Georges Hall

Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Georges Hall
Sydney, New South Wales

Lake Gillawarna

Georges Hall suburb boundary

Coordinates| 33°54′44″S 150°59′08″E﻿ / ﻿33.91217°S 150.98557°E﻿ / -33.91217; 150.98557
Population| 9,739 (2021 census)[1]
• Density| 2,860/km2 (7,420/sq mi)
Established| 1924
Postcode(s)| 2198
Elevation| 17 m (56 ft)
Area| 3.4 km2 (1.3 sq mi)
Location| 24 km (15 mi) south-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)| City of Canterbury-Bankstown
State electorate(s)|

* Bankstown
* East Hills

Federal division(s)| Blaxland
| Suburbs around Georges Hall:

Lansvale | Lansdowne | Bass Hill
Lansvale | Georges Hall | Yagoona
Chipping Norton | Bankstown Aerodrome | Condell Park

Georges Hall within the City of Canterbury-Bankstown

Georges Hall, a suburb of local government area City of Canterbury-Bankstown, is located 24 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is part of the South-western Sydney region.

Georges Hall is bounded by the Georges River in the west and Bankstown Aerodrome in the south. The suburbs of Bass Hill and Condell Park lie to the north and east, respectively.

## History

[edit]

This suburb was originally part of Bankstown and Bankstown Airport (its nearest neighbour).

In 1795, George Bass, Matthew Flinders and the boy servant William Martin began an expedition to explore parts of the colony on a small boat called the Tom Thumb. They sailed into Botany Bay and explored the Georges River, twenty miles (32 km) beyond previous expeditions to the area that is now Garrison Point.

For their exploration efforts Bass was given a 100-acre (0.40 km2) grant by Governor John Hunter (in the area of present day Hazel Street and Flinders Road, alongside Prospect Creek) in 1798, neighbouring suburb Bass Hill honours his name. This grant later reverted to the Crown. Bass's fellow explorer, Mathew Flinders, received a grant south of Bass's (bounded by present day Marion St, Bellevue Ave, Flinders Rd and Prospect Creek). He bought more land until he had 300-acre (1.2 km2), but he did not farm it.

Lieutenant-Colonel George Johnston, built his first home, a farmhouse, in this area, on a grant of 172-acre (0.70 km2) in 1798.[2] It was situated on Prospect Creek, near the present day Henry Lawson Drive and Beatty Parade, he called it 'Georges Hall'. His third son, David became a grazier on this property (which was a farming area in its early days), and the suburb takes its name from the Johnston farm.

David Johnston was later appointed by Governor Lachlan Macquarie as superintendent of herds and stock for the colony. His older brother, George Jr. had held this position until his death in 1820 following a riding accident on the Macarthur property at Camden Park. In 1809 the farmhouse of George's Hall was used as an administration centre, where it was used to conduct the census. Garrison Point obtained its name from the garrison of soldiers that were stationed here to ensure the safety of Lt Colonel Johnston as he conducted a census in the area. The park is now the local focus of annual Australia Day celebrations in the Bankstown area.[3]

In 1837 another home was built by the Johnston family, this time it was on higher ground in Bankstown (in present Lionel Street), and well away from the danger of Georges River floods. The Homestead, as they called it, is one of the oldest houses in the local area, its design was simple but elegant, with wide verandahs, and the interior of the house featured cedar woodwork. The Johnston family has been commemorated by Johnston Road.

Street names in Georges Hall commemorate two First World War Soldiers - Lord Birdwood is immortalised by Birdwood Avenue, and another great soldier - Haig, by Haig Avenue.

## Heritage listings

[edit]

Georges Hall has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

* 1a Lionel Street: The Homestead[4]

## Parks and reserves

[edit]

Garrison Point is located near the junction of Georges River and Prospect Creek. Adjacent to Garrison Point is Lake Gillawarna, an artificial lake that forms an important breeding ground for native birds.

Garrison Point and Lake Gillawarna form the southern part of a larger reserve called Mirambeena Regional Park that extends into the adjacent suburb of Lansvale. A short distance south from Garrison Point is Kentucky Reserve, another recreational park area overlooking the Georges River, adjacent to Henry Lawson Drive.

## Population

[edit]

After WW2 Georges Hall expanded significantly with a large number of Eastern European refugees building homes in the area after migrating to Australia in the late 1940s and 1950s.

According to the 2021 census, there were 9,739 residents in Georges Hall. The majority of residents (62.2%) were born in Australia. Of those born outside of Australia, the top countries of birth were Lebanon 6.9%, Vietnam 5.0%, Greece 1.5%, Syria 1.4% and Italy 1.4%. 43.4% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Arabic 23.5%, Vietnamese 7.3%, Greek 3.9%, Italian 1.9% and Macedonian 1.7%. The most common responses for religion in Georges Hall were Catholic 26.7%, Islam 24.7%, Not stated 10.1%, Eastern Orthodox 10.1% and No Religion 10.1%. Home ownership was popular, with 39.4% of people owning their home outright and 38.2% were paying off their home with a mortgage.[1]

## Schools

[edit]

