St Andrews Public School

Children, First and Foremost

Telephone02 9603 1333

Emailstandrews-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

History of St Andrews

Lachlan Macquarie

St Andrews was chosen because the western extent of the new suburb stood on the old St Andrews property of Andrew Thompson, one of the most prominent citizens of the early colony.

Thompson was transported to NSW as a convict in 1792 for burglary. On his arrival he was ironically made a constable on the Hawkesbury River and won a pardon. During the floods of 1806 and 1809 he personally saved over 100 lives and drew high praise from Governors King and Bligh.

By the time he was 37 years old, the canny Scotsman owned extensive land, stock, ship and business interests. From 1809, he developed a close friendship with fellow Scotsman, governor Lachlan Macquarie, and named his St Andrews farm after the patron saint of their home country.

When Thompson died in 1810 (due to health problems caused by the flood rescues), he had bequeathed a quarter of his estate to Macquarie. (although of high rank the governor was not a wealthy man.)

Macquarie later visited St Andrews to inspect his sizeable inheritance, noting its fine rich soils, farmhouse, and paddocks stocked with sheep and cattle.

Given this tartan-clad history, Campbelltown council decided in 1976 to name all streets in the suburb after Scottish place names.
This was to honour a Highland township which Council had been forging close links with - the Burgh of Campbelltown.

St Andrews Public School opened in 1978.