Market Garden, Parkes Street, Ryde

Parkes Street market garden in Top Ryde.

Parkes Street market garden in Top Ryde.

Image Courtesy of: Ryde Library Local Studies Librarian

Parkes Street market garden was located a Top Ryde (down the hill from the current civic centre). It was one of the Chinese market gardens located in the Ryde Local Government area in the early to mid-1900s. The first Chinese market gardens in Ryde Municipality were listed in 1921. By 1928 there were over 60 market gardens operated by men from China. Each market garden could employ 4-5 men. Generally, the Chinese market gardeners leased the land, sometimes from absentee landlords. In many cases, locals leased part of the property on which they lived to Chinese market gardeners. 

The number of Chinese market gardens declined during the 1930s due to the ageing population of Chinese gardeners who were unable to find new replacements due to immigration restrictions. By WWII there were still at least 15 market gardens being operated by the Chinese in the Ryde LGA. It is not known when the last Chinese market garden closed. Nowadays, many of these market garden sites in Ryde have been transformed into parks, infrastructure or housing developments.

Market garden's house in Parkes Street

Image Courtesy of: Ryde Library Local Studies Librarian

https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/files/assets/public/v/1/council/history/chinese-market-gardens-and-gardeners-of-ryde-and-eastwood.pdf