108-534: The Bankstown railway line is a suburban railway which traverses the Inner West and Canterbury-Bankstown areas of Sydney . West of Bankstown it is used by T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown services, while east of Bankstown it is temporarily closed to facilitate conversion for its future use by M1 North West & Bankstown services. As originally built, the line branched from the Illawarra railway line just south of Sydenham at Meeks Road Junction, approximately 6 kilometres southwest of Central . From here
216-537: A branch from the Illawarra railway line at Sydenham to Belmore . Railway authorities initially conceived of the line as a opportunity to alleviate pressure on the Old Main South railway line by providing an alternate route to Liverpool , and also to advance development of the intervening land. However, the 1890s depression constrained the development of the line. Increased suburban development prompted
324-462: A contract with the government for the extension of a number of lines in the colony, including the line from Campbelltown to Menangle. Rhodes had arrived from England as an agent of Peto, Brassey & Betts for the execution of the contract. This contract was exempt from the rules of public competition as the government felt there was no suitable contractor available to complete the work. The existing contractors were either unreliable, not going to submit
432-410: A four-year project to upgrade the line was completed. The work included the re-sleepering of the entire line, replacing the former wooden sleepers with the more durable concrete ones, replacement and upgrade of the signalling , and also replacement of the ageing catenary , mostly with the more modern double contact wire variety. The lengthy upgrade process was noted for its "January Closedowns", in which
540-541: A hub for Chinese immigrants, especially those from Shanghai , known as "Little Shanghai". Burwood has likewise become a hub for Chinese immigrants and overseas students. Towards the end of the 20th century, the proliferation of alternative cultures in the inner suburbs such as Newtown led to a wave of gentrification. Along the foreshore and in the outer suburbs of the Inner West, industrial facilities were returned to residential use. The Colgate-Palmolive factory and
648-456: A large sawmill at Cabramatta and sourced wood (primarily Ironbark ) from the nearby forest. This wood was used for the sleepers on the extension. On 7 May 1857, construction began with, "the first turf of the railway in extension of the great Southern Railway from Liverpool to Campbelltown, was turned (. . .) without any particular ceremony." Randle, having been able to keep to the scheduled completion date of 1 September, offered to continue
756-486: A longer, extended closure to occur immediately prior to the commencement of metro services. In 2023, with conversion of the line having fallen a year behind schedule, the NSW Government announced that the opening of Sydney Metro City & Southwest would be staged, with services metro services not reaching Bankstown until late 2025, after a 12-month closure of the line for conversion works. Since 30 September 2024
864-702: A loop back toward the City Circle via Lidcombe and the Main Suburban railway line . In 1926, the line between Sydenham and Bankstown became the second in Sydney to be electrified. To service the new electric rolling stock , Punchbowl Maintenance Depot was built on the line just east of Bankstown. Electrification was extended from Bankstown to Regents Park in 1939. A new station between Lakemba and Punchbowl at Wiley Park opened on 19 June 1938. Punchbowl Maintenance Depot closed in 1994. In January 2006,
972-399: A number of commercial centres in the Inner West. For example, Haberfield and Leichhardt became distinguished by the concentration of Italian businesses, while Petersham became the hub of Sydney's Portuguese community. Continued industrial development and the influx of blue collar workers, including European immigrants, accelerated the disparity between suburbs. In 1977, Strathfield was
1080-475: A number of men working on the project had left to assist with the harvest of nearby farms. But, at the same time, it was noted that brickmaking and other works were continuing in their absence. By 13 March 1860, the progress of the extension was characterised as, "generally a forward aspect, and, with the exception of the bridge over the Nepean, that portion of the line might be completed within four months." It
1188-399: A proposal, or unable to complete the contract. By July 1859, construction "begins to exhibit considerable progress in the cuttings and embankments". And by August 1859, Rhodes had made significant progress on the extensions. Two thirds of the works had been finished with a third of this ready for the laying of the ballast and rails. The progress was characterised as being constructed, "with
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#17327914394791296-798: A substantial section of the Canterbury-Bankstown area). All four federal seats have been held by the Australian Labor Party since the 2022 federal election , when the Labor Party won the division of Reid from the Liberal Party which had held it since 2013. The four local government areas of the Municipality of Burwood , City of Canada Bay , Inner West Council and Municipality of Strathfield are sometimes referred to in local government contexts as
1404-579: Is developing. Main bicycle routes include two north–south routes: one located in the western part of the Inner West called the Cooks River cycleway or "Bay to Bay" cycleway, which connects Ryde to the north with the Cooks River valley and Botany Bay to the southeast, and another located further east called the Greenway which connects Iron Cove in the north to the Cooks River valley where it joins
