Parramatta River
Parramatta River from Gladesville Bridge
Origin	New South Wales
Mouth	Port Jackson
Basin countries	Australia
Basin area	130 km²

The Parramatta River is a waterway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson, along with the smaller Lane Cove and Duck Rivers.

The river begins at confluence of Toongabbie Creek and Darling Mills Creek west of Parramatta^[1] and travels in an easterly direction to a line between Greenwich Point, Greenwich, and Robinsons Point, Birchgrove. Here it flows into Port Jackson, still about 21 km from the ocean.

The total catchment area of the river is approximately 130 km² and is tidal to Charles Street Weir in Parramatta, approximately 30 km from Sydney Heads.

River governance[link]

The whole of Sydney Harbour including its tributary rivers is now subject to a long range Catchment Management Plan. The Government has almost eliminated local representation by disbanding the former local catchment management boards.

The New South Wales Government has a documented policy in relation to access to the harbour and river foreshores, including public access to intertidal lands where landowners have absolute waterfronts but where the waterfront is exposed at low tide. Moorings and jetties are the responsibility of NSW Maritime, who are also responsible for the management of the Harbour and river seabed. Many bays contain swing moorings, mostly privately owned, but some associated with commercial marinas.

• 

  Parramatta River at Five Dock Bay, Drummoyne

• 

  Parramatta River at Gladesville

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  Parramatta River at Ermington

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  Parramatta River at Parramatta

Transport[link]

Image:Chiswick Ferry Wharf, with Gladesville Bridge in the background

Ferry services and wharves[link]

There are River Cat services along the Parramatta River to Circular Quay. The main wharves are:

• Parramatta, (Southern side of River)
• Sydney Olympic Park, (Southern)
• Meadowbank, (Northern)
• Kissing Point, (Northern)
• Cabarita Park, (Southern)
• Abbotsford, (Southern)
• Five Dock, (Southern)
• Gladesville, (Northern)

Crossings[link]

Lennox Bridge, Parramatta

The Parramatta River, along with Sydney Harbour, is the most significant waterway in Sydney. Since settlement, the river and the harbour have presented a formidable barrier to development north of the waterway - it literally cuts Sydney in half. As a result, the many crossings are extremely important to the life of the City. From east to west (including those crossing Sydney Harbour), they are:

• Sydney Harbour Tunnel
• Sydney Harbour Bridge
• Gladesville Bridge
• Mortlake Ferry (the last vehicular ferry operating on the river)
• Ryde Bridge (now a dual bridge)
• Old Meadowbank railway bridge (converted into a pedestrian and cyclist bridge)
• John Whitton Bridge (the new railway bridge)
• Silverwater Bridge at Silverwater.
• Thackeray Bridge (a pedestrian bridge) near Rydalmere ferry wharf.
• Carlingford Line railway bridge and adjacent water pipe bridge
• James Ruse Drive bridge
• Gasworks Bridge, Parramatta (historic iron lattice bridge named for the Gasworks which used to be situated nearby)
• Elizabeth St Footbridge, Parramatta (incorporating Wake, an artwork by Milne and Stonehouse)
• Barry Wilde Bridge, Parramatta
• Lennox Bridge, Parramatta

• 

  John Whitton Bridge, Meadowbank

• 

  Silverwater Bridge

• 

  Gasworks Bridge, Parramatta

• 

  Wake, Elizabeth St Footbridge

Ecological and environment issues[link]

Water quality concerns[link]

Until 1970 the river was an open drain for Sydney's industry and consequently the southern central embayments are contaminated with a range of heavy metals and chemicals. The Northern Bays are less affected as the Sydney Harbour Bridge was not completed until 1932 and so industrial development was already well established on the southern side of the Harbour.

Dr Gavin Birch of the University of Sydney has published a number of papers which show that Sydney Harbour is as contaminated as most other harbours in industrialised cities, that the main sediment contamination is in the southern central embayments (Blackwattle to Homebush Bays), that there are five particularly contaminated areas of Sydney Harbour, and that four of them are in the Parramatta river system.

The main contaminated areas of the Parramatta River are:

• Homebush Bay - dioxins, lead, phthalates, DDT, PAHs (coal tars) mainly originating from nearby chemical factories of Berger Paints, CSR Chemicals, ICI/Orica, and Union Carbide.
• Iron Cove - various metals and chemicals with no clearly defined point source. Pollution may possibly enter through Iron Cove Creek and Hawthorne Canal.
• Off former AGL site, now redeveloped as Breakfast Point.

