When we think of “Burwood” in Newcastle today, it is most commonly associated with Burwood Beach, situated between Glenrock Lagoon and Merewether.
Burwood Beach is situated at the northern end of what was the Burwood Coal Company’s 1287 acre coal lease.
The coal company’s principal pit was located near the centre of their lease, where the modern day suburb of Whitebridge is …
… and consequently this area is sometimes known as Burwood. The main north/south road here is named “Burwood Road” and there was formerly a Burwood Colliery Bowling Club at this location.
However there is another area in Newcastle that earlier on was also known as Burwood. It was located in the area of Merewether immediately to the south of The Junction. The name appears on an 1855 map.
The Historical Land Records Viewer has a number of parish maps where “Town of Burwood” is marked. The area still has to this day a “Burwood Street” within it.
Some of the early churches in this area used the name “Burwood”, such as the Burwood Primitive Methodist Church.
The first methodist Church in the Junction was the Burwood Primitive Methodist Church, which was opened in 1859. In 1879 the original building was replaced by a brick building 50 feet by 30 feet, and service was continued in the building until 1904.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 7 February 1927.
The Burwood Primitive Methodist Church was located on the south side of Railway Street.
BURWOOD SUNDAY-SCHOOL PICNIC. The Primitive Methodist Sunday-school picnic was held in the vacant piece of ground in Railway-street, opposite the church.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 10 November 1896.
This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.