Early History
For an area that used to be called Potato Hill due to the abundance of potato crops, Lakemba has grown and seen a lot of changes since its colonial start.
Lakemba derived its name from the 22-hectare property “Lakeba” owned by Benjamin Taylor in the 1880s. Alternatively a town clerk, Alderman and Mayor of Canterbury throughout 1883-1911, Mr Taylor was an active member of the community and he gave permission for the railway line and railway station to be built on his property. Lakemba train station opened in 1909.
Census Stats
According to the 2011 Census, a brief glimpse of Lakemba will show:
- 8157 men, 7351 women (15,508 total)
- A fairly young population (median age = 30 years old) compared to Canterbury and Greater Sydney. There are also a lot of children in the area, 24.9% are under 14 years.
- The most popular language spoken is Arabic (18.2%) and Bengali (16%), followed by Urdu (7.3%) and Greek (5%)
- 7% of people aged 15 years and over are married
Places to Visit
- Haldon Street
Lakemba is one big melting pot and that is easily noticeable just by walking down this main street – it is a foodie hub with numerous cultures represented here including Lebanese cuisine, Pakistani and Greek food, and Vietnamese bakeries
During the Muslim month of Ramadan, this street transforms into the festive Ramadan Food Festival after sunset. It is a magnet for families and anyone looking for a good feed and a camel burger or two!
- Lakemba War Memorial
The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 19 April 1953 by His Excellency the Governor of NSW Lieutenant General Sir John Northcott KCMG CB MVO. It is located outside the Lakemba train station entrance on a small landscaped garden square.
The Lakemba RSL Sub-Branch conducts an ANZAC Day service there every year to pay respects to those who have served.
- The Lakemba Club
In 2001, Lakemba Services Memorial Club amalgamated with the Canterbury Group and in late 2013, was reborn as The Lakemba Club after a $2.2 million, six-month renovation.
The new makeover included adding a new central bar and café, a new restaurant and fresh new décor, updated furniture and modern audio visual equipment.
Today The Lakemba Club operates as a hub for the greater Lakemba community and is fantastic place for families and friends to meet up and have a meal together.