Water quality is monitored by the New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change for faecal coliforms and e. coli, but only as far west as Cabarita. The Department does not monitor water quality further west on the River, despite increasing development and the use of the river for recreational boating. In the areas monitored, the water quality is generally acceptable except after heavy rains.

Fishing[link]

The Parramatta River is subject to a number of fishing bans because of its contaminated sediments. There is a complete fishing ban in Homebush Bay because of the dioxin contamination. In 2006 the NSW Government imposed a complete commercial fishing ban throughout the rest of Sydney Harbour and its tributaries, including the Parramatta River west of the Harbour Bridge, which remained in place until 2011.

The Parramatta River is one of the few significant coastal rivers in New South Wales which has not been the subject of a Healthy Rivers Commission Investigation. The Cooks River and Botany Bay have been subject to such an investigation. Some have campaigned for a Healthy Rivers Commission inquiry to bring together all the information on the state of the river and its sediments and fish and assist in watershed management.

Major wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas[link]

Major wetlands include:

• Bicentennial Park Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBA CAMBA)
• Newington Wetlands (nationally significant, JAMBA CAMBA)

There are significant stands of mangroves along the river west of Henley (on the North shore) and Mortlake (on the southern shore) and in the Lane Cove River. The mangroves have actually colonised areas that were previously salt marsh. Research into historical drawings and writings indicates that the mangroves were far fewer at English colonisation. Council information panels in Glades Bay explain that the bay's now extensive mangrove stands would once have been open water, sandy beaches and outcrops of rock. Land clearing and development has allowed soil and various nutrients to be washed into the river. This has provided an ideal environment for mangroves to colonise. The excessive siltation of the river is an ongoing problem.

Reclamation[link]

Many areas of the river, particularly the swampy heads of bays, have been reclaimed, often being used as rubbish dumps before being converted into playing fields. Large sections of Meadowbank Park were created in this manner. Some industrial sites were also reclaimed heavily from the river, particularly in Homebush Bay. Most creeks leading into the bays have been channelised (lined with concrete walls and floor).

Remediation[link]

Industrial uses adjacent to the river at Rosehill

While some areas of the river with heavily contaminated sediments have not been remediated, there is significant remediation of sediments about to start in Homebush Bay. These include the dioxin contaminated sediments near the former Union Carbide plant and the lead contaminated sediments near the former Berger Paints plant. The former AGL site has been analysed, a remediation plan developed and approved, remediation completed and construction commenced on medium to high density residential development, but the sediments, which independent research shows to be contaminated with pollutants from the AGL operations, have not yet had the investigation stage finalised (as of 2000^[update]).

Other areas have had sediments covered with concrete to prevent the fish eating the benthos. Some of these companies claim that the contamination is best left alone, but environmentalists have argued that the contamination could be being passed up the food chain and claim that the companies are trying to avoid the costs incurred in pollution cleanup.

Recreational activities[link]

Sailing[link]

There are a number of sailing and yachting clubs on the River:

• Abbotsford 12ft Flying Squadron in Abbotsford
• Concord & Ryde Sailing Club at Putney http://www.concordrydesailing.org
• Parramatta River Sailing Club at Gladesville http://www.prsc.org.au/

Sailing and rowing take place under an aquatic licence granted annually by Waterways.

Sea Scouts[link]

There are Sea Scouts at:

• Rhodes: First Yaralla
• Meadowbank: Epping Scout Group has a boat shed at 150 Bowden Street, next to the public ferry wharf, and in the summer uses it for sailing and canoeing activities

Rowing[link]

The river has a long historical association with rowing. There is a monument in honour of Henry Searle, a champion sculler of his day, in the river at Henley.

Some of the school rowing sheds are:

• MLC School
• The King's School
• Sydney Boys High School
• Newington College
• The Scots College
• Sydney Grammar School
• Shore School

There are also a number of rowing clubs:

• Leichhardt Rowing Club (Iron Cove)
• Drummoyne Rowers in Iron Cove
• Sydney Rowing Club at Abbotsford
• UTS Haberfield at Haberfield
• Balmain

While a number of regattas are still held on the river each year, mainly in Iron Cove and Hen and Chicken Bay, many of the major regattas are now held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC) where rowing was held for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Early GPS Schoolboy Head of the River races were held on the Parramatta River before moving to the Nepean River and later SIRC.

