{{distinguish|Menangle, New South Wales}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = suburb | name = Menangle Park | city = Sydney | state = nsw | image = Menangle Park Station 1.jpg | caption = Menangle Park station | alternative_location_map = Australia NSW metro Sydney | pushpin_map_caption = Location in metropolitan Sydney | coordinates = {{Coord|-34.100390363159505|150.75721267932252|format=dms|type:city_region:AU-NSW|display=title}} | local_map = yes | zoom = 12 | lga = City of Campbelltown | postcode = 2563 | pop = 224 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name="census21">{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL12580 |name=Menangle Park (State Suburb) |accessdate=23 September 2024 |quick=on}}</ref> | est = | elevation = 79 | area = | stategov = Campbelltown | fedgov = Macarthur | near-nw = Spring Farm | near-n = Mount Annan | near-ne = Glen Alpine | near-w = Camden Park | near-e = Gilead | near-sw = Menangle | near-s = Menangle | near-se = Gilead | dist1 = 67 | dir1 = south-west | location1 = Sydney CBD | dist2 = 55 | dir2 = north-east | location2 = Mittagong }}

'''Menangle Park''' is a suburb in Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Menangle Park is located 56 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown. Menangle Park is a largely rural area and is part of the Macarthur region.

==Demographics== According to the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Menangle Park had a population of 224 people, who are mostly Australian born. The area has a particularly high number of people from the Anglican church (26.3%), nearly triple the proportion of Anglicans nationwide (9.8%). The median personal income of $792 per week is lower than the national average ($805).<ref name="census21"/>

==History== Menangle Park was originally home to the Tharawal people, and it was they who gave the name, transcribed as ''Manangle'' or ''Manhangle'', to a small lagoon on the west bank of the Nepean River. The river was important to the Tharawal both for its consistent water supply as well as the fish and yabbies that could be caught there.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/HistoryofMenanglePark | title=History of Menangle Park | publisher=Campbelltown City Council | accessdate=2007-08-31 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428163318/http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/HistoryofMenanglePark | archivedate=28 April 2013}}</ref><ref>Liston, C: ''Campbelltown: The Bicentennial History'', Allen & Unwin, 1988: pp.&nbsp;1–2.</ref>

When British settler Walter Davidson established a farm on the west side of the river in 1805, he named it Manangle after the lagoon. Another early settler Thomas Taber built Menangle House on the east side of the river, indicating the name was being used to describe the district. The Main South railway line came through in 1863<ref>Bayley, W. A. 1973. ''Picton-Mittagong Loop-Line Railway''. pp.11 Bulli: Austrail. {{ISBN|0-909597-14-6}}</ref> and stations were established on either side of the river but following a north–south line so that the station in what is now known as Menangle Park was initially called North Menangle.

With the establishment of the Menangle Park Racecourse in 1914, the suburb name became synonymous with the racecourse and only a few years later, the name was officially changed to Menangle Park. In 1920, the land to the east of the station was subdivided into {{convert|2.5|acre|ha|0|adj=on|order=flip}} lots to provide land for returned World War I servicemen. While there has been a push to open the area up for further subdivision since then, this has been resisted by the state government because of concern about the effects such development could have on the water quality of the Nepean.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/default.asp?iDocID=2120&iNavCatID=322&iSubCatID=1384 | title=History of Menangle Park | publisher=Campbelltown City Council | accessdate=2007-08-31 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930160426/http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/default.asp?iDocID=2120&iNavCatID=322&iSubCatID=1384 | archivedate=30 September 2007}}</ref>

== Heritage listings == Menangle Park has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: * Glenlee Road: Glenlee, Menangle Park<ref name=nswshr-9>{{cite NSW SHR|5045216|Glenlee, outbuildings, garden & gatelodge|hr=00009|fn=EF14/4526; S90/6169/3|accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref>

===Landmarks=== Built in 1914, Menangle Park Paceway gave the suburb its name and is still its major landmark. Designed by local architect Alfred Payten, it lies on the river flats between the railway station and the Nepean River. In 1996, much of the Paceway activity was relocated to the newly upgraded Harold Park; it was then used mostly for training. In 2004–2007, the Paceway received a major upgrade, and was reopened for major racing events,<ref>[http://www.menangleparkpaceway.com.au/history.html Paceway History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816004717/http://www.menangleparkpaceway.com.au/history.html |date=16 August 2010 }}</ref> with the intention of concentrating all such events there after the closing of Harold Park.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

By the western side of the current railway station are the remains of the Menangle Racecourse Junction. This comprised three sidings, and provided a Passenger Platform and a Horse Loading Platform. The platforms can still be seen, and they are considerably longer than the current station platform.<ref>[http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11339666-next.htm Discussion on ''Railpage'', March 2008.]</ref>

To the north is an older landmark. Glenlee House was built by magistrate William Howe in 1824. It was purchased by the Macarthur Development Board in 1978 who restored it and opened it to the public.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/default.asp?iDocID=2120&iNavCatID=322&iSubCatID=1384 | title=History of Menangle Park | publisher=Campbelltown City Council | accessdate=2007-08-31 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930160426/http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/default.asp?iDocID=2120&iNavCatID=322&iSubCatID=1384 | archivedate=30 September 2007}}</ref>

==Present community== Menangle Park is effectively divided from the eastern neighbouring suburb of Gilead by the M31 Hume Motorway. On the eastern side of the motorway are Broughton Anglican College, established in 1986 in the premises of the former Mount Gilead Christian School, and The Campbelltown Steam and Machinery Museum. A Retirement Resort at Gilead has been planned for some years, but currently is not likely to proceed.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/maggies-pet-project-chews-up-25m/story-e6frg6nf-1111116310466 ''The Australian'' 12 May 2008.]</ref> All these give their address as Menangle Park.

In the village proper on the western side, there are a small General Store, and a Rural Fire Brigade Shed, as well as the Menangle House Tavern, built 1834.<ref>[http://www.menanglehouse.com.au/mhousehistory.htm History of Menangle House] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211074016/http://www.menanglehouse.com.au/mhousehistory.htm |date=11 December 2010 }}</ref> The Progress Hall has been destroyed.<ref>[http://www2.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/LocalHist/scripts/ExtSearch.asp?SearchTerm=007111 Photo of Progress Hall dated 2003] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706121904/http://www2.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/LocalHist/scripts/ExtSearch.asp?SearchTerm=007111 |date=6 July 2011 }}</ref>

==Further reading== * Higginbotham, E. ''Glenlee House, Menangle Road, Campbelltown, N.S.W. : site survey of Archaeological remains.'' Camperdown, N.S.W. : Peter Thorp & Associates, 1985. * [http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010523b.htm William Howe and Glenlee] Aust. Dict. Biog * [http://www.dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/mount_annan Mount Annan and Glenlee]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100816004717/http://www.menangleparkpaceway.com.au/history.html History of the Paceway]

==Menangle Park gallery== <gallery widths="150px" heights="100px" perrow="4">

File:Menangle Park Disused Platform.jpg|{{center|Disused railway platform}} File:Menangle Park Paceway Entrance.jpg|{{center|Entry to the Paceway}} File:Menangle Park Paceway.jpg|{{center|Track at Paceway}} File:Menangle Park Paceway Pavilion.jpg|{{center|Paceway Pavilion}} File:Menangle Park Rural Fire Brigade.jpg|{{center|Rural fire brigade shed}} </gallery>

{{Sydney Campbelltown suburbs}}

Category:Menangle Park Category:Towns in Macarthur, New South Wales Category:Suburbs of Sydney