Secret Suburb: Epping known for its eclectic tastes and cultural diversity
STARTING with the a strangest of names, Epping has evolved into a popular suburb of eclectic tastes, characters and cultural diversity.
NSW
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STARTING with the a strangest of names, Epping has evolved into a popular suburb of eclectic tastes, characters and cultural diversity.
Recycled Reading – Centre of town
There are plenty of pre-loved books on the shelves and an equal amount of people buying them which is exactly what Sue Ingleton of Recycled Reading had planned 24 years ago when she first opened her shop near what she calls the octopus of Epping – a convergence of roads and railways, university students and commuters all with her smack dab in the centre.
But what she may not have anticipated is that her shop would become a sort of town centre with an eclectic array of people coming in to swap stories, discuss books and even get town development updates seeing as Ms Ingleton is an executive with Epping’s Chamber of Commerce.
It is easy to see why Becca Stewart, says: “There are as many characters in this bookshop as there are in these book.”
Noodle Festival at Epping Presbyterian Church
Filling a function hall with people keen to try a diverse selection of noodle dishes from around the globe may sound like a celebrity cooking show challenge, but it is actually part of the Epping Presbyterian Church’s annual Noodle Festival.
Each year, the event features a demonstration of traditional noodle making from a different part of the work, like Japanese soba noodles of Indian string hoppers.
Noting that there is 20 different nationalities represent in their congregation, Assistant Minister Bern Merchant sees it as a way of “recognising diversity and integrating the many cultures in our community”.
Jing Dance Ballet – Chinese influenced dance
Little did Jing Chen know that when she started her career as a professional dancer in China, she would one day become a cultural ambassador through her art.
After receiving a post-graduate diploma in dance from Beijing Arts University, she continued her studies in places like Paris and New York until eventually coming to Australia.
Here she founded Jing Dance Ballet, a studio that teaches western techniques but also incorporates the Chinese style.
“Chinese ballet is a bit different. It’s very philosophical,” Ms Chen said.
She explains how one of the first and most popular pieces in China, called The Yellow River, is more about the country’s defiance during war time – specifically, World War II.
But by presenting it with westernised music, it becomes more about the dancers yet still tells a poignant story from China’s past.
Loftus Square Park Bush Shelter
Pass any bus stop and you’re bound to see people with heads down, tapping out messages on their phones, but at the Loftus Square Park bus shelter the writing is on the wall.
Designed by Peter Day, an environment artist known worldwide for his elaborate murals, a mural is painted on the inside and outside walls to depict Epping’s early history, including a rendition of an auction announcement from 1881 that outlines the subdivided plots of Brush Grove.
And as if the property wasn’t enticing enough, they have the added benefit of being “surrounded by orchards” and “close to the proposed railway line”.
Loftus Square Park - The Growth Tree
From their first time on a slide to their daredevil jumps off the swings, every parents knows that kids grow up quite fast which makes The Growth Tree at Loftus Square Park a novel way mark those moments.
Standing at 2m high, this wooden post has a height chart affixed to it.
So while you may know how old they were when they started on the swings, here is a chance for them to return again and again and chronicle their own story.
Walter Hazlewood – Hazlewood Brothers’ Nursery (circa 1903)
Well before solar panels and bicycle lanes, back in the early 1900s horticulturist Walter Hazlewood of Hazlewood Brothers’ Nursery, was talking about tree preservation and the environment.
Of course he had a vested interest in plant cultivation and the yields that saw their small orchard plot grow to a thriving business, he also has an interest in the related sciences.
As he began to see the lands around Epping and the Northern suburbs being cleared, he saw a potential problem that could possibly even impact the weather.
“Trees are essential to turn the carbon dioxide from the exhaust fumes of motor vehicles, as well as the breath of animals, back to oxygen.”
Author Amy Witting
Proof that it is never to late to pursue a dream, at the age of 71, while living in Epping, Amy Witting — now recognised as one of Australia’s finest fiction writers — published her award-winning book, I for Isobel.
Published in 1990, it is a semi-autobiographical book applauded as much for her depiction of an impoverished and troubled childhood, to the poetic description of the Sydney suburbs in which the story took place.
History
The area that was to become known as Epping was first inhabited by the Wallumedegal clan (wallumai being a “snapper fish”).
In 1792, Governor Phillip granted a few marines the land that was named, the Field of Mars.
No one knows for certain the name’s origins but is most likely named after Mars, the Roman god of war. (Ironically, it is now a nature preserve)
Though the first to settle was not until 1794 by freed convict, David Kilpack.
At that time, sourcing food for the colony was proving quite difficult so in 1804 Governor Macquarie set it aside as “common land”.
This allowed the whole community to use it for pastures and firewood.
Shortly afterwards, much of the surrounding area would be levelled for timber but the rest became mainly orchards scrub.
Towards the late 1800s, the government — in need of a bit of funding and the arrival of the railway in 1886 — sold off the land in large blocks.
The railway station was first called Field of Mars station, which, after a bit of disgruntlement was changed to Epping, named after Epping Forest.
Development of the area was rather slow up until the end of World War II when there was an increased demand for housing.
Thereafter, with the proximity to both the CBD and railway, Epping continued to grow, becoming the multicultural suburb it is today.
* Follow Jenifer Jagielski on Twitter @moxnixchick
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