Cabramatta Identity

Identify the combination of factors that contribute to your community’s sense of identity?
Cabramatta is a key reflection of the traditional owners of the land, changing migration patterns to Australia and its rich layers of the past. Cabramatta’s first white settlers were Irish political prisoners who were some of the first convicts to be provided with land grants which was to support the food shortage throughout the colony. Alike many of Sydney’s colony’s Cabramatta was known primarily for agriculture. Early settler’s seeked employment on farming properties and dairies. Cabramatta grew heavily reliant on its neighboring settlement, Liverpool which provided Cabramatta with essential supplies and kept peace and order throughout the colony.

By 1970 Cabramatta was becoming well established. Growing in infrastructure the Cabramatta train station was completed in 1972. The Cabramatta Hotel, shops a school and post office soon followed. However, due to its location Cabramatta still remained isolated and was fixated as being known as the ‘town hall in the bush`. Cabramatta began to accommodate refugees and immigrants following the second world war when immigrants from Britain were housed in the Cabramatta settlement areas. Following the abolishment of the White Australian policy in the 1960’s a huge influx in Chinese and people from Singapore, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea began to shape a distinctive southeast Asian characteristic in Cabramatta. This was primarily due to migrant hostels that were established around the area as a result of the Vietnam War. The population demographics are reflected by the many Vietnamese- Australian and Chinese- Australian businesses. As a result Cabramatta is considered ideal for Vietnamese, Thai and chinese cuisines.
Cabramatta’s most renowned landform is the Cabramatta creek, a major tributionary of the Georges river is situated South West of Sydney located within the suburbs of Cabramatta and Warwick Farm. The creek is the largest freshwater wetland in the Georges River catchment and provides habitat for a number of threatened species.
Cabramatta’s weather is pleasantly temperate all year around. In summer average maximum temperatures are around 26’C. In winter that average maximum temperatures in the winter is around 16’C. The average rainfall is highest around March and June.
Describe the factor or factors causing change in the community and the impacts of the change process.

Cabramatta has experienced great change from a community of predominantly European descent.

The abolition of the White Australian Policy is was prompted change in the Cabramatta community, because it restricted non white or non European migration into Australia. During the late 1970’s Australia became more accommodating to Vietnamese and refugees of an Asian origin as an aftermath of the policy being eradicated. This is when Australia began it’s transformation into a more accepting multicultural society. As mentioned Cabramatta and its surrounding suburbs were an ideal situation for migrants because of the several migrant hostels that were managed within the area. By the 1990’s Cabramatta had seemed to develop its own sense of identity with Vietnamese businesses thriving in shops, restaurants and commercial enterprises. The decision made by the Federal government to allow large numbers of Vietnamese to migrate to Australia and the Vietnamese governments support in Australia’s decision in allowing refugees to leave their country and take residence in Australia is what brought about perhaps the most significant change Cabramatta has ever undertaken. In 2006, 27.5 per cent of people resident in Cabramatta were born in Australia, while 31.2 per cent were born in Vietnam, 9.0 per cent in Cambodia, 5.5 per cent in China, 1.6 per cent in Laos and 1.3 per cent in Thailand. In addition, many people born in Australia were of South-East Asian descent. (Geography Focus txt Book, Factors causing change In AUS communities). With the large increase in immigration from South- East Asia to Cabramatta and it’s surrounding area a positive impact has been made on the wider community. With now a greater demand for foreign goods Cabramatta is now able to import clothes, newspapers and furniture from Asian countries, consequently making it a more globalised community. Cabramatta is now seen to have a greater cultural diversity, which is reflected through the countless Vietnamese

restaurants, the infrastructure such as the Kwan Yin Buddhist temple and clothing stores which resemble Vietnams rich cultural and heritage.