1512-437: Is mostly a subset of the regions in the two definitions outlined above, excluding the inner western and inner southwestern suburbs such as Glebe, Enmore, Petersham and Marrickville, which are instead in the region called "City and Inner South". As it is based on suburb boundaries, it also includes some small areas that fall outside the definitions outlined above, such as the part of the suburb of Strathfield South that lies south of
1620-428: Is now Sydney Olympic Park . This geographical dividing strip has long coincided with council boundaries: the former municipalities of Concord, Homebush and Strathfield lay to its east, while the former municipalities of Rookwood and Bankstown lay to its west. The creek marking the former boundary between Homebush and Rookwood is named "Boundary Creek". Since the new A3 arterial road (Homebush Bay Drive / Centenary Drive)
1728-591: Is now barely a trickle lined by residential areas, parkland and fast-food restaurants. The " Sydney - Inner West " statistical area defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics covers most of the Inner West by most customary definitions, but not all of it: suburbs in the eastern and southeastern edge of the customary region which are in the City of Sydney and the former Marrickville Council areas, such as Glebe, Enmore, Petersham and Marrickville, are instead in
1836-474: Is now confined to the dedicated freight tracks of the parallel Metropolitan Goods railway line between Marrickville and Campsie . Historically, the connection of the Bankstown railway line to other railway lines at each end allowed suburban passenger services to operate a large loop from the City Circle via the Main Suburban railway line , Lidcombe and Regents Park to Bankstown before returning to
1944-479: Is often seen as the boundary between the Inner West and the inner city/ Eastern Suburbs /inner south region. The Inner West is alternatively defined as corresponding to the Parish of Petersham and Parish of Concord , two cadastral divisions used for land titles . This largely agrees with the customary definition above, except for some suburbs immediately to the east or west of the cadastral boundaries. For example,
2052-660: Is possible there may have been a personal and/or professional conflict between the Chief Commissioner, Captain Martindale and the Executive Government, and Rhodes. On 20 June 1860, Rhodes subsequently acknowledged this loss of faith by the government. On 23 October 1861, it was reported that the line is being ballasted in a number of places between Campbelltown and Picton with the permanent way being laid between Campbelltown and Menangle. The work
2160-613: Is sometimes referred to as part of the Inner West. The contested meaning of the term "Inner West" is itself considered a cultural phenomenon in Sydney: in reference to this, Michael Koziol, the Sydney editor of the Sydney Morning Herald , has written humorously that "the inner west is a state of mind". Based on the above definitions and the former distribution area of the Inner West Courier local newspaper,
2268-629: Is thus ill-defined. Near the source of the Cooks River and at the point at which the two rivers run closest to each other, a large, uninhabited area stretches between the two rivers, occupied by the Enfield rail yards (now the Enfield Intermodel Logistics Centre), the Chullora rail yards, Rookwood Cemetery , Flemington Maintenance Depot , and former industrial land stretching north to the shores of Homebush Bay, which
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#17327914394792376-408: Is under construction. When completed, it will provide a further connection for suburbs in the north of the Inner West, to Sydney CBD in the east, and to Sydney Olympic Park and Parramatta in the west. There are various bus routes provided largely operated by Transit Systems . Sydney Ferries operates services in the inner harbour and Parramatta River, with a number of wharves serving suburbs in
2484-560: The City of Canterbury-Bankstown lies to its west. The eastern boundary is less well defined, as many suburbs immediately to the west of the Sydney city centre are alternatively regarded as part of the Inner West or as part of the city or "inner city" region. Customarily, either the A36 arterial road (Princes Highway/King Street/City Road) or the local arterial route formed by Sydney Park Road, Mitchell Road, Gibbon Street/Botany Road and Regent Street
2592-700: The Illawarra and Southern Sydney , passes through the southeastern part of the Inner West, with stations at Erskineville , St Peters and Sydenham . Connecting to the Illawarra railway line at Sydenham is the Bankstown railway line , which heads westward through the southern part of the Inner West as far as Canterbury before crossing the Cooks River. This section of the Bankstown railway line has been temporarily closed since September 2024 for conversion works to enable Sydney Metro M1 services to operate over it. The Sydney Metro West rapid transit rail line
2700-567: The Liberal Party , Canterbury, Strathfield and Summer Hill represented by the Australian Labor Party, and Balmain and Newtown represented by The Greens . In the federal parliament , the area is represented by the electorate of Grayndler and part of the electorates of Reid (which also covers a small part of Greater Western Sydney), Sydney (which also covers the city centre) and Watson (which also encompasses
2808-470: The Sydney metropolitan area . Since 1924, the line branches from the Main Suburban railway line at Lidcombe and runs via Regents Park to Cabramatta , where it rejoins the original route from Granville . The line then heads towards Campbelltown and Macarthur , the current limit of electrification and suburban passenger services . The electrification previously extended to Glenlee Colliery , but this
2916-467: The Sydney-Albury telegraph line . On 29 August 1857, it was reported that the construction of the railway was advancing rapidly and that, "...there are a great many men already at work clearing the most woody portion of the line, about four miles from here, the real track is now easily to be traced by the formidable looking posts erected for the electric telegraph." Even prior to the opening of
