| |
Formation of Local Government
Homebush Municipal Council was
incorporated 6 June 1906. The area was 600 acres with 6 and half
miles of streets. The 1906 population was 548. The boundary
of the Council was described as:
County of
Cumberland, parishes of Concord and Liberty Plains; area about one
mile commencing on the centre of the railway line from Parramatta to
Sydney at a south-eastern corner of the Municipality of Rookwood;
and bounded thence by the part of the eastern boundary of that
municipality and its continuation generally north-easterly to the
south-western boundary of the Municipality of Concord; thence by
that boundary and the south-western boundary of the annexation to
the latter municipality generally south-easterly to the western
boundary of Burwood Municipality; thence by that boundary southerly
to the northern boundary of the Municipality of Strathfield; thence
by that boundary and the northern boundary of the annexation of that
municipality generally westerly, to the point of commencement.
There was 170
ratepayers and 90 houses.
First meeting was held in Mrs Wrights’
building Parramatta Road Homebush on Friday 31st August
1906. Mr F Bundy was the returning officer. The purpose of the meeting
was to elect Mayor in accordance with Sec 50 Div 3 of the Municipalities
Act 1897.
First meeting of Homebush Council held on
Monday September 10 1906. Mayor Alderman H N Kite with Aldermen
Dalton, Knight, Hughes, Slattery and Wilkins. |
| |
Development
Homebush Municipality was formed in
1906 and was abolished and added to Strathfield Municipality in 1947.
Parts of Homebush Municipality are built on the large Underwood Estate.
By the time subdivision of streets commenced, markers were already
established such as Parramatta Road and the Railway Line, which
determined how land was subdivided. The Homebush Bay wetlands and
Powell’s Creek also provided a constraint as substantial amounts of land
were unusable for building, though much of the wetlands was filled and
reclaimed as tips, later parks.
Homebush Council contained considerable land dedicated to commercial and
industrial use, namely the Sydney Stock and Cattle Yards [now Sydney
Markets], established 1909. Tipping sites were established, where
Bressington Park now stands. Other significant industrial sites included
Former EMI Records [Parramatta Road and Columbia Lane].
Homebush Council adopted a Residential Proclamation in 1927.
The building of the M4 motorway involved relocation of streets in
Homebush and some streets became dead-ends such as Short Street. The
establishment of Sydney Markets in 1975 also involved relocation and
abolishment of some streets in Homebush. Building of Homebush Bay Drive
has also altered street alignments such as Malborough Rd and Austin
Avenue.
Parks and Reserves
There are a number of
parks and reserves in the area of Homebush Council, they include:
Bressington Park - named in honour of
George Bressington, Homebush Municipal Council Overseer of Works
[1906-1937] and Alderman and Mayor [1937-1947]. Bressington Park was a
former tidal swamp, infested with mangroves and used by Homebush and
Strathfield Councils as a garbage tip.
Mason Park - The park was named for
Albert Mason, a former Mayor of Homebush Council, which amalgamated with
Strathfield Council in 1947. Mason Park was a former tidal mangrove
swamp and garbage tip. Mason was also chief electrician of Arnott’s
Biscuits Factory in George St, Homebush and through his position,
developed a novel approach in turning the swamp into useable land.
Arnott’s Biscuits were originally sold in tins and empty tins from the
shops were returned to the tin recycling department at the Homebush
factory. Tins that could not be recycled were either crushed and buried
in the company’s bowling green and car park in George St and others were
combined with ash from the biscuit factory’s engine room and used to
fill Mason Park .
|