Blacktown City

About the area

Key Statistics

Location

Blacktown City is located in Sydney's western suburbs - about 35 kilometres from the Sydney GPO. Blacktown City is bounded by Hawkesbury City in the north, The Hills Shire in the north-east, the City of Parramatta in the east, the Cumberland Council area in the south-east, Fairfield City in the south, and Penrith City in the west.

Included Areas

Blacktown City includes the suburbs and localities of Acacia Gardens, Arndell Park, Bidwill, Blackett, Blacktown, Bungarribee, Colebee, Dean Park, Dharruk, Doonside, Eastern Creek, Emerton, Glendenning, Glenwood, Hassall Grove, Hebersham, Huntingwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley, Kings Park, Lalor Park, Lethbridge Park, Marayong, Marsden Park, Minchinbury, Mount Druitt, Oakhurst, Parklea, Plumpton, Prospect (part), Quakers Hill, Riverstone (part), Rooty Hill, Ropes Crossing, Rouse Hill (part), Schofields, Seven Hills, Shalvey, Shanes Park, St Marys (part), Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds, Toongabbie (part), Tregear, Vineyard (part), Whalan, Willmot and Woodcroft.

Land Use

Blacktown City is a predominantly residential area, with significant rural areas in the north and substantial industrial and commercial land use. Major commercial centres are located at Blacktown and Mount Druitt. The City encompasses a total land area of about 247 square kilometres. Rural land is used mainly for farming.

Name Origin

Blacktown is named after an area that became known as the Blacks' Town. This area was near what is now the corner of Richmond Road and Rooty Hill Road North and was a school designed to educate Aborigines in European farming techniques. The school had moved to this area from Parramatta.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Blacktown area were the Dharug Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement of the area dates from 1791. Land was used mainly for grazing, farming and timber-getting. Growth was minimal until the 1850s and 1860s, aided by the construction of the railway line and the subdivision of original land grants. Gradual expansion continued in the 1880s and 1890s. The population continued to grow in the early 1900s, increasing from 6,000 in 1914 to 18,000 in 1947. The most significant residential and industrial development occurred during the post-war years, with the population increasing from 32,000 in 1954 to 160,000 in 1976. Sustained growth continued from the early 1980s, with the population rising from 181,000 in 1981 to about 211,000 in 1991, and then to 300,000 in 2011. Much of the growth in the last twenty years has been in the north-east of the City (the suburbs of Acacia Gardens, Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Parklea, Stanhope Gardens and The Ponds), with growth also in the central suburbs of Glendenning and Woodcroft, and the established suburbs of Blacktown and Mount Druitt. Population growth is expected to continue, particularly from new housing estates in the current rural areas in the north.

Major Features

Major features of the City include Westpoint Blacktown (Shopping Centre), Westfield Mount Druitt Shopping Centre, TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute (Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Nirimba Colleges), Western Sydney University (Blacktown Campus), Western Sydney Parklands, Nurragingy Reserve, Rouse Hill Regional Park, Wianamatta Regional Park, Plumpton Park, Riverstone Park, Blacktown Showground, Prospect Reservoir, Fox Hills Golf Club, Marsden Park Golf Academy, Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club, Blacktown International Sportspark, Lily Homes Stadium (Gabbie Stadium), Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway, Sydney Dragway, Valentine Sports Park (Football NSW State Headquarters), Blacktown Arts Centre, Blacktown Aquatic Centre, Blacktown Leisure Centre (Stanhope), Featherdale Wildlife Park, Parklea Markets, Blacktown Hospital, Mount Druitt Hospital and Parklea Correctional Centre.

Transport

Blacktown City is served by the Great Western Highway, Westlink (M7), the Western Motorway (M4) and the Richmond and Western railway lines.

Blacktown City Council

economic profile