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City of Ryde (New South Wales, Australia)

Last modified: 2016-06-14 by ian macdonald
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[Ryde flag] image by Jonathan Dixon, 16 May 2016


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City of Ryde

The City of Ryde is a local government area in the "northern suburbs" area of Sydney, extending from the northern banks of the Parramatta River around Meadowbank north to the Lane Cove River.

The area was home to the Wallumedegal people before the arrival of the First Fleet, which was very quickly devastating for them. British settlement of the area began with land grants to soldiers in 1792 ("Field of Mars") and convicts further east ("Eastern Farms"). The municipality was founded in 1870, and received a railway line in the 1880s, spurring residential subdivision. It was also around this time that local resident Maria Ann "Granny" Smith grew the first apples which were to become known as "Granny Smiths".

The council was given city status at the bicentenary of the first land grants in 1992. The area is now largely residential and commercial land, including Macquarie University.
Jonathan Dixon, 10 May 2016


City flag

According to the leaflet City of Ryde Flag published in 1992, the City of Ryde flag was commissioned in 1992 as part of the bicentennial celebrations, and is intended to be flown by anyone living, working or studying in the city, not just by the council itself.

The flag is a green-white-green 'Canadian pale' triband, with the shield of the City's arms in the centre. Green and white were taken from the main colours of the shield, also being the city's corporate colours.

The arms can be seen at Heraldry of the World, and described there, at the council site and in the leaflet about the flag:

The field is green, representing Ryde's rural past, bearing a white chevron peaking in a cross pattee and bearing a (brown?) pair of dividers. The chevron stands for Ryde's residential area, the cross the role of local churches, and the dividers "planning in general", in particular a unique Housing Scheme.

Above the chevron are two gold apples, representing historical orchards and their wealth, and in particular the Granny Smith variety. Below the chevron is a rising sun representing a prosperous future and alluding to the name "Eastern Farms".

At the top (a chief wavy) is a gold cornucopia on a background of four blue and white wavy stripes. The stripes represent the waterways of the area and the cornucopia the wealth and produce of the district, historically transported on the waterways.
My rendition on the flag is based on the black and white image in the City of Ryde Flag leaflet, with reference to photos found at:
http://craigchung.com.au/news-again/
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/news/new-ryde-mayor-jerome-laxale-chosen-in-bizarre-twist-of-double-lucky-dip/news-story/cbce0b6e674291c6b38dfdc0512b233c
http://www.weeklytimes.com.au/left-wing-councillor-left-red-faced-over-royal-portrait-row/
Jonathan Dixon
, 10 May 2016