Richmond, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Richmond is a town in New South Wales
, north-west of Sydney
, in the Local Government Area of the City of Hawkesbury
. It is located at a latitude
of 33° 35' 54" South and a longitude
of 150°45' 04" east, 19 metres above sea level on the alluvial Hawkesbury River
flats, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. It is about 65 km by road from Sydney
people were the native people to the area in 1788. The area was originally explored by British settlers in 1789 and was known by the colonialists as 'Richmond Hill'. This name was given by Governor Phillip, in honour of Charles Lennox, the third Duke of Richmond
who was Master General of Ordnance in the Pitt administration. The local area was the third area to have European settlement in Australia
after Sydney
and Parramatta
. The first 22 European settlers came to the area in 1794. They came to farm a total of 30 acres (12.1 ha) in what is now Pitt Town Bottoms. They needed good farming land to help overcome the desperate need for food in the new colony. By 1799 this region was producing about half the grain produced in the colony.
The Battle of Richmond Hill took place in May and June 1795 between the Darug people and the European settlers. It is perhaps the first time that the colonial authorities sent in the troopers and expressly stated their intent to 'destroy' the whole local Aboriginal population of an area.
Around 1811 Macquarie established the five Macquarie Towns
in the area: Windsor
, Richmond, Castlereagh
, Wilberforce
and Pitt Town
. One of the early settlers, James Blackman, built Bowman Cottage from brick nog
, a common construction technique in the colony, using money borrowed from William Cox
. The house was constructed between the years 1815 and 1818. James was unable to pay his debts and was forced to sell the property to George Bowman. The building was restored by the NSW Public Works Department and then became a Division of the Australian Foundation for the Disabled, providing employment for the disabled.
During WWII the RAAF operated a top secret operations bunker from somewhere in Richmond. It was either half or completely underground. The location of this bunker is unknown but it has been reported that this bunker was identical to the Bankstown Bunker
which is currently buried under a public park in Bankstown
. It has also been reported that this bunker could still be intact.
The location of this 'bunker' is NO secret and it is on private property in very poor condition! You can see it from the public road it is located near the RAAF base on what is now a dairy farm. ( 33°35'36.91"S 150°47'17.14"E).
RAAF Base Richmond
is a Royal Australian Air Force
base at Richmond which was established in 1923. The air base is currently the home to the RAAF's transport squadrons. During the Vietnam War
, logistic support and medical evacuations were supplied by the C-130 Hercules
aircraft from RAAF Richmond.
.
(TAFE) and University campuses.
There are three primary schools in Richmond (although there are many more in the Richmond/Hawkesbury area) Richmond Public School, Hobartville Public School and St Monica's Primary School, a comprehensive Catholic school. Richmond High School
is the only High School in the town of Richmond, as Colo High School
draws from the area west of Richmond and Windsor High School to the east.
. Bells Line of Road which leads into, over and across the Blue Mountains, finishing in Lithgow
, starts in Richmond. Richmond railway station
is the terminus of the Richmond branch of the Western Line
of the CityRail
network. Richmond is surrounded by the 329 km2 Richmond Woodlands Important Bird Area
, identified as such by BirdLife International
because of the importance of the patches of remnant eucalypt
woodland it contains for endangered Regent Honeyeater
s and Swift Parrot
s.
visible.
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...
, north-west of 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 Local Government Area of the City of Hawkesbury
City of Hawkesbury
The City of Hawkesbury is a Local Government Area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about 50 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district...
. It is located at a latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
of 33° 35' 54" South and a longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
of 150°45' 04" east, 19 metres above sea level on the alluvial Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
flats, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. It is about 65 km by road from 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...
