Our Neighbourhood

PETERSHAM

Well known to many as Sydney’s ‘Little Portugal’ due to its wide selection of Portuguese business and its annual Audley Street Festival which celebrates the suburb's Portuguese ties, Petersham is conveniently located 6km west of the CBD. A pretty, low rise residential suburb that consists primarily of Victorian terrace houses, Petersham is one of the inner west’s most sought-after enclaves.  Bordered by Leichhardt to the north, Stanmore to the east, Marrickville to the south and Lewisham to the west, Petersham sits in the Inner West Council and also includes the renowned Taverners Hill locality within its borders.

European settlement of the area first came in 1793, when workmen were sent to clear the bush and plant corn and wheat for the fledgling colony. Quickly becoming famous for its quality agricultural lands, Petersham won awards in 1803 for some of the colony’s best crops.

Named Peters-Ham by Lieutenant-Governor Grose in honour of his native village in Surrey, the 1855 Sydney - Parramatta railway brought trains to Petersham from 1857, although it wasn’t until 1863 that a station was built. With the first public school opening in 1878, the renowned selective school Fort Street High was moved to Petersham in 1910.  May 1945 saw tragedy unfold in the skies above Petersham, when a British RAF Mosquito fighter disintegrated during a test flight. Along with the death of the two pilots, two civilians were injured and 18 houses were damaged.

With a selection of small businesses that include Palace Trading Antiques, The Counter café and the Spanish Portuguese Butchery, Petersham’s main shopping precinct is concentrated around Audley Street and New Canterbury Road. Petersham Park is one of the inner west’s finest and includes the Fanny Durack Aquatic Centre. With good schools and regular transport links, Petersham is an accessible and pleasant suburb that appeals to young and old alike.