Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the City of Canterbury Bankstown were the Bidjigal, Dharug and Gweagal Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the late 1700s when the first land grants were made to marines, free settlers and convicts. Land was used mainly for timber-getting, farming, market gardening and grazing. Development increased after the Great South Road (today’s Hume Highway) was completed in 1814, and then again after 1831 when settlement spread along the Cooks River, with roads and crossings made in several places. In 1841 the Australian Sugar Company built a sugar mill near the Cooks River to produce molasses and spirits. Other industries and trades such as boiling down works and tanneries were built along the river later. Development was slow until the 1880s, due largely to a lack of public transport and good roads and bridges. Population growth took place from the late 1800s, as railway lines were opened and land was subdivided, particularly in the areas closest to Sydney. Rapid growth took place from the early 1900s to the 1930s, spurred by improved access and the development of essential services. During World War II, significant aircraft and armaments operations were established at Bankstown Airport and the suburb of Villawood. Significant residential and industrial development occurred during the post-war years, with growth spreading southwards and westwards. The population of the City increased from about 142,000 in 1947 to about 267,000 in 1961, and then to about 293,000 in 1971. The population then declined slightly, falling to 280,000 in 1981. The population was relatively stable during the 1980s, then increased slightly to about 283,000 in 1991. The population continued to increase from the 1990s, with the most rapid growth from 2006. Growth in recent years has largely been from infill development (medium density housing) and town centre development in the Bankstown CBD.

Land use

The City of Canterbury Bankstown is a residential, commercial and industrial area. The City encompasses a total land area of 110 square kilometres.

Transport

The City of Canterbury Bankstown is served by the Hume Highway, the South Western Motorway, Bankstown Airport, and the Bankstown and East Hills railway lines.

Major features

• Major features of the City of Canterbury Bankstown include Georges River National Park,
• Mirambeena Regional Park,
• Wolli Creek Regional Park,
• Deepwater Park,
• The Cooks River,
• The Georges River,
• The Bankstown CBD,
• Bankstown Central Shopping Centre,
• Roselands Shopping Centre,
• TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute (Bankstown and Padstow Colleges and Lidcombe College Chullora Campus),
• Western Sydney University (Bankstown Campus),
• Potts Hill Reservoirs,
• Bankstown City Gardens (Memorial Park),
• East Hills Park,
• Maluga Passive Park,
• Salt Pan Creek Wetlands,
• Canterbury Velodrome,
• Dunc Gray Velodrome,
• Bankstown Paceway,
• Canterbury Park Racecourse,
• Belmore Sports Ground,
• The Crest Sporting Complex,
• Bankstown Golf Club,
• Canterbury Golf Course,
• Georges River Golf Course,
• Bankstown Arts Centre,
• Australian Aviation Museum,
• Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital and Canterbury Hospital.

Included areas