St Clair, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
St Clair is a suburb
of Sydney
, in the state of New South Wales
, Australia
. St Clair is located 49 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. St Clair is within view of the Blue Mountains.
the Rev. Samuel Marsden
now sought to encourage them to work in exchange for food and clothing.
and existed until the end of 19th century. The area remained largely rural until a new housing development in the 1970s.
The name "St Clair" has no historical links with the area. It was the name given to a residential housing development established in 1970 by the Latex Finance Company, a subsidiary of the Cambridge Finance Company which went bankrupt in the year 1976. The Land Commission of New South Wales acquired the land after a bankruptcy declaration and extended the area to create a large suburb. The Geographical Names Board of New South Wales eventually made the decision in late 1981 to divide the area into two separate suburbs named St Clair and Erskine Park
, rather than call the whole area Erskine Park as many people had desired. Its population has soared since 1981 and is now a well established suburb with modern facilities with close access to the M4 Motorway and shopping centre.
on the north and Mamre Road along its western boundary. The suburb to the south and east of St Clair is Erskine Park
. Considerable parklands provide open space for recreational activities and St Clair is renowned for having a family oriented atmosphere.
Next to St Clair is Erskine Park, which is located on the eastern and southern sides of Erskine Park Road. Erskine Park is not as big as St Clair in housing and population, but a massive new industrial area to the south encompassing developments on Lenore Lane and James Erskine Drive is partially developed and bringing new opportunities to the area.
The new development is expected to bridge Old Wallgrove Rd with Lenore Lane and Archibold Road in the future. This will create a freight corridor connecting the area's three main industrial areas at Minchinbury, Erskine Park and Wonderland, along with the two mines in the area, encouraging heavy vehicles down non-suburban back roads, freeing up the existing roads for car traffic, and substantially reducing travel time from the current 45 minutes in heavy traffic to 10 minutes.
High School. Private High Schools near St Clair include Emmaus Catholic College and Mamre Anglican School. Primary schools in St Clair include St Clair Public School, Banks Drive Public School, Blackwell Public School, Clairgate Public School, Trinity and Holy Spirit Catholic School.
Two local schools border the shopping centre to the west and south, as do soccer fields to the north containing a recently constructed skate bowl.
The Blue Cattle Dog Hotel is the only pub located in St Clair or Erskine Park
, which is on the corner of Mamre Road and Banks Drive.
Seat of Prospect
, held by Australian Labor Party
's Chris Bowen
and the NSW State Government Seat of Mulgoa, held by Labor's
Diane Beamer
with her office at St Clair shopping centre.
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...
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 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...
. St Clair is located 49 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...
, in the local government area of the City of Penrith
City of Penrith
The City of Penrith is a Local Government Area in Sydney, located about west of Sydney's central business district.- History :The Municipality of Penrith was incorporated on 12 May 1871 under the Municipalities Act 1858. On 3 March 1890, St Marys was separately incorporated, and on 26 July 1893...
and is part of the Greater Western Sydney
Greater Western Sydney
Greater Western Sydney is a term used to describe the western region of the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia. The University of Western Sydney defines Greater Western Sydney as comprising 14 local government areas...
region. St Clair is within view of the Blue Mountains.
Aboriginal culture
Traditionally, the area was inhabited by the indigenous Dharug people. By the year 1816 however, the Dharug people had been decimated by clashes with settlers and by contracting diseases brought to the area by Europeans. As time progressed, the traditional culture declined as it did across the entire continent and they became increasingly dependent on the settlers for their survival. Although they had always maintained a camp on or around the Mamre estate (which is found adjacent to St Clair, in the suburb of St MarysSt Marys, New South Wales
St Marys is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. St Marys is located 45 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Penrith....
the Rev. Samuel Marsden
Samuel Marsden
Samuel Marsden was an English born Anglican cleric and a prominent member of the Church Missionary Society, believed to have introduced Christianity to New Zealand...
now sought to encourage them to work in exchange for food and clothing.
European settlement
The area was formerly part of a larger area named South Creek. It was later, unofficially, known as South St Marys, with the southern section being named Erskine Park. The original site of St Clair was once part of Chatsworth Nursery, a branch of Darling Nursery, which had been established in 1827 during the reign of King George IV. The owner Thomas Shepherd developed an irrigation system utilizing water from Eastern Creek and a large portion of the area was covered with Camelia orchards. The nursery, famous for its Camellias, was moved to ColytonColyton, New South Wales
Colyton is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Colyton is located 43 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....
and existed until the end of 19th century. The area remained largely rural until a new housing development in the 1970s.
