Our City

1817

Major George Druitt arrives in the Colony aboard the 'Matilda'.

1821

Governor Lachlan Macquarie recommends a 1000 acre land grant (the original Mount Druitt Estate) to Major George Druitt as a reward for his years of outstanding service as Chief Engineer in the Colony. The grant was not signed over until 1837.

1822

Major George Druitt's house on the Mount Druitt estate is completed.

1823

George Foster Blackett arrived as a free settler aboard the 'Allies'. He was appointed as superintendent of Government Stock Farm at Rooty Hill. The suburb Blackett was named in his honour.

1825

George Druitt marries Margaret Lynch at Christ Church Castlereagh.

1831

James Whalan is granted 300 acres, east of Ropes Creek by Governor Darling. The suburb Whalan takes its name from James Whalan.

1842

Margaret Druitt dies on 23 February aged 44. Major George Druitt died four months after his wife on 8 June. He was 67.

1848

The Campbell family put up the Mount Druitt Estate for auction (Robert Campbell acquired the estate as part of security when George Druitt borrowed £4800 in 1839). The estate was bought by John Alger.

1849

The Mount Druitt estate house destroyed by fire.

1853

William Fredrick Emert and wife Rosina (from Hamburg, Germany) arrive in Sydney aboard the 'Helena'. Emerton is named after the Emert family who resided in the Mount Druitt area since 1861. Their house, Siglingen, still stands today.

1854

John Alger auctioned the Mount Druitt Estate. It was acquired by businessman William Lowder Lees who subdivided the land and sold it in lots.

1855

Local farmer Thomas Meacher bought 882 acres of the Mount Druitt Estate, where he ran cattle and cultivated a vineyard.

1861

Wooden chapel and Wesleyan Sabbath School built at Simpson's Hill Road.

Colyton Public School opened, original site of school was the corner of Great Western Highway and Simpson Hill Road. The school moved to its present location in 1898.

1862

Railway line passed through Mount Druitt.

1872

John King Lethbridge purchased James Whalan's grant of 300 acres, and consolidates this with his property. He built his house and called his farm 'Tregeare', moved in with his family around 1877. The suburb Tregear is named after the Lethbridge property.

1881

Mount Druitt Railway Station opened July 1.

George Kennedy King purchased 310 acres, originally part of the Mount Druitt estate, from John Mills. The land is subdivided into smaller lots and auctioned.

1887

The official opening of the New Wesleyan Church (corner of Mount Druitt and Ropes Creek Roads).

1892

A receiving office for mail at Mount Druitt railway station was changed to a post office with Alfred Mortimer as the postmaster.

1894

Presbyterian Church "Rupertswood" completed.

1911

Mount Druitt population 141.

1912

The first official airplane crash occurred in the Mount Druitt area. William Ewart Hart crashed his plane adjacent to the railway line while flying from Penrith to Parramatta.

1925

Mount Druitt Advancement Club opens its hall.

1933

Mount Druitt population 442.

1942

Royal Australian Air Force Unit operates from Mount Druitt (formerly known as St Marys Siding).

1946

Vogue Theatre (operating in the Mount Druitt Advancement Hall) opens with its first feature film, National Velvet.

1950

Mount Druitt Motor Racing Circuit leased by Belfred Jones was built on the remnants of the second world war airstrip used by Royal Australian Air Force Unit.

1954

Mount Druitt population 1,474.

1958

Mount Druitt Racing Circuit closed.

1961

Mount Druitt Public School opened.

Mount Druitt population 7,929, including Rooty Hill.

1964

Development of the Housing Commission estate starts in Mount Druitt.

Millers Mt Druitt Hotel opens.

1967

Whalan Public School opened.

1968

Tregear Public School opened.

1969

Lethbridge Park Public School opened in April.

Tregear Shopping Centre opened in October.

Mount Druitt High School opened.

Emerton Public School opened.

1970

Ambulance Station at Mount Druitt officially opened on October 24.

1971

Establishment of Mount Druitt Police Station.

1972

Official opening of Blackett Public School, has been operating since 1971.

Whalan High School opened.

Hebersham Public School opened.

1973

Great Western Regional Shopping Centre opens at Mount Druitt.

Hebersham Public School was officially opened by the Governor of NSW, Sir Roden Cutler, in November.

Willmot Public School opened.

1974

Shalvey Public School and High School opened.

Emerton Shopping Centre opened by Mayor Stone.

Mount Druitt's new railway station officially opened on December 8.

1975

Bidwill Public School opened.

Mount Druitt and Emerton Swimming Pools officially opened.

1976

Mount Druitt District population 53,571.

Bethel Assembly purchases the Wesleyan Church, name changed to Bethel Church.

1977

Mount Druitt Branch Library was officially opened on 18 March by the Premier, Neville Wran.

Bidwill High School opened.

1979

Mount Druitt TAFE opens.

1982

Official opening of Mount Druitt Hospital by Queen Elizabeth II.

Emerton Youth Centre opened by Premier of NSW, Neville Wran on 13 December.

1983

Mount Druitt Bowl and Recreation Centre officially opened on July 23.

1984

Super Kmart and Coles store opened at Mount Druitt, February 13.

1985

Mount Druitt Waterworks opens.

1986

Mount Druitt District population 55,574.

1991

Astro Cinema opens March, 15. The cinema closed in 1997 when the owner, Dr Peng Tin Chia, went into receivership.

1995

Remembrance Gardens established at the site of Mount Druitt Waterholes, to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the end of WWII.

1996

Mount Druitt District population 50,852.

2000

Commencement of Chifley College includes 5 campuses, Dunheved, Shalvey, Bidwill, Mount Druitt and Whalan.

2001

Mount Druitt District population 51,909.

2002

Chifley College Senior Campus, next to Mount Druitt TAFE completed.

2003

New interchange at Mount Druitt station commenced.

2005

Westfield Mount Druitt is expanded.

2006

Mt Druitt and District population at the Census is 52,125.

2006

Mt Druitt Courthouse officially opened.

2006

Department of Community Services Office in Mount Druitt is refurbished and officially opened by the Premier Morris Iemma.

Emerton Leisure Centre opened.

2007

Willmot Community Garden officially opened in Willmot Public School grounds.

2008

'The Manse', a house built in the 1880s and owned by the Kennedy family, is being restored by Blacktown City Council.

The former Millers Mt Druitt Hotel is renovated and reopens as the Village Hotel.

2009

'The Manse" restoration completed and officially reopened with Mt Druitt Historical Society as tenants.

2010

Indigenous Job Market day held at Mount Druitt.

2011

Prime Minister Julia Gillard visits Mount Druitt to inspect the nearly completed Mount Druitt Hub. The complex includes a library, a senior citizens' centre, sessional offices, clinic space and meeting rooms and was officially opened in November.