Blakehurst, New South Wales

Blakehurst is a suburb in the Municipality of Kogarah in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 18km south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area. The postcode is 2221.

Blakehurst is connected to Sylvania, in the Sutherland Shire, to the south, by Tom Uglys Bridge over the Georges River. Tom Uglys Point is the southernmost part. The eastern border runs along Kogarah Bay and the western border runs along Kyle Bay.

Blakehurst is mostly residential. A small shopping strip is located on the Princes Highway near the intersection with King Georges Road. Commercial developments also extend north along these two main roads. Picturesque Tom Uglys Point features a couple of small reserves, a couple of seafood restaurants and a number of take-away seafood shops.

Transport

A bus service runs between Hurstville and Miranda via Blakehurst and Sylvania.

History

Blakehurst was named after William Blake, road assessor and postmaster for Cooks River in 1863. Blake’s farm ran a small farm in this area that was originally part of a land grant of 75 acres to Robert Townson in 1808.

A punt was established in 1864 at Tom Uglys Point or Punt Point. A few tales have been told about the origin of the name possibly being mispronunciation by local Aborigines of the names of two locals, Tom Huxley or Tom Woguly. However, it is now believed that it was named after an Aboriginal man from the south coast called 'Towwaa' or Toweiry', who later lived and died at the point. His nickname was Tom Ugly. {Source: Eora: Mapping Aboriginal Sydney (1770-1850)}

Tom Uglys Bridge was originally known as Georges River Bridge when it first opened in 1929. The second crossing at this location was opened in 1987.

Landmarks

• Tom Uglys Bridge, Tom Uglys Point, Tom Ugly Reserve, Kogarah Bay, Kyle Bay, Shipwrights Bay.
• Bald Face Point, Bald Face Reserve, Kyle Williams Reserve, The Green, Todd Park, Carss Bush Park.
• Blakehurst High School, Blakehurst Primary School, Bald Face Primary School, Mater Dei Catholic School.
• Kogarah Bay Sailing Club
• Mater Dei Catholic Church, St Martins Anglican Church, Blakehurst Baptist Church, Blakehurst Uniting Church