By Cathy Jones
The Crescent Homebush is located within the site of various 1793 land grants offered to a group of free settlers in an area known as Liberty Plains by the NSW Colonial Government anxious to secure a food supply for the growing colony. The land grants involved: Frederick Meredith 60 acres dated 28th May 1793, Thomas Rose 70 acres originally granted on 10 May 1798, Simeon Lord granted 160 acres dated 9 August 1803 and Edward Powell 19 acres dated 1 January 1810.
The land proved difficult to farm and the settlers abandoned farming activity and moved from their land. Eventually, this land and other land located in the current day Homebush West and Homebush (both sides of the railway line) came under the ownership of James Underwood, Edward Powell’s son-in-law. The land became known as the ‘Underwood Estate’.
In 1878, 306 acres of the Underwood Estate was subdivided for residential development and marketed as the ‘Village of Homebush’. This subdivision created Burlington Road, Beresford Road, Abbotsford Road, Bridge Street, Coventry Road, Meredith Street, Homebush Crescent (later The Crescent) and Bellevue Street (later Homebush Road).
Homebush Crescent was later renamed The Crescent. The section near Flemington Railway was once known as Victoria Parade, but renamed The Crescent.
Historic properties
Former Homebush Post Office, 17 The Crescent Homebush
Homebush shops, 18-20, 22 and 23 The Crescent Homebush
Homebush Public School, 26 The Crescent Homebush
Former Homebush RSL Club, 32 The Crescent Homebush
‘Hollywood’, 42 The Crescent Homebush
‘Surrey’ 43 The Crescent Homebush
‘Mossgiel’ 56 The Crescent Homebush
‘Roxmere’ 58 The Crescent Homebush
Strathfield Heritage 