona - Yagoona Public School [1], Christ the King Catholic School and Al Sadiq College. There are no high schools in the suburb. Most students attend high schools in adjoining suburbs, normally Birrong, Bass Hill, Bankstown, Condell Park or Sefton.
An Alawite Muslim School, Al Sadiq College (Kindergarten and Years 1 to 6),[14] was recently built at 178 Cooper Road close to Yagoona's Town Centre to cater for the growing Alawite population.
Yagoona is home to Gazzard Park, George Green Oval, Gillman Reserve, Middleton Park, Graf Park and O'Neill Park, all containing various sporting facilities and play equipment.
Yagoona has seven places of worship including:[15]
Population Yagoona is a well established residential area with a population of approximately 15,000 according to the 2001 National Census, including an indigenous Australian population of 118.[17] Of those born overseas in Yagoona, the largest group is from Vietnam, followed by Lebanon, Macedonia, China, UK, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, Philippines and Germany.[18] As of 1996 to 2001, Yagoona has undergone a solid population increase despite numbers of Australian-born and the Indigenous decreasing. Traditionally Yagoona has had a reputation of a retirement suburb, however this is slowly changing with younger residents calling the suburb home.[19] Language and Religion Other than English, the most common languages spoken in homes include Greek, Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese and Macedonian.[20] Most residents in Yagoona are Catholic (4,875 people, 32.5%), followed by Anglican (1,926 people, 12.8%), Islamic (1,789 people, 11.9%), Orthodox (1,617 people, 10.8%), Buddhist (1,202 people, 8.0%) followed by Uniting Church, Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran, Pentecostal and other religions with smaller numbers.[21]
Each year an Autumn Fair is hosted in Yagoona's Gazzard Park, designed to allow the community to express their aims and objectives, as well as to raise funds for community projects and work.[22] Events include a ticket raffle, Yagoona Scouts $1 sausage sizzle, free rides, a non-stop stage show, face painting and more. 2007's fair was held on Saturday 21 April 2007.[23]
2007 Autumn Fair Pictures
Footy Legends, written by Khoa and Anh Do, directed by the former and starring the latter, is a comedy movie set in Yagoona. It makes references to the social issues in the area and revolves around an amateur rugby league team consisting of socially disaffected people.
The local sports team is the Yagoona Lions football team whose home-ground is at O'Neill Park.[24]
A (now defunct) Indoor Cricket Sports Club is situated on the Hume Highway.
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