- Lilyfield, New South Wales
Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Lilyfield
city = Sydney
state = nsw
caption = Sensory Park in Leichhardt Park
lga = Municipality of Leichhardt
postcode = 2040
est =
pop = 6,946 (2001 census)
area = 2.2
propval =
stategov = Balmain
fedgov = Grayndler
near-nw = Rodd Point
near-n = Drummoyne
near-ne = Rozelle
near-w = Haberfield
near-e = Glebe
near-sw = Annandale
near-s = Leichhardt
near-se = Forest Lodge
dist1 = 6
dir1 = west
location1= Sydney CBDLilyfield is a small
suburb in the Inner West ofSydney , in the state ofNew South Wales ,Australia . Lilyfield is located 6kilometres west of theSydney central business district , in the local government area of theMunicipality of Leichhardt .Lilyfield is nestled in between the suburbs of Annandale, Rozelle and Leichhardt and is bounded to the west by
Iron Cove . Originally a working-class area, today Lilyfield like manyinner-city suburbs is becoming increasingly gentrified. Property investors, eager to capitalise on the suburb's proximity to the Sydney CBD, have purchased many of the original workers' cottages to renovate or develop. Although predominantlymiddle class , the suburb still retains some of its working-class roots and like its neighbouring suburbs, is home to people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.History
Popular belief has it that the area was once farmland and was named for the lilies that reportedly grew in the fields. However, its name origin remains unclear. Lilyfield was originally part of the suburb of Leichhardt. [ "The Book of Sydney Suburbs", Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 154 ]
The most dominant landmark in the area is the former Callan Park hospital. This was built on land acquired from the Callan Estates, a property between Balmain Road and Iron Cove. A psychiatric hospital was designed by
James Barnet , the government architect, based on an asylum in Kent and utilising the principles of Dr Kirkbride, an American psychiatrist. [The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.2/39] Completed in 1884, the hospital was known until 1914 as theCallan Park Hospital for the Insane ; the main part of the hospital, a cluster of sandstone buildings, was called the Kirkbride complex.More recently, the Kirkbride complex became the home of the
Sydney College of the Arts , and the hospital functions were confined to the western buildings. This is now known as Rozelle Hospital. The Kirkbride complex is listed on theRegister of the National Estate . [The Heritage of Australia, pp.2/39-2/40]After the construction of the
City West Link Road in the 1990s, the suburb was effectively split into two parts. One half on the Rozelle side of the road, the other half on the Leichhardt side. This dramatic change in the geography did much to disrupt the sense of community in the relatively secluded suburb and almost led to its being subsumed into the neighbouring suburbs.Transport
Lilyfield was the terminus of a tram line in the original Sydney tram system, and became a bus terminus when that system was abolished. The 470 bus service runs from Lilyfield to the Sydney CBD via Glebe, Broadway and George St. The 370 service runs from Lilyfield to Coogee via Newtown. The 440 service runs to the CBD via Norton St, Leichhardt and Broadway. The 445 service runs from Rozelle to railway station, via Norton Street.
Lilyfield station, in Catherine Street, is a terminus of the
Metro Light Rail . The station opened in2000 , using a disused spur of a goods railway line from Central railway station. Another railway line, running from White Bay to Dulwich Hill, is also no longer used and an extension of the light rail further southwest to Dulwich Hill has been proposed [http://www.greenway.com.au/] , with a bicyclerail trail alongside.The
City West Link Road is a major arterial road, which is part ofMetroad 4 and crosses theANZAC Bridge . It provides an alternative route toParramatta Road for the Sydney CBD from Ashfield.Bicycle routes in Lilyfield include part of the regional east-west route from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD, along Lilyfield Road, the Bay Run path around Iron Cove, and the Whites Creek path, which provides a north-south route from
Parramatta Road to The Crescent at White Bay.
Parks and recreation
Leichhardt Park, which includes the Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre was originally part of Leichhardt, as was West Tigers Stadium in Mary Street, which was originally known as Leichhardt Oval.
References
External links
* [http://www.ramin.com.au/creekcare/whitescreek.shtml Whites Creek Wetland]
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