Berala, New South Wales

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Berala
Sydney, New South Wales

Berala Hotel, Woodburn Road

Postcode:

2141

Location:

20 km (12 mi) west of Sydney CBD

LGA:

Auburn Council

State District:

Auburn

Federal Division:

Reid

Suburbs around Berala:
Auburn	Auburn	Lidcombe
Auburn	Berala	Lidcombe
Regents Park	Regents Park	Chullora

Berala is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Berala is located 20 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council.

1 History
2 Commercial Area
3 Transport
4 Schools
5 Sport and Recreation
6 External links

[edit] History

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Berala is derived from Bareela, an Aboriginal word for a musk duck. The area was originally swampy and attracted wild birds. When the railway line was being extended from Lidcombe to Regents Park, the names Torrington, Sidmouth and Bareela were considered. The station opened in 1912, the public school in 1924 and the post office in 1927.

[edit] Commercial Area

A small group of shops is located beside Berala railway station. A shopping centre is currently under construction beside the railway station. The centre is expected to be completed in 2008.

[edit] Transport

Berala railway station is on the Inner West line and the loop portion of the Bankstown Line of the CityRail network. Bus services run between Auburn and Bankstown. There are rarely any taxi available at the town centre.

[edit] Schools

Berala Public School is located on Harrow Road. Berala Public School is a primary school for years kindergarten to 6. Berala Public School has the highest number of students attending,in Sydney. Trinity Junior Catholic College (formerly known as St Peter Chanel Primary School).

[edit] Sport and Recreation

The Carnarvon Golf Course, located at Nottinghill Road and Joseph Street, has had a varied history reflecting the social history of Berala:
1. The first site was in use from 1927 to 1932 and occupied an area running east and west on the northern side of Parramatta Road, Lidcombe between Wetherill Street and Hill Road in an area currently covered by the M4.
2. The “Old Course” was in an area of three paddocks north of Fariola Street in an area owned by the Newington State Hospital (now Silverwater Prison) which consisted of nine holes in the top paddock (holes one-eight and eighteen). Seven holes in the bottom paddock, now Wilson Park, and the sixteenth and seventeenth holes in a paddock leased from Lidcombe Council on the southern side of Holker Street.
3. This course was in use from 1932 until early 1943 when the top paddock and the Clubhouse were taken over by the U.S. Navy during World War II.
4. The Silverwater Course was used from 1942 to 1949 and was a nine-hole course where the bottom paddock held holes one-two and five-nine with the third and fourth holes in the Council paddock.
5. The present site which originally consisted of Lidcombe Sports and Showground and the western grazing paddock of Lidcombe State Hospital was obtained in 1947 and officially opened in December, 1949.[1] Next to the golf course is Coleman Park, containing two full size soccer fields, a baseball field, two mini soccer fields, as well as a children's recreation area and basketball facilities. A soccer club, Lidcombe Waratahs, is based at Coleman Park.

The Berala Bears are the local junior Rugby League team that play in the Canterbury Bulldogs Junior Rugby League competition. Their colours are gold and black, and their home ground is at Guilfoyle Park in the neighbouring suburb of Regents Park. Some ex-Berala Bears include former Brisbane Broncos forward Terry Matterson, current Canterbury Bulldogs winger Matt Utai, current South Sydney Rabbitohs half Jeremy Smith, and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles forward Anthony Watmough played at Berala before moving to Narrabeen while still in his early teens.