Leichhardt, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
- This article is for the suburb of Leichhardt. For the local government area, see the Municipality of LeichhardtMunicipality of LeichhardtThe Municipality of Leichhardt is a Local Government Area in the inner-west of Sydney, in state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The Municipality of Leichhardt stands on land that traditionally belonged to the Gadigal and Wangal people, of the Eora nation...
.
Leichhardt is a suburb
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 the inner-west
Inner West (Sydney)
The Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia...
of Sydney in 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. Leichhardt is located 5 kilometres 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...
(CBD) and is the administrative centre for the local government area
Local Government Areas of New South Wales
The local government areas of New South Wales, Australia have been subject to periodic bouts of restructuring and rationalisation by the State Government, involving voluntary and involuntary amalgamation of areas...
(LGA) of the Municipality of Leichhardt
Municipality of Leichhardt
The Municipality of Leichhardt is a Local Government Area in the inner-west of Sydney, in state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The Municipality of Leichhardt stands on land that traditionally belonged to the Gadigal and Wangal people, of the Eora nation...
. The suburb is bordered by Haberfield
Haberfield, New South Wales
Haberfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Haberfield is located 9 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield....
to the west, Annandale
Annandale, New South Wales
Annandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located within 3-5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay,...
to the east, Lilyfield
Lilyfield, New South Wales
Lilyfield is a small suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lilyfield is located 6 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
to the north and Petersham
Petersham, New South Wales
Petersham is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Petersham is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
, Lewisham
Lewisham, New South Wales
Lewisham is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lewisham is located 8 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council. The postcode is 2049...
and Stanmore
Stanmore, New South Wales
Stanmore is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. Stanmore is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
to the south.
Leichhardt contains a mix of residential and commercial developments and is best known as Sydney’s “Little Italy
Little Italy
Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec...
”. Leichhardt residents and businesses live and work next to the Sydney CBD.
Aboriginal culture
The history of AboriginalAustralian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
people in the Leichhardt area is, without doubt, a hidden (in the shadows) one. What we today know as Leichhardt was once the area inhabited by the Wangal band of the Dharug (Eora
Eora
The Eora are the Aboriginal people of the Sydney area, south to the Georges River, north to the Hawkesbury River, and west to Parramatta. The indigenous people used this word to describe where they came from to the British. "Eora" was then used by the British to refer to those Aboriginal people...
) language group. The 'Eora people' was the name given to coastal Aborigines around Sydney - Eora means from this place - local Aboriginal people used this word to describe to Europeans where they came from, and in time the term became used to define Aboriginal people themselves. Wangal country was known as 'wanne' and it originally extended from the suburbs of Balmain and Birchgrove in the east to Silverwater and Auburn in the west.
The northern boundary was the Parramatta River. Neighbouring Darug bands were the Cadigal
Cadigal
The Cadigal, also spelled as Gadigal, are a group of Aboriginal Australians who originally inhabited the area that they called 'Cadi', part of which later became known as the Marrickville Local Government Area of Sydney. Cadigal territory lies south of Port Jackson and stretches from South Head to...
to the east, the Wallumattagal on the northern shore of the Parramatta River
Parramatta River
The Parramatta River is a waterway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson, along with the smaller Lane Cove and Duck Rivers....
and the Bediagal to the south. How long the Wangal had lived around Leichhardt is unknown, but we do know that the Dharug were living in the Sydney area for at least 10,000 years before British Settlement in 1788.
European settlement
Leichhardt is named after the PrussiaPrussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n explorer Ludwig Leichhardt
Ludwig Leichhardt
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous for his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
, who in the 1840s was feted for his 4,800 km (c. 3000 mi) expedition in search of an overland route from southern Queensland to Port Essington
Port Essington
Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory...
, a British settlement on the far northern coast of Australia (some 300 km to the north of the modern city of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
). In 1848 he famously vanished without trace on his attempt to cross the continent from the Darling Downs to the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
on the Western Australia coast.
