Dundas Valley, New South Wales

Dundas Valley
Sydney, New South Wales

Bus stops on Yates Avenue
Population 4,628 (2011 census)[1]
Location 21 km (13 mi) NW of Sydney CBD
LGA(s) City of Parramatta
State electorate(s) Parramatta
Federal Division(s) Parramatta
Suburbs around Dundas Valley:
Carlingford Carlingford Epping
Telopea Dundas Valley Eastwood
Dundas Dundas Ermington
Dundas Valley shops
St Bernadettes Catholic Church

Dundas Valley is a Northern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Dundas Valley is located 21 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Parramatta.

The valley has been shaped by the Ponds Creek, around which many of the area's parks are located. The valley is bounded by both steep and gentle slopes feeding into the creek. The Ponds walk is a marked 6.6 kilometre track which follows the Ponds and Subiaco Creeks from Eric Mobbs Memorial Park in Carlingford to Jim Crowgey Reserve in Rydalmere. This walk follows a number of the parks in the Dundas Valley area.[2]

History

Dundas and surrounding areas were originally known as "The Ponds", a name still reflected in The Ponds Creek. The first private land grants in Sydney made in 1791 were in what is now North East Dundas and adjoining Dundas Valley and Ermington. This consisted of land grants to 14 former convicts and their families along the Ponds and Subiaco Creeks.
Parramatta City Council has erected signs in the suburb documenting the initial land grants in the area. One subsequent grant was the 30 acre Lot 108 to John Love, a member of the NSW Corps, on 20 February 1794.[3]

In the early 1800s a number of the early settlers sold their grants to Lieutenant William Cox of the NSW Corps. Cox's holdings spread from Brush Farm into Dundas Valley where he grazed sheep and cattle and grew corn and wheat. Gregory Blaxland purchased Brush Farm in 1806.
Lieutenant William Cox would refer the south eastern corner near Brush farm now bordering Deninstone West and Eastwood as Dundas Heights; Lieutenant William Cox would survey his land from the vantage point of Dundas Heights.

The name Dundas was first used in the area in 1799, taken from a parish of the same name in England, although it is also claimed the area was initially named after Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville.[2][4]

The area was developed during the 1950s and 1960s with the construction of public housing.[5]

Dundas Valley was formally declared a suburb on 19 October 2007.[6]

Thomas Mitchell opened a quarry in 1832 on the site of the park that now bears his name. The quarry was a supplier of ‘blue metal’, used in road construction, into the 20th century. The 'blue metal' was quarried by convicts and carried to Ermington Wharf where it was ferried to Sydney.
The quarry exposed a large volcanic formation between 200 and 250 million years old.[7] Due to the geological significance of the area, it was visited by a number of famous scientists, including Charles Darwin and Douglas Mawson.[2]

A number of streets in Dundas Valley are named after ships of the First Fleet (Sirius, Supply, Alexander, Charlotte and Friendship) and the Second Fleet (Neptune).[8]

Population

At the 2011 census, there were 4,628 residents in Dundas Valley. Just over half of residents were born in Australia (55.7%). The most common other countries of birth were China 9.5%, Korea, Republic of (South) 5.6% and England 2.4%. In Dundas Valley 55.5% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 8.6%, Korean 7.2%, Cantonese 6.2%, Arabic 4.1% and Armenian 1.4%. The major industries of emolyoment were Hospitals 4.1%, Cafes, Restaurants and Takeaway Food Services 3.6%, Building Cleaning, Pest Control and Gardening Services 3.5%, School Education 3.4% and Computer System Design and Related Services 2.6%.[1]

Schools

Yates Avenue Public School[9]
St Bernadettes Primary School (Catholic)[10]

Commercial area

The small strip of shops on Yates Avenue, beside Curtis Oval.

Dundas Valley has a small shopping centre in Yates Avenue, beside Curtis Oval.

Churches

St Bernadettes Catholic Church
Dundas Valley Uniting Church
Faith Baptist Church

Parks

Dundas Park playground, BBQ and ovals in the background

Sir Thomas Mitchell Reserve and Curtis Oval host local club football (soccer), rugby union and cricket matches. Both parks also have recently upgraded play equipment for children. Dundas Park covers 6.5 hectares and also boasts two playgrounds, picnic & BBQ facilities and a Boy Scout and Girl Guides Hall. Curtis Oval has a dedicated bicycle and walking track.[12]
Sir Thomas Mitchell Reserve covers 3.9 hectares and is on the site of an old quarry.[7]
There are also a number of smaller parks in the suburb, including Lachlan Macquarie Park which features a netball court.

Sport and recreation

The Viking Club on Quarry Road is a registered club run by Parramatta Leagues Club.[13]
The Dundas United Recreation Club, based at Curtis Oval, fields teams in cricket, football (Soccer) and netball catering for players aged from Under 6 to adult (including Over 35 football).[14]

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Dundas Valley (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Ponds Walk" (pdf). Parramatta City Council. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
  3. ↑ "James O'Brien - The Ponds". James O'Brien. 2008-05-31. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  4. ↑ "Dundas". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Dundas Valley Suburb Profile" (pdf). Parramatta City Council. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
  6. ↑ "Dundas Valley". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Sir Thomas Mitchell Reserve". Parramatta City Council. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  8. ↑ "Map of Dundas Valley". Whereis.com. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  9. ↑ "Yates Avenue Public School Dundas Valley". Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  10. ↑ "St. Bernadettes Dundas Valley". Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  11. ↑ "Dundas Telopea Anglican Church".
  12. ↑ "Curtis Oval". Parramatta City Council. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  13. ↑ "The Viking Club". Parramatta Leagues Club. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  14. ↑ "Dundas United Recreation Club". Retrieved 2010-08-20.

Coordinates: 33°47′35″S 151°03′36″E / 33.79312°S 151.05999°E / -33.79312; 151.05999

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