Interstate Histories: Parramatta NSW

While we are a Victorian History Library we do hold information on areas outside Victoria, to complement the Victorian history collection. An example is this history of Parramatta. Thanks to our volunteer Renee for the insight into Parramatta’s fascinating history.

For this local history article, we will be focusing on Parramatta in New South Wales. It is a town that was instrumental in the survival of the colonialists when they first arrived. Many livestock and agriculture experiments were conducted in the area to ensure that sustainable living in this new colony was viable. The first wheat was harvested by James Ruse, and the Macarthurs wool dynasty created and nurtured the establishment of what would become one of our greatest exports, wool.

The original inhabitants were the Burramattagal people. Their name comes from their proximity to the now named Parramatta River and the eels that inhabited it. Their name literally translated…