The Campbelltown region has a rich and complex history, starting with the Indigenous communities who live in the area, the Dharawal People. This indigenous heritage is reflected in the naming of some of our natural spaces, including the Dharawal National Park in Wedderburn.
Shortly after the European settlement of Sydney, a number of cattle strayed from their herdsmen and made their way south to the fertile pastures, and as a result the area was known for a time as the ‘Cowpastures’.
It was then named the Macarthur region for its renowned pioneers John and Elizabeth Macarthur. John Macarthur was granted 5,000 acres in the Cowpastures in 1805 to develop the Australian wool industry.
The township of Campbelltown was declared in 1820. The city was named ‘Campbell Town’ by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in honour of his Scottish-born wife, Elizabeth Campbell. Campbelltown’s colonial heritage is reflected in the large number of heritage listed buildings throughout Campbelltown.