By Mike CrooksWednesday 17 Mar 2021NewsReading Time: 3 minutes
A new city centre in Sydney is to be named after the pioneering engineer behind the world-famous “coat hanger”.
In Sydney’s west, north of Bringelly, the city will be called Bradfield. The name honours the legacy of John Bradfield, the man who oversaw the building of the iconic Harbour Bridge.
Situated on the doorstep of the upcoming airport in Western Sydney, Bradfield is set to become Sydney’s third city, alongside the CBD and Parramatta.
“Bradfield was a renowned engineer who designed and oversaw the construction of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney’s original railway network,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Tuesday.
“The name Bradfield is synonymous with delivering game-changing infrastructure and it sets the right tone for the area.”
Source: NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Who chose the name?
Members of the public summited “one word” suggestions in a campaign called “Name the Place”. A panel settled on the final decision.
The previous temporary name of the region was “Aerotropolis”.
“The number of suggestions the community put forward to ‘Name the Place’ was overwhelming,” the Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said.
“We thank everyone for having their say.”
Who was John Bradfield?
Source: John Bradfield / National Library of Australia Fairfax Corporation
Born in Queensland in 1867, Bradfield was the recipient of the first engineering doctorate from the University of Sydney.
He was the chief proponent of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. He oversaw its spectacular design and mammoth eight-year construction, beginning in 1925.
“It’s a great honour that my grandfather’s name continues to be associated with major infrastructure developments in and around Sydney,” Bradfield’s grandson Jim Bradfield said.
“We hope his achievements will inspire generations to come and help shape the future of our urban landscape.”
Why is Sydney building a third hub?
Bradfield is where the $5.3 billion Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is under construction.
Sydney’s second major airport will open in 2026 – if all goes to the Government’s plan. Unlike Sydney Airport, it will not have a curfew.
The airport’s name honours Nancy-Bird Walton, the pioneering Australian aviator. The Sydneysider, who died in 2009, founded the Australian Women Pilots’ Association.
Premier Berejiklian said the new city would drive economic growth and deliver up to 200,000 jobs.
“This area will be transformed into a thriving city centre, home to advanced manufacturing, research, science and education,” she said.
“What are paddocks now will be a thriving, bustling city centre offering the best job opportunities anywhere in Australia.”
Is there a downside to the development?
Yes, for the owners of those “paddocks”.
Labor has slammed the NSW Government for the way it treated residents, whose properties have reportedly lost value by rezoning.
The State Government also acquired some 26 hectares of land where the controversial new metro station will be built.
“These are people’s homes, these are people’s farms,” Opposition Leader Jodi McKay said.
“They’ve been in families for generations, people have raised their children.”
Further, an independent body criticised the Government’s decision to build a metro line to the airport, due to its $11 billion cost.
A report by Infrastructure Australia found there “is insufficient evidence that the economic, social and environmental benefits of the project would justify its costs”.