Werrington, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Werrington
city = Sydney
state = NSW


caption =
lga = Penrith City Council
postcode = 2747
est = 1806
pop = 3511 (2001)
area = 4.45
propval =
stategov = Londonderry
fedgov = Lindsay
near-nw = Cambridge Park
near-n = Werrington County
near-ne = St Marys
near-w = Kingswood
near-e = St Marys
near-sw = Kingswood
near-s = Claremont Meadows
near-se = St Marys
dist1 = 48.5
dir1 = west
location1= Sydney CBD

Werrington is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Werrington is located 48.5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Penrith and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.

The suburb has a feel of openness and retains many picturesque areas of open space, which are used for educational (University of Western Sydney) and recreational activities (Werrington Lakes, a haven for wildlife and outdoor activities). Werrington also is well serviced with public transport and sporting facilities.

History

Aboriginal Culture

Prior to European settlement, what is now Werrington was home to the Gomerrigal-Tongarra people who spoke the Darug language. They lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle governed by traditional laws, which had their origins in the Dreamtime. Their homes were bark huts called 'gunyahs'. They hunted kangaroos and emus for meat, and gathered yams, berries and other native plants.

European Settlement

The first land grant in the area was made in 1806 to Mary King, youngest daughter of the Governor Phillip Gidley King. She didn't take possession of the property until 1827, after her marriage to Robert Copeland Lethbridge. [ [http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=218 Penrith City History - Town Foundation: Early Town Plans and Subsequent Speculative Subdivision ] ] They built a house, which they named Werrington and farmed the surrounding estate until 1865 when Robert Lethbridge died. The house (which is still standing)was leased to NSW premier Henry Parkes between 1860 and 1872. Parkes arranged for the construction of a private railway platform nearby. In 1878, it was opened to the public as Parkes Platform but was renamed Werrington in 1893. The railway station provided the nucleus around which the town grew although its distance from Sydney and Parramatta meant it never became a particularly large centre. The Werrington estate was sold and subdivided from the 1880s. [cite web | url= http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=420 | title=Penrith Local Suburb profiles - Werrington | publisher=Penrith City Council | accessdate=2007-08-13 ]

Transport

Werrington Railway Station is on the Western Line of the City Rail network.

References

External links

* [http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=969 Penrith Local Suburb Profiles]
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