“How would you like to live in a suburb called Saggart Field?” That’s a question Campbelltown Council faced. Today we are exploring Bow Bowing, a suburb with a history richer than its name suggests.
Bow Bowing sits 49 kilometers southwest of Sydney’s central business district. It lies within the City of Campbelltown. This area is part of the Macarthur region.
Let’s dive into Bow Bowing’s past. The suburb gets its name from a local creek. This creek was originally called Boro Borang. This name is likely of Aboriginal origin. Over time, careless writing corrupted it to Bow Bowing.
Before 1975, this place was known as Saggart’s Field. The Saggart family lived here for over a century. They had a large red wooden house on a hill. A school was even named Saggart Field School in 1866. But it was renamed Minto Public School in 1884.
In 1975, the council planned to name the suburb Saggart Field. It was meant to honor the farming community. But residents protested so the council chose Bow Bowing instead. This paid tribute to the creek flowing through the area.
In 1976, the Housing Commission bought land here. They planned over 1000 homes. Local concerns about Housing Commission developments led to changes. The land was sold to private developers. They built 350 homes. The development officially opened in 1990.
According to the 2021 census, 1606 people live in Bow Bowing. Most residents were born in Australia. Most people speak English at home. Other languages include Arabic. Common religions are Catholic, Islam and Anglican.
Early landholders included Joseph Inch, D. Keighran and John Pendergast. The Pendergast family donated land for a Catholic church. In 1866, locals built a church classroom called Saggart Field School. Funding was scarce. The first teacher lived in poverty. The church school became a public school in 1867.
The old Saggart Field School became Minto Public School. In 1954, it moved to the eastern side of the railway line. Students take pride in their school’s history. They maintain a small museum. Today, Saggart Field Road in Minto is the only reminder of the old name.
Bow Bowing Creek’s original course changed in the 1970s. Wide concrete canals were constructed. An early land grant spelled the creek’s name as Boro Borang. This might be an Aboriginal term. Careless writing changed it to Boro Bowing and then Bow Bowing.
In 1976, the NSW Geographical Names Board approved the name. The Housing Commission planned an estate called Bowing. They wanted to build over 1050 dwellings. This caused vocal protests. People worried about isolating the estate. The Bowing estate was shelved.
In the late 1980s, the government sold the land to private developers. Long Homes established Bow Bowing Estate. It featured 350 homes. Premier Nick Greiner opened it in July 1990.
In 1976, the council planned to name streets after the wheat industry. But in 1989, developers suggested a park theme. They wanted names of famous parks worldwide. The council chose Australian parks instead. Streets are named after NSW reserves. Central Park Drive is the main road. It is named after New York’s famous park.
Bow Bowing. A suburb whose name evolved. A place where community pushed back. A suburb that reflects both its rural past and planned future.