The original inhabitants of Canterbury and Bankstown were the Gweagal, Bidjigal, (also known as Bediagal) and a small portion of the Dharug people.
Five years after the first fleet arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788, a man by the name of Rev Richard Johnson, a chaplain aboard the First Fleet, was the first to receive a land grant of 40 hectares in what is now known as the 'Canterbury–Bankstown region'. The land was located in the Ashbury-Hurlstone Park area. He named his estate 'Canterbury Vale', presumably after the See of Canterbury in England. The date of the grant was May 1793 although he (Johnson) occupied the land months earlier. Johnson also cultivated land around his cottage in Bridge St Sydney and at another location called the Brickfield near Central Station. Johnson was praised by Watkin Tench as being one of the best farmers in the colony.[1]: 4, 6, 81
The first ambulance to service the area was in 1908. It was called the 'Canterbury District Ambulance Corps' and it used volunteers to transport patients to the hospital. A stretcher on wheels with a hooded cover over it (hand litter) was used to transport patients to the Western Suburbs Hospital. If a patient lived in an area around Belmore, the hand litter was transported by train from Campsie to Belmore, then it was pushed along the rough unsealed roads to the patients home, back to Belmore station, then taken by train to Campsie Station and along the streets to hospital.[citation needed]
The Canterbury District Memorial Hospital commenced business on 26 October 1929. The hospital was opened by Secretary for Public Works Buttenshaw. Prior to the opening of the hospital [in Canterbury], residents attended the Western Suburbs Hospital or the cottage hospital located in Marrickville, which was established in 1895.[citation needed]
In 1940, the events of World War II were made known to the residents of Canterbury-Bankstown. Men and women who were drafted had to report for duty at a drill hall located on Canterbury Road Belmore. Camps were set up in Canterbury Race Course and surrounding parks in the region. In that same year thousands of Australian troops travelled along the goods line to Darling Harbour, ready to embark for the Middle East.
Australia's air defence headquarters during WW2, Bankstown Bunker, also known as No. 1 Fighter Sector RAAF
In 1940 the department of Civil Aviation purchased 250 hectares of land in Bankstown for the construction of Bankstown Airport and an RAAF Station was formed. The facility was a secondary airport to Mascot Airport. In 1942 a command bunker (Sydney Air Defence Headquarters) of semi underground construction was established on the corner of Edgar and Marion Street Bankstown. The bunker was manned by No. 1 Fighter Sector RAAF, members of the No.2 Volunteer Air Observer Corps, the WAAAF's, the RAAF and the United States Army Air Forces. The primary use of the Sydney Air Defence Headquarters was the location, tracking and interception of all planes in the eastern area of the South West Pacific.[2][1]: 89
In 1941, WAAAF's were posted to Bankstown. The women were trained as clerks, wireless telegraphists, mess orderlies, drill instructors and drivers, a portion of these women were assigned to work in the command centre (Bankstown Bunker) located on Black Charlies Hill. In 1942, Belmore House, the current sight of today's Roselands Shopping Centre was used by the Australian Army for the training of troops. Tents on the property were used to house an infantry battalion and an ambulance corps. The site was vacated after a year. Units of the US Air Force were based in Bankstown after 1942, earning the suburb the nickname 'Yankstown'. Also in 1942 a military hospital was established for the U.S. Army at Herne Bay, now known as Riverwood. It was the largest military hospital in Australia during World War II. Known as the 118 General Hospital it consisted of 490 timber barracks-type buildings, which could house a total of 4,250 beds and accommodate up to 1,250 patients and 3,500 staff.[1]: 94
Within the same year 16 US fighter planes that were based at Bankstown airport flew over Canterbury racecourse at low altitude during a race meet. This was to let the Australian public, especially those of the district to know that they, their allies were there for their protection. Regardless of these events, punters were annoyed at the disruption caused.
From 1944 to 1945, a Volunteer Air Observer Corps operated in Bankstown. These volunteers were both male and female, were of 15 to 60 years of age and were given several weeks training. There were over 300 volunteers who worked in shifts that the air force called 'flights' 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This freed RAAF personnel for other duties. In 1945 Bankstown Airport was occupied by the British Fleet Air Arm, known as HMS Nabberley, and the RAAF by 1946.[2][1]: 88, 90, 91–94
Suburbs
The Canterbury-Bankstown region is not an exact area, although the following suburbs are usually agreed to be a part of the region:
Residential housing in Punchbowl Large natural parklands in the south of the region, around Salt Pan Creek
The Canterbury-Bankstown region is characterised by high-density housing towards the east and larger family homes towards the west with large natural parklands toward the south, such as those around Salt Pan Creek. Suburbs within the region have a multicultural nature.
