Strathfield is a major town/suburb about 12 kilometres from Sydney CBD. Known for its commercial significance, proximity to the city and good community vibe, the suburb of Strathfield is a great option for locals seeking a nice, cosy home that is less crowded and expensive than the city centre. Strathfield railway station on the Sydney Trains Line and multiple major highways and roads passing through Strathfield ensure good connectivity to the CBD and surrounding suburbs. Find out many such interesting facts about Strathfield’s history, culture, demographics, transport and tourist attractions here.
Check out the top Things to do in Strathfield
The area where the suburb of Strathfield now lies was once home to the Wangal clan.
The suburb came into notice with the commencing of European colonisation in 1793. The suburb was connected to the rail line in 1855, with Homebush station being the major transport hub.
The Strathfield Railway Station was founded in 1876 and was originally called Redmyre Station and was renamed in 1885.
Strathfield Council was started in 1885, comprising Redmire (now Strathfield), Homebush and Druitt Town.
Strathfield Plaza, a popular shopping centre and commercial hub, was opened in 1981. It’s particularly known for the Strathfield Massacre that took place in August 1991 at Strathfield Plaza and claimed seven lives.
Strathfield Station is a major transportation centre with direct connectivity to Sydney Central, Melbourne and Canberra, among other top cities and suburbs in Australia.
The Strathfield bus station on the town square is served by multiple bus routes providing connectivity with the CBD and nearby suburbs across the inner west.
The A3 arterial road, the Great Western Highway (Parramatta Road), the M4 Western Motorway and the Hume Highway (Liverpool Road) pass through the suburb or are located near its boundaries.
Due to its proximity to Sydney and easy connectivity, Strathfield has been home to many famous personalities over the years, including Prime Ministers Earle Page, George Reid and Frank Forde and the families of businessmen William Arnott and David Jones.
Despite the suburb’s commercial significance and history, most of its present area is now residential, with around 25,915 people living within the suburb’s limits as of 2021.
As of 1977, Strathfield was the most expensive neighbourhood in and around Sydney in terms of median house price.
The first high-rise residential apartment building in Strathfield was developed in 1981.
According to the 2021 census, the total population of Strathfield was 25,915, a majority of which included migrants, particularly Nepalese, Koreans and Chinese. About 34% of the residents were born in Australia, while other top countries of birth included Nepal 13.6%, China 8.6%, India 6.8%, South Korea 6.2%, and Vietnam 3.1%. (source: Wikipedia)
Strathfield's town centre is sometimes called Little Korea for its abundance of Korean restaurants and shops selling Korean delicacies and artifcats.
Strathfield has many popular tourist sites and attractions, including heritage-listed buildings. These include the Mount St Mary Campus of the Australian Catholic University, Strathfield rail underbridges, Strathfield railway station and the Trinity Uniting Church.
Many former residences of prominent personalities in Strathfield are now used as schools. These include the Mount St Mary campus of the Australian Catholic University located at the former residence of Prime Minister George Reid, Santa Maria del Monte primary school at the sites of Lauriston and Brunyarra, both historic buildings, and Trinity Grammar School at the sites of Llandilo, Somerset and Milverton.
The suburb is home to many historic buildings, which make for an interesting sight for travellers, particularly those interested in history and architecture.
There are also many beautiful and historic churches within the suburb, including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Carrington Avenue Uniting Church, St Martha's Catholic Church, St Andrew's Anglican Church and Trinity Uniting Church.