Macarthur Square
Macarthur Square opened in September 1979. Costing 30 million, it had the city's first multi-storey department store and creates hundreds of employment opportunities.
(Images sourced from Fairfax Collection, Campbelltown City Library)
An aerial view of the 1979 opening of Macarthur Square, still surrounded by paddocks.
(Image sourced from Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser)
Campbelltown Hospital- The area's first major hospital
Campbelltown Hospital was opened on 1 October 1977 by Premier Neville Wran. The building was largely instigated by Gough Whitlam who asked the state opposition to keep an election promise.
The image below shows Campbelltown hospital in the year of its opening.
(Image sourced from Jeff Stonehouse Collection (Campbelltown City Library. Local Studies Collection)
Glenquarie Shopping Centre - Progress for Macquarie Fields
Two major shopping centres were opened during the seventies. Macarthur Square was one, and Glenquarie Shopping centre in September 1975 provided a much needed facility for residents of Macquarie Fields. It was the first time a NSW council funded and developed such a complex.
(Image sourced from Local Studies Collection, Campbelltown City Library)
Glenalvon House
A fully restored Glenalvon House and its rear stables were opened in 1970, which would become a local museum run by the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society. The image below shows a couple of early 70s groovers at Historic Glenavon...Ray Stokes and Noelene Keen, for a fashion spread.
(Image sourced from Geoff Eves Collection)
St John's Preparatory School
St. John's Preparatory College "Westview", (at 4 St. John's Road) a Sisters of the Good Samaritan boarding school for boys ages 5 - 12 years , had been operating since 1889. Sadly the enrolment numbers were declining and it was decided to close the school at the end of the 1969 school year. St. Patrick's College (in Old St. John's on the Hill) for girls, was experiencing a surge in enrolments and the decision was made by the Order of The Sisters of the Good Samaritan to move to the vacated St. John's Preparatory College "Westview" site to begin the 1970 school year. The College continues to function from this site today.
Photo of St. John's Preparatory College - building built in 1922.
Contemporary photo of the above photo at St. Patrick's College
(Images sourced from St Patricks College Archives)
Airds
Huge new housing estates cropped up around Campbelltown in the 1970s. This shot of Airds was taken from St Johns Road, near St Patrick's College, looking south-east.
(Image sourced from Phil Reed Collection)
Year 12 captains and prefects at Airds High School in 1978. Many new high schools began popping up in the 1970s and 1980s to cater for the expansion in local suburbia.
(Image sourced from Phil Reed Collection)
St John's Catholic Primary School and protection of the green belt
Youngsters from St John's Catholic Primary School in 1972 with the Scenic Hills zone in the background. It was in that year that the green belt protecting Campbelltown's western fringe was protected by the Council.
(Image sourced from St John the Evangelist School)
Orana Park
Sports carnival at Orana Park, Leumeah in the mid-1970s. This is now unrecognisable as the site of Campbelltown Sports Ground.
(Image sourced from Phil Reed Collection)
1970s Queen Street
Queen Street from the air in 1978.
(Image sourced from Campbelltown- Macarthur Advertiser Collection)