page_title: Bankstown
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Bankstown / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Florenza Estate, Upper Bankstown, 1929, subdivision plan, H. W. Horning, State Library of New South Wales Z/SP/B6/32 English: Florenza Estate, Upper Bankstown, 1929, subdivision plan, H. W. Horning, State Library of New South Wales Z/SP/B6/32
context_page_description: Bankstown is a suburb south west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 16 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is located in the local government area of the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, having previously been the administrive centre of the City of Bankstown prior to 2016.
context_section_description: Before European settlement, Cumberland Plains Woodland occupied much of the area. Turpentine ironbark forest covered much of what is now Bankstown. The land was occupied by the Bediagal people. Their land bordered the Dharawal and the Darung people.
  In 1795, Matthew Flinders and George Bass explored up the Georges River for about 32 kilometres (20 mi) beyond what had been previously surveyed, and reported favourably to Governor Hunter of the land on its banks. Hunter examined the country himself, and established one of the pioneer colonies there, called Bank's Town, today written as one word Bankstown. Hunter named the area Bankstown after Sir Joseph Banks, who travelled to Australia with Captain James Cook in 1770. The area of first European settlement along the river has been partially preserved as part of the Mirambeena Regional Park.
  The first town hall and Council Chambers were opened on 22 Oct 1898   on the northern side of the Hume Highway (Liverpool Road), near Rookwood Road (site of the Three Swallows Hotel). The council chambers were relocated to a new building in South Terrace (now Old Town Centre Plaza) in June 1918. The building still stands and now has a shopping arcade running through it. Foundation stones from the old Town Halls have been preserved in a display outside the current Council Chambers.  In 1826, bush rangers were hanged on the site of the water tower Bankstown Reservoir.
caption: Florenza Estate, Upper Bankstown, 1929, subdivision plan.
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