Suburb History
- Fairfield
- Girraween
- Granville
- Greystanes
- Guildford
- Holroyd
- Mays Hill
- Merrylands
- Parramatta
- Pemulwuy
- Pendle Hill
- Prospect
- Smithfield
- Toongabbie
- Wentworthville
- Westmead
- Woodpark
- Yennora
Toongabbie
Toongabbie is an Aboriginal word meaning "a place near water" or "meeting of the waters", and the area now called Old Toongabbie stands at the confluence of Toongabbee and Quarry Creeks. An old spelling of Toongabbee Creek, is often still used.
Settlement began here in 1791 when Governor Phillip established a farm on which many convicts were employed. On 1st April 1794, the first grants recorded as "in the district of Toongabbie" were made. By 1804 it was used only for cattle grazing and as a camp for convicts working in the area.
Many of the early settlers created orchards on the land and more were established when the Western railway line came through in 1880, linking Toongabbie with the thriving town of Granville.
One of Australia's famous explorers was born at Toongabbie on 18 June 1797. He was Hamilton Hume who, with William Hilton Hovell, explored the route overland to Port Phillip in Victoria and back in 1824-25. Hamilton Hume died at Yass on 19 April 1873, an area he helped to discover.
The original district cemetery, known as Mays Hill Cemetery is nearby.
Source: Frances Pollon: The Book of Sydney Suburbs, 1988.
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