Macarthur, New South Wales

The region is named after John Macarthur and Elizabeth Macarthur who were founders and pioneers of the Australian wool industry. Founded on land owned by the Macarthurs and surveyed by Sir Thomas Mitchell, the town of Camden was named for Lord Camden, who, during his brief tenure as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies had secured the initial land grant for John Macarthur who was then in England. The original Macarthur family property covered the three local councils (Camden Council, Campbelltown City Council and Wollondilly Shire) that are within the region.

The region is generally regarded as the area where the city of Sydney meets rural countryside of regional New South Wales. Campbelltown and Camden were once rural towns which formed the nucleus of new urban communities created following the Three Cities Structure Plan 1973.

The Wollondilly Shire which makes up the largest Southern part of the region is a mostly rural region with small scale industry and commerce. Notably, the Wollondilly supplies much of Sydney Metropolitan and surrounding areas with water from Warragamba Dam, Cataract Dam in Appin, Cordeaux Dam in Wilton and Avon and Nepean Dams even though located in the Wingecarribee Shire is accessed via road through Wollondilly's Bargo.

The region has thus far recorded two earthquakes in history – One occurring in Appin on March 17 1999, and one in Picton on March 9 1973.[3] The Picton one had a damage total of $2.8 million, with some minor damage in Bowral and Wollongong.[4] The earthquakes had a magnitude scale of 4.8 and 5.6, respectively.

The administrative towns of the Macarthur Region are:

• Campbelltown where the seat of chambers of the Campbelltown City Council is based.
• Oran Park where the seat of chambers of the Camden Council is based.
• Picton where the seat of chambers of the Wollondilly Shire Council is based.

Camden Council announced in May 2012 that it will transfer its administrative headquarters to Oran Park.[5]

The history of the region begins over 40,000 years ago and is contained in the continuing culture of the Tharawal people. The land still contains reminders of their past lives in rock engravings, cave paintings, axe grinding grooves and shell middens. Their culture also remains in the surviving songs, stories and descendants. The lands of the Tharawal language Nation extended from approximately Botany Bay to Shoalhaven and to the foothills of the mountain ranges. The principal symbol of the Tharawal nation is the lyrebird.

European history began in 1788 shortly after settlement at Sydney Cove, when the colony's entire herd of cattle (four cows and two bulls) strayed from their enclosure and were lost. In 1795 a greatly enlarged herd of 61 cattle were discovered on the grassy land between the Nepean River and Georges River. This area was promptly named the "Cowpastures" – and was deemed a restricted area to provide ongoing protection for the herd; this restriction was short-lived as the herd, deemed too aggressive to be tamed, was destroyed. The early settlement of the area was described by Lachlan Macquarie in his journals, whose accounts include the description of Elizabeth Macarthur being met in a 'miserable' bark hut, the only accommodation then existing at Camden Park. In 1803, John Macarthur had been granted 5,000 acres (20 km²) at the Cowpastures and began grazing Merino sheep. His sons William and James introduced viticulture and a commercial nursery, and a successful dairy was founded by Emily Stone, James' wife.

The region is steeped in history with statesmen, adventurers, larrikins and villains all having an association with the Macarthur region which makes it a tourist destination.

Major attractions of Camden are:

• Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan, Mount Annan

Mount Annan Botanic Gardens is a 416-acre (1.68 km²) botanic garden opened in 1988. It is currently the largest botanic gardens in Australia and is administered by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. It is home to a large collection of native plants, and includes facilities such as picnic areas (with barbecues), walking trails and a restaurant.

• Camden Park Estate, Camden

Camden Park House built by the Macarthurs.

Camden Park Estate was the country property of Australian Wool Pioneers John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth Macarthur, and became the principal residence of their family after John's death. Centrepiece of the original 2023.5 hectares (5000 acres) granted to Macarthur by the Governor of New South Wales, at the request of Lord Camden, is Camden Park House, designed by John Verge in the neo-Palladian style favoured by the colony's wealthy pastoral 'exclusives', and built between 1832 and 1834; Macarthur himself did not live to see the house completed. Currently, the house remains on 388.5 hectares (960 acres) of the original estate. Macarthur's descendants still reside on the house and property.

