Rouse Hill
| Rouse Hill Sydney, New South Wales | |||||||||||||||
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| Population | 11,349 (SAL 2021)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2155 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 42 km (26 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Blacktown Baulkham Hills Shire | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Hawkesbury, Riverstone | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Greenway, Mitchell | ||||||||||||||
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Rouse Hill is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rouse Hill is located 42 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of Baulkham Hills Shire and the City of Blacktown. Rouse Hill is in the Hills District.
History
Rouse Hill was named after the estate of Richard Rouse (1774-1852), a free settler who arrived in the colony in 1801. His first grant here was in 1802 and his second grant was in 1816. Rouse built his home, Rouse Hill House, from 1813-18. Service wings and an arcaded courtyard were added circa 1863. The garden is probably the oldest intact garden in Australia. The building is now on the Register of the National Estate.[2] Governor Lachlan Macquarie suggested the estate be called Rouse Hill. Rouse was the maiden name of a local resident, Mrs Terry. [3]
Rouse Hill is especially noteworthy in Australian history as the site of the main battle during an Irish rebellion, known as the Castle Hill rebellion or the second Battle of Vinegar Hill. On 4 March 1804, Irish convicts including political prisoners transported for participating in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, broke out of the Government Farm at Castle Hill, aiming to seize control of the area and to capture Parramatta. The uprising was crushed by the military authorities at Rouse Hill the following day with much loss of life. Many of the participants in the rebellion were summarily executed. The exact site of the Battle is uncertain but a monument with a plaque commemorating the event can be seen within Castlebrook Lawn Cemetery on Windsor Road in Kellyville Ridge.
Commercial Area
Rouse Hill Town Centre is a new shopping centre, funded and operated by the General Property Trust, is located near the junction of Schofields and Windsor Roads. Construction was funded by the Lend Lease Corporation, the first stage opened in September 2007 with the second stage opened on 6th March 2008. The first stage comprises Woolworths and Coles supermarkets, a food terrace, markets and 80 specialty stores. The second stage comprises Big W, Target, Reading Cinemas, 130 specialty stores, a Community Centre, Library, Medical Centre, commercial and residential accommodation and the Secret Garden. The development is being integrated with the North-West T-way with provisions have been made for the future North-West railway.
Churches
The original Rouse Hill Anglican church was built in 1863. It was also the original school and the center of most community events. More recently, a brand new parish has been established. In late 2003 the Provisional Anglican Parish of Rouse Hill [1] was created and a new congregation planted in February 2004. That has since grown to three congregations. One of these new congregations is Stanhope Anglican Church which meets at the Blacktown Leisure Centre. The other two congregations are about to move into the new Ministry and Education Centre currently being finished.
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Rouse Hill (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.2/12
- ^ "Rouse Hill". Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
