Canada Bay
Canada Bay is a suburb in Sydney's Inner West, located 11 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district. Canada Bay is also a bay on Parramatta River between Concord and Five Dock. The suburb of Canada Bay sits on the southern shore and is bordered by the suburbs of Burwood and Croydon. The City of Canada Bay takes its name from the bay. The name Canada Bay honours a link between Australia and Canada. Following the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837 to 1838, two Irish and 58 French Canadian rebels were deported to Australia. At the request of the local Catholic bishop, they were brought to Sydney. Imprisoned at Longbottom Stockade (which was located at what is now Concord Oval), the convicts broke stone for the construction of Parramatta Road and collected oyster shells for making lime.
Concord Oval, site of the Longbottom Stockade
In 1842, the French Canadians were allowed to work outside the prison. Between 1843 and 1844, all received pardons and, except for two people who died and one (Joseph Marceau) who settled in Dapto all returned to Canada. After the rebellions, the Australian Governor General and Lord High Commissioner to Canada recommended that Britain grant responsible self-government to the Union of Upper and Lower Canada. In the 1850s, the Australian colonies achieved responsible government and parliamentary democracy. Many parts of Canada Bay are a reminder of this history: Exile Bay, France Bay, Durham Street, Marceau Drive, Polding Street and Gipps Street. Bayview Park has a plaque that honours the exiles and marks the point of disembarkation.
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Managed by volunteers with support from the local council, the Museum features a collection that has been sourced from all over the City and ranges from 1915 to the 1970s. Included in the collection are items that uniquely represent the history of Canada Bay, such as Arnott's and Bushells memorabilia. Many items can be found at the Museum including an extensive collection of toys, material from World War I and II, fashion, household and office items, silver and china collections, sports memorabilia, local industry items such as Victor and the first firefighters helmet made in Australia. Pride of place in the museum's collection is the original Mowall mower, a petrol-driven rotary mower designed local resident Lawrence Hall, a Marine Engineer, in 1948. It was used by his neighbour, Mervyn Victor Richardson, as the prototype for the famous Victa Mower, the Aussie icon which 'turned grass into lawn' which Richardson designed and manufactured. The 128th Victa made is also displayed. The Museum is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am-4pm and is located at 1 Bent Street, Concord. Ph (02) 9744 8528.
Concord Craft Market
Seniors Centre, 11 Wellbank Street, Concord NSW 2137, Australia
Trading: 1st Saturday of the Month from March to December - 9am - 2pm
Type: General
Phone: (02) 9743 1126
Concord Rotary Farmers Market
Cintra Park (Car Park) off Crane Street, Concord, NSW 2137
Trading: 1st Sunday of the month - 9am - 1pm
Type: Farmers
Phone: 0428 680 116
Prince Edward Park: Prince Edward Park at the end of Phillip Street in Cabarita is one of the most popular locations for wedding ceremonies within Canada Bay. This beautiful spot, on Hen and Chicken Bay, also has BBQs and toilets with some play equipment for children making it a perfect spot for a small picnic. There is a walking track that links Prince Edward Park to Bayview Park.
Bayview Park: Along the foreshore from Prince Edward Park is Bayview Park situated at the end of Burwood Road, on a promontory between Exile Bay and Canada Bay. This is only a small park and not well known, it is a lovely place to go for a quiet picnic. In 1840, 58 French Canadian Exiles disembarked at Exile Bay on their way to the Longbottom Stockade. Their crime was the uprising in 1837-1838 in Lower Canada against British government rule. here is a playground for the children, a boat ramp for the boating enthusiast and jetty. Small picnic shelters are scattered through the park, there are BBQ s and toilets which also include a disabled toilet. The park is flat and wheelchair friendly.
Cabarita Park: Located on the Parramatta River near Concord, Cabarita Park is one of the longest established parks on the river. The Federation Pavilion was used for the inauguaration of the Commonwealth of Australia on the 1st January, 1901 at Centennial Park Sydney. Governor General Lord Hopetoun proclaimed the Federation of Australia in 1901 from it. In 1903 it was purchased by Concord Council and moved to Cabarita Park. The pavilion can be hired for weddings and other functions. At the eastern tip of the park is the Cabarita Swimming Centre, which has heated outdoor salt water pools. Close by is a large marina. There is a children's playground and, toilets, barbecues and numerous picnic shelters at the park, which are popular for family gatherings and celebrations; be early to secure your tables if you plan such a function.
