The second oldest settlement in
Australia, following closely behind
Sydney. Originally called Rose Hill, the town was later renamed as Parramatta, meaning "the place where
eels lie down" in Aboriginal.
In the early years Parramatta came to be known as the "cradle city" due to its significant
farming contribution to help feed the whole colony.
Today, Parramatta is the geographic and demographic centre of greater Sydney. It is Sydney's second most important
Commercial and
Retail CBD.
Parramatta supports a strong Rugby League side: the Parramatta Eels. Veterans of this team, like Peter Sterling, have become legends of the code.
Parramatta's local
government population is 137, 200. It is the regional centre for Greater Western Sydney's 1.3 million people.