Attachment to place · Belonging · Business History · Camden · Camden Story · Campbelltown · Campbelltown Story · Community identity · Cultural Heritage · Cultural icon · Heritage · Historical consciousness · Local History · Local newspapers · Local Studies · Macarthur · Macarthur region · Myths · Narellan Story · Newspapers · Picton · Place · Place making · Placemaking · Sense of place · Stereotypes · Stories · Storytelling · Sydney's rural-urban fringe · Tourism · Urban development · Urban growth · Urban history · urban sprawl · Urbanism · Village

Westies, Bogans and Yobbos. What’s in a name?

The article explores regional identity in Sydney's Macarthur district, focusing on the communities of Campbelltown, Camden, and Picton. It discusses the strong local attachment to identity, which is challenged by perceptions of western Sydney as a cultural wasteland. Jeff McGill’s criticism of regional labeling sparked significant community response, revealing a conflict over identification and stereotypes. While Macarthur's regionalism reflects urban expansion, it struggles for acceptance amidst historical, cultural, and emotional ties that residents hold with their distinct localities.