For over 60,000 years, the area comprising present day Parramatta has been occupied by the Burramattagal people, a clan of the Darug, who first settled along the upper reaches of the Parramatta River. The Darug people still populate the areas of Parramatta, Greater Western Sydney, La Perouse and the Blue Mountains.
Burramattagal is thought to be derived from the Aboriginal word for ‘place where the eels lie down’ to breed (within the Parramatta River). The Burramattagal have a close connection with the river, from which they caught fish, eels, and other food.
Soon after Governor Phillip’s arrival with the First Fleet in 1788, present day Parramatta was developed as a farming settlement to feed the new English colony.
Now Parramatta Local Government Area has 5 wards and 39 suburbs. Read the history of these suburbs below:
History of Suburbs
Auburn - A Brief History
LGA(s) and wards
City of Parramatta – Rosehill Ward and shared with
Cumberland Council (...
Baulkham Hills - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Baulkham Hills. Source: Six Maps
The suburb of Baulkham Hills lies within the County of Cumberla...
Beecroft - A Brief History
1943 aerial photograph of Beecroft. Source: Six Maps
Beecroft is a 5.1km2 suburb in northern Sydney bounded by the Hi...
Camellia - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Camellia. Source: Six Maps
The suburb of Camellia is an industrial suburb on the south bank of ...
Carlingford – A Brief History
The Wallumedegal people inhabited the land in the area now known as Carlingford prior to settlement by Europeans with th...
Cheltenham - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Cheltenham. Source: Six Maps
The suburb of Cheltenham lies to the northeast of the Parramatta CB...
Clyde - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of the Clyde area dated 1943 showing combined landuse of residential and industrial zones. Sourc...
Constitution Hill - A Brief History
Constitution Hill is a suburb of the City of Parramatta, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.. The suburb overloo...
Dundas and Dundas Valley - A Brief History
The suburb of Dundas is approximately 3 kilometres south west of Carlingford and about 3 kilometres north west of Erming...
Eastwood – A Brief History
Eastwood 1924
Eastwood became part of the local government area of City of Parramatta. The Wallumedegal Aboriginal pe...
Epping - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Epping. Source: Six Maps
Epping is a suburb north of Eastwood, south of Cheltenham, west of Mars...
Ermington - A Brief History
Ermington is a residential suburb located on the northern bank of the Parramatta River and is to the east of the Parrama...
Granville - A Brief History
The suburb of Granville lies south of the Parramatta Central Business District and approximately 3 kilometres south...
Harris Park - A Brief History
The suburb of Harris Park is located south of the Parramatta River and east of the Parramatta CBD. It is part of the Ros...
Holroyd - A Brief History
Holroyd is a small western Sydney suburb located in the Cumberland Council local government area (Granville ward) and a ...
Lidcombe - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Lidcombe (Source: Six Maps)
Few towns have enjoyed as many names during the course of their exis...
Mays Hill - A Brief History
A small suburb to the south-west of Parramatta CBD, the area is administered by Cumberland Council and the City of Parra...
Melrose Park - A Brief History
Melrose Park is located on the northern bank of the Parramatta River, between Victoria Road and the Parramatta River. It...
Merrylands - A Brief History
The suburb of Merrylands lies within Cumberland City Council, approximately 3 kilometres south-west of the Parramatta Ce...
Newington - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Newington (Source: Six Maps)
Newington is a suburb of Sydney, It is 16 kilometres west of the Sy...
North Parramatta - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of North Parramatta. Source: Six Maps
North Parramatta is a residential suburb located approximatel...
North Rocks – A Brief History
City of Parramatta Council GIS online – Aerial Photography of North Rocks Road and Statham Avenue 1943
As a result of...
Northmead - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Northmead. Source: Six Maps
Northmead is a residential suburb to the north of the Parramatta CBD...
Oatlands - A Brief History
West Dundas (now known as Oatlands), in 1943:
Image: https://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/
Oatlands is a suburb of the Cit...
Old Toongabbie and Toongabbie - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Old Toongabbie and Toongabbie (Source: Six Maps)
Traditional Custodians
The traditional custo...
Parramatta - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Paramatta. Source: Six Maps
For over 60,000 years, the area comprising present day Parramat...
Pendle Hill - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Pendle Hill. Source: Six Maps
The suburb of Pendle Hill is located to the north-west of the Parr...
Rosehill - A Brief History
The suburb of Rosehill lies south-west of the Parramatta CBD and is bounded by Grand Avenue, Camellia in the north, Duck...
Rydalmere - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Rydalmere. Source: Six Maps
Rydalmere is a residential suburb located approximately 3 kilometres...
Seven Hills - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Seven Hills. Source: Six Maps
The suburb of Seven Hills lies to the northwest of the Parramatta ...
Sydney Olympic Park and Homebush Bay – A Brief History
On Homebush Bay – remains of at least four ships, hulls and barges – Photo by Steve Dorman
Indigenous Owners
Sydn...
Telopea - A Brief History
The suburb of Telopea is located between Pennant Hills Road and Adderton Road, spilling over the ridge into the west of ...
Wentworthville - A Brief History
Wentworthville Aerial Map (Six Maps NSW)
The traditional custodians of the land are the Boolbainora clan of the Durag...
Wentworth Point - A Brief History
(Satellite Imagery of Wentworth Point via Six Maps)
Wentworth Point is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of Ne...
Westmead - A Brief History
Aerial photograph of Westmead. Source: Six Maps
A suburb located to the west of Parramatta CBD, the administration of...
Winston Hills - A Brief History
Winston Hills is a 5 square kilometre (or 457 hectare) suburb bounded by M2 Hill Motorway, Gibbon Road, Langdon Road, Ca...