Request to preserve historic street lettering

A letter was sent to Strathfield Council to request that historic street lettering be preserved with upgrades or replacements to footpaths.

The Society expresses concern over the removal of historic street lettering, a feature dating back to around 1926, which involved embedding red street names into concrete footpaths. This practice was not unique to Strathfield and has been preserved in other areas, but recent upgrades in Strathfield have led to the loss of these historical markers. The Society requests that the Council restore the removed lettering and adopt a policy to preserve and reinstate existing historic street name lettering, emphasizing its cultural and historical value to the community.

Letter Historic Street Lettering 20-11-2025

Proposal to rename parts of Homebush as Strathfield

The Strathfield-Homebush District Historical Society is a community-based, incorporated organisation dedicated to conserving, protecting, and promoting the history and heritage of the Strathfield–Homebush district. Due to the impact of the proposal to rename parts of Homebush as Strathfield, the Society opposes the proposal and urges Council to withdraw it.

Letter objection to Homebush renaming proposal – SHDHS September 2025

The key reasons for our position are:

  • Homebush is one of Sydney’s oldest suburb names, dating back to the early 19th century, and has been part of the Strathfield Municipality since its incorporation in 1885. Removing or replacing this name would blur the historic and geographic distinction between neighbouring suburbs and risk erasing an important part of Sydney’s heritage.
  • Council’s notification does not provide background studies, costings, or a balanced analysis of the proposal’s impacts. Further, the notification information appears to assume that the impacts are wholly positive, despite clear and significant consequences for community identity, local institutions, and heritage.
  • Claims of “confusion” regarding location are not substantiated. On the contrary, renaming an area serviced by Homebush Railway Station and containing long-established institutions such as Homebush Public School, Homebush Boys High School, Homebush Village Shopping Centre and Homebush Post Office as Strathfield would increase confusion for residents, businesses, and visitors.
  • If clarity of location is the actual concern, a more obvious issue is the shared postcode (2140) for the distinct suburbs of Homebush and Homebush West. This anomaly regularly causes misreporting in postal, demographic, and statistical records and is more deserving of correction.  Council could also consider restoring Flemington as the suburb name of Homebush West, which would provide greater differentiation with the suburb of Homebush.
  • The Society has no objection to the inclusion of the isolated property ‘Strathbelle’ on Beresford Road (which does not contain an address on the notification) being included in the suburb of Strathfield which is consistent with other properties in this street location.
  • Renaming a suburb involves significant practical costs, from updating signage, maps, and government records to requiring businesses, schools, and households to amend their documentation and communications. These resources could be better directed towards improving community facilities and infrastructure

Strathfield 140th Anniversary celebrations

An exhibition will be opening soon on to celebrate Strathfield Council’s 140th Anniversary of incorporation in 1885.

The exhibition will be held at Strathfield Library and Innovation Hub from 28 May to 27 July 2025.  This exhibition is a collaboration between Strathfield Council and Strathfield-Homebush District Historical Society.

Opening Night

The Opening Night will be held at 6pm on Thursday 5 June 2025 at the Library.

This is a free event and everyone is welcome.  Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP to assist with catering by sending an email to  exhibitions@strathfield.nsw.gov.au

If you have any questions, contact Cathy Jones at email: strathfieldhistory@gmail.com

Seniors Morning Tea

Celebrating Strathfield: 140 Years Seniors Morning tea will take place at the Ironbark Room in Strathfield Library on Friday 13 June from 10am – 12pm. Registrations can be made via this link.

Free talk – history of Strathfield Town Hall

IMG_2417The Strathfield Town Hall is 100 years old in 2023. For over 100 years, the Strathfield Town Hall has brought together the members of the local community, whether debating issues of the day, attending joyous social events, participating in civic defence and emergency services, celebrating arts and performance or commemorating wartime service and remembering the passing of loved ones.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Strathfield’s Town Hall, Strathfield Council has been hosting a number of events to commemorate the milestone.  One of these events is the Town Hall exhibition, which will open at Strathfield Library from Wednesday 1 November 2023 to 10 December 2023.  This exhibition was organised by Strathfield Council in collaboration with the Strathfield-Homebush District Historical Society.

Free talk

On Sunday 19 November 2023, a talk and afternoon tea will be held with Jenny MacRitchie and Cathy Jones as they highlight stories of the Town Hall’s rich history.

When: Sunday 19 November 2023, 2pm to 4pm

Where: Strathfield Library, 65-67 Rochester Street, Homebush

Registrations are essential for catering purposes.  Attendance is free.

For more information, please contact me at strathfieldhistory@gmail.com

Vale George Hallworth

I note the sad news of the passing of George Hallworth at age 98 years.

George Thomas Hallworth (1925-2023) was elected as an Alderman on Strathfield Council in 1980.  He served from 20 September 1980 to 23 September 1983.  He successfully contested the 1987 Council election and served a second term from 26 September 1987 to 13 September 1991.  

He served as Vice-Chairman of the Parks Committee in 1982-1983, Deputy Chairman of Community Services Committee in 1988 and Chairman in 1989-1990 and Chairman of the Library Committee in 1989, 1990 and 1991.

For many years, George operated a general store at Cave Road Strathfield.  He was very involved with the community life of the Strathfield area with his work for many organisations including Rotary, Meals on Wheels, Red Cross and Probus.  

He was married to Catherine Hallworth and had four children Vivien (dec), Lesley, Susan and Peter and had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His funeral service to be held at St Anne’s Anglican Church, cnr Homebush and Beresford Rds Strathfield on Friday 3rd November 2023, appointed to commence at 11am.

The family had requested that In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to the Cancer Council.