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[[Image:ontdur.PNG|right|Durham Regional Municipality]]
'''Castle Hill''' is a suburb in the northwest of [[Sydney]] in [[Australia]], about 30 kilometres north-west of the [[central business district]]. It is the seat of [[Baulkham Hills Shire]] (it also overlaps in jurisdiction with [[Hornsby Shire, New South Wales|Hornsby Shire]]).
'''The Regional Municipality of Durham''', commonly called Durham Region (2003 population 525,000), is a regional political area located east of [[Toronto, Ontario]]. It has an area of approximately 2,500 square kilometers and includes the municipalities of [[Pickering, Ontario|Pickering]], [[Ajax, Ontario|Ajax]], [[Oshawa, Ontario|Oshawa]], [[Whitby, Ontario|Whitby]], [[Clarington, Ontario|Clarington]], [[Uxbridge, Ontario|Uxbridge Township]], [[Scugog, Ontario|Scugog Township]] and [[Brock, Ontario|Brock Township]]. Durham Region is considered part of the [[Greater Toronto Area]]. The regional seat is in [[Whitby, Ontario|Whitby]].
The region of Durham was established in [[1974]] as one of several new "regional" governments in the Province of [[Ontario]]--primarily in fast-growing urban and suburban areas. Durham Region encompasses areas that were previously part of Ontario County and Durham County.
==History==
Castle Hill was the site of a convict station in the early years of the colony of [[New South Wales]]. The majority of the convicts there were Irish, many having been transported for agitation against British rule. In 1804, the convicts rebelled in the [[Castle Hill Rebellion]] (also known as the 'Battle of Vinegar Hill'), overpowering their guards and marching on towards [[Parramatta]]. However, they were vastly outgunned and outnumbered by British troops, who massacred about twenty of them and then hanged several others.
The southern portion of the region, adjacent to Lake Ontario is primarily suburban in nature, forming the eastern flank of the "905" belt of suburbs and exurbs around Toronto. The northern area encompasses rural areas and small towns.
In later years the area became filled with market gardens and especially orchards which supplied Sydney with fresh produce. However, as Sydney has expanded, the orchards have disappeared and been replaced with a sprawl of suburban dwellings, retail and commercial establishments and light industry. However, [[Baulkham Hills Shire]] Council commemorates the shire's former status as an orange-growing area with the Orange Blossom Festival each year.
Major employers include [[General Motors of Canada]], [[Ontario Power Generation]], [[Lakeridge Health System]], [[Durham College]], [[University of Ontario Institute of Technology]] and many smaller component and transportation firms supplying the automotive industry.
In the past Castle Hill was serviced by a rail line to [[Parramatta]], to take the rural area's produce to the city. However, it was removed in the [[1950s]], due to competition with trucks and cars. This is now widely viewed as a mistake, and the NSW State Government has promised to construct a new subway line there from Epping. However, this must wait until the [[Parramatta Rail Link]] is completed, and the railway line is unlikely to be built until 2010-2015.
The Canadian headquarters of [[General Motors]], [[Volkswagen]], and [[BMW]] are all located in the region. The automotive industry is especially concentrated in Oshawa.
==Geography==
===Commercial area===
Castle Hill's commercial area centres around a section of the Old Northern Road at the suburb's eastern side. Its southern side is an older, traditional shopping strip, with the modest-sized ''Castle Mall'' shopping centre. Its northern side is dominated by the large ''Castle Towers'' shopping centre, with two department stores as well as ''two'' cinema multiplexes. A new [[library]] and community centre has just been opened next to Castle Towers.
The four separate [[public transit]] systems in the region, operated by various municipalities, are set to be amalgamated under the Region's administration at the beginning of [[2006]].
===Industrial area===
Castle Hill also has a light industrial area at the suburb's western side. It is linked with the commercial area by Showground Road. The Baulkham hills Shire Council chamber, the Hills Centre performing arts complex, and the Castle Hill Showground all situate next to the industrial area.
Durham also has one [[Indian reserve]], [[Mississaugas of Scugog Island, Ontario|Mississaugas of Scugog Island]]
===Residential areas===
The largest residential area in Castle Hill is located at the two sides of Showground Road, sandwiched between the commercial and the industrial area. Smaller residential areas are located at the east of the commercial area, as well as the suburb's north-east (part of [[Hornsby Shire, New South Wales|Hornsby Shire]], separated by Old Northern Road and Castle Hill Road). These consist almost entirely of free-standing houses, many of which are project homes dubbed "McMansions". Several government and private schools, as well as an [[RSL]] Club, are located within these areas.
== External Link ==
One of the many clubs that meets at the [[RSL]] on a regular basis is the
*[http://www.region.durham.on.ca Region of Durham] The Region of Durham.
The Hills District Toastmasters Club (http://www.hdtc.org.au/), where
*[http://www.durhamtourism.ca DurhamTourism.ca] Tourism guide to the region.
Visitors are always warmly welcomed.
*[http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/freecycledurhamregion/ Freecycle Durham Region] Home page of the Durham Region chapter of the worldwide [http://www.freecycle.org Freecycle Network]
{{Ontario}}
[[Category: SuburbsCensus divisions of SydneyOntario]] ▼The club meets every second Tuesday 7.00pm for a 7.20pm start. The meeting dates for 2005 are:
[[pt:Municipalidade Regional de Durham]]
18-Jan-05, 1-Feb-05, 15-Feb-05, 1-Mar-05, 15-Mar-05, 29-Mar-05, 12-Apr-05, 26-Apr-05, 10-May-05, 24-May-05, 7-Jun-05, 21-Jun-05, 5-Jul-05, 19-Jul-05, 2-Aug-05, 16-Aug-05, 30-Aug-05, 13-Sep-05, 27-Sep-05, 11-Oct-05, 25-Oct-05, 8-Nov-05, 22-Nov-05, 6-Dec-05
The venue details are: Castle Hill RSL Club, Castle Street, Castle Hill
==Religion==
Castle Hill and its surrounding areas are sometimes dubbed the "[[Bible Belt]]" of Sydney, owing to the considerable influence of [[evangelical]] [[Christianity]] in the region. The gigantic [[Hillsong Church]], although not within Castle Hill itself, is located nearby; many more churches of various denominations are also active within Castle Hill. Such is the influence of the churches in the area that Christian music albums can be found alongside mainstream chart singles at the local independent records store.
{{Sydney_Hornsby_suburbs}}
[[Category:Incomplete Sydney suburbs]]
▲[[Category:Suburbs of Sydney]]
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