Leichhardt was proclaimed a municipality in 1871. In 1949, it was merged with the municipalities of Annandale
Annandale, New South Wales
Annandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located within 3-5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay,...
and Balmain
Balmain, New South Wales
Balmain is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain is located slightly west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
. In 1967, the municipal boundary was altered to include Glebe
Glebe, New South Wales
Glebe is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located 3 km south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region....
and parts of Camperdown
Camperdown, New South Wales
Camperdown is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Camperdown is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Inner West region...
. In 2003, the municipal boundary was again changed, to exclude Glebe
Glebe, New South Wales
Glebe is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located 3 km south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region....
and Forest Lodge
Forest Lodge, New South Wales
Forest Lodge is a small, inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Forest Lodge is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, which are now part of the City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
.
Commercial area
Norton Street, Sydney
Norton Street, Sydney is located in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the main commercial street in the suburb....
, north of Parramatta Road
Parramatta Road
.Parramatta Road is the major historical east-west artery of metropolitan Sydney, Australia, connecting the Sydney with Parramatta. It is the eastern-most part of the Great Western Highway. Much of its traffic has been diverted to modern expressways such as the M4 and the City West Link...
and parallel to Balmain Road. The Norton Street commercial area contains a mix of residential buildings, restaurants (Italian and others), café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s, eateries and individual retail outlets, including several bookstores and grocery shops. There are also hotels, a Palace Cinema and two of the suburb’s three shopping centres — Norton Plaza
Piazza
A piazza is a city square in Italy, Malta, along the Dalmatian coast and in surrounding regions. The term is roughly equivalent to the Spanish plaza...
and the Italian Forum
Forum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
. Commercial developments are also found along the length of Parramatta Road.
The Italian Forum, located just off Norton Street, is notable for its design which seeks to emulate the feel of a Mediterranean town piazza
Piazza
A piazza is a city square in Italy, Malta, along the Dalmatian coast and in surrounding regions. The term is roughly equivalent to the Spanish plaza...
. A pedestrian-only central courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
featuring outdoors and indoors restaurant dining as well as Leichhardt Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
is surrounded by small shops and boutique
Boutique
A boutique is a small shopping outlet, especially one that specializes in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewelry. The word is French for "shop", via Latin from Greek ἀποθήκη , "storehouse"....
s on the level above, and all overlooked by residential apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s. Nearby Norton Plaza is a shopping centre anchored by a supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
and surrounded by eateries and specialty shops
Specialty store
Specialty stores are small stores which specialize in a specific range of merchandise and related items. Most stores have an extensive depth of stock in the item that they specialize in and provide high levels of service and expertise...
. The third shopping centre, MarketPlace Leichhardt
MarketPlace Leichhardt
MarketPlace Leichhardt also known as Leichhardt MarketPlace or Leichhardt MarketTown is a shopping center located in the Sydney Inner West suburb of Leichhardt...
(formerly Market Town), is located towards Haberfield on the corner of Marion and Flood Streets. MarketPlace Leichhardt has free car parking and is home to Woolworths, Aldi, Target and over 60 specialty stores.
Transport
Parramatta Road
.Parramatta Road is the major historical east-west artery of metropolitan Sydney, Australia, connecting the Sydney with Parramatta. It is the eastern-most part of the Great Western Highway. Much of its traffic has been diverted to modern expressways such as the M4 and the City West Link...
, Norton Street
Norton Street, Sydney
Norton Street, Sydney is located in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the main commercial street in the suburb....
, Balmain Road, Marion Street and Catherine Street. The City West Link Road
City West Link Road
City West Link Road is a link road in Sydney, Australia. It makes up a section of Metroad 4 between Leichhardt, Haberfield and Five Dock. As such, it provides an alternative route to Parramatta Road into Sydney's CBD from the Inner-West....
runs along the northern border of Leichhardt and is a major arterial road, which is part of Metroad 4
Metroad 4
Metroad 4 is a Metroad in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It connects the inner-west of Sydney with the outer western suburbs. It mostly follows what was previously National Highway 32 from the Western Distributor in the CBD, west to the Great Western Highway at Lapstone...
and crosses the ANZAC Bridge
ANZAC Bridge
The ANZAC Bridge or Anzac Bridge , replacing the earlier Glebe Island Bridge, is a large cable-stayed bridge spanning Johnstons Bay between Pyrmont and Glebe Island in proximity to the central business district of Sydney, Australia...
to the CBD.
