Greater Western Sydney

Greater Western Sydney, Western Sydney and the Western Suburbs are general terms which are used to describe the western region of the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia. By some of its larger definitions, Western Sydney includes the 14 local government areas covered by the New South Wales government's Office of the Minister for Western Sydney and the Greater Western Sydney Economic Development Board. These are Auburn, Bankstown, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, Liverpool, Parramatta, Ryde (West Ryde and Eastwood areas), Penrith and Wollondilly. The term "Western Sydney" has also been applied to much smaller areas, such as that covered by the former Western Sydney Area Health Service.

Greater Western Sydney stretches over nearly 9,000 square kilometres of residential, industrial and rural land. At its most eastern point, the region is only 30 minutes away from Sydney's central business district (CBD) by car and is within easy reach of international freight and transport terminals.

The annual temperatures in Greater Western Sydney average a maximum of 23 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 12 degrees.

The 14 local government areas which comprise the Greater West together generate more than $54 billion in economic output a year, making its economy the third largest in Australia behind the Sydney CBD and Melbourne.

Its population - already at 1.7 million - is the 2nd fastest growing area in Australia, behind South East Queensland. It is also one of the most multicultural regions in Australia. More than 150 of Australia's top 500 companies are located within the Greater West, while industries including advanced manufacturing, tourism, information technology, business services and retail trade are growing at much faster rates than the national average.

Major tourist attractions in Western Sydney include the Blue Mountains and Sydney Olympic Park. Western Sydney Parklands, a major urban parkland stretching through many LGA's in Western Sydney, also contains many attractions such as, Wonderland Sydney (1985-2004), The former Seven Network studios for Wheel Of Fortune and Home And Away (1956-2005, now operated by Seven Local TV), Eastern Creek Raceway, Blacktown Olympic Park and Fairfield City Farm. Parramatta has also become a major centre in Sydney, often being referred to as the second CBD of Sydney.

Government and economic development organisations

• NSW Department of State and Regional Development
• The Office of the Minister for Western Sydney
• Western Sydney IT Cluster

Major education facilities

• University of Sydney Cumberland Campus
• University of Western Sydney
• Western Sydney Institute of TAFE

See also

• Inner West (Sydney)
• Westie (person)

External links

• Greater Western Sydney Economic Development Board website