Strathfield, New South Wales

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Strathfield is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales. The suburb was originally named Redmire [later Redmyre], which was name of the large estate on which much of the suburb is built. The name Strathfield was adopted in 1885, when the local Council of Strathfield was incorporated. The name Strathfield was the name of one of the large homes of the local area.

It is a significant centre in Sydney's Inner West and is one of the suburbs of Strathfield Municipality. Strathfield is known as a large regional centre for education and as a transport hub - see Strathfield railway station, Sydney. Strathfield Town Centre contains the shopping centre, Strathfield Plaza and a smaller strip of shops, restaurants and cafes. Strathfield is bounded by the suburbs of Burwood to the east, Concord, North Strathfield and Homebush to the north, Enfield to the south and Rookwood Cemetery to the west.

The suburb is home to a significant number of schools such as St Patrick's College run by the Christian Brothers, Santa Sabina College, Meriden, Strathfield South Public School, Strathfield Girls High and Homebush Boys High and churches such as St Martha's Catholic Church and St Anne's Anglican Church. The suburb is also home to two tertiary institutions, a campus of Australian Catholic University, the former home of the Christian Brothers novitiate and Catholic Teachers' College. The Catholic Institute of Sydney, where priests for the Arch-diocese of Sydney are trained, is located on the site of the old Australia Post training centre.

The suburb and its schools have produced some very prominent Australians such as old boys of St Patrick's College:Tom Keneally author of books such as "Schindler's Ark", "The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith" and "The Great Shame", former opposition leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party John Brogden and dual international John Ballesty.

Whilst perhaps not boasting the significant cultural contributions of neighbouring Burwood (the suburb in which The Easybeats and AC/DC were formed and cricketing legend Don Bradman married) Strathfield has made a significant contribution to Australia's cultural landscape. Strathfield has been home to Prime Ministers (George Reid, Billy Hughes and Frank Forde), NSW Premier James McGirr, Test cricketers (Bob Simpson and Alan Davidson) and singer/songwriters who were later to become international popstars (The BeeGees) (who lived in Redmyre Rd early in their career). The suburb has also made an impact on the indie rock and indie pop scene, producing bands such as Prince Vlad & the Gargoyle Impalers, The Upbeat, Lunatic Fringe, The Mexican Spitfires and Women of Troy. It has also inspired pop songs such as The Mexican Spitfires's song "Rookwood" about Rookwood Cemetery and the legendary Blitzkrieg punk rock of Radio Birdman's classic mid-70's "Murder City Nights" in which the quietly domestic Woodward Ave, Strathfield features prominently in the lines:

"Cruising down Woodward gotta find me some action/Looking for a lover with a power reaction."

Whilst Radio Birdman were never Strathfield residents the inspiration for the Woodward Ave., Strathfield reference in this track was the postal address of one of the first members of their fan club. Indie pop legend Grant McLennan of The Go-Betweens also called Carrington Ave, Strathfield home for a few years in the 90's. Teen pop star Nikki Webster who shot to international fame through her role in the opening ceremony at the Sydney Olympic Games studied at McDonald College in North Strathfield.

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Strathfield, New South Wales

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