:Castlereagh, New South Wales

The suburb is one of the most historic sites in Australia's colonial history, being one of the five Macquarie towns officially proclaimed on 6 December 1810.{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/all/journeys/1810/1810a/dec6.html |title=Journal of a Tour of Governor Macquarie's first Inspection of the Interior of the Colony Commencing on Tuesday the 6th. Novr. 1810 |first=Lachlan |last=Macquarie |chapter=Thursday 6th. Decr. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310122444/http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/all/journeys/1810/1810a/dec6.html |archive-date=2012-03-10 |via=Macquarie University}} Governor Lachlan Macquarie recorded the following in his journal "the Township for the Evan or Nepean District I have named Castlereagh in honor (sic) of Lord Viscount Castlereagh", Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1805–1806. He, in turn, was named after Castlereagh in Northern Ireland. The official Government and General Order issued from Government House, Sydney was dated 15 December 1810.

The earliest known European development was the building of Hadley Park, between what is now Castlereagh Road and the Nepean River. Charles Hadley was given a grant in 1803, and his house, Hadley Park, was built {{circa|1806}}. It still stands, largely intact. It has been said that it is difficult to overestimate the significance of this building. It was one of the earliest buildings in the colony and is "probably unique in its condition and setting". The property is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

Nepean Park, {{circa|1822}}, is also situated on Castlereagh Road, and was built by convict labour for John Single. A notable two-storey farmhouse in the Georgian style, it was acquired by the Dixon family in 1934. It is listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate and the NSW State Heritage Register.{{cite book |title=The Heritage of Australia |publisher=Macmillan Company |year=1981 |page=2/58 }}{{cite NSW SHR|19638|Nepean Park|hr=|fn=}}

Castlereagh Post Office opened on 1 April 1857 and closed in 1967.{{Cite web |last=Phoenix Auctions History |title=Post Office List |publisher=Phoenix Auctions |url=http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=NSW&filter=*Castlereagh* |access-date=28 February 2021}}

After two hundred years, the rich river flats still provide for a thriving agricultural industry along the Nepean River. Many of Penrith district's pioneering families had originated from Castlereagh. The suburb's historical importance is reflected in its many surviving farmhouses, outbuildings, churches and cemeteries.

Castlereagh has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Castlereagh Road: Upper Castlereagh Public School{{cite NSW SHR|5000920|Upper Castlereagh Public School and residence|hr=00339|fn=S90/04859|accessdate=18 May 2018}}
• 14-278 Old Castlereagh Road: Hadley Park{{cite NSW SHR|5055301|Hadley Park|hr=02009|fn=EF16/6554|accessdate=18 February 2020}}

According to the {{CensusAU|2021}}, there were 1,248 residents in Castlereagh. 81.7% of people were born in Australia and 86.5% of people only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 40.6%, No Religion 27.7% and Anglican 13.2%.

Castlereagh Road is one of the important transport links in Sydney connecting the Hawkesbury and Penrith regions.

The area has historic public school buildings, the Upper Castlereagh Public School and residence. Situated on Castlereagh Road, superseding a Wesleyan schoolhouse on the opposite side of the road, this was designed by G. A. Mansfield and constructed by James Evans, 1878-1879.

There is also a K-12 parent-controlled Christian school, The Lakes Christian College. There is also a K-6 Principal controlled Primary school, Lower Castlereagh Public School, now known as Castlereagh Public School.

Nepean Speedway ({{coord|38|38|45|S|150|41|15|E|}}) is a motorcycle speedway venue approximately 3 kilometres north of the suburb, off Rickards Road.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayaustralia.org/tracks/nsw/nepean-speedway |title=Nepean Speedway |website=Speedway Australia |access-date=13 February 2024}} The venue, which has a 390m track has hosted important motorcycle speedway events, including qualifying rounds of the Speedway World Championship (starting in 1992){{cite web |url=https://dlprezes.pl.tl/SPEEDWAY--_--Indywidualne-mistrzostwa-%26%23346%3Bwiata-----------k1-World-Speedway-Championship-k2-.htm |title=World Championship |website=Metal Speedway |access-date=13 February 2024}}{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/ |title=World Championship | website=Speedway.org |access-date=13 February 2024}} and the final of the New South Wales Individual Speedway Championship on two occasions.{{cite web |url=http://speedwaychampions.com/AustralianChampions.aspx |title=Honor Roll since 1930/31 |website=Speedway Champions |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706204745/http://speedwaychampions.com/AustralianChampions.aspx |access-date=2 August 2023|archive-date=6 July 2011 }}

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Castlereagh, New South Wales}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060819101600/http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=969 Penrith Local Suburb Profiles]
• [http://www.thelakescc.nsw.edu.au/ The Lakes Christian College]

{{Sydney Penrith suburbs}}

Category:Suburbs of Sydney

Category:1810 establishments in Australia