3024-919: The Wangal , whose land was immediately to the west of the Cadigals and stretched to about Homebush Bay . Other clans that would have been regular visitors to the area would have included the Birrabirragal and Muru-ora-dial in what is now the Eastern Suburbs , the Bediagal and Kameygal from the Cooks River area to the south, the Burramattagal from the Parramatta area to the west, and the Wallumattagal, Cammeraigal and Gorualgal from
3132-402: The drowned valley that forms Sydney Harbour . This forms a series of large bays along the southern shore, the largest of these being (from west to east) Homebush Bay , Hen and Chicken Bay and Iron Cove . The presence of these bays have had a significant effect on patterns of development in the region and the placement of infrastructure such as roads and railways. In between the two rivers,
3240-731: The "Inner West local government areas". Old Main South railway line The Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales , Australia. It runs from Sydney to Albury , near the Victorian border. The line passes through the Southern Highlands , Southern Tablelands , South West Slopes and Riverina regions. The Main Southern Railway commences as an electrified pair of tracks in
3348-469: The Bankstown railway line. Parramatta Road is a major arterial road that runs through the middle of the Inner West, connecting it with the major centres of Sydney City in the east and Parramatta in the west. At Summer Hill, Liverpool Road (the Hume Highway ) branches from Parramatta Road and proceeds in a southwesterly direction towards Melbourne. The M4 road largely runs as a motorway tunnel under
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3456-598: The City Circle via Sydenham and the Illawarra railway line , and vice versa. It also allowed services to begin from Liverpool or Lidcombe and reach the City Circle via Bankstown and Sydenham without using the Main Suburban railway line. This was the configuration in which Sydney Trains services most recently operated over the full length of the line, branded as the T3 Bankstown Line. This service
3564-549: The Cooks River and the parts of several suburbs that lie west of the A3 road. Another customary definition of the Inner West is by local government areas. In this customary definition, the Inner West Council , City of Canada Bay , the Municipality of Strathfield and the Municipality of Burwood make up the Inner West. This definition is sometimes used in local government administrative contexts. This definition excludes
3672-467: The Cooks River cycleway, an east–west route from Five Dock to the Anzac Bridge cycleway, a northwest route from Gladesville Bridge to Anzac Bridge , and a southwest route from Marrickville to the city via Newtown. Groups of local bicycle user groups (BUGs) provide help for new cyclists, under the parent banner of Bicycle New South Wales. In the state parliament , the region is represented by
3780-672: The Great Southern Railway, commencing near to the Campbelltown Station , in the parish of St Peter , and county of Cumberland , at a point marked A on the proclaimed Plan, and terminating near to the Nepean River , at a point marked B on the proclaimed Plan, in the parish of Menangle, and county of Cumberland, being a distance of five miles and sixty chains." In April 1859, Peto, Brassey & Betts , represented by their agent, Alexander Rhodes, signed
3888-555: The Inner West generally includes the suburbs: Other suburbs sometimes referred to as being in the Inner West, especially in commercial contexts, include: Prior to the arrival of the First Fleet , the Sydney region was home to the Darug people . This nation was broken up into a number of Aboriginal clans who tended to live in a certain geographic area. Each clan contained about 50 to 100 people and, to avoid genetic problems,
3996-511: The Inner West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A number of large residences were turned to industrial use, such as Arthur Renwick 's Abbotsford House, which became Nestlé 's chocolate factory, and Roland Ducker's Strathroy in Cabarita, which became the paint factory of British Australian Lead Manufacturers (BALM), later Dulux. However, the residential suburbs continued to be popular. For example, Australian prime ministers who lived in
4104-475: The Inner West in this period include William McMahon , Earle Page , George Reid , Frank Forde and Billy Hughes . A number of the high quality residential developments in the period immediately after the Federation of Australia are highly regarded ensembles of Australian residential architecture and heritage protected, including the large scale Haberfield "garden suburb" development, which began in 1901,
4212-495: The Inner West is defined by the southern catchments of the Parramatta River , the northern boundary of the region, and the northern catchment of the Cooks River , the southern boundary. The western boundary of the region is near the source of the Cooks River. The Hume Highway approximately follows the ridgeline between the two catchments. In this region, Parramatta River widens via a series of bays and transitions into
4320-561: The Inner West reflects the distinct waves of development in its history. The inner-most suburbs of the Inner West were developed early in the life of the colony, and preserve stone houses from the Victorian era and earlier. The inner suburbs of the Inner West were largely subdivided in the 19th century for suburban development, and a large number of two-storey terraced houses and one-storey terraced and timber cottages survive in suburbs such as Glebe , Newtown and Annandale . Further away from
4428-473: The Inner West region are customary, not administrative or legal, and as such are defined differently in different contexts. The northern and southern boundaries are natural and thus generally well defined: they are the Parramatta River and the Cooks River respectively. In the west, the upper reaches of the Cooks River flow close to, but do not meet, the Parramatta River, and the western boundary