History
The DarugDarug people
The Darug people are a language group of Indigenous Australians, who are traditional custodians of much of what is modern day Sydney. There is some dispute about the extent of the Darug nation. Some historians believe the coastal Eora people were a separate tribe to the Darug...
people were the native people to the area in 1788. The area was originally explored by British settlers in 1789 and was known by the colonialists as 'Richmond Hill'. This name was given by Governor Phillip, in honour of Charles Lennox, the third Duke of Richmond
Duke of Richmond
The title Duke of Richmond is named after Richmond and its surrounding district of Richmondshire, and has been created several times in the Peerage of England for members of the royal Tudor and Stuart families...
who was Master General of Ordnance in the Pitt administration. The local area was the third area to have European settlement in 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...
after 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...
and Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
. The first 22 European settlers came to the area in 1794. They came to farm a total of 30 acres (12.1 ha) in what is now Pitt Town Bottoms. They needed good farming land to help overcome the desperate need for food in the new colony. By 1799 this region was producing about half the grain produced in the colony.
The Battle of Richmond Hill took place in May and June 1795 between the Darug people and the European settlers. It is perhaps the first time that the colonial authorities sent in the troopers and expressly stated their intent to 'destroy' the whole local Aboriginal population of an area.
Around 1811 Macquarie established the five Macquarie Towns
Macquarie Towns
Macquarie Towns or the Five Macquarie Towns is the collective term for the towns of Castlereagh, Pitt Town, Richmond, Wilberforce and Windsor, all located on and around the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia....
in the area: Windsor
Windsor, New South Wales
Windsor is a town in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Windsor is located in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury. It sits on the Hawkesbury River, on the north-western outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area. At the 2006 census, Windsor had a population of...
, Richmond, Castlereagh
Castlereagh, New South Wales
Castlereagh is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Castlereagh is located 67 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Penrith and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.-History:The suburb is one of the...
, Wilberforce
Wilberforce, New South Wales
Wilberforce is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury. It is just beyond the outer suburbs of north-west Sydney and lies on the western bank of the Hawkesbury River.-History:...
and Pitt Town
Pitt Town, New South Wales
Pitt Town is a historic town and suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Pitt Town is located 59 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury....
. One of the early settlers, James Blackman, built Bowman Cottage from brick nog
Brick nog
Brick nog is a construction technique in which one width of bricks is used to fill the vacancies in a wooden frame. The walls then may be covered with tile or weatherboards or rendered....
, a common construction technique in the colony, using money borrowed from William Cox
William Cox (pioneer)
William Cox was an English soldier, known as an explorer, road builder and pioneer in the early period of British settlement in Australia.-Early life:...
. The house was constructed between the years 1815 and 1818. James was unable to pay his debts and was forced to sell the property to George Bowman. The building was restored by the NSW Public Works Department and then became a Division of the Australian Foundation for the Disabled, providing employment for the disabled.
During WWII the RAAF operated a top secret operations bunker from somewhere in Richmond. It was either half or completely underground. The location of this bunker is unknown but it has been reported that this bunker was identical to the Bankstown Bunker
Bankstown Bunker
The Bankstown Bunker is a disused RAAF operations facility, located on the corner of Marion and Edgar Street, Bankstown, New South Wales....
which is currently buried under a public park in Bankstown
Bankstown, New South Wales
Bankstown is a suburb of south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bankstown is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Bankstown.-History:Prior to European...
. It has also been reported that this bunker could still be intact.
The location of this 'bunker' is NO secret and it is on private property in very poor condition! You can see it from the public road it is located near the RAAF base on what is now a dairy farm. ( 33°35'36.91"S 150°47'17.14"E).
RAAF Base Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond is one of Australia's oldest and largest air force bases. It is located within the City of Hawkesbury in the north-western fringe of Sydney, New South Wales, between the towns of Windsor and Richmond. The base is home to the Royal Australian Air Force's transport headquarters,...
is a Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
base at Richmond which was established in 1923. The air base is currently the home to the RAAF's transport squadrons. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, logistic support and medical evacuations were supplied by the C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft from RAAF Richmond.
Heritage
The following buildings are listed on the Register of the National EstateRegister 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...
.
