One of the newer suburbs in the Canada Bay municipal area, Breakfast Point has emerged from the former site of the AGL gasworks that once generated gas supply for many Sydneysiders. Previously dominated by the former industrial gasworks area, this suburb has transformed to become a modern housing estate, boasting prestige homes and leafy parklands.
Seeing the transition of this suburb over time is e a real story of contrast and juxtaposition. Uncover some of the key highlights of this intriguing suburb and how it has flourished over such a short time.
Location – Postcode 2137
The suburb of Breakfast Point – located between Cabarita and Mortlake on the shores of Parramatta River – is home to one of Sydney’s largest planned residential communities. Located 16km west of the Sydney CBD, homes in the suburb have been built from the 1990s onwards, with buildings still being completed in 2018.
History
According to historical records, the suburb name is derived from the first contact between Europeans and the traditional owners of the land, the Wangal Clan. The encounter took place on 5 February 1788 during Captain John Hunter’s exploration of the Parramatta River, while Hunter was having breakfast, hence the name.
The Gasworks
Much of the area at Breakfast Point was originally occupied by the Mortlake Gas Works of the Australian Gaslight Company (AGL). AGL began developing the site from 1883 and the gas works remained in operation until the 1990s. In 1998, AGL ran a tender process and selected Rosecorp Pty. Ltd. to progressively acquire and develop the Mortlake site into a prestige residential housing area. In the years since, selected parcels of land have been gradually developed into housing estates and sold.
The People
According to the 2016 census, there were 4188 residents in Breakfast Point. 53.9% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were China 11.0%, England 4.0% and South Korea 2.7%. 57.3% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 11.3%, Cantonese 5.0%, Korean 3.4% and Italian 3.2%. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 30.9%, No Religion 28.7% and Anglican 10.9%.
Country Club
This well appointed club is for the exclusive use of Breakfast Point residents and has been open since 2006. The “Country Club” is the social and community hub of the suburb, providing a destination for residents to meet socially or collectively for strata or community meetings. The facilities include five match-grade tennis courts, a 25-metre heated lap pool, heated family friendly lagoon pool, spa, sauna and steam rooms as well as a cafe.
Facilities
Despite its small size, Breakfast Point has a number of local cafes and an IGA supermarket servicing its residents. Transport to and from the suburb is accessible, with many locals catching the Rivercat from Cabarita Wharf to the city via the Parramatta River – only a 40-minute ride. It is also close to the ferry from Mortlake to Putney (commonly known as the Putney Punt), which operates on a limited timetable. Located on a quiet peninsula, Breakfast Point doesn’t have passing traffic.
Leafy Surrounds
Located on the picturesque Parramatta River and only a few short minutes from Sydney Olympic Park, Breakfast Point has a number of scenic walking tracks along the river, surrounded by palm trees. The Breakfast Point to Cabarita is a popular local walk, and can even finish with a cool down in the Cabarita Swimming Pool in Cabarita Park. The suburb is also surrounded by a number of popular golf courses.
Image Source: Breakfast Point
