“Primarily residential area”. That’s Bardwell Valley. It sits approximately 11 kilometres south-west of Sydney’s central business district. Bardwell Valley is part of the St George area. It is a suburb in southern Sydney. This suburb was formed in 1996. It came from parts of Arncliffe. These parts bordered the valley and creek.
Let’s wander back before European settlement. Bardwell Valley was a significant part of the Cadigal people’s lands. The suburb got its name from the land beside Bardwell Creek. This creek flows through the middle of the valley. It eventually empties into Wolli Creek.
Bardwell Park? It was named after Thomas Hill Bardwell. He was a free settler who owned land here. Thomas Hill Bardwell bought the land in December 1853. He was a wealthy pastoralist from southern New South Wales.
Bardwell Valley’s story includes the Australian Greek community. In 2002, the City of Rockdale established an olive grove in Silver Jubilee Park. This commemorated their contribution to the City of Rockdale’s development. Mayor Shaoquett Moselmane put up a plaque on 8 September 2002.
Now, let’s talk numbers. According to the 2021 census, 2344 people called Bardwell Valley home. A large percentage, 62.9%, were born in Australia. Lebanon was the next most common birth country at 5.7%. Around 52.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other common languages included Arabic at 15.4% and Greek at 6.7%. Religious affiliations varied. About 23% reported no religion. Around 20.9% were Catholic. Islam accounted for 18.7%. Eastern Orthodox was at 15.5%.
Time for some recreation. Bardwell Valley Golf Course sits beside Bardwell Creek’s banks. You can find the Bardwell Valley Golf Club on Hillcrest Avenue. Silver Jubilee Park is right next to the golf course on Lorraine Avenue. For a more natural experience, Coolibah Reserve awaits. Shepherd Reserve and Favell Picnic Area also sit beside Bardwell Creek.
Keep an eye out for the architecture. Some beautiful sandstone cottages from the early 20th century still stand. Look for them on East Street and The Glen Road.
For a nice walk, visit Bardwell Creek Parklands. Though changed since pre-colonial times, it’s still lovely. Pockets of natural bushland survive. These exist amongst the introduced flora and grassed areas.
Bardwell Creek is a major tributary of Wolli Creek. The confluence is at Arncliffe. It is located about 2.5 kilometres upstream of the Cooks River junction. The upper reaches of Bardwell Creek start in Hurstville. They drain in a north-easterly direction. They go through the suburbs of Hurstville, Bexley North, Bardwell Park and Turrella.
There’s a 6ha remnant of closed forest near Bexley Road. It includes Turpentine Forest and Eucalypt woodland. You’ll also find Sydney Red Gum and Sydney Peppermint woodland. A walking path follows Bardwell Creek’s southern bank. It stretches from Preddy’s Road in Bexley North to Bardwell Road in Bardwell Valley. It ends near where the creek flows into Wolli Creek. Take the short 15-minute walk through the wetlands. It incorporates the Prime Minister’s walk. Test your knowledge of Australian Prime Ministers for the first 100 years from federation.