Croydon Through Time
By Alexandra and Lucia
The Suburb of Croydon
Who Were the Original Inhabitants and How Did They Live?
The original inhabitants of Croydon NSW were the Wangal clan within the Dharug nation. They were Aboriginals which meant they were hunter-gatherer. Their day would consist of hunting for food, searching for grubs, making canoes and having celebrations after killing the animal. The Aboriginals had a specal and unique way of life. They believed in the DreamTime, in other words that was they're religion/belief.
The Aboriginals were nomadic, this means that they move around. Before they left their huts, they would leave axes, bowls and the hut for the next arrivals that would come upon their next new home.
When the children went with their parents to learn what to do. The young girls would go with their mum and the young boys would go with their fathers. The mothers taught the young girls how to catch grubs and which leaves to pick. The fathers on the other hand, taught the young boys how to hunt, using spears and boomerangs.
Who were the First Settlers, why did they move into the area and how did they live?
The first settlers in Croydon were the European and the British. Who settled in Australia after the First Fleet arrival. The first resident in Croydon was Captain John Townson in 1793.
The land was flat so many people could grow crops and become farmers. The soil was good for harvesting & cattle. The land was ideal for farming.
The Bristish/Europeans wore fancy clothes and wigs (they would wear layers and layers of heavy clothes). They would change clothes once a week and wait until the clothes were clean, so on and so fourth.
The British/Europeans had maids so they didn't have to do any chores around the house. Some of the household members would harvest crops and feed animals. They brought feral animals onto the land such as pigs, cows and horses.
What were some of the major/main events in Croydon?
the suburb of croydon has had a lot of major events and some of the events include:
-1788: Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet began the colony of Sydney
-1793: Stockade had been established halfway between Sydney and Parramatta
-1797: A group of Aboriginals burnt down Captain John Townsons' house. He no longer lived in Croydon but he moved to Ashfield.
-1800 to 1860: Development in the area was slow but with the forests gradually being cleared for orchards and grazing land.
-1873: First brickyards in the area opened at what is now Centenary Park.
-1874: Construction of the railway in Croydon began
-1875: Five Dock train station opened
-1876: Five Dock Train Station was renamed to Croydon Train Station
-1884: Croydon Public school opened
-1883: the Western Suburb Cottage opened
-1994: Western Suburbs Hospital closed
What is Croydon like today?
Croydon still has many significant celebrting their over 100 year birthday including the Croydon Post Office. This beautiful suburb is also very residential with many houses such as the Californian Bungalo and Victorian. The population in Croydon is 8786 (2006). Most people are 35-49. Most people in Croydon are employed. 4,314 people in Croydon speak English only. The most popular religion with 5,813 (Christian).