Doesn’t the name Rooty Hill spark curiosity? It is a suburb of Sydney. Rooty Hill sits 42 kilometres west of Sydney’s central business district. It is part of the City of Blacktown. Rooty Hill’s story stretches back before European settlement.
The Darug people called this area home. Captain Watkin Tench led the first European exploration in 1789. For years, the name Rooty Hill puzzled historians. The answer lay not in Blacktown City but on Norfolk Island. Governor Philip Gidley King oversaw the first settlement there in 1788. He noticed the hillside where he built Government House. It was hard to dig because of tree roots. That hill became known as Rooty Hill.
When King returned to New South Wales, he created a government reserve in 1802. It sat at the foot of a hill that reminded him of Norfolk Island. He used the same name. Rooty Hill first appeared on a map in 1803.
Early development began when Captain William Minchin received a land grant in 1819. This led to the Minchinbury estate. Dr Charles McKay bought the estate in 1859. He subdivided it in the 1880s. The Watts family later built Watts Cottage on Watt Street. This house blends Italianate style with a bullnose verandah. It is a unique building.
In 1890, the Imperial Hotel was erected north of the railway station. F.J. Weston built it to serve crowds attending greyhound races. By the 1970s, it was run down. A local dentist acquired it in 1977. It reopened in 1982. The Imperial Hotel is now state heritage-listed.
The Pioneer Memorial Church was built in 1891. It is on Rooty Hill Road South. Dr Charles McKay donated the land. It started as a Baptist church. James Angus later acquired it for the Presbyterian community in 1895. He owned the Minchinbury estate. The church is still used today.
Residents built the School of Arts in 1902-1903. It is located on Rooty Hill Road South. It was for community activities. Miss Angus laid the foundation stone on 1 November 1902. She was the daughter of James Angus.
Tragedy struck on 13 April 1916. James Angus died at Rooty Hill railway crossing. An express train hit him. His wife, two sons and a daughter survived him.
The names of early families live on. James Angus is remembered in Angus Avenue. Charles McKay’s name is in Dr Charles McKay Reserve. The Evans family, who built Fairholme, are remembered in Evans Road. Fairholme is now part of St Agnes Catholic High School.
After World War II, Australia saw a need for more people. The White Australia policy restricted immigration. In 1973, the Whitlam government ended this policy. People could no longer be denied immigration based on nationality. Many immigrants from Asia arrived. Filipinos, Indians, Pakistanis, Polynesians and Chinese people came to Rooty Hill.
In 1964, the Rooty Hill RSL was built. It is now known as West HQ. It grew into the largest licensed club in New South Wales. It offers entertainment, fitness and lifestyle options. Some call it the Vegas of the West. West HQ has a large gym, accommodation and conference facilities. The RSL has about 50,000 members. West HQ also includes the Sydney Coliseum Theatre.
Rooty Hill has several heritage-listed sites. These include the Government Depot Site on Dunsmore Street and the Imperial Hotel on Rooty Hill Road.
In 2021, Rooty Hill had a population of 16,176 people. The median age was 37. The median weekly income was $2,001. Common ancestries include Filipino, Australian, English, Indian and Pakistani. Many people speak languages other than English at home.
Rooty Hill is sometimes called Little Manila. This is due to its large Filipino population. There are many Filipino restaurants and businesses here.
Rooty Hill offers sport and recreation. The Blacktown International Sportspark hosts cricket, Australian rules football, athletics, baseball and soccer. Rooty Hill is home to West HQ. It features Zone Bowling, the Sydney Coliseum Theatre, restaurants, a Novotel, a gymnastics centre, an aquatics centre and a gym. Rooty Hill also has a skatepark with quarter pipes, ledges and a stair handrail.
The commercial area of Rooty Hill is on Rooty Hill Road North and Rooty Hill Road South. It surrounds the railway station. Another commercial area is at the intersection of North Parade, Sherbrooke Street and Railway Street. The Sydney Coliseum Theatre is here.
Notable residents include footballer Mile Jedinak and geologist Douglas Mawson. Rugby league player Brian To’o went to school in Rooty Hill. Pop artist Grentperez is also from here. Rooty Hill continues to evolve.