Most rowing training is done in the middle to upper reaches of the river between Abbotsford and Homebush Bay because there is less water traffic and therefore less waves and more protection from wind. Rowing also takes place in the Lane Cove River and Iron Cove which also have less traffic.

Foreshore walks and cycleways[link]

Much of the foreshore is still in the hands of industry and private individuals as residences, however there is an increasing amount of waterfront land available as foreshore reserve with walkways and cycleways. As former industrial sites undergo remediation and redevelopment, the foreshores are opened up for public access. Where there is no foreshore access, cycleways are routed through quiet residential streets with clearly marked sections of the road reserved for cyclists.

Major foreshore parks include:

• Cabarita Park
• Kissing Point Park, Ryde
• Meadowbank Park
• Putney Park
• George Kendall Riverside Park, Ermington
• Bicentennial Park, Homebush Bay
• Millennium Parklands, Homebush/Auburn

Heritage items[link]

Major heritage buildings on or near the foreshore include:

• Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital (now Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Unit), was designed by Sir John Sulman and built in 1891-93.
• Callan Park, a former psychiatric hospital, with fine sandstone buildings designed by James Barnet in 1877.
• Gladesville Mental Hospital, with sandstone buildings in park-like surroundings, designed by Mortimer Lewis in 1836.
• Yaralla, the Italianate mansion of Thomas Walker and his daughter Dame Eadith Walker, generous benefactors of the Concord community, now functions as Dame Eadith Walker Hospital. It was built in the late 1860s, with later extensions by Sir John Sulman.
• Newington House, a Regency home built in 1832 by John Blaxland. In 1863, the property was acquired by the Wesleyans and turned into Newington College. In 1887 it became part of Silverwater State hospital, and later became an administrative block in the Silverwater Prison.
• The above buildings are all listed on the Register of the National Estate.^[2]

Inflowing Waterways[link]

Waterways flowing into the Parramatta River include:

• Archers Creek, Meadowbank
• Charity Creek, Meadowbank
• Clay Cliff Creek
• Duck River
• Haslams Creek
• Hawthorne Canal
• Iron Cove Creek
• Lane Cove River
• Powells Creek
• Smalls Creek, Meadowbank
• Subiaco Creek
• Vineyard Creek

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Parramatta River Catchment Group
• Parramatta River at New South Wales Department of Natural Resources
• Parramatta River defined by the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales
• Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River Catchment map at EPA website
• The Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust
• Information on proposed remediation at Homebush Bay and the Rhodes peninsula

Coordinates: 33°51′S 151°10′E / 33.85°S 151.167°E / -33.85; 151.167

Parramatta Sydney, New South Wales
Church Street, Parramatta
Population:	18,448[1]
Established:	1788
Postcode:	2150
Coordinates:	33°48′54″S 151°00′4″E / 33.815°S 151.00111°E / -33.815; 151.00111Coordinates: 33°48′54″S 151°00′4″E / 33.815°S 151.00111°E / -33.815; 151.00111
Location:	23 km (14 mi) west of Sydney CBD
LGA:	City of Parramatta[2][3] City of Holroyd[3][4]
Region:	Greater Western Sydney
County:	Cumberland[3]
Parish:	St. John[3]
State electorate:	Parramatta[5] Baulkham Hills[6] Granville[7]
Federal Division:	Reid[8] Parramatta[9]
Suburbs around Parramatta: Northmead North Parramatta Oatlands Westmead Parramatta Rosehill Greystanes Mays Hill Harris Park

Parramatta ( /ˌpærəˈmætə/) is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.^[3][10][11] It is located in Greater Western Sydney 23 kilometres (14 mi) west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area (LGA) of the City of Parramatta. Part of the suburb is shared with the City of Holroyd LGA.^[2][3][4]

Parramatta, founded in the same year as Sydney by the British in 1788, is the oldest inland European settlement in Australia and is the economic capital of Greater Western Sydney and the sixth largest central business district in Australia.^[12] Since 2000, Parramatta has seen the consolidation of its role as a government centre with the relocation of agencies such as the New South Wales Police Force headquarters and Sydney Water,^[13] from the Sydney CBD. Simultaneously, major upgrades have occurred around the railway station with the expansion of Westfield Parramatta, the creation of a new transport interchange, and the ongoing development of the Civic Place local government precinct.