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4536-673: The Inner West, partly parallel to Parramatta Road. The M4 tunnel has a major junction near Haberfield, with one branch joining the surface road Parramatta Road, another joining the A4 surface road towards the Sydney CBD, and a third branch continuing east as a tunnel under the northern and eastern portion of the Inner West to connect with Anzac Bridge and the M8 motorway via the Rozelle Interchange . Ongoing projects will eventually extend
4644-741: The Inner West. The Inner West is the location of several tertiary institutions such as the University of Sydney at the eastern end in Camperdown, and a major campus of the Australian Catholic University and the Catholic Institute of Sydney at the western end in Strathfield. A relatively high proportion of the population consists of tertiary students, both in the areas around these institutions, and in
4752-454: The Inner West. For example, Beaconsfield is variously considered part of inner city, Eastern Suburbs or inner south Sydney, but is also sometimes referred as part of the Inner West. Likewise, Wentworth Point is part of Greater Western Sydney by any of the above definitions, separated from the Inner West by Sydney Olympic Park and the waters of Homebush Bay , and is normally considered part of that region in administrative contexts, but
4860-559: The Lever Brothers soap factory, both in Balmain, were converted into apartments. Both Abbotsford House and Strathroy House, mentioned above, were restored and returned to residential use, while the factories that were built around them were replaced by upmarket housing developments. Likewise, the flour mills which have long dominated the skyline of Summer Hill was redeveloped for residential use. Reflecting these changes, by 2017,
4968-654: The Liverpool Hospital, where it was found that life was quite extinct." Finally, 29 April 1858 saw the first train arrived within one hundred yards of Campbelltown Railway Station . This train carried the Commissioner of Railways (Captain Ben Martindale), Chief Engineer John Whitton , and staff of the railway office. They then inspected the buildings and subsequently boarded the train to return to Sydney. The Liverpool – Campbelltown railway line
5076-641: The Metropolitan Goods railway line turns away from the alignment towards Enfield Yard. Between Punchbowl and Bankstown is the former location of the Punchbowl Maintenance Depot , which has since been redeveloped for housing. Bankstown is the foremost station on the line. Originally a through station, it is being rebuilt into two abutting terminal stations , with Sydney Metro services to operate eastward from it and Sydney Trains services to operate westward. Just west of Bankstown
5184-517: The Parish of Petersham, but most of neighbouring Redfern and Alexandria are not. The Australian Bureau of Statistics also defines a statistical region (Statistical Area Level 4) called "Inner West". This region comprises most of the Municipality of Strathfield , Municipality of Burwood and the City of Canada Bay , as well as the former Municipality of Ashfield and Municipality of Leichhardt (both now part of Inner West Council ). This region
5292-440: The area in the 19th century, such as the Municipality of Newtown in 1862, the Municipality of Petersham , the Municipality of Leichhardt and the Municipality of Ashfield in 1871, the Municipality of Burwood in 1874, the Municipality of Concord in 1883 and the Municipality of Strathfield in 1885. During the last quarter of the 19th century, Sydney's tram network expanded into the Inner West, and continued expanding into
5400-413: The area were subdivided for commercial and residential development, such as Ashfield Park in 1838. The construction of the Main Suburban railway line in 1855 spurred further development, especially at the original stations of Newtown, Ashfield, Burwood and Homebush. Many of the original land grants in the area were subdivided for commercial and residential development in the decades following the arrival of
5508-474: The city, a large number of grand houses of the Victorian era are still standing, though many have been subdivided or are no longer in residential use. After these suburbs were subdivided around the turn of the 20th century, Federation architecture dominated the style of suburban houses, simplifying over time to the Australian Californian bungalow style which is still found throughout most of
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#17327914394795616-449: The community about the priority of the line over other lines such as the one to Windsor , Penrith , and Singleton . On 16 November 1857, the government projected the cost and constraints for the line to, "not exceed £10,000 per mile; the worst gradient being 1 in 80, and the smallest radius of a curve 40 chains." Proclamation of the line was made 4 November 1858 and published the following day as, "to make and complete that portion of
5724-593: The company of labour, preparations for the construction of a railway reaching Campbelltown didn't commence until 1857 via the issue of a notice from the Commissioner of Railways. In the meantime, the plans and estimates (at approximately £11,500 per mile) for the line were completed and sent to the Colonial Secretary in August 1856. These plans and estimates were considered to be, "in such a state of forwardness, that they may be contracted for at once". As per
5832-405: The construction of the line through to Campbelltown at the same cost per mile. However, the commissioners, "declined to accept it, having determined to advertise for tenders for each portion separately". Initially, a Mr. Hall had won the tender for the remaining distance to Campbelltown, but through some arrangement (nefarious or otherwise), Randle had been announced as the winner of the tender. It
