Westmead is a suburb in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.
Westmead is located 26 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Cumberland Council and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.
Westmead Sydney, New South Wales | |||||||||||||||
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Population | 16,309 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 5,620/km2 (14,570/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 2145 | ||||||||||||||
Elevation | 40 m (131 ft) | ||||||||||||||
Area | 2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Location | 26 km (16 mi) west of Sydney | ||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | |||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Parramatta | ||||||||||||||
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Westmead is bounded by the Parramatta River, Toongabbie Creek and Finlayson Creek in the north. On the east it is bounded by Parramatta Park, the Parramatta Golf Club, Amos Street and Good Street. The southern boundary is the Great Western Highway. The western boundary is Bridge Road, the railway line and Finlayson Creek.
The traditional custodians of the land in what is today’s Westmead are the Dharug people.
Captain Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain in 1770. The first fleet arrived at Sydney Harbour on 26 January 1788 and a colony was declared on 7 February 1788. An exploration party was led by Governor Arthur Phillip in April 1788 travelling along Parramatta River, deciding on Parramatta as the next town. An outpost was established by November 1788 in Parramatta, which later spread to the nearby area of what is known today as Westmead.
With the British settlement of Parramatta, Westmead was originally part of the domain of Government House. What is left of this domain, including Government House, form Parramatta Park. The name Westmead came into use when the governor's domain was first subdivided in 1859. The subdivision of the domain was completed in 1889. The Northern Meadow and Western Meadow of the domain were split off and called Northmead and Westmead. From this time orchards were established by many new settlers, including some whose names were well known in the Parramatta area – George Oakes, Nat Payten and William Fullagar among them.
Parramatta Marist School was established by Fr. John Therry in Hunter Street Parramatta in 1820, under the direction of Mr. George Morley. The school was transferred to the site of the present junior school in 1837 and entrusted to the care of the Marist Brothers in 1875. This makes Parramatta Marist the oldest Catholic school in Australia.
Westmead railway platform is clearly shown on this map of the “Parish of St John” County of Cumberland in 1902. All of the area from Wentworthville East towards Parramatta is included on the map as part of this shire. This region includes parts of land in the District of Parramatta, Blacktown & Baulkham Hills Shires and forms the major part of the Cumberland LGA. The Wentworthville East and Darcyville estates are not included in this area, most of these estate parts belonging what is now Parramatta LGA.
Westmead has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Health is the major employer in the area, with large public hospitals for both adults and children, a mental health hospital, a private hospital and three medical research facilities spanning basic, genetic and molecular science for both adults and children. A community foundation supports fundraising and awareness activities of Westmead.
Westmead railway station is on the North Shore & Western Line of the Sydney Trains network.
The Western railway line from Parramatta to Blacktown was built through the suburb in 1861. A railway station at Westmead was opened in April 1893 after a successful petition by local residents.
A bus transitway, the North-West T-way, services Westmead from both Parramatta and The Hills District.
Future public transport services include a light rail and a metro. The two-line Parramatta Light Rail project was announced in 2015. Westmead will be the terminus of both lines, which will operate to Carlingford and Sydney Olympic Park. In 2018 it was announced that Westmead would be the terminus of the Sydney Metro West line.
On the day of the 2011 census, 39% of employed people travelled to work on public transport and 43% by car (either as driver or as passenger).
At the 2016 census, the suburb of Westmead recorded a population of 16,309. Of these:
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