History of Five Dock

 

It is believed that the name 'Five Dock' originated when the early settlers noted five 'docks' or indentations on a bay some eight miles due west of the Heads of Port Jackson.

The waters and foreshores of the Drummoyne Municipality were surveyed in 1788 by Captain John Hunter of the H.M.S. Sirius a few months after the arrival of the First Fleet. Iron Cove, Drummoyne, Five Dock Bay and Hen and Chicken Bay were covered in the survey. In the 1790's the area was known as the "Eastern section of the District of Concord". Part of this was subdivided and Major Francis Grose granted farms to members of the N.S.W. Corps in 1794. Many of these land grants were later cancelled but in January 1806 Governor King granted the present Five Dock - Russell Lea - Abbotsford - Drummoyne area, some 600 hectares of land to John Harris, military surgeon and magistrate. His property later become known as ": Five Dock Farm".

In 1838 Harris sold his farm to Samuel Lyons, a former convict, now a wealthy and prominent citizen. Lyons founded the earliest local roads - Kings, Lyons, Blackwall Point and Barnstaple. Lot no. 130 on Iron Cove was bought by solicitor Brent Clements Rodd. He built "Barnstaple Manor" which faced Rodd Point where the family built a mausoleum with a sandstone cross. The latter was removed to Rookwood Cemetery in 1903 but returned to its original site in 1975 by the Rotary Club of Five Dock.

Other early residents included Barton, Wright, Abercrombie, Crocker, Amor, Dening, Speed, Flippence and Friend.

The first school in Five Dock was held in St Albans Anglican Church - the building serving as a school, a church, and a rectory. This school became Five Dock Public School, which celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 1986.

As transport facilities improved, Five Dock experienced a rapid growth in population - the greatest impetus being the tramway system in 1890. The first ferry service ran in 1834 - the "Emu" travelling to Iron Cove and Five Dock.. Motor bus services appear to have started in 1917 as a private bus service. In 1933 the government bus services signalled the end of private buses to the area as well as being the beginning of the end of Sydney's electric tramway system - then one of the largest and most efficient in the world.

Local government was established in 1871, when the Municipality of Five Dock was incorporated. In 1890 part of the area seceded, to become the Borough of Drummoyne. In 1902 the two local governments were united as Drummoyne.

The mangrove covered mud flats along the Parramatta River foreshores and bays have been reclaimed including Timbrell and Nield Parks (from Iron Cove), Campbell Park (from Five Dock Bay), Barnwell Park golf course (from King's Bay). Lyons Road West was extended around Kings and Canada Bays to link up with Concord Road system.

Drummoyne and Concord Councils merged on December 1, 2000 to become Canada Bay City Council. Today the Municipality has an estimated population of 58,400. Whilst it boasts beautiful foreshores, parks and playing fields it must be remembered that the Municipality's birthplace was Five Dock.