“I intend forming this tract of country into a new and separate district for the accommodation of small settlers.” Governor Lachlan Macquarie spoke these words. He was impressed by the “fine rich land” he found. He decided to name it Airds. This was in honour of his wife Elizabeth Campbell’s family estate.
Welcome to Airds. It is a suburb of Sydney. Airds is 56 kilometers southwest of Sydney’s central business district. It is part of the City of Campbelltown. Airds is within the Macarthur region.
For years, the name Airds appeared in land grant lists. It referred to the area between Glenfield and Gilead. After the 1820s, the name fell into disuse. Campbelltown and other settlements became known by their own names.
But Airds was not forgotten. In the early 1970s, the Housing Commission planned a new estate. Airds was chosen as the place name. The modern suburb was once bushland and small farms. In the 1960s, it was called “South Campbelltown.” Closer to the river, it was known as part of Kentlyn.
Many of Airds’ main streets existed before the Housing Commission estate. Riverside Drive was originally “Riverside Road”. It got its name from William Longhurst’s nearby farm. Before 1973, it joined Junction Road. Later, it was redeveloped into a loop.
Greengate Drive’s origins are unclear. It may have come from a green gate. The gate may have straddled the rural roadway.
Deans Road once joined Georges River Road. It is now a crescent leading to John Warby Public School. In 1954, the CI News said the road was misspelt. It should be “Deanes Road.” This was in memory of a Campbelltown family’s war service. The spelling remains wrong. Council dedicated Deanes Park between Airds and Bradbury.
Briar Road may have been named after prickly scrub or heather. It was not named after Briar Cottage. Alex Goodsell lived in the cottage. He was president of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society. He recalls it was known as Dorchester Park. In the 1950s, it was renamed Delana. In the 1970s, it became Briar Cottage.
Many residents remember traveling along Woolwash Road. They swam in the Georges River. The Housing Commission turned it into cul-de-sacs off Greengate Drive. The Woolwash may have gotten its name from scouring wool. This lightened it for its journey to Sydney. But evidence is hard to find. The earliest reports of the road came in the 1880s. It was built under an employment relief scheme.
In June 1972, a new high school was announced in Briar Road. It was “close to heavily wooded bushland”. Airds High School and Briar Road Public School opened in 1974. John Warby Public School opened in 1978.
In January 1975, tenders were called for the first homes in the “Kentlyn” subdivision. The name Airds was approved in May 1976. Street names were chosen using a wool industry theme. This was due to the proximity of the Woolwash. Foveaux Place recalls early sheep farmer Joseph Foveaux.
Airds has a rich history. It has transformed from rural land to a residential suburb. Its streets and places reflect its past. From Governor Macquarie’s vision to the wool industry theme, Airds tells a unique story. It is a story of growth. It is a story of change. It is a story of community.