Emu Plains

Emu Plains, New South Wales, Australia is located on the western side of the Nepean River, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. The suburb of Leonay is the southern boundary, with Emu Heights the western boundary. Along with the suburb of Penrith, Emu Plains is one of the oldest districts in the Penrith Local Government Area. It is situated in pleasant and peaceful surroundings enriched with the colour of jacaranda trees and autumn tones. Emu Plains has many historic buildings and sites to visit. Situated just five minutes drive from Penrith, Emu Plains is ideally located to all amenities. Emu Plains is located on the west side of the Nepean River extending to the foot of the Blue Mountains. Part of this name (i.e. 'Emu') is thought to have originated with the sighting of emus there when the country was first explored by Europeans in the late 1700's. A survey map of 26th August 1790 has the annotation 'saw three cassowaries' marked near the ford. Early explorers often confused emu with cassowary. The locality was first known as 'Emu Island' - the name thought to have originated with Captain Watkin Tench (1758?-1833), who first explored the region. In Government Orders of 16 July 1814, Governor Macquarie referred to 'Emu Plains (hitherto erroneously called Emu Island)', which officially heralded the area's change of name. And again in October 1814, George Suttor in his correspondence with Sir Joseph Banks, mentioned that the name Emu Plains had recently been changed from Emu Island. Up to this date the area had obviously been thought of as an island. The reason for this can possibly be explained by a contemporary observer, Barron Field (1786-1846), Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Field noted that Emu Plains had been called 'Emu Island' because the plains had, at times, been turned into an island by the 'washing of the mountains when the Nepean ......flooded'. Another more recent explanation (offered by the late local historian and resident Arthur W. Street) claims that the name Emu Island originated because the Nepean River was divided near Emu Ford, thus forming an island. The island, Mr. Street claims, has slowly disappeared through constant excavation of gravel for building purposes. A further resolution of the confusion is detailed in the book Emu Plains by Joan Steege, where she explores all the divergent theories regarding its naming. Governor Macquarie established a government farm at Emu Plains in 1819. Here convicts cleared the land and grew wheat, maize, tobacco and other crops for thirteen years. Land was not available for private settlement until the early 1830's, when a town named Emu was surveyed. On 25 October, 1963, the Emu Plains area was transferred from the Blue Mountains City Council to Penrith City Council.