5940-507: The contractors." It is at this time, with the line ready for laying, the viaduct crossing the formidable Nepean River was the main obstacle to the completion of the line into Menangle. Flooding from the river had recently destroyed some embankments and carried off some sleepers but no injuries were reports. South of the Nepean River, the line resumes along a high embankment and passes by, "a cluster of houses known as Riversford ,
6048-577: The earliest possible opportunity. On 29 October 1856, it was announced that the Great Southern Railway was to be extended [single line] from Liverpool to Campbelltown with the stations between Liverpool and Campbelltown yet to be determined although, "every landholder on the line is quite prepared to prove to the satisfaction of the Commissioners that the proper place for a station is on his property." Owing to financial difficulties, turnover of skilled specialist, and several gold rushes depriving
6156-472: The early 20th century, eventually serving almost all of the Inner West, as far afield as Cabarita, Enfield and Canterbury. In 1895, a suburban railway line was built, branching from the Illawarra railway line at Sydenham , which provided access to the railway for suburbs in the south of the Inner West, such as Marrickville and Dulwich Hill . Due to its central location and easy access by water, rail and road, large scale industrial development occurred in
6264-429: The electoral districts of Balmain , Canterbury , Drummoyne , Newtown , Strathfield and Summer Hill . The split of these seats amongst the three largest parties has been relatively consistent. Since 2015, when the Australian Labor Party regained Strathfield from the Liberal Party of Australia, and Summer Hill and Newtown were contested for the first time, the split has remained the same, with Drummoyne represented by
6372-413: The end of World War II brought a large number of migrants to the Inner West, primarily from European countries. Many migrants were attracted to the area by the availability of industrial jobs, proximity to the city and the good availability of public transport. The change in demographics also brought ethnically distinct shops, cafes and restaurants, giving a cosmopolitan character to the commercial areas of
6480-407: The energy and admirable system; which have characterised the operations of these eminent contractors in various parts of the world". On 12 November 1859, the progress of construction was reported to be well advanced with considerable earthworks, wooden bridges, several culverts and under bridges having been completed. The work was described as being, "in a very forward state, and will, if it receives
6588-597: The entire line was closed in January for the bulk of the upgrade work to take place. As part of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project, the line from Sydenham to Bankstown is being converted from its current double deck commuter rail configuration to a rapid transit line. This will allow much a higher frequency service and will alleviate bottlenecks in the Sydney Trains system, but ensuring
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#17327914394796696-418: The extension, land values surrounding the railway corridor was noted to have increased by 250 percent, and the anticipation of the opening was growing. On 17 April 1858, a navvy (by the name of "Romilly") working on the construction of the extension was killed when, "a truck of sleepers passing along the rail by mischance overturned upon the unfortunate man. He was picked up senseless, and at once conveyed to
6804-400: The inner west. While many of the older houses have been replaced by new constructions, a number of areas have retained contiguous areas of housing stock from the early 20th century or earlier, and a number of heritage conservation zones have been created to preserve the character of these areas. During the 20th century, low- to medium-rise apartment blocks began to proliferate, especially along
6912-464: The inner-most suburbs that are within the City of Sydney council area and southern suburbs that are within the City of Canterbury-Bankstown , but includes some suburbs that lie outside the above definitions but are within the Municipality of Strathfield. Commercial sources, especially in the real estate context, sometimes refer to suburbs that are not in any of the definitions above as being in
7020-490: The line by the Governor General. The press attending the inspection also noted, "the country [the railway] traverses offers great facilities for railway continuation, being for the most part level and even." The building of the railway wasn't without incident as on 16 August 1856, a man died as a result of a derailment. The guard on the front of the train noted, "a plank lying across the rails near where [a fencer]
7128-433: The line east of Bankstown has been temporarily closed, with buses replacing rail services between Sydenham and Bankstown. Inner West (Sydney) The Inner West of Sydney is an area directly west of the Sydney central business district , New South Wales , Australia . The suburbs that make up the Inner West are predominantly located along the southern shore of Port Jackson ( Parramatta River ), stretching south to
7236-470: The line meets modern metro standards is a technically challenging undertaking, particularly with some of the stations which have curved platforms over a century old. Planning approval of the upgrade of the line between Sydenham and Bankstown was received in December 2018. Intermittent temporary closures began in December 2019 for works to prepare for the conversion to metro standards, with the expectation of
7344-563: The line runs westward along the valley of the Cooks River , parallel to the Metropolitan Goods railway line . At Dulwich Hill the line passes by the former Wardell Road Junction, where the Dulwich Hill light rail line now terminates with an overbridge interchange to the railway station. Just past Canterbury , the line crosses to the southern side of the Cooks River. From here the line passes through Campsie , after which