History[link]

Aboriginal culture[link]

The Darug people who lived in the area for many generations regarded the area as rich in food from the river and forests. They called the area Baramada or Burramatta ('Parramatta') which means "head of waters"^[14] or "the place where the eels lie down".^[3][15] To this day many eels and other sea creatures are attracted to nutrients created by the saltwater of Port Jackson meeting the freshwater of the Parramatta River. The eel has been adopted as the symbol of the Parramatta Eels Rugby League club.

European settlement[link]

View of Parramatta in 1812

Parramatta was founded in 1788, the same year as Sydney. The British Colony, which had arrived in January 1788 in the First Fleet at Sydney Cove, had only enough food to support itself for a short time and the soil around Sydney Cove proved too poor to grow the amount of food that 1,000 convicts, soldiers and administrators needed to survive. During 1788, Governor Arthur Phillip had reconnoitred several places before choosing Parramatta as the most likely place for a successful large farm.^[16] Parramatta was the furthest navigable point inland on the Parramatta River (i.e. furthest from the thin, sandy coastal soil) and also the point at which the river became freshwater and therefore useful for farming.

On Sunday 2 November 1788, Governor Phillip took a detachment of marines along with a surveyor and, in boats, made his way upriver to a location that he called The Crescent, a defensible hill curved round a river bend, now in Parramatta Park. As a settlement developed, Governor Phillip gave it the name "Rose Hill" (now used for a nearby suburb) which in 1791 he changed to Parramatta, approximating the term used by the local Aboriginal people.

In an attempt to deal with the food crisis, Phillip in 1789 granted a convict named James Ruse the land of Experiment Farm at Parramatta on the condition that he develop a viable agriculture. There Ruse became the first person to successfully grow grain in Australia. The Parramatta area was also the site of John Macarthur's pioneering of the Australian wool industry at Elizabeth Farm in the 1790s.

Governor Arthur Phillip built a small house for himself on the hill of The Crescent. In 1799 this was replaced by a larger residence which, substantially improved by Governor Lachlan Macquarie from 1815 to 1818, has survived to the present day, used as a retreat by Governors until the 1850s with one Governor (Governor Brisbane) making it his principal home for a short period in the 1820s. The house, Old Government House, is currently a historic site and museum within Parramatta Park and is Australia's oldest surviving public building.^[17]

In 1803, a famous incident occurred in Parramatta, involving a convicted criminal named Joseph Samuel, originally from England. Samuel was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by hanging, but the rope broke. In the second attempt, the noose slipped off his neck. In the third attempt, the new rope broke. Governor Phillip was summoned and pardoned Samuel, as the incident appeared to him to be divine intervention.

Heritage[link]

Old Government House, Parramatta, circa 1799

Parramatta has many buildings on the Register of the National Estate, including: Elizabeth Farm House, Experiment Farm Cottage, Lancer Barracks, Parramatta Town Hall, the former Post Office in Church Street, Centennial Clock, Lennox Bridge, St John's Cathedral, St John's Cemetery,^[18] St Patrick's Cathedral, Parochial School in Elizabeth Street, Arthur Phillip High School,^[19] Brislington in Marsden Street, Hambledon Cottage in Hassall Street,^[20] former King's School Group, Roman Catholic Cemetery in North Parramatta, Parramatta Psychiatric Centre (Cumberland Hospial), Parramatta Park – including Old Government House, All Saints Church Group. ^[21]

Parramatta Gaol is Australia's oldest prison. The Gaol was formally proclaimed on 2 January 1842 with progressive opening of wings up until approximately 1910. It was closed from 1918 to 1922 and again for a short period in 1997/1998. Located on O'Connell Street, it is now known as the Parramatta Correctional Centre and functions as a short-term detention centre.^[22] The gaol's more infamous guests over the years include Neddy Smith.^[23]

Commercial area[link]

Eclipse Tower under construction. At 89m, this office tower will be the tallest building in Parramatta when completed.

