Chester Hill, New South Wales

Chester Hill Sydney, New South Wales
Nugent Park, Chester Hill
Population:	10,515 (2006 Census)
Postcode:	2162
Location:	23 km (14 mi) west of Sydney CBD
LGA:	City of Bankstown, City of Parramatta
State electorate:	Bankstown Fairfield Auburn
Federal Division:	Blaxland
Suburbs around Chester Hill: Guildford Old Guildford South Granville Auburn Villawood Chester Hill Sefton Bass Hill Bass Hill Bass Hill

Waldron Road shops

Chester Hill, a suburb of local government area City of Bankstown is located 25 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region. Chester Hill shares the postcode of 2162 with the neighbouring suburb of Sefton.

History

It is regarded by some that the name was derived from the local aboriginal inhabitants, who thought they had discovered a mountain, instead the tribal elder proclaimed it was "just a hill" hence the name "Chester Hill".

The name for Chester Hill is an inversion of Hillchester, an English locality. 'Chester' is one of the English forms of the Latin word 'castra' meaning a fortified camp. The name for the suburb was conferred by Mrs H. A. McMillan, who first wished to call the place Hillcrest, after an estate near Regent’s Park, and then Hillchester but neither of these names met with official approval.

Originally part of John Thomas Campbell's estate, known as Campbell Hill, it covered 1,000 acres (4.0 km²). Land was used for market gardens and orchards until the opening of the railway line in 1924 when the area developed into residential and light industrial.

Commercial area

Chester Square in Chester Hill is a newly developed shopping centre, catering for the catchment of Chester Hill,Sefton, Birrong and Bass Hill. Directly situated behind the main road of Waldron Road. Amenities in the suburb include the Chester Hill branch of the Bankstown City Libraries, Chester Hill Fire Station and a community centre.

Transport

Chester Hill railway station is on the Bankstown Line of the CityRail network.

Schools

There are three schools in Chester Hill, including Chester Hill Public School and Chester Hill North Public School, which cater for years Kindergarten to Year 6, and Chester Hill High School which caters for Years 7 to 12. Chester Hill is also home to the main campus of Southern Cross College, a pentecostal bible college offering degrees up to Master's level.

Parks and recreation

Parks in Chester Hill include the Terry Lamb Complex, which incorporates Frank Bamfield Oval, and Abbott Park which is home to the Chester Hill Youth Cricket Club and Chester Hill Hornets Junior Rugby League club. Recreational amenities also include an RSL club, bowling club and community garden.

Churches

Gnadenfrei, German Lutheran Church.

Population

Demographics

In the 2006 Australian census, Chester Hill recorded a population of 10,513 with 37.4% being born overseas.[1] Chester Hill, like the rest of the Bankstown area, is a very culturally diverse suburb. The largest ethnic groups in Chester Hill are those coming from a Lebanese or Vietnamese background.

Notable residents

• Christian Heim - Composer and medical researcher who grew up in Chester Hill.
• Terry Lamb - Former rugby league player with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Australian Test side—a long-term Chester Hill resident.
• Rebecca Rippon - Australian women's water polo player and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games bronze medallist
• Dr Michael Bialoguski - Part-time ASIO agent who arranged the 1954 defection of Soviet diplomat Vladimir Petrov

Politics

Chester Hill is part of the City of Bankstown. The area to the north of the pipeline is part of the City of Parramatta. For state elections, Chester Hill is split between the electorates of Bankstown, Fairfield and Auburn. Federally, it lies in the electorate of Blaxland.