Oatley, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids OatleySydney, New South Wales |
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Oatley Clock Tower, Frederick Street
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| Population | 10,486 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1883 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2223 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 18 km (11 mi) south of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Georges River Council | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Oatley | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Banks | ||||||||||||||
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Oatley is a suburb in Southern Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 18 kilometres (11 miles) south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area. Oatley lies in the local government area of Georges River Council. It lies on the northern side of the tidal estuary of the Georges River and its foreshore includes part of Oatley Bay and Lime Kiln Bay, and all of Neverfail Bay, Gungah Bay and Jewfish Bay.
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History
This suburb's name can be traced to James Oatley Snr, watch-maker, who was transported to Botany Bay for life in 1814. Seven years later, in 1821, Governor Lachlan Macquarie granted Oatley a conditional pardon and appointed him overseer of the Town Clock for his work in installing the clock at Hyde Park Barracks.
The post office opened in 1903, thus giving the district its official suburban name of Oatley. Prior to this, the area west of the railway line was officially in the suburb of Hurstville and attached to the Hurstville Post Office with "Oatley's" in parenthesis at the end of the address. Likewise, the streets east of the railway line were officially in the suburb of Kogarah and attached to the Kogarah Post Office. In the late 1890s both Hurstville and Kogarah were much larger suburbs and were later divided up into separate suburbs.
Oatley is notable as the terminus of the first railway electrification project in Sydney, which reached this station from Sydney Central in 1926.
When a group gathered in Oatley Park in December 1959, to form a Bowling Club, it was inevitable that the founding members should choose a clock as the club emblem. The hands on the clock were set at 15 minutes after 10 - the precise time the first meeting of the Oatley Bowls Club was opened. The Club has since closed, though the greens and Club premises remain.
The Oatley campus of Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education opened in 1981 on the site of the former Judd's Brick Works and quarry. In 1981, when many teachers' colleges were amalgamated, it became The St George Institute of Education, part of Sydney College of Advanced Education, and subsequently a campus of the University of New South Wales. It is now a secondary school – the Oatley Senior Campus of the Georges River College.
Transport
Originally, the railway ran east of the present Mortdale Railway Sheds and down the western side of Oatley Avenue, on land that is now the Oatley Memorial Gardens. The first station platform was located at the western end of Frederick Street and extended north to the Oatley Hotel car park. The railway was realigned and the current station opened in 1905. The electrification of the passenger network began in 1926 with the first suburban electric service running between Sydney's Central Station and the suburb of Oatley approximately 20 km south of Sydney.
Oatley railway station is the last station on the Sydney Trains Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra railway line before crossing the Georges River to Como in the Sutherland Shire. The 955 bus route operates a service from Mortdale through Oatley West and Oatley to Hurstville.
Parks
The area's main attraction is Oatley Park but there are also a number of local bush parks surrounding the suburb: Oatley Point Reserve, Oatley Pleasure Grounds, Moore Reserve, Renown Park, Lime Kiln Bay Bushland Sanctuary, Giriwa Picnic Ground, Stevens Reserve, Meyer Reserve, and the Miles Dunphy Bushland Reserve (in which foot tracks were improved in 2011, by Hurstville Council). They attract many birds both native and introduced, with Oatley Park alone recording 146 species; as many as 90 recently.
Oatley Park
Oatley Park is a tree covered promontory that is almost completely surrounded by the Georges River. It covers an area of about 45 hectares and it is one of the most significant areas of bushland remaining in the St George area.
Oatley Park became a public recreation area on 25 March 1887. In October 1893, when the nearby residential subdivision was sold off, it was known as Peakhurst Park. It was renamed to Oatley Park in March 1922.
It protects important examples of the natural environment which occur throughout the park. In addition, there is a swimming area, a playground featuring an old steamroller, lookouts, barbecues, a Soccer/Cricket Oval, and a "castle". The man-made wetlands of Lime Kiln Bay Reserve which adjoin Oatley Park provide refuge for bird species such as chestnut teal, Pacific black ducks, dusky moorhens and purple swamphens. Native mammals which are uncommon in the region can still be found within the park, including the short-beaked echidna and the swamp wallaby.
Oatley Pleasure Grounds
Oatley Pleasure Grounds is a bush park located on Annette Street. It covers an area of 3.4 hectares (8.4 acres) and was built by Harry Linmark before 1934. Numerous performances occurred in the park previously, and a wine bar was constructed. The bar was later shut down due to noise complaints.
Landmarks
- Oatley Bay, Gungah Bay, Lime Kiln Bay, Neverfail Bay, Jewfish Bay
- Oatley Point, Lime Kiln Point, Lime Kiln Head, Jewfish Bay Point
- Hills Lookout, Websters Lookout
- The Oatley Hotel (Oatley Pub)
- Oatley Library
- Myles Dunphy Reserve, a site of ecological significance. However, Hurstville City Council has plans to sell off a large part of this land to private business.
- The 1905 George Fincham Pipe Organ located at Hurstville Christadelphian District Ecclesia is a historically-significant musical instrument in the area.
Community events
- Oatley Lions Village Festival — An annual festival held on the third Saturday in October in Oatley Memorial Gardens and part of Frederick Street
- Oatley West Arts and Crafts Festival - An event held at Oatley West Public school each year
- Oatley Spring Fair — A fair held biennially at Oatley Public School
Population
Demographics
According to the 2011 census, there were 10,098 people usually resident in Oatley. 74.7% stated they were born in Australia. The top countries of birth for those born outside Australia being China (3.3%), England (3.2%), New Zealand (1.2%) and Hong Kong (1.1%). English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 77.1% of residents and the most common other languages spoken were Mandarin (3.2%), Greek (3.1%), Cantonese (2.9%) and Croatian (1.6%). The most common responses for religious affiliation were Roman Catholic (30.1%), Anglican (22.1%), no religion (17.9%), Eastern Orthodox (6.8%) and Uniting Church (5.2%).
Notable residents
- Myles Joseph Dunphy (1891-1985) - architect and conservationist
- Fiona Margaret Hall - an artistic photographer and sculptor.
- Sonny Bill Williams - Rugby League footballer and heavyweight boxer.
- John O'Grady (writer) - humorist and author of They're a Weird Mob.
- Sands and MacDougall Post Office Directory of Sydney (various years)
Sport
Water sports and recreation are a way of life in the peninsula suburb of Oatley whose eastern, southern and western boundaries are formed by the Georges River and its bays. Oatley has many sporting teams and sporting fields:
- Renown United, the local Rugby league team, play at Renown Park.
- Oatley Rugby Club, play Rugby Union at H.V Evatt Park in Lugarno.
- Oatley RSL, who play at Renown Park, and All Saints Oatley West, who play at Oatley Park, are the two association football teams.
- Oatley Netball Club.
- Oatley RSL Youth Club Gymnastics and Sport Aerobics