Skyline of Parramatta from James Ruse Drive

Parramatta is a major business and commercial centre, sometimes called Sydney's "second central business district". Parramatta has many high density commercial and residential developments. It is home to Westfield Parramatta, which is the fourth largest shopping centre in Australia. Church Street is home to many shops and restaurants. The northern end of Church Street, close to Lennox Bridge, features al fresco dining with a diverse range of cuisines. The southern end of Church Street features many Chinese restaurants and extends past Westfield to 'Auto Alley', named for the prevalence of car dealerships. Parramatta Town Hall is located in the heart of the city, near Church Street Mall.

Immediately south of the CBD Church Street is known across Sydney as Auto Alley for the many car dealerships lining both sides of the street as far as the M4 Motorway.^[24]

Parramatta's Woolpack Hotel claims to hold Australia's oldest pub licence (dating to 1796).^[25]

Government centre[link]

Parramatta Justice Precinct

Since 2000, Parramatta has seen the consolidation of its role as a government centre, with the relocation of agencies such as the New South Wales Police Force Headquarters and the Sydney Water Corporation^[13] from Sydney CBD. At the same time, major construction work occurred around the railway station with the expansion of Westfield Shoppingtown and the creation of a new transport interchange.

The western part of the Parramatta CBD is known as the Parramatta Justice Precinct and houses the corporate headquarters of the (NSW) Department of Attorney General and Justice. Other legal offices include the Children's Court of New South Wales and the Sydney West Trial Courts, Legal Aid Commission of New South Wales, Office of Trustee and Guardian (formerly the Office of the Protective Commissioner), NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as a branch of the Family Court. Nearby on Marsden Street is the Parramatta Court House and the Drug Court of New South Wales.

The Garfield Barwick Commonwealth Law Courts Building (named in honor of Sir Garfield Barwick), houses courts of the Federal Magistrates Court and the Family Court of Australia.

There are plans for the redevelopment of the Parramatta Civic Centre and street mall. The proposal includes a state of the art culture and art centre and new plaza.

Numerous private businesses have also relocated their offices to Parramatta.^{[citation needed]}

Health Services[link]

A hospital known as The Colonial Hospital was established in Parramatta in 1818.^[26] This then became Parramatta District Hospital. Jeffery House was built in the 1940s. With the construction of the near-by Westmead Hospital complex public hospital services in Parramatta were reduced but after refurbishment Jeffery House again provides clinical health services.

Near-by, Brislington House has had a long history with health services. It is the oldest colonial building in Parramatta, dating to 1821.^[27] It became a doctors residence before being incorporated into the Parramatta Hospital in 1949.

On the northern fringe of Parramatta stands Cumberland Hospital, providing psychiatric health services.

Transport[link]

Parramatta is the major transport hub for western Sydney, servicing trains and buses, as well as having a ferry service.

Trains[link]

Parramatta railway station

Parramatta railway station is a major transport interchange on the CityRail network. It is served by the Blue Mountains line, Cumberland line and the Western line.^[28] The station was originally opened on 4 July 1860,^[29] five years after the first railway line in Sydney was opened in 1855, running from Sydney to Parramatta Junction (now Granville, New South Wales). It was recently upgraded, with work beginning in late 2003 and the new interchange opening on 19 February 2006.^[30] The original station still exists within the over-all structure as part of Platform 4.

Ferry[link]

Charles St Ferry Wharf, Parramatta

The Parramatta ferry wharf is at the Charles Street Weir, which divides the tidal saltwater from the freshwater of the upper river, on the eastern boundary of the Central Business District. The wharf is the westernmost destination of the Sydney Ferries River Cat ferry service which runs on Parramatta River.^[31]

Road[link]

Parramatta Road has always been an important thoroughfare for Sydney from its earliest days. From Parramatta the major western road for the state is the Great Western Highway The M4 Western Motorway, running parallel to the Great Western Highway has taken much of the traffic away from these roads, with entrance and exit ramps close to Parramatta.

James Ruse Drive serves as a partial ring-road circling around the eastern part of Parramatta to join with the Cumberland Highway to the north west of the city.

The main north-south route through Parramatta is Church Street. To the north it becomes Windsor Road, and to the south it becomes Woodville Road.