7452-521: The line to be extended to Bankstown on 14 April 1909, with intermediate stations at Lakemba and Punchbowl . In 1916, the Metropolitan Goods railway line was constructed, running parallel to the line between Marrickville to Campsie . On 16 July 1928, the line was extended from Bankstown to Sefton Park Junction, where it joined the Main Southern railway line between Regents Park and Sefton . This allowed trains to operate to Liverpool, or in
7560-404: The line turns sharply northward, passing through Yagoona and Birrong to reach the western endpoint of the line at Sefton Park Junction. Here, the line connects to the Main Southern railway line between Regents Park and Sefton . The line has been used primarily for suburban passenger services since its opening. Though some freight services used the line earlier in its history, cargo traffic
7668-778: The line: the Picton tunnel, the Yerrinbool tunnel, the Aylmerton tunnel, the Gib ( Mt Gibraltar ) tunnel, and the two "up" track tunnels in the Bethungra Spiral . The line north of Macarthur is maintained by Transport Asset Holding Entity . South of Macarthur the line is leased to the Australian Rail Track Corporation until 2064. Though the bulk of the line has a maximum gradient of 1.5%,
7776-478: The men would marry women from other clans. So the clans were interrelated and members from one clan would frequently travel in the territory of others, including to hunt, trade and perform ceremonies. They didn't consider themselves owners of the land, rather custodians. What is now the Inner West was formerly home to two clans, the Cadigal , whose land stretched along Port Jackson from South Head to Lewisham , and
7884-509: The most expensive suburb in metropolitan Sydney measured by median house price, while inner suburbs of the Inner West, such as Leichhardt, were cheaper than outer Western suburbs such as Bankstown . The pattern of immigrant settlement continued and radiated further west after the end of the White Australia Policy changed the ethnic makeup of Australia's migrant intake. For example, in the late 20th century, Ashfield became
7992-462: The new one through Menangle unite; the line crosses the former road a few yards beyond its junction with the latter; being slightly above the level of the road, the road has been raised for a level crossing. The formation of the line as far as the Camden road has for a long time been finished, and is ready for the ballasting and permanent way; and temporary rails have been laid down for the convenience of
8100-519: The northern part of the Inner West. The Sydney RiverCat services in particular are designed to navigate the relatively shallow waterways on the Parramatta River route , connecting the Inner West with northern Sydney across the river, Parramatta in the west, and the Sydney CBD in the east. The Inner West Light Rail connects Central to the Inner West via Pyrmont, with stops in Glebe, Lilyfield, Leichhardt, Lewisham and Dulwich Hill , an interchange with
8208-413: The northern shores of the Parramatta River. Land grants in the Inner West area began in the late 18th century. By 1814, a stage coach was running between the two major settlements of Sydney (to the east) and Parramatta (to the west), then further west to Richmond . This spurred the development of several settlements along the stage coach route, now Parramatta Road . A number of the large land grants in
8316-457: The notice, the line was to commence from the south end of Liverpool Railway Station , "and extend thence for twelve miles eight chains, or thereabouts, in a south-westerly direction, through the parishes of Saint Luke, Minto, and Saint Peter, to the Town of Campbelltown, and ending at the south fence of a lane on the property of Charles Morris..." The line was to not exceed a gradient of 1 in 100 and
8424-449: The railway line. These have in turn been succeeded by the construction of medium- to high-rise apartment blocks in the late 20th century, especially around major stations such as Strathfield and Burwood, and in the redevelopment of formerly industrial land throughout the region and especially along the Parramatta River waterfront. Nevertheless, government planning controls seek to preserve the low-density residential land use throughout much of
8532-507: The railway, such as the Village of Homebush in 1878. The colony's elite - politicians, judges, industrialists and businessmen - began to build grand homes in the "outer" parts of the Inner West, such as the Arnott family (of the biscuit empire) and the family of David Jones (the retailer), who built various homes in Strathfield. As a result of population growth, local governments formed in
8640-742: The region called "City and Inner South". According to the 2021 census , the Sydney - Inner West statistical area had a total population of 304,771 people. The most common reported ancestries were English 20.7%, Australian 17.8%, Chinese 16.5%, Italian 9.5% and Irish 9.2%, with 57.1% of people having both parents born overseas. 52.8% of people were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were mainland China 7.9%, India 3.4%, Nepal 3.0%, England 2.8% and Italy 2.4%. 54.1% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 8.6%, Cantonese 4.1%, Italian 3.7%, Nepali 2.9% and Korean 2.5%. The median weekly household income
8748-631: The region includes trains, buses, ferries and light rail. The Inner West is bisected by the Main Suburban railway line , the main trunk of the Sydney Trains network. BMT , CCN , T1 , T2 , T3 and T9 services operate along this railway line, though many only serve limited stops. To the east, these services provide access to Central and the Sydney CBD , while to the west of Strathfield they progressively branch out into Northern Sydney , Western Sydney and beyond. The Illawarra railway line , used by Sydney Trains SCO , T4 and T8 services to
8856-508: The residents in which are chiefly cultivators of the rich agricultural land through which the line runs for some distance, and which is the property of Messrs. Macarthur ." The government and Rhodes were often arguing over the cost and delays in completing the contract. In March 1860, in a review of the contract for the construction of the line, Rhodes submitted their version to the Legislative Assembly of events leading up to
