First Peoples
The original custodians of the Greater Western Sydney Region are the Bidjigal, Cabrogal, Darkinjung, Dharawal, Dharug, Gundungura, Gweagal and Tharawal Aboriginal people. Evidence suggests that indigenous Australians had lived sustainably in the region for at least 30,000 years. Methods of agriculture and horticulture included crop-growing, fish-trapping and controlled burning to facilitate new growth facilitate and hunting of native animals. Regularly burning encouraged new growth of edible plants and boosted the population of species such as the kangaroo.
The arrival of European settlement in 1788, however had a devasting impact on the first peoples of Australia. Initially this was due to introduced diseases, such as measles and small pox which decimated the local population. The expansion of European settlement meant that large amounts of land was cleared for farming resulting in the destruction of Aboriginal food sources. These combined factors caused resentment towards the British settlers resulting in violent confrontations. The First Peoples had little defence against the firepower of the settlers resulting in Indigenous clans being dispossessed of their lands.
British Colony to Federation
The First Fleet of British settlers arrived in Sydney Cove on the 26 January 1788. The new settlement soon discovered the soil around Sydney Cove was poor and proved unsuitable for farming. Exploratory missions in search of better soils focused further west initially in the Parramatta region.
When the British settled Australia, the colonial government claimed all lands for the Crown. Successive governors of New South Wales had the authority to make small land grants to free settlers, soldiers and former convicts. In February 1793, the Auburn area was established as the first free-agricultural settlement, and by the end of that decade further areas in Western Sydney were established as far west as the Nepean River and Penrith.
When the British settled Australia, the colonial government claimed all lands for the Crown. Successive governors of New South Wales had the authority to make small land grants to free settlers, soldiers and former convicts. In February 1793, the Auburn area was established as the first free-agricultural settlement, and by the end of that decade further areas in Western Sydney were established as far west as the Nepean River and Penrith.
From the early 1820s Australia was promoted as a land of opportunity for settlers. By the late 19th century, New South Wales government recognised the economic importance of agriculture to the colony by establishing the Hawkesbury Agricultural College to provide formal learning for farmers and other agricultural workers. The Hawkesbury region eventually gained the reputation as the food bowl of Sydney. The college operated from 1891 to 1989 when it was formally amalgamated into Western Sydney University.
The federation of Australia occurred on 1 January 1901 when the six British colonies New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania united to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