Bus[link]

Parramatta is also serviced by a major bus interchange. This includes the North West T-Way to Rouse Hill and the Liverpool-Parramatta T-way to Liverpool. Parramatta is also serviced by five high-frequency metrobus services which include:

• M52 - Parramatta to City via Victoria Road
• M54 - Parramatta to Macquarie Park via Carlingford and Epping
• M60 - Parramatta to Hornsby via Castle Hill
• M91 - Parramatta to Hurstville via Granville, Bankstown and Peakhurst
• M92 - Parramatta to Sutherland via Lidcombe, Bankstown and Padstow

Parramatta is also serviced by Hillsbus (part of Westbus), Sydney Buses, Busways and, Veolia buses which service other suburbs around Parramatta.^[32]

A free bus Route 900 is operated by Parramatta City Council in conjunction with the state government. Route 900 circles Parramatta CBD.^[33]

A free bus also links Parramatta Stadium to Parramatta railway station when the Parramatta Eels have a home game.

Places of worship[link]

St John's Cathedral

Church Street takes its name from St John's Cathedral (Anglican), which was built in 1803 and is the oldest church in Parramatta. While the present building is not the first on the site, the towers were built during the time of Governor Macquarie, and were based on those of the church at Reculver, England, at the suggestion of his wife, Elizabeth.^[34] The historic St John's Cemetery is located nearby on O'Connell Street.^[35]

St Patrick's Cathedral (Roman Catholic) is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Australia. Construction commenced in 1836, but it wasn't officially complete until 1837. In 1854 a new church was commissioned, although the tower was not completed until 1880, with the spire following in 1883.^[36] It was built on the site to meet the needs of a growing congregation. It was destroyed by fire in 1996, with only the stone walls remaining. On 29 November 2003, the new St Patrick's Cathedral was dedicated.^[37] The historic St Patricks Cemetery is located in North Parramatta.

The Uniting Church is represented by Leigh Memorial Church.^[38]

Parramatta Salvation Army is one of the oldest active Salvation Army Corps in Australia.

Parramatta is also home to the Parramatta and Districts Synagogue, which services the Jewish community of western Sydney.^[39]

A Buddhist temple is located in Cowper Street, Parramatta.^[40]

Parramatta's Mosque is hidden away in an apartment building on Marsden Street, Parrmatta.^[41]

The district is served by Hindu temples located on Eleanor St, Rosehill,^[42] and a Murugan temple in Mays Hill, off Great Western Highway.^[43]

Schools[link]

Public Schools

Arthur Phillip High School is the oldest public school in the district (it is in buildings which have been continuously used as a school since 1875), established in 1960 in its own right;

Parramatta High School was the first coeducational school in the Sydney Metropolitan area; established in 1913;

Macarthur Girls High School^[44] Successor to an earlier school Parramatta Commercial and Household Arts School.;

Macquarie Boys Technology High School

St Olivers School;

Parramatta Public School;^[45]

Parramatta East Public School;^[46]

Parramatta North Public School;^[47]

Parramatta West Public School.^[48]

Private Schools

St Patrick's Primary Parramatta;

Our Lady of Mercy College (OLMC); One of the oldest Catholic schools in Australia

Marist Brothers Parramatta, which is the oldest Catholic School in Australia began on the St Patrick Cathedral site before moving to Westmead;

Our Lady of Lebanon (Maronite school);^[49]

The Kings School, Parramatta

Redeemer Baptist School – situated on a heritage-listed area – former site of Burnside Orphanage;

Tara Anglican School for Girls sister school to Kings.

Tertiary Education

The University of Western Sydney's Parramatta campus occupies the site of the historic Female Orphan School;

Alphacrucis College^[50] is a national vocational and higher education college, located at 30 Cowper Street, Parramatta.

Parks[link]

Parramatta Park[link]

Parramatta River

Lennox Bridge

Parramatta Park is a large park adjacent to Parramatta Stadium. It was formerly the Governor's Domain – land set aside for the Governor to supply his farming needs. As the Governor's Domain the grounds were much larger than the modern Parramatta Park – extending from Parramatta Road to the south… evident by a small gatehouse adjacent to Parramatta High School.

Over time parts of the domain were re-allocated to make way for Parramatta High School, a golf course, the Western (railway) line, Parramatta RSL and Bowling Club, Parramatta Swimming Centre, and Parramatta Stadium.

