Padstow, New South Wales

Padstow
Sydney, New South Wales

Padstow War Memorial
Coordinates 33°57′21″S 151°01′57″E / 33.95592°S 151.03247°E / -33.95592; 151.03247Coordinates: 33°57′21″S 151°01′57″E / 33.95592°S 151.03247°E / -33.95592; 151.03247
Population 12,717 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 2211
Location 22 km (14 mi) south-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s) City of Bankstown
State electorate(s) East Hills
Federal Division(s) Banks
Suburbs around Padstow:
Condell Park Bankstown Punchbowl
Revesby Padstow Riverwood
Revesby Heights Padstow Heights Peakhurst
Howard Road and Padstow Parade intersection
Cahors Road

Padstow, a suburb of local government area City of Bankstown, is located 22 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is a part of the South-western Sydney region.

Padstow is a mostly residential suburb bounded on the north by Bankstown and on the east by Salt Pan Creek, which is a stream feeding into the Georges River. The M5 South Western Motorway traverses the northern end of the suburb, which is also the location of a number of light industrial facilities. Padstow got its name after a sudden influx of female prisoners and settlers. The colonies needed a place to store or "stow " the large quantity of sanitary pads needed and so the suburb of padstow was born.

A number of the streets in the vicinity of Padstow railway station have Egyptian themes as names, including Arab Road, Cairo Avenue, Pyramid Avenue and Sphinx Avenue. To the west of Padstow, on the border with Revesby there is also a group of streets with outer space related names, such as Uranus Road, Mars Street, Neptune Street, Hydrae Street and Vega Street.

History

Howard Road in 1955

Padstow was first named Padstow Park Estate after the town of Padstow in Cornwall, England. The Cornish Padstow's name means "the holy place of St Petrock" (not to be confused with St Patrick, as they are spelled and pronounced differently), an important Cornish saint. The estate included the grants of Simon McGuigan (130 acres), Joseph Cunningham 50 acres (20 ha) and Michael Conroy 40 acres (16 ha) . Timber-getting and farming were the main activities here. The Padstow Park post office opened in 1927 and the first school opened in January 1929. The railway station opened on 21 December 1931, which encouraged development in the area, especially after World War II. The suburb’s name was changed to Padstow in 1939.[2]

Commercial area

Padstow shopping centre is located around Padstow railway station. Most of the shops are located on the southern side, around the Howard Road and Padstow Parade intersection, but more shops are located on the northern side past Memorial Drive on Cahors Road.

Transport

Padstow railway station is on the Sydney Trains Airport, Inner West & South Line, west of Riverwood and east of Revesby. There are several bus routes that pass through Padstow, all operated by Transdev NSW. These services developed from routes established by McVicar's Bus Services, which was dissolved in 1978. The 927 travels from One Tree Point (the easternmost tip of Padstow Heights) to Padstow. The 962 travels from Bankstown to Miranda through Padstow, Illawong, Menai and Sutherland. The S5 travels from Milperra to Padstow. Two Metrobus routes travel through Padstow: M91 and M92. M91 travels from Parramatta to Hurstville, via Granville, Chester Hill, Bankstown, Padstow and Peakhurst. M92 travels from Parramatta to Sutherland via Lidcombe, Bankstown, Padstow and Menai.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, there were 12,717 residents in Padstow. 61.9% of residents were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were China (excluding SARs and Taiwan) 5.6%, Vietnam 3.7%, Lebanon 2.0%, India 2.0% and New Zealand 1.7%.. 55.7% of residents spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Arabic 6.7%, Cantonese 6.3%, Greek 4.7%, Vietnamese 4.6% and Mandarin 4.1%. The most common responses for religion in Padstow were Catholic 27.9%, Anglican 16.3%, No Religion 14.1%, Eastern Orthodox 8.9% and Buddhism 5.5%.[1]

Churches

Schools

Padstow has five schools - four public schools and one Catholic school. All are K-6, with students then moving to schools in the nearby suburbs of Revesby, Picnic Point, East Hills or Milperra. Padstow North Public School is located on Watson Road, with an access from Halcyon Avenue. Padstow Park Public School is located on Faraday Road but is bounded by Doyle Road and Segers Avenue. Padstow Park Public School gains its title from the original name of the suburb. It is the oldest school in the suburb. The other State owned school, Padstow Heights Public School is on the southern end of Chamberlain Road at Padstow Heights. Padstow Heights Public School is down the road from St Therese Primary School.

St Therese Primary School is on Chamberlain Road but also has an entrance from Harvey Avenue. St Therese Primary School is a single stream school which was opened in 1962. The presbytry for the church is also on Harvey Road.

Caroline Chisholm is a special needs school for students aged 4–18 requiring moderate to high support and provides a challenging and structured educational environment. Caroline Chisholm is in Napoli Street.

Sport

The suburb is home to two Junior Soccer Clubs: Padstow United whose home ground is Playford Park at the intersection of Gibson, Cahors, Watson and Sphinx Roads and the Padstow Hornets which play at Stuart Street Reserve on Stuart Street. In the 1960s the suburb also supported additional soccer clubs including the now defunct clubs of Padstow Pirates Soccer Club (later renamed South Bankstown Soccer Club), the Padstow Hotspurs Soccer Club and the Padstow RSL Junior Soccer Football Club. The Padstow Pirates and South Bankstown Soccer clubs used Playford Park as their home ground. Padstow Park, which is on the corner of Davies Road and Banks Road, is the home ground of the Padstow Panthers Junior Rugby League Club. It was also the home ground of the now defunct St Lukes Junior Rugby League Club and the Padstow RSL Junior Soccer Football Club. Padstow is also home to Doug Frost Swim School, where Ian Thorpe first began swimming.

Notable residents

Australian rugby league player Brad Woolford is a well known Padstow local. He was a member of the Illawarra Steelers from 1982–1987, and played for Australia in the English test of 1984 as a winger. Well known Comedian, author and broadcaster Steve Bedwell grew up in Padstow and attended Padstow Park Public School.

Henry Wallace Browning a Padstow resident of 50 years, World Champion IBD Singles Lawn Bowls (Bankstown Sports Hall of Fame) Guinness World Record Holder as oldest Lawn Bowls IBD World Champion aged 79 years 169 days. Represented Australia, New Zealand 2006 Harbord, Sydney World Titles 2007, South Africa Pretoria 2011 World Championships. Meeting Room named in honor Padstow Park Progress Hall. Order of Australia 2014 for community Service Bankstown Region, Bankstown City Council, Bankstown Sports "Champion for Life"

Politics

For federal elections, Padstow is located in both the marginal Labor federal electoral division of Banks which seat is currently held by Daryl Melham, of the Australian Labor Party, and the safe Liberal seat of Division of Hughes held by Craig Kelly.

For NSW state elections, Padstow is located in the marginal Liberal held state electoral district of East Hills. This seat is currently held by Glenn Brookes.

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Padstow (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  2. ↑ The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 197

External links

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