Calls to give ‘ghost suburbs’ of Sydney proper names and status

They are the “suburbs” that don’t exist — new estates created by developers mushrooming on the fringes of Sydney’s sprawl. And while they are a marketing dream, residents and local authorities say they cause nothing but confusion. MULTIMEDIA SPECIAL

• Suburbs swallowed up in Sydney’s big squeeze
• High-rise ‘monstrosities’ taking over Sydney

They share their names with mystical princesses, Las Vegas hotels and bridges that don’t exist.

Mushrooming on the fringes of Sydney’s sprawl, new estates created by developers are housing thousands of families who refuse to be squeezed into apartments.

But local councillors, politicians and marketing experts say fancy estate names dreamt up by developers like Willowdale, Elara and Newbrook are geographic phantoms with no official recognition, have nothing to do with their local areas, and create confusion.

Residents have even been forced to get two letter boxes because of location confusion and planning cock-ups.

Developers argue the names they bestow on their estates give new residents a sense of place and help differentiate between multiple new developments.

Sonia Petrel with sons Favian and Nico playing in Willowdale, which straddles Denham Court and Leppington. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

MORE FROM BEN PIKE

LAST BACKYARD IN SYDNEY SWALLOWED BY DEVELOPMENT

WESTERN SYDNEY IN DEVELOPMENT GROWTH EXPLOSION

HIGH RISE SCHOOL MAKES WAY FOR 600 APARTMENTS

But Camden independent councillor Eva Campbell said they create division.

“You don’t create a community with an elaborate gateway and a fancy name,” she said, adding it’s one step away from an American style gated community.

“It’s a developer push and marketing strategy. It’s a way of making you think you are moving somewhere that you are not.”

Sydney has 735 suburbs, according to the NSW Valuer General, with 33 added since 2000. At the same time scores of estates have been built — but they are not officially recognised as suburbs.

In the western Sydney council area of Blacktown — where 17,600 homes are being built between 2017 and 2022 — six new suburbs will be created next year.

Part of Blacktown LGA’s growth is an estate called Elara, a Stockland development in Marsden Park.

Blacktown Labor MP and Mayor Stephen Bali isn’t a fan of the name — a Google search reveals Elara is a Las Vegas hotel, a mortal princess in Greek mythology and a moon of the planet Jupiter.

“It would be ideal if the developers sat down with council to work out what are significant names in the area so that we don’t get the problem of marketing names defining an area,” Blacktown Labor MP and Mayor Stephen Bali said.

“The name of a suburb is very important, it defines the people.

“We are finding that there are glib names that people come up with. Elara is no reflection on any element of the city.”

Mr Bali said he has even been sent letters from residents who call themselves “Elarians”.

“When the developer leaves they should be pulling down all the signs,” he said.

“It is misleading. People do not understand that there is a difference between the marketing name versus the suburb.”

Landcom is the state-government owned entity that develops crown land for housing.

While it removes the estate signs after completion, many private developers don’t.

Landcom also said “when we create a project name, Landcom considers names that have relevance to the local area”.

A Stockland spokeswoman claimed the names help avoid confusion.

“For new residents, a name helps create a sense of place and community, particularly in growth areas where multiple master planned communities are being built by different owners, at the same time,” she said.

Elara is part of Blacktown’s LGA and the local Mayor is not a fan of the name.

“These communities are typically located and addressed as per the suburb they sit in, or in some instances the project name can become the suburb name if they meet the specific criteria of the Geographic Names Board (historical and/or natural references) and approved by the local council following consultation with the local community.”

The south-western Sydney estate of Willowdale straddles two suburbs (Denham Court and Leppington) and two council areas (Campbelltown and Camden).

Denham Court resident and mother of two Sonja Petrel, 40, said she’d prefer if they stuck with suburb names rather than the Willowdale estate name.

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said “we are technically Denham Court but on lots of systems (Telstra, pizza shops and if you call an ambulance) we are listed as Leppington”.

“We always have to say it’s the same place even though some places are convinced we don’t exist as the postcodes are very different,” she said.

“We initially had so much trouble with Telstra and our address. We have had some trouble as some bills are Denham Court and some Leppington so it doesn’t always match up if you need proof of ID/proof of address.”

“Elara” residents Nitasha and Jatinder Sangh with their children Jaslyn and Ayaan (boy). Pic, Sam Ruttyn

Marsden Park resident Geraldine Fuerte’s home shares a frontage with Elara Boulevard and a nearby park. Yet her street address is Hookins Ave, despite having no frontage onto that street and it being 50m away.

As a result, she got a letter box on Elara Boulevard — complete with separate address — to go with her letter box onto the park frontage.

Another area with a questionable name is Greenbridge at Wilton, which has been unable to get government approval for the bridge it’s supposedly named after.

Blacktown mayor Stephen Bali wants housing estate names taken down to avoid confusion about which suburb residents actually live in. Picture: Justin Sanson

Sydney University marketing expert and senior lecturer Dr Rohan Miller said developers are looking for a point of difference when they sell the properties.

“It’s saying that they are not buying the in the middle of nowhere, they are buying in paradise,” Dr Miller said of the estate names.

“Developers are faced with the challenge of getting people to live in new areas.

“It is also getting away from the negative associations with the old suburb name.

“You can live there and be nice as opposed to being associated with the negativity of Doonside, for example.”