The park contains Old Government House and thus Parramatta was once the capital of the colony of New South Wales until Governors returned to residing in Sydney in 1846.^[51] (Sydney also has a Governor's Domain adjacent to Government House). Another feature is the natural amphitheatre located on one of the bends of the river, named by Governor Philip as "the Crescent", which is used to stage concerts. Over 120 bird species have been recorded there.^{[citation needed]} It is home to the Dairy Cottage, built from 1798 to 1805, originally a single-room cottage and is one of the earliest surviving cottages in Australia. It was built for ex-convict George Salter. Between 1814 and 1816 it was converted to a dairy. The Tudor Gatehouse, on O'Connell Street, was erected by the Park Trust in 1885 and designed by Gordon McKinnon. It was restored in 1980. The remains of Governor Brisbane's private astronomical observatory, constructed in 1822, are visible. Astronomers who worked at the observatory, discovering thousands of new stars and deep sky objects, include James Dunlop and Carl Rümker. In 1822, the architect S. L. Harris designed the Bath House for Governor Brisbane and built it in 1823. Water was pumped to the building through lead pipes from the river. In 1886, it was converted into a pavilion.^[52]

Lake Parramatta[link]

Lake Parramatta is a 10-hectare reserve, based around a former reservoir. The catchment area for the lake is bounded by North Rocks Road, Pennant Hills Road and Hunts Creek. The entrance is from Lackey Street, North Parramatta. Parramatta River runs through the suburb in an easterly direction.

Culture[link]

• Riverbeats is an annual celebration of Parramatta River. The event includes the beautiful Loy Krathong (Thai Water Festival).^[53]
• Riverside Theatre is located on the northern bank of Parramatta River.
• The Parramatta Advertiser and the Parramatta Sun are the local newspapers serving Parramatta and surrounding suburbs.
• Tourism - Refer Wikitravel [5]

Sport[link]

Parramatta Stadium

• Parramatta Park is a popular venue for walking, jogging and bike riding.
• The Parramatta Swimming Centre is a busy place in the warmer months. It is currently undergoing a $7 million redevelopment program and has opened after the redevelopment^[54]
• Rosehill Gardens Racecourse hosts some of the most important events on the Australian horse racing calendar, including the prestigious Golden Slipper.
• Parramatta City Raceway hosts national and international sprintcar championships^[55]
• Parramatta Stadium is home to the Parramatta Eels rugby league team.

Population[link]

According to the 2006 census conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Parramatta had a population of 18,448 with the average age 30, compared to a national average of 37. Place of birth of 57.6% of residents was overseas, including 14.1% from India and 12.8% from China. Apart from English, the most common languages spoken were Mandarin (11%), Cantonese (6.5%), Arabic (5.5%), Hindi (5.1%) and Gujarati (3.2%). The religious affiliation responses were Catholic (21.3%), No Religion (18.3%), Hinduism (13.3%), Anglican (7.4%) and Islam (6.8%).^[1]

The majority of dwellings in Parramatta were apartments (72%), compared to a national average of 14%, and 58% of all dwellings were rented compared to a national average of 27%. The average rent in Parramatta was $230 per week, slightly higher than the national average of $190, but then the average weekly wage of $482 was also slightly higher than average ($466).^[1]

Notable residents[link]

• Richie Benaud (b.1930), cricketer and commentator
• Allan Cunningham (1791–1839), explorer and botanist
• Harry Hopman (1906–1985), tennis player
• David Lennox (1788–1873), colonial bridge builder
• John Lewin (1770–1819), first professional artist in New South Wales
• Rev. Samuel Marsden (1765–1838), known as the "flogging parson"
• Mary Cover Hassall (1799–1825), Methodist missionary to Tonga Island
• Dowell Philip O'Reilly (1865–1923), poet and politician

Climate[link]

Parramatta falls in the humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with warm to hot, humid summers and mild winters. Rainfall is common throughout the months, but the wettest is February. Parramatta is slightly warmer than Sydney CBD, but in extreme cases it can be 5-10 degrees warmer than Sydney. Rainfall is fairly evenly divided between summer and winter, but is slightly higher during the first three months of the year, when easterly winds dominate.^[56]

References[link]

• [6]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Parramatta, New South Wales

• Parramatta City Council website
• Parramatta News & Events
• Parramatta Transport Guide