8964-411: The river, a platform was constructed at a terminus of the line to allow passengers to board and alight from the train. This terminus was only temporary as, "the permanent Menangle Station is to be ready a mile further on the south side of the Nepean." The extension from Campbelltown to the temporary terminus was opened for traffic on 1 September 1862. The opening of the line attracted dignitaries from
9072-490: The ruling grade of the line is 2.5% due to short, steep sections of track between Binalong and Harden. On 26 September 1855, the first railway in New South Wales, the Sydney to Granville railway opened. Exactly a year later, a branch was opened from what was known as Parramatta Junction (the present day Granville ) to Liverpool . The Liverpool line extension commenced from Parramatta Junction (now Granville) and
9180-493: The same amount of labour that has hitherto been bestowed upon it, soon be ready for the permanent way". However, Rhodes was feeling the pressure of delivery on time. Rhodes criticised the Engineer-in-Chief of withholding rails and expressed, "remonstrances [...] that the timber bridges proposed for the lines would not be sufficiently strong for the traffic they would have to carry." It did not help Rhodes' cause that
9288-587: The shores of the Cooks River . The western boundary of the Inner West is approximately the A3 arterial road (Homebush Bay Drive / Centenary Drive), which divides the Inner West from the Greater Western Sydney region. The Inner West is much larger than the Inner West Council local government area. The Inner West roughly corresponds with the Parish of Petersham and Parish of Concord , two cadastral divisions used for land titles . The boundaries of
9396-611: The signing, and execution, of the contract . Rhodes explained the history of the engagement of Peto, Brassey & Betts and of Rhodes' arrival to the colony to execute on the contract. Rhodes then proceeds to list the issues encountered and the concerns expressed to the government in great detail. By this time, the government had lost faith in Rhodes and had written to Peto, Brassey & Betts to have Rhodes recalled to England. The government also informed Rhodes that Peto, Brassey & Betts would not be considered for any future contracts. It
9504-609: The smaller Malvern Hill Estate in Croydon , which began in 1909, and the Hoskins Estate in Appian Way, Burwood , which began in 1903. Suburbanisation accelerated in the interwar years, resulting in the outer suburbs of the Inner West, such as Strathfield, Burwood and Concord, growing in prestige while the dense inner suburbs, such as Newtown, Enmore and Erskineville, declined. An influx of migrants to Australia following
9612-446: The smallest radius of a curve being 30 chains. The railway is to be, "a single line throughout, laid with the double-headed rail , 75lbs to the yard, on cross sleepers, with chairs , and fish jointed." On 25 April 1857, the tender for the first four miles of the extension was won by a Mr. W. Randle with the fencing and timber for the extension being awarded to Messrs. Scott and Jolly on 27 April 1857. Scott and Jolly had constructed
9720-1149: The specialist high school Newtown High School of the Performing Arts . Alexandria Park Community School is a government school with both a selective stream and a comprehensive stream. Private schools in the Inner West include the Presbyterian Ladies' College in Croydon, Meriden School , St. Patrick's College and Santa Sabina College all in Strathfield, MLC School in Burwood, Trinity Grammar School in Summer Hill (preparatory school in Strathfield), Newington College in Stanmore, Rosebank College in Five Dock and The McDonald College in North Strathfield. Public transport in
9828-502: The spread of highly valued residential suburbs of the Inner West had expanded further east. In that year, the seven suburbs that recorded median house prices exceeding $ 2 million were, in descending order of median price: Cabarita, Strathfield, Burwood, Chiswick, Balmain East, Rhodes and Burwood Heights, covering both the traditionally popular 'outer' Inner West and the newly gentrified, formerly industrial waterfront suburbs. The geography of
9936-581: The suburbs further away that are well connected to educational institutions by public transport. The Inner West has a high concentration of public and private secondary schools, many of which were established in the 19th century. Government high schools located in the Inner West include the selective secondary schools Fort Street High School and Sydney Secondary College , and the public comprehensive high schools Ashfield Boys High School , Burwood Girls High School , Concord High School (Sydney) , Homebush Boys High School and Strathfield Girls High School , and
10044-480: The survey of the Eastern line." As early as 29 April 1846, the path of the Great Southern Railway was to cross through the parish of Menangle . In January 1852, surveyors were dispatched to commence the first of multiple surveys of a line towards Goulburn with the first section being, "the line running by Menangle, between Campbell Town and Myrtle Creek." Myrtle Creek was the former name of Tahmoor . Another survey
10152-500: The topography is characterised by rolling hills intersected by shallow valleys through which waterways flow to the two rivers, including Iron Cove Creek , Hawthorne Canal (formerly Long Cove Creek), Whites Creek and Johnstons Creek . These waterways have been drastically altered since the late 19th century by the means of concrete lining. In the 1860s iron Cove Creek was a freely flowing waterway which in places broadened into ponds that made excellent and picturesque swimming holes. It
10260-550: The traffic of the Southern Road, and made the present lines remunerative. The Government would thus have been placed in possession of information that would have fully determined the question of railway extension as applicable to the present wants of the colony." Despite delays, and even before the government had announced the exact path of the line, anticipation for it could be seen in advertising of property and housing near Menangle. However, there were some rumblings within