The name "St Clair" has no historical links with the area. It was the name given to a residential housing development established in 1970 by the Latex Finance Company, a subsidiary of the Cambridge Finance Company which went bankrupt in the year 1976. The Land Commission of New South Wales acquired the land after a bankruptcy declaration and extended the area to create a large suburb. The Geographical Names Board of New South Wales eventually made the decision in late 1981 to divide the area into two separate suburbs named St Clair and Erskine Park
Erskine Park, New South Wales
Erskine Park is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Erskine Park is located 42 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.Erskine Park is a growing,...
, rather than call the whole area Erskine Park as many people had desired. Its population has soared since 1981 and is now a well established suburb with modern facilities with close access to the M4 Motorway and shopping centre.
Location
The suburb is bordered by Erskine Park Road to the east, the M4 MotorwayM4 Western Motorway
The M4 Western Motorway,, is a motorway in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
on the north and Mamre Road along its western boundary. The suburb to the south and east of St Clair is Erskine Park
Erskine Park, New South Wales
Erskine Park is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Erskine Park is located 42 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.Erskine Park is a growing,...
. Considerable parklands provide open space for recreational activities and St Clair is renowned for having a family oriented atmosphere.
Next to St Clair is Erskine Park, which is located on the eastern and southern sides of Erskine Park Road. Erskine Park is not as big as St Clair in housing and population, but a massive new industrial area to the south encompassing developments on Lenore Lane and James Erskine Drive is partially developed and bringing new opportunities to the area.
The new development is expected to bridge Old Wallgrove Rd with Lenore Lane and Archibold Road in the future. This will create a freight corridor connecting the area's three main industrial areas at Minchinbury, Erskine Park and Wonderland, along with the two mines in the area, encouraging heavy vehicles down non-suburban back roads, freeing up the existing roads for car traffic, and substantially reducing travel time from the current 45 minutes in heavy traffic to 10 minutes.
Schools
The suburb has one public high school which is located on Endeavour Ave, named St Clair High School. St Clair High School is well known for its friendly teachers and curriculum. Some St Clair residents are zoned to go to the nearby Erskine ParkErskine Park, New South Wales
Erskine Park is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Erskine Park is located 42 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.Erskine Park is a growing,...
High School. Private High Schools near St Clair include Emmaus Catholic College and Mamre Anglican School. Primary schools in St Clair include St Clair Public School, Banks Drive Public School, Blackwell Public School, Clairgate Public School, Trinity and Holy Spirit Catholic School.
Commercial area
St Clair shopping centre has recently undergone a major refurbishment with new specialty stores, a food court area, and outdoor seating. It contains medical facilities including X-ray, pathology and optometrist, food outlets, news, fashion and jewellery, electronics, the local library, and a petrol station.Two local schools border the shopping centre to the west and south, as do soccer fields to the north containing a recently constructed skate bowl.
The Blue Cattle Dog Hotel is the only pub located in St Clair or Erskine Park
Erskine Park, New South Wales
Erskine Park is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Erskine Park is located 42 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.Erskine Park is a growing,...
, which is on the corner of Mamre Road and Banks Drive.
Politics
St Clair is in the FederalParliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
Seat of Prospect
Division of Prospect
The Division of Prospect was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales from 1969 to 2010. It was located in the western suburbs of Sydney, and included the suburbs of Fairfield, Smithfield, Kemps Creek, St Clair, Horsley Park and those parts of the suburb of Prospect south of...
, held by Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
's Chris Bowen
Chris Bowen
Christopher Eyles "Chris" Bowen , an Australian federal politician, is a member of the Australian House of Representatives, initially elected to represent the seat of Prospect in western Sydney for the Australian Labor Party at the 2004 federal election...
and the NSW State Government Seat of Mulgoa, held by Labor's
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
Diane Beamer
Diane Beamer
Diane Beamer is a former Australian politician. She was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1995–2011 representing the electorates of Badgerys Creek and Mulgoa for the Australian Labor Party.-Early life and background:Beamer joined Labor in 1975...
with her office at St Clair shopping centre.