Belfield, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Belfield is a suburb
in south-western
Sydney
, in the state of New South Wales
, Australia
. Belfield is located 14 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district
, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury
and partly in the Municipality of Strathfield
.
forms a natural border, to the north of the suburb.
club located near the intersection of Punchbowl Road and Georges River Road and the Cooks River
. Rudd Park is home to the Belmore
Eagles Soccer FC and features two tennis courts.
The name of the suburb is believed to have been created by combining the names of the two neighbouring suburbs, Belmore
and Enfield
. From information supplied by the Postmaster General's Department, the name "Belfield" first appeared on their records in 1930 when the Belfield branch of the ALP wrote asking that the Department establish a post office at North Belmore. Although several applications were made over the years, it was not until 1936 that the postal inspector reported in favour of a non-official post office. His report read: "...There is a business centre here consisting of sixteen shops, one garage and one Hotel. It is a prosperous business section. This part of the locality is approximately mid-way between Belmore and Enfield. It is known as Belfield"... - the name derived from its position between the two suburbs mentioned, Belmore and Enfield.
The Department of Lands advised that it had no objection to the use of the name "Belfield" and approval was subsequently given for the establishment of a non-official post office. The official boundaries for Belfield were gazetted during August 1993 together with all other suburbs in the Canterbury Local Government Area. Three streets are named after World War I sites of importance to Australians; Bazentin St (a town near Pozieres
in France), Persic St (after the Persic, a ship that transported Australian soldiers to Europe during the war) and Mena St (an Australian Army training camp in Egypt during World War I). A fourth street is named after General William Birdwood, the ANZAC commander in Gallipoli.
The majority of houses in Belfield were built after World War II, as public housing. Many of the houses have been turned over to private ownership over the past fifty years. Australia's first Pizza Hut
opened in Belfield in April 1970, but closed in the late 1990s. Belfield is home to the Bridge of Belfield Pharamacy which is a family run business dating back many generations.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
in south-western
South-western Sydney
South-western Sydney is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area in south-west Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Greater Western Sydney area....
Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, in the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Belfield is located 14 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district
Sydney central business district
The Sydney central business district is the main commercial centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It extends southwards for about 3 kilometres from Sydney Cove, the point of first European settlement. Its north–south axis runs from Circular Quay in the north to Central railway station in...
, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury
City of Canterbury, New South Wales
The City of Canterbury, previously the Municipality of Canterbury, is a Local Government Area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It lies southwest of the central business district and forms part of the Greater Sydney metropolitan area....
and partly in the Municipality of Strathfield
Municipality of Strathfield
The Municipality of Strathfield is a Local Government Area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Municipality incorporates the suburbs of Flemington, Homebush, Homebush West, Strathfield South entirely, and shares the following suburbs with other Councils, Belfield, Greenacre, and Strathfield...
.
Location
Belfield has a mixture of residential, light industrial and commercial areas. A small shopping strip is located along Burwood Road. The Cooks RiverCooks River
The Cooks River is a 23 kilometre long urban waterway of south-western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia emptying into Botany Bay. The course of the river has been altered to accommodate various developments along its shore...
forms a natural border, to the north of the suburb.
Population
Belfield has a population of about 4,500, in about 1,500 dwellings. 42% of Belfield's residents were born overseas.Schools and churches
Belfield has a number of houses of worship, and St. Michael's Primary School opened in 1959. There is also a Uniting Church on Punchbowl road and a Korean Presbyterian Church on Burwood Road.Sport
The Belfield Bowling and Recreation Club is a bowlsBowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
club located near the intersection of Punchbowl Road and Georges River Road and the Cooks River
Cooks River
The Cooks River is a 23 kilometre long urban waterway of south-western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia emptying into Botany Bay. The course of the river has been altered to accommodate various developments along its shore...
. Rudd Park is home to the Belmore
Belmore, New South Wales
Belmore is a suburb, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Belmore is located 15 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury.-History:...
Eagles Soccer FC and features two tennis courts.
Commercial area
A small group of shops, restaurants, post office and a hotel are located on Burwood Road, near the intersection of Punchbowl Road.History
Land grants were made as early as 1810 for agricultural purposes, on the northern side of Punchbowl Road (towards Strathfield). The "Punch Bowl" was the name that early settlers gave the almost circular valley where the old road to Georges River crossed Cooks River at a ford. This is now where Georges River Road meets Punchbowl Road (the road to "The Punch Bowl") in Belfield.The name of the suburb is believed to have been created by combining the names of the two neighbouring suburbs, Belmore
Belmore, New South Wales
Belmore is a suburb, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Belmore is located 15 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury.-History:...
and Enfield
Enfield, New South Wales
Enfield is a suburb, in the Inner-West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Enfield is located 13 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Burwood Council.-History:...
. From information supplied by the Postmaster General's Department, the name "Belfield" first appeared on their records in 1930 when the Belfield branch of the ALP wrote asking that the Department establish a post office at North Belmore. Although several applications were made over the years, it was not until 1936 that the postal inspector reported in favour of a non-official post office. His report read: "...There is a business centre here consisting of sixteen shops, one garage and one Hotel. It is a prosperous business section. This part of the locality is approximately mid-way between Belmore and Enfield. It is known as Belfield"... - the name derived from its position between the two suburbs mentioned, Belmore and Enfield.
The Department of Lands advised that it had no objection to the use of the name "Belfield" and approval was subsequently given for the establishment of a non-official post office. The official boundaries for Belfield were gazetted during August 1993 together with all other suburbs in the Canterbury Local Government Area. Three streets are named after World War I sites of importance to Australians; Bazentin St (a town near Pozieres
Pozières
Pozières is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated on the D929 road, some northeast of Amiens between Albert and Bapaume, on the Pozières ridge.-Population:-History:...
in France), Persic St (after the Persic, a ship that transported Australian soldiers to Europe during the war) and Mena St (an Australian Army training camp in Egypt during World War I). A fourth street is named after General William Birdwood, the ANZAC commander in Gallipoli.
The majority of houses in Belfield were built after World War II, as public housing. Many of the houses have been turned over to private ownership over the past fifty years. Australia's first Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
opened in Belfield in April 1970, but closed in the late 1990s. Belfield is home to the Bridge of Belfield Pharamacy which is a family run business dating back many generations.