Prairiewood, New South Wales

Prairiewood
Sydney, 

Fairfield Showground, Prairiewood
Coordinates 33°51′40″S 150°54′17″E / 33.8610°S 150.9048°ECoordinates: 33°51′40″S 150°54′17″E / 33.8610°S 150.9048°E
Population 3,009 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 2176
Location 34 km (21 mi) west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s) City of Fairfield
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)
Suburbs around Prairiewood:
Bossley Park Wetherill Park Smithfield
Bossley Park Prairiewood Fairfield West
Greenfield Park St Johns Park Wakeley

Prairiewood is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 34 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Fairfield. It is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.

Prairiewood is primarily a residential suburb that is also home to a golf course, Fairfield Showground, schools, a leisure centre and a major shopping centre.

History

Prairiewood was once a part of Wetherill Park. The area was subdivided and developed in the 1970s as Prairiewood Estate. It later became a suburb and took on the name of the estate.[2]

Commercial areas

Stockland Wetherill Park is a major shopping centre that is actually located in the north-western corner of Prairiewood. Fairfield Hospital moved to Prairiewood in 1988 from its original location in Fairfield.

Sport and recreation

Fairfield Golf Course is an 18 hole course. Fairfield Showground is home to many cultural celebrations and the Fairfield Markets, which are a common attraction every Saturday morning.

It is also home to the Australia's First, Largest and Longest running Eid Festival. In 1987, The Australian MEFF Consortium commenced the Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair[3] to celebrate Eid in Sydney, held shortly after Eid ul-Fitr. The festival has grown to now cater for tens of thousands of Muslims and non-Muslims and has included as guests Yusuf Islam, famous Australian footballer, Hazem El Masri, the then Governor-General of Australia, Michael Jeffery and the previous Premier of New South Wales, Kristina Keneally.

Population

According to the 2011 census, Prairiewood had a population of 3,009. It has a multicultural community with the most common languages spoken after English being Assyrian (10.4%), Vietnamese (9.5%), Arabic (7.1%), Spanish (7.0%) and Italian (6.4%).[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Prairiewood (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  2. The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 209
  3. Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prairiewood, New South Wales.