Leichhardt is well serviced by Sydney Buses through city and cross regional services. Leichhardt Bus Depot is located on the corner of William and Derbyshire Street. The following list provides the bus routes in Leichhardt:
- Metrobus 10Metrobus (Sydney)Metrobus is a high frequency, high capacity public transportation network in Sydney that links key employment and growth centres. Metrobuses run every 10 minutes during peak periods, 15 minutes during off-peak weekday periods, and 20 minutes on weekends, with the intention of making timetables...
travels from Maroubra JunctionMaroubra Junction, New South WalesMaroubra Junction is a locality of the suburb of Maroubra in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is situated around the junction of Anzac Parade and Maroubra Road...
through the City to Leichhardt, and back in the same direction. - 480, 483, 461 all travel from the City (QVB) to Strathfield Station via Parramatta RoadParramatta Road.Parramatta Road is the major historical east-west artery of metropolitan Sydney, Australia, connecting the Sydney with Parramatta. It is the eastern-most part of the Great Western Highway. Much of its traffic has been diverted to modern expressways such as the M4 and the City West Link...
(Leichhardt) and AshfieldAshfield, New South WalesAshfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield.The official name for the...
shops - 440 travels from Circular Quay to RozelleRozelle, New South WalesRozelle is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 4 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
via Railway SquareRailway Square, SydneyThe area is not a true square but is a confluence of Broadway, Lee Street, Pitt Street and George Street. The University of Technology, Central railway station and the now closed Kent Brewery are adjacent to Railway Square.-History:...
, Parramatta Road, Leichhardt Town Hall, Rozelle (Terry Street) - 436, 438, 439 all travel from Circular Quay, Railway Square, Parramatta Road, Leichhardt Town Hall, HaberfieldHaberfield, New South WalesHaberfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Haberfield is located 9 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield....
, Rodd PointRodd Point, New South WalesRodd Point is a small suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rodd Point is located 9 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay....
and ChiswickChiswick, New South WalesChiswick is a suburb in the inner-west region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 9 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay. Chiswick sits on the peninsula between Abbotsford Bay and Five Dock...
(436), AbbotsfordAbbotsford, New South WalesAbbotsford is a suburb in the Inner West region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Abbotsford is located 10 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay...
(438), MortlakeMortlake, New South WalesMortlake is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mortlake is located 17 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay.-Transport:...
(439)
- L37 travels at limited stops from Haberfield to WynyardWynyard, SydneyWynyard is an urban locality around Wynyard railway station in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Wynyard is located in the Sydney central business districtand is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
via Leichhardt, Rozelle, and Anzac BridgeANZAC BridgeThe ANZAC Bridge or Anzac Bridge , replacing the earlier Glebe Island Bridge, is a large cable-stayed bridge spanning Johnstons Bay between Pyrmont and Glebe Island in proximity to the central business district of Sydney, Australia... - L38 travels at limited stops along the 438 route
- L39 travels at limited stops along the 439 route
- 470 travels from Circular Quay, Forest LodgeForest Lodge, New South WalesForest Lodge is a small, inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Forest Lodge is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, AnnandaleAnnandale, New South WalesAnnandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located within 3-5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay,...
, LilyfieldLilyfield, New South WalesLilyfield is a small suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lilyfield is located 6 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
, Leichhardt Market Place (9am-3pm) - 444 travels from Balmain EastBalmain East, New South WalesBalmain East is a small suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain East is located three kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
Wharf (Darling Street), Rozelle, Leichhardt, PetershamPetersham, New South WalesPetersham is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Petersham is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
, Dulwich HillDulwich Hill, New South WalesDulwich Hill is a residential suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Dulwich Hill is located 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
, Hurlstone ParkHurlstone Park, New South WalesHurlstone Park is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hurlstone Park is located 10 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is mostly in the local government area of the City of Canterbury, and partly in the Municipality of...
, Canterbury StationCanterbury railway station, Sydney-Accessibility:The station has street access to both platforms via stairs. This does not allow for Easy Access for wheelchairs.-Transport links:Sydney Buses runs six routes via Canterbury station:...