10368-547: The tunnel further north to connect to the future Western Harbour Tunnel , and south to provide a direct connection to Sydney Airport. Although still playing only a small part in the overall transport task, use of bicycles for transport has increased significantly in the Inner West since the 1990s. Denser populations and shorter distances mean cycling is often quicker and more convenient than driving or taking public transport. A network of bicycle paths, signed bicycle routes on local streets and other aids to safe and convenient cycling
10476-441: The western boundary of the Parish of Concord largely follows the course of Saleyards Creek , which approximates the boundary between Homebush and Flemington . The parish therefore excludes Flemington even though that suburbs lies mostly east of the A3 road. Conversely, the suburb of Rhodes is mostly west of the A3 road but in the Parish of Concord. On the eastern side, Erskineville and Macdonaldtown and Darlington are within
10584-507: Was $ 2,250, which is higher than the New South Wales median of $ 1,829 and the Australian median of $ 1,746. The table below summarises historical data for the "Sydney - Inner West" statistical area since it was first defined in the 2011 census. Prior to 2011, the "Inner Western Sydney" statistical area covered most of the Inner West, but excluded the former Leichhardt Council, so the data is not directly comparable. The housing stock within
10692-474: Was also revealed that Randle had won the tender at a higher price than that which Randle had initially offered. Progress continued to be made for the extension to Campbelltown (plus an extension beyond to Goulburn ) and by August 1857, construction of the line had progressed significantly; telegraph poles had been delivered alongside the proposed railway line through Campbelltown in preparation for its construction. These telegraph poles would later form part of
10800-416: Was built along this strip at the end of the 20th century, that road is now often regarded as the more precise boundary line between the Inner West and Greater Western Sydney. Today, council boundaries still largely, though not precisely, follow this line: with small exceptions, the City of Canada Bay and the Municipality of Strathfield lie to its east, while the City of Parramatta , Cumberland Council and
10908-411: Was conducted at the direction of Gother K. Mann , Chief Commissioner of Sydney, and Hunter River Railways. Moving traffic from the Southern Road and onto rail was a primary motivator for making the line profitable. Delays in the survey were causing some frustration within the Legislative Assembly. The Commissioner stated that the extension to Campbelltown and then onto Menangle would, "have intercepted
11016-407: Was constructed by Mr. W Randle. The turning of the first sod occurring 20 November 1855. The line was constructed as a single track of 8.5 miles (13.7 km) in length laid with double-headed rails of 75 lb (34 kg) per yard and with fish joints. The total construction cost was placed at £120,040 4s. 11d. The railway was officially opened 18 August 1856 as a result of the inspection of
11124-447: Was opened 4 May 1858. The construction of the railway to Goulburn was always going to extend beyond Campbelltown . But the path for the extensions considered multiple options (including Menangle) while also explicitly excluding a path aligning with the dreaded Razorback road. The survey of multiple options at the time were considered prudent as, "The expense and trouble of such survey of (...) lines would be trifling, as compared with
11232-418: Was predicted to be completed well before the contracted time of 1 January 1863. The completion of the line, except for the viaduct, was nearing, with ongoing ballasting and the laying of the permanent way to be completed. The extension from Campbelltown to within a few metres of the bridge was to be completed within a few days, "but no arrangements are being made for opening the line". At the northern end of
11340-554: Was removed following the cessation of electric haulage of freight trains in the 1990s. The line continues as a double non-electrified track south through the Southern Highlands towns of Mittagong and Goulburn to Junee on the Southern Plains. Here the line becomes single track for the remainder of its journey south to the state border with Victoria at Albury . The North East railway line then continues through northern Victoria to Melbourne . There are six tunnels on
11448-431: Was reported in the same month that the earthworks for the laying of the line had been completed for some time. A description of the line was published as, "Starting from Campbelltown, the country being for some distance tolerably level, the line is carried along a low embankment, and for nearly two miles keeps within sight of the road. About three-quarters of a mile beyond Campbelltown, the old Southern Road through Camden and
11556-418: Was withdrawn on 30 September 2024. In mid-October 2024, Sydney Trains began operating T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown services west from Bankstown to Lidcombe. East of Bankstown to Sydenham, services are suspended for works to convert the line to Sydney Metro standards, after which M1 North West & Bankstown services will operate over that part of the line. The line opened on 1 February 1895, initially as
11664-441: Was working." The Parramatta Junction (Granville) – Liverpool line was opened to the public 1 September 1856. The Cumberland County was a large producer of agricultural products such as wheat, maize, beef, and wool. This, combined with an approximate 10,000 passengers travelling between Sydney and Campbelltown in 1846, and community support, provided impetus for the construction of a railway line from Sydney to Campbelltown at
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