Wentworth Point, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Wentworth Point is a suburb
of western
Sydney
, in the state of New South Wales
, Australia
. Wentworth Point is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district
, in the local government area of Auburn Council
. It is on the western shore of Homebush Bay on the southern side of the Parramatta River
with a natural and artificial shoreline on the southern side of the Parramatta River. Homebush was established in the 1800s by the colony's then assistant surgeon D'arcy Wentworth
. According to local government historian Michael Jones, "Wentworth is popularly credited with having called the area after his 'home in the bush', although Homebush is also a place in Kent
."
The northern part of the peninsula had been named Wentworth Point and gazetted in 1976.
The waterfront residential area was renamed Wentworth Point on 2 October 2009,. Auburn Council
sought public comment on a proposal to rename the Homebush Bay area, to remove confusion with its namesake suburb Homebush
. The area encompassing Sydney Olympic Park
was given autonomy as a suburb and the Carter Street industrial precinct was absorbed by the neighbouring suburb of Lidcombe
. This effectively brought the suburb of Homebush Bay to an end.
The Rhodes
/Olympic Park/Homebush Bay area once contained toxic dumping zones. Union Carbide
had manufactured chemicals, including Agent Orange
, on the site and dioxins produced as a byproduct were buried in landfill or left in drums.
.
NSW Maritime owns about 18 hectares of land at the northern end of the point. This land has been subject to proposals for marine related development including boat storage. It has been considered as a possible location for a primary school.
to Footbridge Boulevarde, a proposed street, directly opposite at Wentworth Point. Traffic and construction will likely affect developments near the point where the bridge lands on either side of the bay, including Gauthorpe Street at Rhodes and Footbridge Boulevarde at Wentworth Point. The preliminary design has been lodged with Planning NSW. The bridge will affect access by boats into the southern part of the bay and its potential use for recreational sailing, although kayaking would be less effected except near the Rhodes shore. A community Reference Group has been formed. The bridge would allow access to the Rhodes railway station and 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 western
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...
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...
. Wentworth Point is located 16 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 Auburn Council
Auburn Council
Auburn Council is the governing body of a local government area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, about 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district...
. It is on the western shore of Homebush Bay on the southern side 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....
History
This suburb was once part of the suburb of Homebush, named after Homebush Bay, the bayBay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
with a natural and artificial shoreline on the southern side of the Parramatta River. Homebush was established in the 1800s by the colony's then assistant surgeon D'arcy Wentworth
D'Arcy Wentworth
D'Arcy Wentworth was born in Portadown, County Armagh, Ireland and emigrated to Australia as an assistant surgeon to then-new colony of Sydney.- Emigration to Australia :...
. According to local government historian Michael Jones, "Wentworth is popularly credited with having called the area after his 'home in the bush', although Homebush is also a place in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
."
The northern part of the peninsula had been named Wentworth Point and gazetted in 1976.
The waterfront residential area was renamed Wentworth Point on 2 October 2009,. Auburn Council
Auburn Council
Auburn Council is the governing body of a local government area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, about 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district...
sought public comment on a proposal to rename the Homebush Bay area, to remove confusion with its namesake suburb Homebush
Homebush, New South Wales
Homebush is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Homebush is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield. Homebush West and Homebush Bay are separate suburbs...
. The area encompassing Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
was given autonomy as a suburb and the Carter Street industrial precinct was absorbed by the neighbouring suburb of Lidcombe
Lidcombe, New South Wales
Lidcombe is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Lidcombe is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
. This effectively brought the suburb of Homebush Bay to an end.
Industrial and commercial usage
After much of the area was reclaimed from Homebush Bay, Wentworth Point was used for a variety of industrial uses. The larger and better known include Ralph Simonds, a plywood manufacturer, which used the river as a transport route for large logs, which were then moored in Homebush Bay while awaiting processing. Other activities have included McPhee Transport depot, a jeans warehouse, warehouse and office space for Hyundai (now occupied by Audi) and a radio transmission tower for 2GB, a Sydney radio station.The Rhodes
Rhodes, New South Wales
Rhodes is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rhodes is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay...
/Olympic Park/Homebush Bay area once contained toxic dumping zones. Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
had manufactured chemicals, including Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
, on the site and dioxins produced as a byproduct were buried in landfill or left in drums.
Residential development
Prior to the move of the Royal Agricultural Society showgrounds from Moore Park to Homebush (as the area of Sydney Olympic Park was then known), much of Wentworth Point was bought by Payce Consolidated Limited. Most of Wentworth Point is now zoned for medium to high density residential development.Ferries
There is a ferry service between Parramatta and Circular Quay which services Wentworth Point by the ferry wharf at the northern end of the point.Trains
There is no train service to Wentworth Point, but nearby Olympic Park has a station, although services are infrequent out of major events and peak hours.Commercial areas
Wentworth Point has some small shops, cafes and restaurants but there is no significant shopping centre. There is a large supermarket and shopping centre at nearby NewingtonNewington, New South Wales
Newington is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Newington is located 19 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
.
NSW Maritime owns about 18 hectares of land at the northern end of the point. This land has been subject to proposals for marine related development including boat storage. It has been considered as a possible location for a primary school.
Recreation
Cycling and walking are well catered for by cycleways in the Millennium Parklands and Bicentennial Park. There are dedicated commuter cycleways to Sydney Olympic Park and Parramatta. Homebush Bay has potential for sailing, kayaking, rowing and dragon boating, but water access and boat storage facilities are limited. There is a recreation club in Wentworth Point called ‘Pulse’ which has a 25 meter indoor heated pool, gymnasium and tennis courts. A wide range of other recreation facilities are available at nearby Sydney Olympic Park.Proposed Homebush Bay Bridge
A bridge across Homebush Bay is proposed from Gauthorpe Street in RhodesRhodes, New South Wales
Rhodes is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rhodes is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay...
to Footbridge Boulevarde, a proposed street, directly opposite at Wentworth Point. Traffic and construction will likely affect developments near the point where the bridge lands on either side of the bay, including Gauthorpe Street at Rhodes and Footbridge Boulevarde at Wentworth Point. The preliminary design has been lodged with Planning NSW. The bridge will affect access by boats into the southern part of the bay and its potential use for recreational sailing, although kayaking would be less effected except near the Rhodes shore. A community Reference Group has been formed. The bridge would allow access to the Rhodes railway station and shopping centre.