Young families and couples are opting to live in the Canterbury-Bankstown region as a cheaper alternative to living in Sydney's Inner West[citation needed], while at the same time residents of the region are suffering heavily from mortgage repossession which is forcing poorer families to move into Sydney's Outer Western Suburbs.[citation needed]
Like Sydney's inner west, Canterbury-Bankstown is multi-cultural. There is a significant Chinese, Indian, Korean, Fijian, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Greek, Italian, Yugoslav and African population. This is also reflected in the variety and style of many local businesses and cultural institutions.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines two statistical areas (SAL3) called "Canterbury" and "Bankstown" respectively, which together largely correlate with the customary definitions of the Canterbury–Bankstown region. Based on the 2021 Australian census:
SAL3 "Canterbury" had a population of 141,091, with a median age of 36. 25.3% of people had a highest educational qualification of bachelor or above, compared to 27.8% across the state. The largest population groups by ancestry were Chinese (13.6%), Lebanese (11.8%), Australian (11.0%), Greek (9.6%) and English (8.9%). 44.2% of people were born in Australia, and the next most popular places of birth were China (7.0%), Lebanon (4.9%), Bangladesh (3.7%), Vietnam (3.3%) and Greece (3.3%). The most popular responses for religion were Islam (22.6%), Catholic (21.0%), no religion (17.8%), Eastern Orthodox (11.7%) and not stated (8.1%). 29.1% of people spoke only English at home, and the next popular responses for languages used at home were Arabic (13.2%), Greek (7.8%), Mandarin (6.8%), Bengali (4.7%) and Cantonese (4.2%).[6]
SAL3 "Bankstown" had a population of 186,245, with a median age of 36. 21.7% of people had a highest educational qualification of bachelor or above, compared to 27.8% across the state. The largest population groups by ancestry were Lebanese (16.8%), Australian (16.0%), English (12.8%), Vietnamese (9.7%) and Chinese (8.6%). 53.4% of people were born in Australia, and the next most popular places of birth were Vietnam (7.7%), Lebanon (6.7%), China (3.3%), Pakistan (1.3%) and India (1.3%). The most popular responses for religion were Islam (25.6%), Catholic (22.2%), no religion (15.3%), not stated (7.7%) and Eastern Orthodox (6.9%). 36.7% of people spoke only English at home, and the next popular responses for languages used at home were Arabic (21.2%), Vietnamese (10.1%), Mandarin (3.3%), Greek (2.8%) and Cantonese (2.7%).[7]
The federal divisions of Barton, Banks, Blaxland, Grayndler and Watson are located within part or all of the region of Canterbury-Bankstown. The state electoral districts of Bankstown, Canterbury, East Hills and Lakemba are located within part or all of the region. It is a relatively safe region for the Labor party.
Multinational companies such as Volkswagen and Cosentino have based Australian operations in the region. There is also major investment by local and foreign companies in the aviation, print media and retail.
Commercial areas
Bankstown Central is the largest shopping centre in Canterbury-Bankstown
The biggest commercial areas in the Canterbury-Bankstown area are located at Bankstown, Campsie and Roselands. Bankstown is the largest central business district in the region and features a large shopping centre called Bankstown Central. Roselands also features a large shopping centre called Roselands Shopping Centre. The Canterbury–Bankstown region also has a variety of Vietnamese, Lebanese, Greek, Italian, Spanish, African and Australian restaurants, delicatessens, sweet shops, grocery and fresh food markets.
Canterbury, Liverpool and Punchbowl Roads are the main roads through the area. The M5 Motorway runs through the Bankstown area and close to the southern boundary of the Canterbury area, and provides a motorway connection from this region east to Sydney Airport and west to Liverpool and beyond and (via the M8 Motorway and WestConnex) the Inner West region and beyond.
Public transport in the region includes trains and buses. The Lidcombe & Bankstown Line runs from Bankstown to Lidcombe. The Airport & South Line runs from the City Circle and passes through the southern part of Canterbury-Bankstown, with all stations services that terminate at Revesby and limited stops services which continue onto Macarthur. This line also provides a direct connection from the region to Sydney Airport. There are various bus routes provided largely by the privately owned companies Transit Systems and U-Go Mobility.
The former City of Canterbury is served by the Sydney Local Health District of NSW Health, which also covers the Inner West region. Canterbury Hospital, a historic public hospital operated by the Sydney Local Health District is in the region.[9] The former City of Bankstown is served by the South Western Sydney Health District of NSW Health, which also covers an expansive area to the south and west of Sydney as far south as the Southern Highlands.[10]
