- For the local government area, see City of Campbelltown.
- For the state electoral district, see Electoral district of Campbelltown.
Vorlage:Infobox Australian Place
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Campbelltown is located 42 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.
Campbelltown is a major commercial centre and a central business district of South-western Sydney and part of the Macarthur Region.
Commercial Areas
Campbelltown has a mixture of residential, commercial and industrial areas. The main shopping precinct is located along Queen Street. Campbelltown Mall is a major shopping centre located on Queen Street.
Macarthur Square is another large shopping centre on three floors which is located close to Macarthur railway station. It features an outdoor entertainment and restaurant precinct known as "Kellicar Lane" which opened after the most recent expansion in November 2005. It features a food court that has large glass windows that look over Kellicar Lane, Campbelltown and the surrounding countryside.
Transport
Campbelltown lies on the main road and rail links from Sydney to the south-west. The M5 South Western Motorway links Cambelltown north to Liverpool, Sydney Airport and Sydney CBD and south to Goulburn and Canberra.
railway station and to Macarthur railway station are on the Southern line of the CityRail network. Campbelltown also services the Airport and East Hills Line and is the main terminus of the Cumberland Line and the intercity Southern Highlands Line.
History
Aboriginal Culture
The history of the region begins over 30,000 years ago and is contained in the continuing culture of the Tharawal people. The area still contains reminders of their culture, in rock engravings, cave paintings, stone axe grinding grooves and shell middens.[1]
European Settlement
Vorlage:Pagenumbers Governor of New South Wales Lachlan Macquarie founded and named Campbelltown on the afternoon of December 1, 1820. A crowd of fifty or sixty curious farmers watched as he marked out the site. "This ceremony having gone through, I named the township Campbell-Town in honour of Mrs Macquarie's maiden name, and on my pronouncing this name aloud, all present gave three hearty cheers in honour of the occasion…", the Governor later wrote in his journal. His wife was a member of the powerful Clan Campbell of Cawdor. [2]
But Macquarie's days were already numbered. His policy of appointing ex-convicts to high positions of trust, his humanitarianism, and his generosity with land grants had cost him dearly with enemies in London. A month before his reluctant return, he managed a final visit to Campbelltown in 1822. However, few of his bold plans had yet come to fruition. The only major construction work was the unfinished St Peter's Anglican Church.
Arrival of the new Governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane, saw plans for Campbelltown indefinitely shelved. In 1823, the chief architect, Standish Harris, as that apart from a church, a school, and a few bark huts, the town had little to offer. Years rolled by as Brisbane's staff dallied and delayed, while Macquarie's dream sat unfinished, except for a scattering of buildings and homes outside the official town boundary.
It was not until 1827, a year after Brisbane was replaced as Governor by Sir Ralph Darling, that the first measured plan of "Campbell Town" was finally drawn up by a surveyor called Robert Hoddle. His grid pattern set the foundation for the new town and, after all his hard work was done, Surveyor-General John Oxley gave Campbelltown its first street names. His choices were hardly subtle, but no doubt delighted and flattered Sir Ralph and his top officials.
The town was one of a series of south-western settlements being established by Macquarie at that time. Others include Ingleburn and Liverpool. The decades following World War II saw Campbelltown gradually change from a town, surrounded by rural land to a suburb of Sydney, with the development of new suburbs along the rail line towards Campbelltown.
Campbelltown was designated in the early 1960s as a satellite city by the New South Wales Planning Authority, and a regional capital for the south west of Sydney. There was extensive building and population growth in the intervening time and the government set aside land surrounding the township for public and private housing and industry. [3]
Schools
- Broughton Anglican College (BAC KIDS)
- The Macarthur Campus of the University of Western Sydney is located at Campbelltown.
- Campbelltown High School of the Performing Arts
- Rosemeadow Public School
- St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
- Campbelltown Public School
- Campbelltown East Public School
- Campbelltown North Public School
- John Therry Catholic High School Rosemeadow
- Eagle Vale High School
- Eschol Park Primary School
- St Patrick's College
- Airds High school
- Bradbury Public School
- Blairmount Public School
- Claymore Public School
- Ruse Public School
- Ambarvale Public School
- Kentlyn Public School
- Ambarvale High School
- Mount Carmel High School
Media
Campbelltown is home to two local radio stations, 2MCR and C91.3FM. The two local newspapers are the Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser and the Macarthur Chronicle.
Culture
Fisher's Ghost Festival
The Fisher's ghost Festival is a yearly festival held in recognition of Frederick Fisher, an emancipated convict who owned farming land in Campbelltown and who appeared as a specter after being murdered over a land dispute. An annual parade through Campbelltown's main street, Queen Street, is held every November and a carnival including fairground rides and other entertainment is held at Bradbury oval, a local sports ground. Over a period of three weeks many activities take place including the Fisher's Ghost Fun Run, the Fisher's Ghost Art Award and the Street Party which was formerly known as the "Mardi Gras." The Fisher's Ghost festival is responsible for a great amount of town pride in Campbelltown and many citizens can state that they or someone they know have been in the Fisher's Ghost parade at some point in time.
Population
Notable residents
- Michael De Vere (born 1976) - Australian rugby league player
- Frederick Fisher (died 1826) - local murder victim who inspired the legend of Fisher's ghost
- John Marsden (1942 - 2006) - high profile lawyer
- Jim Piper (born 1981) - Australian breaststroke swimmer
- Kate Ritchie (born 1978) - Australian actress and Gold Logie winner
- James Ruse (1759 - 1837) - pioneer farmer
References
- ↑ Wollongong City Council website
- ↑ Campbelltown City Council website
- ↑ The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8