With 38 kilometres of foreshore forming a northern boundary, the City of Canada Bay offers a variety of foreshore walks to help you appreciate its water wonders.
Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway: covers more than 800 metres from Rhodes Station to Concord Hospital in Sydney's inner-west, and runs along the mangrove-studded shores of Brays Bay on the Parramatta River. At the centrepiece are magnificent granite walls bearing photographic images of the Kokoda military campaign; there are 22 stations or plaques along the walkway, each describing a significant place or engagement; the walkway has been planted with lush tropical vegetation simulating the conditions of The Kokoda Track. Developed by the community in 1994, the track not only offers an engaging educational experience, but also a peaceful hideaway for anyone wanting to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Cabarita Point Marina
Foreshore Trail: Following on from Kokoda, take the Foreshore Trail encircling Brays Bay, Yaralla Bay and Majors Bay. Experience a quiet country sensation within a city environment as you walk the hour-long route around Concord Hospital, the primary filming location for Australia's successful medical drama 'All Saints' and the Yaralla estate, one of the oldest estates in Sydney dating back to 1797. You'll find yourself lost in time among rustling trees and shrubs, rough tracks and old buildings.
Majors Bay Reserve: Leap forward in time as you approach the modern and spacious park environment of Majors Bay Reserve. Complete with sporting fields and beautiful grounds, the reserve offers a perfect resting place for the whole family. Use the wide, open spaces for fun and games or rest in the serene atmosphere complete with great water views.
Bicentennial Park
Sydney Olympic Park: Sydney Olympic Park and Bicentennial Park - Australia's central focus during the 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games - are only a short distance away. Featuring world-class sporting and entertainment facilities that accommodated some of the greatest athletes and sporting legends of our time, Olympic Park is a world of its own. Take a self-guided tour of Olympic Park at the Visitors Centre set in a heritage garden, or visit the beautiful parklands at Bicentennial Park, a grand 100 hectare natural heritage featuring free barbecues, picnic shelters, walking trails, kiosk, cycle paths and many more. It's not often you visit places that have made a mark in world sporting history.
Many Italian immigrants came to Sydney in the 19th Century, with most settling in the suburbs of Sydney's inner west. Italian immigration increased significantly after 1924 following the introduction of quotas on immigration by the United States. By 1933 census numbers in the inner-city suburbs of Leichhardt and Marrickville indicated that there were over 400 persons of Italian background. Immigration consisted of interrelated families with the largest numbers coming from the Isole Eolie, especially from Panarea, Salina, Lipari and Stromboli. In the following years increasing numbers of Italian immigrants settled in adjoining suburbs of Five Dock and Drummoyne. Italian immigrants have contributed enormously to the economic, social, cultural and sports life of the local community.
One of the most noticeable early contributions to business was in the area of fruit and vegetable shops, raising standards in quality and presentation of produce. In 1976 there were some 70 Italian businesses along the Great North Rad, Five Dock. These included a wide cross section of businesses including butchers, delicatessens, pharmacies, gift shops and real estate agents. Five Dock celebrates its connections with the Eolie and Italian communities through 'La Famiglia', a bronze sculpture dedicated to Italian immigration; Piazza Eolie and Ferragosto, one of Sydney's premier street fairs held every August.
Major Francis Grose, lieutenant-governor, settled in the Concord area in 1793. Major Grose named it Concord, a Quaker word meaning 'brotherly love'. In 1776, Grose had been a junior officer during the American War of Independence and he had fond memories of the village of Concord in Massachusetts, where the American War of Independence had its origins. Brief history - in 1838, 58 French Canadians who had taken part in the Papineau Rebellion in their own country were taken as political prisoners and transported to Sydney. They were sentenced to hard labour in the quarries of Concord before repatriation in 1845. The names France Bay, Exile Bay and Canada Bay recall the incident.