Adjacent to Camden Park, though once within its extent, is Belgenny Farm, which is popularly called the "Birthplace of Australia's Agriculture". Designed by architect Henry Kitchen, Belgenny Cottage was built c1821 and was mentioned in Kitchen's submission to Commissioner John Thomas Bigge's enquiry into the state of the colony under Governor Lachlan Macquarie. This original 'cottage ornée', which was demolished in the early 1900s and replaced with the current weatherboard structure, was used by the family when visiting the property until the construction of Camden Park House on an adjacent hilltop. John Macarthur himself died in the cottage in 1834, and was buried in the family cemetery immediately to the south. Currently, the farm is home to descendants of sheep that were brought by the Macarthurs and has a functioning vineyard that produces wine as well as orchards. A 2010 archaeological survey and dig to the north of Belgenny may have determined the location of the original 'miserable hut'.

• Camden Valley Golf Resort, Catherine Field

Camden Valley Golf Resort, opened in 1964 by architect Prosper Ellis, is a popular 27 hole golf course.[6] Facilities include a clubhouse and brasserie.

Campbelltown City

Major attractions of Campbelltown are:

• Macarthur Square, Campbelltown

Macarthur Square is the biggest shopping centre in the Macarthur region and caters for the entire region. It contains over 300 shops and includes the department stores Big W, Target and David Jones. Macarthur Square is located in the suburb of Ambarvale, New South Wales, which is about 1 km south of Campbelltown's CBD. It is located adjacent to Macarthur railway station and University of Western Sydney, Macarthur.[12]

• Eschol Park House, Eschol Park

Eschol Park House

Main article: Eschol Park, New South Wales

• Campbelltown City Arts Centre, Campbelltown

Campbelltown Arts Centre

Campbelltown City Arts Centre is one of the largest art galleries and exhibitions centres in the Macarthur Region. It is home to Campbelltown Bicentennial Art Gallery, which contains both permanent contemporary art collections and temporary exhibitions. The centre also does art workshops and performing arts.[13]

The centre is well known for promoting multicultural-themed art and Indigenous Australian art.[14]

The Japanese Tea Garden is also found within the arts centre. It was a gift from the Japanese city of Koshigaya, the sister city of Campbelltown.

• Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Leumeah

The Campbelltown Sports Stadium is located in Leumeah.

The Campbelltown Sports Stadium caters for 21,000 and has grandstand seating for 9,000. It is one of the home stadiums for the Wests Tigers NRL Team. Moreover, the team's leagues club is located adjacent to the stadium as well as an athletics centre and large tennis court complex. Campbelltown Sports Stadium is also the home of the region's new A-League club Macarthur FC.

• Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown

Campbelltown Catholic Club is the largest club in the Macarthur Region. The club notably owns and has shares in The Cube (Campbelltown Convention Centre), Aquafit Gym and the Rydges Hotel located adjacent to the club.[15]

• Macarthur Tourism  · The official tourism organisation of the Macarthur Region. It looks after the tourism of three 3 councils of the Region; Wollondilly, Camden and Campbelltown.
• Macarthur Credit Union · The official local credit union bank that caters exclusively for the residents of the Wollondilly, Camden and Campbelltown.
• Macarthur Chronicle · A News Limited owned organisation that manage the three local edition newspapers to the specific LGAs that make up the region: Macarthur Chronicle Wollondilly, Macarthur Chronicle Campbelltown and Macarthur Chronicle Camden. The organisation is based in Campbelltown..
• C91.3 - A commercial radio station broadcasting on 91.3 FM.
• Vintage FM - A commercial radio station broadcasting on 88.7 FM.
• 2MCR - A community radio station broadcasting on 100.3 FM.
• Astronomy: The Campbelltown Rotary Observatory is located at the University of Western Sydney (Campbelltown Campus) and Macarthur Astronomical Society holds public lectures at the Macarthur Astronomy Forum and public observing nights at selected locations.

The State Planning Authority of NSW, 1973, The New Cities of Campbelltown, Camden and Appin: Structure Plan.

• - Macarthur Tourism Website
• - Picton Chamber of Commerce