, Campsie Station - 445 travels from Balmain EastBalmain East, New South WalesBalmain East is a small suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain East is located three kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
Wharf (Darling Street), Rozelle, Leichhardt, Lilyfield Light Rail Stop, PetershamPetersham, New South WalesPetersham is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Petersham is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
, Dulwich HillDulwich Hill, New South WalesDulwich Hill is a residential suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Dulwich Hill is located 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
, Hurlstone ParkHurlstone Park, New South WalesHurlstone Park is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hurlstone Park is located 10 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is mostly in the local government area of the City of Canterbury, and partly in the Municipality of...
, Canterbury StationCanterbury railway station, Sydney-Accessibility:The station has street access to both platforms via stairs. This does not allow for Easy Access for wheelchairs.-Transport links:Sydney Buses runs six routes via Canterbury station:...
, Campsie Station - 370 travels from Leichhardt to CoogeeCoogee, New South WalesCoogee is a beachside suburb of local government area City of Randwick. It is located 8 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is also a part of the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney....
via GlebeGlebe, New South WalesGlebe is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located 3 km south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region....
, NewtownNewtown, New South WalesNewtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west is located approximately four kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, straddling the local government areas of the City of Sydney and Marrickville Council in the state of New South Wales, Australia....
, and UNSWUniversity of New South WalesThe University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
Petersham railway station, on the Inner West Line, is the closest CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
train station to Leichhardt. Lilyfield light rail station is a terminus of the Metro Light Rail
Metro Light Rail
The Metro Light Rail is the only currently operating light rail line in Sydney. The line opened on 31 August 1997, mostly along the route of an unused goods railway line, to serve the redeveloped inner-city areas of Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Pyrmont, and was extended in 2000 to serve some of...
located close to the north-eastern border of Leichhardt.
The current light rail service
Metro Light Rail
The Metro Light Rail is the only currently operating light rail line in Sydney. The line opened on 31 August 1997, mostly along the route of an unused goods railway line, to serve the redeveloped inner-city areas of Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Pyrmont, and was extended in 2000 to serve some of...
that runs from Central Station to Lilyfield is now being extended to Dulwich Hill, making use of a disused heavy rail freight line. There will be four new stations located in Leichhardt. These are - Leichhardt North
Leichhardt North MLR station
Leichhardt North MLR station is a planned light rail stop on the Metro Light Rail line in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The stop is located parallel to City West Link Road and adjacent to Francis Street and Darley Road in the suburb of Leichhardt, and is planned for completion in 2012...
(adjacent to the City West Link), Hawthorne
Hawthorne MLR station
Hawthorne MLR station is a planned light rail stop located at the border of the suburbs of Leichhardt and Haberfield and on the Metro Light Rail line in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The stop is planned for completion in 2012...
(in the north-west of the suburb), Marion
Marion MLR station
Marion MLR station station is a planned light rail stop on the Metro Light Rail line in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia located adjacent to Marion Street and Hawthorne Parade, at the border of the suburbs of Leichhardt and Haberfield. The stop is planned for completion in 2012...
(near Marion Street) and Taverners Hill
Taverners Hill MLR station
Taverners Hill MLR station is a planned light rail stop located adjacent to Parramatta Road at the border of the suburbs of Lewisham, Summer Hill, Haberfield and Leichhardt on the Metro Light Rail line in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The stop is planned for completion in 2012...
(near Parramatta Road in the south-west corner of the suburb). The service will interchange with Lewisham railway station on the Inner West Line and Dulwich Hill railway station on the Bankstown Line. This new service will also connect with a new city line that is still in the planning, travelling along either Hickson Road or George Street to Circular Quay.
Houses
Being situated close to the city, Leichhardt is an area for great capitalCapital (economics)
In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital refers to already-produced durable goods used in production of goods or services. The capital goods are not significantly consumed, though they may depreciate in the production process...
growth as it very central and has a lot to offer, so housing is not very cheap and is a much sought after. The architecture in Leichhardt ranges from Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
single fronted brick homes to modern new homes and apartment blocks.
