Padstow History
The first land grant in the Padstow area was given in 1819, however the first established homestead at Padstow Park was not established until the 1850’s. In the 1880s Sydney property boom, there was speculation of a rail line from Sydenham to Liverpool cutting through the district. The large land grants were cut up into various farmlet estates, typically of 5 acres. However the line did not eventuate, and in 1897 there was less than half a dozen households settled. Through the early 1900s more settlers arrived and settled in the north of Padstow in Gow and Bryant Streets, where they had closer access to the Bankstown line which finally opened in 1909.
In 1913, the Padstow Park Progress Association was formed and members of this agitated for a line for the southern part of Bankstown. The railway from Tempe to East Hills was opened on 19 December 1931, however due to the Great Depression at that time and the following years of World War 2, the Padstow district was sparsely populated. At the conclusion of the War and with many families enjoying a baby boom, there was a great need for new traditional quarter acre house and land for them, and over the next 30 years Padstow changed to predominantly residential. By the mid-1990s however, many of these early post War builders had sadly passed away, or moved away to enjoy their retirement. This past 15 years has fuelled a new wave of settlers to Padstow whom are either enjoying the nice solid old homes built after the War, or taking advantage of the generous sized blocks of the time to either knock down and re-build, or to develop the site as a duplex to house two new families.
Padstow Today
Padstow today is so much more central and enjoys more amenities than anybody settling prior to 1963 – 50 years ago. There was no Salt Pan Creek Bridge to the St George district (opened 1963), no Alfords Point Bridge to Sutherland (opened 1973), no M5 (opened 1992), no railway extension to Glenfield (opened 1987), no Roselands and Centro Bankstown (opened 1965 and 1966), no Padstow TAFE (opened 1978). In the past few years the shoppping centre refurbished and the modern red bus service (click to view timetable) which links Padstow directly as far as Parramatta, Hurstville and Sutherland.
The size of Padstow is approximately 5 square kilometres, and it has 12 parks covering nearly 5% of the total area. The population of Padstow in 2006 was 11,712, and the predominant age group in Padstow is 40-49 years. Households in Padstow are primarily couples with children and are likely to be repaying between $1200 – $1400 per month on mortgage repayments. In 2006, 70.3% of the homes in Padstow were owner-occupied, and the current median sales price of houses in the area is $667,000.
One popular feature of Padstow is it being so central, with fantastic transport options. The main shopping centre boasts a Post Office, Woolworths, TAB, major banks, chemists, butchers, a fruit and veg shop, seafood and take away shops, as well as several clothing, footwear, gift and homeware stores, two newsagents, two bakeries, a florist, doctors, dentists, a veterinary clinic, pathology centres, a chiropractor, physiotherapist, optometrist, hairdressers and beauticians, a tobacconist, book store, a bedding store, a travel agent, solicitors, a mortgage broker, an accountant, dry cleaners, a video shop, TV repair shop, computer repair shop, a coin shop, a gym, bottle shop, and several great cafes and restaurants, plus Padstow RSL Club and Padstow Park Hotel. The Padstow area also boasts some great schools, several churches, the Georges River boardwalk nature walking tracks, plenty of local parks, Padstow Library, Padstow train station, as well as our office – Chambers Fleming Professionals Real Estate.
Click here for more information on Padstow
Or if you would like to know more about the Padstow area ask us about The History of Padstow books by Andrew Molloy exclusively sold in our office here on the corner of Faraday and Howard Road.