* Calvary Chapel Christian School
* Georges Hall Public School
* St. Mary's, Queen of Heaven Primary School
* Georges River Grammar (note that it is not technically in the suburb, but their mailing address is in Georges Hall - the school is actually in Bankstown Aerodrome)

## Landmarks

[edit]

* Bankstown Airport – a metropolitan airport
* Dunc Gray Velodrome
* The Reservoir
* Mirambeena Reserve
* Lake Gillawarna - including an island full of Ibis
* The Homestead, Lionel Street. This large, single-storey house was built by David Johnston in 1837. It is now listed on the Register of the National Estate.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics. "Georges Hall (State Suburb)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
2. ^ Book of Sydney Suburbs, p. 107
3. ^ Book of Sydney Suburbs, Frances Pollon (Angus and Robertson) 1990, p. 107
4. ^ "Homestead, The". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00448. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
5. ^ The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p. 2/12

## External links

[edit]

* How Did Your Suburb Get Its Name?
* Bankstown Airport.
* Sydney's inner west Online: Parklands, reserves, national parks

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Georges Hall, New South Wales.

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City of Canterbury Bankstown suburbs, localities, and other topics

Suburbs and localities
within City of Canterbury Bankstown|

* Ashbury
* Bankstown
* Bankstown Aerodrome
* Bass Hill
* Belfield
* Belmore
* Beverly Hills
* Birrong
* Campsie
* Canterbury
* Chester Hill
* Chullora
* Clemton Park
* Condell Park
* Croydon Park
* Earlwood
* East Hills
* Georges Hall
* Greenacre
* Hurlstone Park
* Kingsgrove
* Lakemba
* Lansdowne
* Leightonfield
* Milperra
* Mount Lewis
* Narwee
* Padstow
* Padstow Heights
* Panania
* Picnic Point
* Potts Hill
* Punchbowl
* Regents Park
* Revesby
* Revesby Heights
* Riverwood
* Roselands
* Sefton
* Undercliffe
* Villawood
* Wiley Park
* Yagoona

History|

* 118th General Hospital (United States Army)
* Bankstown Bunker
* HMS Nabberley
* Milperra massacre
* No. 1 Fighter Sector RAAF
* Sydney gang rapes

Education|

* Al Amanah College
* Bankstown Girls High School
* Bankstown Senior College
* Birrong Girls High School
* Bass High School
* Canterbury Boys' High School
* Georges River Grammar
* LaSalle Catholic College, Bankstown
* Malek Fahd Islamic School
* St Euphemia College
* Sefton High School
* Western Sydney University

Public transport bus service|

* Transit Systems
* U-Go Mobility

Public transport by rail|

* Metro North West & Bankstown Line (future)
* Lidcombe & Bankstown Line
* Airport & South Line
* Bankstown station
* Belmore station
* Birrong station
* Campsie station
* Canterbury station
* Chester Hill station
* East Hills station
* Hurlstone Park station
* Lakemba station
* Leightonfield station
* Padstow station
* Panania station
* Punchbowl station
* Revesby station
* Sefton station
* Villawood station
* Wiley Park station
* Yagoona station

Sports facilities and
public parks|

* Bankstown Oval
* Belmore Sports Ground
* Canterbury Park Racecourse
* Cooks River
* Dunc Gray Velodrome
* Garrison Point
* Georges River National Park
* Jensen Oval
* McLeod Reserve
* Mirambeena Regional Park
* Salt Pan Creek
* Terry Lamb Complex

Other utilities|

* Bankstown Airport
* Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital
* Canterbury Hospital
* Villawood Immigration Detention Centre

Sports teams|

* Bankstown Bruins
* Bankstown City FC
* Bankstown District Cricket Club
* Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
* Canterbury Bankstown FC
* Chester Hill Rhinos
* Sydney Bulls

Notable residents
past and present|

* Josh Addo-Carr
* Bryan Brown
* John Burgess
* Paulini Curuenavuli
* Tyler De Nawi
* Alex Dimitriades
* Anh Do
* Casey Donovan
* Taj El-Din Hilaly
* Brett Emerton
* Blake Ferguson
* Mamdouh Habib
* John Howard
* Hard-Ons
* Brett Holman
* Paul Keating
* Terry Lamb
* Ken Moroney
* Kevin Moss
* Anthony Mundine
* Rebecca Rippon
* Geoff Robinson
* Akmal Saleh
* Bilal Skaf
* Vince Sorrenti
* Ian Thorpe
* Mark Waugh
* Steve Waugh

Electorates|

* Federal divisions
* Banks
* Barton
* Blaxland
* Watson
* State districts
* Auburn
* Bankstown
* Canterbury
* East Hills
* Fairfield

Other topics|

* Ashfield Reservoir
* Bankstown Bites Food Festival
* Bankstown Central
* Bethungra, Canterbury
* Canterbury Bankstown region
* Chipping Norton Lake
* Cooks River Sewage Aqueduct
* Duck River (New South Wales)
* Earlwood Aboriginal Art Site
* Henry Lawson Drive
* King Georges Road
* Lakemba Mosque
* Meccano Set
* Old Sugarmill
* Pressure Tunnel and Shafts
* Roselands Shopping Centre
* The Homestead
* Wolli Creek Aqueduct

List of Sydney suburbs

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

|

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