Churches and schools
- All SoulsAll Souls Anglican Church, LeichhardtAll Souls is a church of the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia. The church is located on the corner of Norton & Marion Streets, Leichhardt, New South Wales. Leichhardt is a suburb of Sydney, in the State of New South Wales.-First building:...
Anglican Church on the corner of Norton Street and Marion Street - Leichhardt BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church on the corner of Foster Street and Lords Road - Leichhardt Congregational Church in Elswick Street
- Leichhardt Uniting Church in the old Methodist Central Hall on Wetherill Street
- St Columba and The Holy Souls ParishParishA parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
(CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
) in Elswick Street - St Fiacre's Parish (Catholic) in Catherine Street
- St Josephs Catholic Church in Roseby Street
- The Parish of St Gerasimos Church (Greek Orthodox) in Henry Street
Leichhardt has a number of primary schools and one secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
.
- Kegworth Public School, a primary, co-educational public school, established in 1887, is located on Tebbutt Street.
- Leichhardt Public School, a primary, co-educational public school, established in 1891, is located on Marion Street.
- St Columba's Primary School, a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, primary, co-educational public school, established in 1898, is located on Elswick Street. - St Fiacre's Primary School, a Catholic, primary, co-educational public school, established in 1894, is located on Catherine Street.
- Sydney Secondary CollegeSydney Secondary CollegeSydney Secondary College is a network of high schools in Sydney's Inner-West, with three campuses.-Campuses:The three campuses that make up Sydney Secondary College are:* Leichhardt Campus, a co-educational, years 7-10, partially selective school...
- Leichhardt Campus, a secondary, co-educational public school (partially selective; 7-10), established in 2002, is located on Balmain Road.
Landmarks
- Leichhardt Fire Station on the corner of Marion Street and Balmain Road
- Leichhardt Hotel (Former) on the corner of Balmain Road and Wetherill Street
- Norton Hotel on the corner of Norton Street and Parramatta Road
- Old Cyclops Toy Factory on William Street
- Palace Cinema on Norton Street
The following buildings are listed on the Register of the National Estate
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
:
- Town Hall, corner Norton and Marion Streets (1888)
- Post Office, corner Norton and Weatherill Streets (1888)
- Public School Buildings, Marion Street (first building 1891, second building 1897)
- Church of England, corner Norton and Marion Streets (1883)
Parks and recreation
- Pioneers Memorial Park is located in Norton StreetNorton Street, SydneyNorton Street, Sydney is located in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the main commercial street in the suburb....
and features large grassed areas, native and formal plantings, a war memorialWar memorialA war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
and the Bicentennial RotundaRotunda (architecture)A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
. - War Memorial Park is situated on the corner of Moore and Catherine Streets and features large grassed areas as well as shaded areas and a children's playgroundPlaygroundA playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
. - 36th Battalion Park is situated on the corner of Mackenzie and Hill St and features medium-sized grassed park, electric barbecue, children's play equipment and a half-size basketball courtBasketball courtIn basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor with tiles at either end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a wood, often maple, and highly polished...
. - Blackmore Oval is located off Canal Road and is used to play competitive Rugby LeagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, amongst others, in the local area. - Leichhardt OvalLeichhardt OvalLeichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus...
: Home to NRLNational Rugby LeagueThe National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
team Wests TigersWests TigersThe Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
and NSW Premier League team APIA Leichhardt Tigers.
Culture
Leichhardt is home to many creative industry workers and is known for its colourful and inventive muralMural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, such as the panorama
Panorama
A panorama is any wide-angle view or representation of a physical space, whether in painting, drawing, photography, film/video, or a three-dimensional model....
at the Renwick Lane and at the Hawthorne Canal
Hawthorne Canal
The Hawthorne Canal is a short canal that connects with Port Jackson, in Sydney, Australia. It was originally a natural waterway known as Long Cove Creek, that has been straightened and given artificial banks. It borders on Summer Hill, Lewisham, Leichhardt and Haberfield...
Railway Underpass. Leichhardt has access to many art and cultural organisations. Commercial galleries
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
are found throughout the area and Boomali Gallery, the Aboriginal
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
Arts Organisation is situated in Flood Street in Leichhardt.