- Josieville, 2 Chapel Street, late 1830s
- Hobartville, Chapel Street, circa 1828
- Clear Oaks Homestead, 143 Francis Street, circa 1820
- Stable Square, Hawkesbury Agricultural College, designed by Walter Liberty VernonWalter Liberty VernonWalter Liberty Vernon was an English architect who migrated to the state of New South Wales, Australia and pursued his career as an architect in Sydney...
, 1896–97 - Mountain View, Inall's Lane, circa 1812
- School of Arts, West Market Street
- Court House and Police Station, Windsor Street,
- Post Office, Windsor Street
- St Peter's Church and Cemetery, Windsor Street, designed by Francis Clarke, circa 1837
- St Peter's Rectory, designed by Francis Clarke, circa 1843, additions designed by Edmund BlacketEdmund BlacketEdmund Thomas Blacket was an Australian architect, best known for his designs for the University of Sydney, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St...
, circa 1863 - Toxana, 157 Windsor Street, circa 1840
Education
Richmond has a range of educational facilities, from Primary and High Schools to Technical and Further EducationTechnical and Further Education
In Australia, training and further education or TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses, mostly qualifying courses under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/Australian Quality Training Framework...
(TAFE) and University campuses.
There are three primary schools in Richmond (although there are many more in the Richmond/Hawkesbury area) Richmond Public School, Hobartville Public School and St Monica's Primary School, a comprehensive Catholic school. Richmond High School
Richmond High School (Richmond, New South Wales)
Richmond High School is a school in Richmond, New South Wales, Australia. It was founded in 1955 as a centre of learning for students all across the Richmond area. The school is well-equipped for extra-curricular activities as it contains a large gymnasium with various sporting facilities. It is...
is the only High School in the town of Richmond, as Colo High School
Colo High School
Colo High School is a school in North Richmond, New South Wales, Australia. -History:Colo High School was established in 1978 in demountable buildings at North Richmond. The current permanent site was occupied in 1980. The blue and white colours were chosen to match colours selected by the Uniform...
draws from the area west of Richmond and Windsor High School to the east.
Geography
The expansion of the Sydney suburban area has almost reached Richmond and it is now considered to be an outer suburb of SydneySydney
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...
. Bells Line of Road which leads into, over and across the Blue Mountains, finishing in Lithgow
Lithgow, New South Wales
Lithgow is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales.Lithgow is...
, starts in Richmond. Richmond railway station
Richmond railway station, Sydney
-Transport links:Westbus:*677 - to Penrith*678 - to Penrith*679 - to University of Western Sydney*680 - between Windsor and Kurrajong*682 - to Glossodia and Freemans Reach...
is the terminus of the Richmond branch of the Western Line
Western railway line, Sydney
The Western Line is part of the CityRail metropolitan rail network in Sydney, and is the suburban section of the Main West line which connects Sydney with the west of New South Wales. It connects the Sydney CBD to the employment centre of Parramatta and the outer western suburbs, terminating at Emu...
of the 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...
network. Richmond is surrounded by the 329 km2 Richmond Woodlands Important Bird Area
Richmond Woodlands Important Bird Area
The Richmond Woodlands comprise some 329 km2 of eucalypt woodland remnants close to Richmond, New South Wales, Australia. They lie at the foot of the Blue Mountains on the north-western fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area.-Description:...
, identified as such by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
because of the importance of the patches of remnant eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
woodland it contains for endangered Regent Honeyeater
Regent Honeyeater
The Regent Honeyeater, Xanthomyza phrygia, is an endangered bird endemic to Australia. It feeds on nectar and insects within eucalyptus forests. Recent genetic research suggests it is closely related to the wattlebirds.-Distribution:...
s and Swift Parrot
Swift Parrot
The Swift Parrot breeds in Tasmania and migrates north to south eastern Australia from Griffith-Warialda in New South Wales and west to Adelaide in the winter. It is related to the rosellas, with the feeding habits of a lorikeet...
s.
Climate
Richmond has hotter summers than Sydney CBD, with most harsh temperature recorded here. Winter nights are cooler than Sydney, and they can reach below 0 degrees with frostFrost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
visible.