Greystanes, New South Wales

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


caption =
lga = City of Holroyd
postcode = 2145
est =
pop =
area =
propval =
stategov =
fedgov =
near-nw = Girraween
near-n = Pendle Hill
near-ne = South Wentworthville
near-w = Prospect Pemulwuy
near-e = Merrylands West
near-sw = Wetherill Park
near-s = Smithfield
near-se = Woodpark
dist1 = 29
dir1 = west
location1= Sydney CBD

Greystanes is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Greystanes is located 29 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Holroyd.

History

In the early years of British settlement the area was known as Prospect Hill and was the site of the first land grants to emancipated convicts in 1791. At this period it was one of several areas of conflict between the indigenous Dharug people and the settlers, the Dharug being led for many years of guerrilla warfare by Pemulwuy.

The area later became differentiated into Prospect, to the west of Greystanes Creek, and Greystanes to the east of the Creek, the latter taking its name from a historical home on Prospect Hill, built by Nelson Simmons Lawson, third child of Lieutenant William Lawson. The name 'Grey Stanes', given by Nelson Lawson, came from the outcrops of basalt on Prospect Hill, "Grey" being its colour and "Stanes" being the Scottish word for stones.

The land was originally granted to William Cummings in 1799, before being acquired by William Lawson in approximately 1810. It was from this land that William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland and William Charles Wentworth set out on their successful crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813 and discovered the Bathurst Plains. The Lawson family crypt still exists today at St Bartholomew's Church, Prospect. ["The Book of Sydney Suburbs", Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 116]

Poultry farming became important in the early twentieth century until Greystanes developed in the 1950s and 1960s as a residential suburb.

Transport

The major arterial roads include Cumberland Highway, Great Western Highway and M4 Western Motorway. Greystanes is serviced by Westbus' routes 811, 813, and 815, which Greystanes and Pemulwuy with the train stations at Parramatta and Merrylands.

It is also indirectly serviced by the Parramatta-Liverpool T-Way which runs through Smithfield and Wetherill Park, to the south.

Schools

Greystanes contains eight schools: Holroyd High School, Greystanes High School, Widemere Public School, Greystanes Public School, Beresford Road Primary School, Ringrose Primary School, and private schools St. Pauls Catholic College and Our Lady Queen of Peace.

Parks and Recreation

Greystanes contains a large number of parks, ovals, and sporting facilities, as well as a golf course. Through the lower portion of Greystanes runs what is known as "the Canal", which was a water canal once used to transport water from the Prospect Reservoir, but has since been decommissioned and converted into a cycleway/walkway. Despite this, it is still referred to by its original function. The Canal features the regionally well-known "Canal bridge" - also knows as the "aqueduct" (as its original function was).

The south-west of Greystanes contains the "Gipps Road Sporting Complex" and the "Rosford Street Reserve", which consist of multiple ovals suitable for sports such as football and cricket. Around the ovals are large, open fields, suitable for other forms of recreation and a small BMX track in "Rosford Street Reserve". A smallbore rifle club is located on Hyland Road, near these sporting complexes and the "Hyland Road Youth Centre" is also on this road. The Cumberland Country Gold Club is located to the geographic centre of the suburb.

Culture

As Greystanes developed from chook farms into a fully fledged suburb a significant part of the population has come from immigrants who dominated Australia's intake in the 1950s and 60s. These countries include Malta, Greece and Italy.

It has long been recognised as a residential centre for Maltese-Australians and their descendants. As well as being associated with the Maltese people, Greystanes is home to an array of different nationalities and cultures. The Maltese affiliation with Greystanes can be seen in the suburb's Catholic Church, Our Lady Queen of Peace. The church hosts a 'Festivus' once every year which is organised by the Maltese community. The 'Festivus' has its origins in the religious festivals held annually in each village of Malta, celebrating the patron saint of the village.

Whilst the ethnic makeup of Greystanes is notable the population is relatively anglicised when compared to its neighbouring suburbs in Pendle Hill, Wentworthville, and Merrylands who have higher numbers of new migrants from Asia and Africa. The bulk of the population in Greystanes speak English as a first language [ [http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?&action=404&documentproductno=SSC11433&documenttype=Details&tabname=Details&areacode=SSC11433&issue=2006&producttype=Community%20Profiles&&producttype=Community%20Profiles&javascript=true&textversion=false&navmapdisplayed=true&breadcrumb=LPD&&collection=Census&period=2006&producttype=Community%20Profiles&#Basic%20Community%20Profile 2006 Census Community Profile Series : Greystanes (State Suburb) ] ] and large numbers of the community also like to congregate around The Greystanes Inn which functions as a social hub for the community.

References