The Italian community has a wealth of social and cultural organisations located in Leichhardt, and work is underway everyday to develop the Italian Forum Cultural Centre. Co.As.It. is one of them and they provide a range of culturally and linguistically appropriate services to enhance the quality of life of the community and to promote the Italian language and culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
in 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...
.
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
, celebrating Leichhardt's cultural diversity with an International Food Fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
, gift stalls, community expos and live entertainment throughout the day. Leichhardt is also known for its café culture with cafés in abundance. The oldest café in the area is Café Sport, which is located on Norton Street.
Norton Street, Sydney
Norton Street, Sydney is located in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the main commercial street in the suburb....
Since the 1970s Leichhardt has been home to a vibrant lesbian community, resulting in the area being nicknamed Dyke-heart. The Feminist Bookshop and the Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre have supported local women for over 30 years.
Demographics
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
According to the 2007 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Leichhardt had a population of 12,248 people. It did not have the same level of high density housing
Medium-density housing
Medium density housing is a term used in Australia to describe residential developments that are at higher densities than standard low-density, suburban subdivisions, but not so high that they might be regarded as high density housing. The density of standard suburban residential areas has...
found in its neighbours Haberfield
Haberfield, New South Wales
Haberfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Haberfield is located 9 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield....
and Annandale
Annandale, New South Wales
Annandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located within 3-5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay,...
. Approximately one third of dwellings were separate density housing
Medium-density housing
Medium density housing is a term used in Australia to describe residential developments that are at higher densities than standard low-density, suburban subdivisions, but not so high that they might be regarded as high density housing. The density of standard suburban residential areas has...
houses with 22% apartments and 36% terraces
Terrace (building)
A terrace is an outdoor, occupiable extension of a building above ground level. Although its physical characteristics may vary to a great degree, a terrace will generally be larger than a balcony and will have an "open-top" facing the sky...
, semis or townhouses. 63.7% of persons usually resident in Leichhardt stated they were born in Australia. Other common responses within the area were - England 4.8%, Italy 4.4%, New Zealand 3.1%, Greece 0.7% and Ireland 0.6%. English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 72.6% of persons usually resident in Leichhardt. The most common languages other than English spoken at home were - Italian 7.2%, Spanish 1.7%, Greek 1.6%, Cantonese 0.9% and Portuguese 0.7%. Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
is the primary religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
in the area however, marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
in the area is lower by both Sydney and Australia standards. The average age of people in the suburb was similar to the rest of Sydney (35) and a lower percentage of people owned their homes outright (22.4%) than those paying them off (30.7%). Average loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
repayments ($2200 per month) were much higher than the national figure ($1300).).
Since the middle of the 20th century, Leichhardt has been a centre for the Italian community, reflected in the many Italian-owned businesses in the area. Although it has become less distinctively Italian with the increasing gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
of the suburb and movement of families to suburbs with larger blocks of land, its Italian character is still palpable, particularly in the popular restaurants and cafés of its main street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
, Norton Street
Norton Street, Sydney
Norton Street, Sydney is located in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the main commercial street in the suburb....
. Many residents moved to suburbs further away from Sydney as the city has expanded and larger housing blocks became available.
Politics
- Federal Government: Leichhardt is in the Division of GrayndlerDivision of GrayndlerThe Division of Grayndler is an Australian Electoral Division in inner Metropolitan Sydney, New South Wales. It is one of Australia's smallest electorates, located in the inner-southern Sydney metropolitan area, including parts of the inner-west...
in the Australian House of RepresentativesAustralian House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
. - State Government: Leichhardt is in the Electoral district of BalmainElectoral district of BalmainBalmain is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's Inner West. It includes the suburbs and localities of Annandale, Balmain, Balmain East, Birchgrove, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Glebe Island, Haberfield, Leichhardt, Lilyfield, Rozelle,...
in the New South Wales Legislative AssemblyNew South Wales Legislative AssemblyThe Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
. - Local Government: Leichhardt is in the local government area of the Municipality of LeichhardtMunicipality of LeichhardtThe Municipality of Leichhardt is a Local Government Area in the inner-west of Sydney, in state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The Municipality of Leichhardt stands on land that traditionally belonged to the Gadigal and Wangal people, of the Eora nation...
.