Mortdale, New South Wales

Mortdale is a

History

Mortdale has been known in the past as Mort's Road, Mort's Hill, Mort's Crossing, Mort's Township and Mort Dale. The suburb was named after Sydney industrialist Thomas Sutcliffe Mort (1816–1878), who was famous for pioneering the refrigeration of shipping meat and the construction of Mort's Dock, Balmain. Thomas Mort purchased the land from Robert Townson (1763–1827), who had been granted land in the Hurstville area with his brother John Townson.^{[citation needed]}

A small farming community started when the land around Mort's Road was subdivided into seventeen farms. The Hurstville Steam Brick Company (better known as Judds Brickworks) was established in 1884 by William George Judd. The large brick-making chimneys were easily seen from around the district. The first residences were built opposite the Brickworks in 1885.^{[citation needed]} The railway was extended through the district around the same time. The railway divided two of the main farms, Kemp's orange orchard and Parkes's farm near Victoria Avenue, and these were subdivided for housing by 1894.^{[citation needed]} The official title for the suburb was set as Mortdale when the railway station opened with that name on 20 March 1897.^{[citation needed]}

The school opened in January 1889, and the post office and grocery store opened in November. Mortdale became a popular residential suburb in 1920s for soldiers returning from World War I.^[2]

In 1921, there was a movement for Mortdale to split from Hurstville and form a separate municipality.^{[citation needed]} An official 1923 inquiry into the proposed Municipality of Mortdale decided against the change, despite the separation movement having the law behind them.^{[citation needed]}

At the same time there was also a push to have the name of Mortdale changed due to its similarity with the suburb of Mortlake and the association with its literal translation from Latin ('Valley of the Dead'). Suggestions by various groups over several years included: Leyton, Montrose, Morella, Kingrose and Boronia. A final list approved by the Department of Lands were: Carruthers, Princemead, Wyargine, and Storrieville, but the matter was never resolved.^[3]

Commercial area

Mortdale consists mainly of residential dwellings with some commercial and industrial developments in the north-west corner. The main shopping centre is located on Morts Road and Pitt Street, near Mortdale railway station. Commercial and industrial developments are located along Boundary Road.

A number of streets near the commercial area are named after notable streets in the Sydney CBD; These include:

• 
  Mortdale Fire Station
• 
  Mortdale Hotel
• 
  Woronora Lodge, Mortdale Masonic Centre (now demolished)

Transport

• Christ Church Anglican
• Mortdale Uniting Church
• Mortdale Oatley Baptist Church
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons)[5]
• Hurstville District
  Christadelphian Ecclesia^[6]
• Mortdale Spiritual Church

• Mortdale Public School[7]
• Carinya Special School
• Marist College Penshurst
• Penshurst West Public School

Parks and Waterways

• Mortdale Memorial Park, Renown Park, Jubilee Park, Hurstville Golf Course, Mick Downes Reserve, Oatley Heights Park, Lime Kiln Bay Reserve, Olds Park, Edith Park, Beatty Street Reserve, Ruby Wing Reserve, Paddy Tyler Reserve, Milsop Place Reserve, Sunlea Avenue Reserve, Treloar Avenue Reserve, Walter Street Reserve, Nicol Murray Reserve, Lesley Crescent Reserve,

• Georges River, Lime Kiln Bay, Dairy Creek

Landmarks

• Historic Buildings - Mortdale Fire Station, Old Police Station, Mortdale Hotel, Mortdale railway station, Mortdale RSL Club, Mortdale Bowling Club (demolished 2012), St George Masonic Club, Mortdale Scout Hall, Mortdale Senior Citizens Centre, Ellen Subway underpass.
• Small-leaved Fig
  trees, a classical rotunda and a decorative War Memorial. The park is popular for picnics, weddings, and concerts.

Sport

• Hurstville Golf Course - 18-hole golf course
• Ken Rosewall Tennis Centre - 8 tennis courts adjoining the golf course
• Renown United Rugby League Club - play at Renown Park, Mortdale
• Mortdale Heights Cricket Club - play at Oatley Park Oval
• Hurstville Small Bore Range - rimfire shooting rifle range opposite the golf course
• Beatty Street Reserve - Cricket Nets
• Jubilee Park - netball court

Pop culture

Mortdale has been colloquially referred to as the "Valley of the Dead" or "Death Valley", due to the Latin mort ("death")^[8] and English dale ("valley").

In 1992, Su Cruickshank, published a book entitled 'Bring A Plate to The Mortdale Scout Hall - The Autobiography of a Fat Tart Complete with Recipes'.

Demographics

According to the

There were 56.4% of these in separate houses, semi-detached 13.8%, and 29% in apartments. 41.0% had one vehicle, and 34.7% had 2.[9]

Notable residents

• Mark Gasnier - St George Rugby league footballer
• Reg Gasnier - St George Rugby league footballer
• J. H. Leonard - illustrator
• Billy Smith - St George Rugby league footballer
• Ruby Violet Payne-Scott (1912-1981) - physicist, radio astronomer and schoolteacher^[10]

Mortdale Heights is a waterfront locality located between the Georges River and the western edge of the suburb of Mortdale in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mortdale Heights is located 20 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the Georges River Council.

This small, elevated area is bounded on the south by Oatley Heights Park and Lime Kiln Bay, and on the west by Hurstville Golf Course. It is known for the unusual choice of its street names, as most begin with the letter "B" and have a Scottish heritage.^[11]

History

The name "Mortdale Heights" was in use by 1919, but there only scattered residences in the area. The estate was not fully subdivided for sale until 1924 when a subdivision of 300 allotments was made available. The area did not fully develop until shortly after World War II. ^[12]

Culture

• A row of around 12 shops was built along Balmoral Road during the 1950s. Many of these have since been converted into residences
• Beatty Street Reserve incorporates part of an old Quarry site (originally known as Hannon's Quarry) that was cleared by the Mortdale Heights Progress Association in 1954. A children's playground was built on the top section in 1955. Cricket nets were later installed in the quarry section.^[13]
• The Girl Guides Hall is situated beside Beatty Street Reserve
• The Mortdale Heights Cricket Club was founded in 1957 and is one of the oldest clubs participating in the Georges River St George District Cricket Association's competitions. Their home games are played at Oatley Park Oval^[14]
• Lime Kiln Bay Reserve, Oatley Heights Park, is a natural bushland area surrounding Lime Kiln Bay which extends into nearby Oatley Park

References

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