Ambarvale, a suburb in southwestern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, has a rich history that stretches back over 40,000 years, deeply intertwined with the culture of the Tharawal people. The area still contains significant Aboriginal heritage sites, including rock engravings, cave paintings, axe-grinding grooves, and shell middens.

The European settlement history of Ambarvale is quite fascinating. The suburb derives its name from a property established in 1816 by a former convict, Samuel Larkin. Larkin was an artist from London's Covent Garden and was transported to New South Wales on the Minorca in 1801 after being convicted of theft. He received a conditional pardon in 1803 and eventually gained an absolute pardon. Larkin held various administrative positions before being appointed Government Storekeeper at Parramatta in 1813. In 1816, he and his de facto father-in-law, John Wild, received adjoining land grants, with parts of these grants later becoming the famous St Helens Park property. Larkin's story is notable for his transformation from a convict to a respected member of the colonial administration.

By the 1970s, the area that is now Ambarvale transitioned from farmland to suburbia. The suburb was officially opened in 1976, with the first homes and roads constructed around this time. Notably, the streets in Ambarvale are named after characters from the novels of the famous nineteenth-century author, Charles Dickens, as a result of a contest held among the staff of Lend Lease Corporation during the suburb's planning phase. This unique aspect of Ambarvale reflects its modern origins and cultural influences.

Ambarvale today is predominantly a residential area, offering a mix of public and private housing. It also has a commercial area with shopping facilities, including the Ambarvale Tavern and an ALDI shopping centre. The suburb is well-connected through public transport, with Macarthur railway station providing access to various parts of Sydney.