Concord is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay.

Concord is known as the 'Parkland Suburb' of the Inner West. Concord West is a separate suburb, to the north-west.

History

Concord takes its name from Concord, Massachusetts, in the USA, which was the site of the Battle of Concord, one of the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1778). Some historians believe the Sydney suburb was named Concord to encourage a peaceful attitude between soldiers and settlers. The first land grants in the area were made in 1793. The original Concord Council was established in 1883.

Concord Council amalgamated with Drummoyne Council in 2000 after 117 years of self governance to form the City of Canada Bay. It is also the name of the surrounding parish.

Commercial area

Concord features a small shopping strip on Majors Bay Road. Several cafes and restaurants featuring outside dining are located here. The restaurants and shops include Italian, Chinese & Thai restaurants, a wood-fired pizzeria, steak house, cafes, take-aways, an Italian delicatessen, a Coles supermarket, dry cleaners and hardware store.

Churches

St Mary's Catholic Church is a prominent architectural landmark on Parramatta Road. The first church on the site was built in 1845 until a new church was built in 1874. A school operated in the original church building until a separate school building was built and opened by Cardinal Moran in 1894. A convent for the Sisters of Charity was erected next to the church in 1898. The present church building was completed in 1929.

Parks

Concord has many parks, including:

• Queen Elizabeth Park (formerly known as 'Concord Park', renamed to honour Queen Elizabeth II after her visit to Australia in 1954)
• Henley Park
• Majors Bay Reserve, including Arthur Walker and Ron Routly Reserves
• Concord Golf Course, Massey Park, Cintra Park
• Concord Oval (home ground of Inter Lions Soccer Club and the West Harbour Pirates Rugby Union Club)
• Sid Richards Park (home ground of the Concord Comets Baseball Club) /Wikipedia Link To Concord Comets
• Central Park, St Lukes Park, Bayview Park, Edwards Park, Goddard Park

Schools

Schools in the suburb are Concord Public School, Concord High School, St Mary's Primary School and Mortlake Public School.

Notable residents

Notable people who have resided in the suburb have included:

• Neil Armfield - Theatre, film and opera director grew up in Sanders Parade opposite Exile Bay.
• Isaac Nichols - Australia Post's first postmaster and original owner of Walker Estate.
• Thomas Walker (1804 - September 2, 1886) - Australian politician, banker, prominent land owner in Concord, and father of Dame Eadith Campbell Walker. Walker built the Italianate mansion Yaralla in the 1860s. It was extended in the 1890s by John Sulman and is now used as the Dame Eadith Walker Convalescent Hospital. It is listed on the Register of the National Estate. Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital was built in fulfilment of Walker's will. It too was designed by John Sulman and is on the Register of the National Estate.
• Dame Eadith Campbell Walker (1861-1937) - Australian philanthropist and major land owner in Concord for much of the late 19th and early 20th Century. Aided in establishing Concord Repatriation General Hospital.

Popular culture

• Australian drama series All Saints, is set in the fictional All Saints General Western Hospital. The external shots (the sweeping shots of the skyline and hospital) are filmed at the Concord Repatriation General Hospital.
• Australian series Grass Roots was set in the fictional suburb of Arcadia Waters. Many external shots were filmed around Concord, particularly in the shopping centre and cafes in Majors Bay Road.
• Australian mini series Bangkok Hilton was partly filmed in the grounds of the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital.
• Australian drama/comedy series Packed to the Rafters is partly filmed in Riverview Street, where the Rafter family home is located.

References

External links