Ashbury, New South Wales

Before the British colony at Sydney, the Ashbury area was home to the Wangal and Cadigal people, clans of the Darug tribe. After pressure from colonists, the British administration began subdividing land in the area surrounding the Sydney settlement and granting it to colonists. The first land grant in the area was 100 acres (40 ha) made to Reverend Richard Johnson (1753-1827), the colony's first chaplain.[4]

The land that extended over Ashbury was known as Canterbury Vale. When it was sold to Lieutenant William Cox in 1800, it covered 600 acres (240 ha). It was then sold to Robert Campbell (1769–1846) in 1803 when it covered 900 acres (360 ha) and then proceeded to purchase more land to Liverpool Road. The estate passed onto his son-in-law Arthur Jefferey and was eventually split up. This area then became known as Goodlet's Bush, after an early settler, John Hay Goodlet. In 1878 Goodlet had bought Canterbury House, which had been built by Arthur Jeffreys.[5]

The South Ashfield Brickworks (later called the Ashbury Brickyard) opened in 1910 from the site of what is now Peace Park. Widescale housing development of the area began in 1919. A primary school began taking students in 1924 and in 1926 changed its name from South Ashfield to Ashbury Public School, leading to the area adopting its own identity. A non-official post office was established on King St in the same year.[6]

NASA image of Sydney's CBD and inner west suburbs, with borders of Ashbury shown in orange

St. Matthew's Anglican Church

Ashbury has no railway station but it is relatively close to both Ashfield station on the Inner West & Leppington Line and Canterbury station on the Bankstown Line. Transit Systems Sydney buses serve Ashbury. The 491 Five Dock to Hurstville bus links Ashbury to both Ashfield and Canterbury stations from King Street. The 413 bus links Ashbury to both Railway Square and Campsie. Route 418 links Ashbury with Burwood, Ashfield, Hurlstone Park, Marrickville, Sydenham, Mascot and Kingsford whilst the 406 connects Ashbury with Five Dock, Ashfield and Hurlstone Park via Victoria Street and Old Canterbury Road.[7]

Ashbury borders the Cooks River and offers excellent access for cyclists and walkers to the Cooks River Cycleway.

There are two schools in Ashbury. Ashbury Public School was built in 1928.[8] Its catchment area includes students from southern Ashfield as well as Ashbury. St Francis Xavier's Primary School began in 1930.[9]

Ashbury Samoan Uniting Church

• 
  Ashbury Public School
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  Ashbury Public School library dome

The area has a consistent subdivision pattern, building form and streetscape, largely because its development occurred over a relatively short period of time. A high standard of design and residential amenity was also achieved, and housing in this area has become increasingly sought after. Ashbury consists of character filled Federation and Californian bungalows which are under heritage conservation making the suburb highly sought after.

Recent decades have seen the greatest decline in the protection of the built environment, with political control overseen by greed and vested interests, having become increasingly one-sided. Although attempts have been made via periodically reviewing the Development Control Plan (DCP) for Ashbury, to maintain aesthetic character, by enforcing rulings which dictate that new work and additions be located to the rear of the dwelling, failure to dictate aesthetic compatibility, has resulted in a smorgasbord of blatantly visible aberrations.

The predominant Architectural Style typifying Ashbury is "Californian Bungalow". Built in the nineteen twenties, the original allotments were occupied by single storey, single dwellings, which were designed and constructed using a variety of repeated floor plans. The architectural forms featured mostly gabled and hipped roofs, covered with unglazed red terra cotta tiles. The gables were clad in fibrous cement segmented with vertical timber strip covers. Generous verandahs and leadlight windows were also commonly featured. Timber-framed awnings with decorative timber brackets also enhanced elevations and exposed rafters, dressed-all-round, added to the character and attractiveness of the homely surrounds. External timber sills were often supported by corbelled brickwork, adding a three dimensional protrusion of the windows externally, and the opportunity for a recessed bay internally. This could be used for flower arrangements or placement of ornaments. Awning windows with high sill heights would allow for natural ventilation, weather protection, and security all at the same time. Tuckpointing on manganese or liver coloured face bricks on front elevations was featured, whilst side elevations were finished in common bricks set in lime mortar.

• 
  1920s leadlights
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  Californian Bungalow Cheviot Street, Ashbury
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  Malleny Street; Californian Bungalow streetscape
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  Californian Bungalow in Cheviot Street
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  Federation house with roughcast rendering
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  Cheviot Street, leadlight window and awning
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  Leadlight window

• Holden Street: Ashfield Reservoir[13]

According to the 2016 census, there were 3,329 residents in Ashbury. 65.8% of residents were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were Italy 5.8%, China 2.8% and Lebanon 2.8%. 59.4% of residents spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Italian 9.3%, Greek 8.6% and Arabic 4.8%. The most common responses for religious affiliation were Catholic 40.1%, No Religion 22.1%, Eastern Orthodox 12.5%, Anglican 8.2% and Not stated 6.9%. Christianity was the largest religious group reported (71.4% of those who answered this question).[1]

Ashbury is located in the Canterbury Ward of the City of Canterbury-Bankstown.[16] Canterbury-Bankstown Council is dominated by Labor councillors. Canterbury Ward has one Labor, Liberal and Greens councillor, elected at the last council elections in 2017.[17] The mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown is Labor's Khal Asfour.[18]

Part of Ashbury is also located in the Ashfield Ward of the Inner West Council area.

For state government elections, Ashbury is in the Electoral district of Summer Hill held by Labor's Jo Haylen since 2015. For federal government elections, it is in the Division of Watson, held by Labor's Tony Burke since 2004. The table below shows a consistently strong Labor vote in both Federal and State elections. The figures in this table for Federal elections relate to the Division of Grayndler from which Ashbury has moved since then.