Randwick, New South Wales

Randwick Sydney, New South Wales
Randwick Town Hall, Avoca Street
Population	25,817 (2006)
Postcode(s)	2031
Location	6 km (4 mi) south-east of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	City of Randwick
State electorate(s)	Coogee, Maroubra
Federal division(s)	Wentworth, Kingsford Smith
Suburbs around Randwick: Centennial Park Queens Park Waverley Kensington Randwick Coogee Kingsford Maroubra South Coogee

Randwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick. Randwick is part of the South-Eastern Suburbs region. The postcode is 2031.

History

Randwick was named after the village of Randwick in Gloucestershire, England, birthplace of Simeon Henry Pearce, who became Mayor of Randwick no less than six times. Simeon and his brother James, who migrated to Australia in 1842, were responsible for the early development of Randwick and Coogee. Simeon lived in a house called Blenheim, which can still be seen in Blenheim Street. It was neglected for some time but was eventually acquired by Randwick Council and then restored.

Proclaimed as a Municipality in February 1859, as a City in 1990 Randwick has a rich history and great natural beauty including a number of fine, heritage buildings. Another Mayor of Randwick, George Kiss, built the house known as Ventor in the 1870s. A two-storey sandstone house, Ventnor is situated on Avoca Street, overlooking Coogee. It is now owned by the nearby Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church. Other buildings of note include the St Jude's Church group, also on Avoca Street. Originally designed by Edmund Blacket, (who also designed St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and the University of Sydney), the church was completed in 1865. It was modified by H.M. Robinson in 1889. The rectory next door was built in 1870. The Verger's Residence, designed by Thomas Rowe and completed in 1862, was the original Randwick Burough Chambers. This distinctive building, with its Gothic touches, was succeeded later by the present Randwick Town Hall, which was built in 1886. The church group and Ventnor are listed on the Register of the National Estate.

Further down Avoca Street is the building originally known as the Star and Garter Inn, built in the 1830s. It was the home of Captain J. Watson, who was responsible for the memorial to Captain James Cook, which still stands at front of the building. One of the dominant features of the area is the Prince of Wales Hospital, which started life as a home for destitute children. It was financed by the legacy of Dr. Cuthill, who now has Cuthill Street named after him. In 1915 the home became a military hospital and continued to grow as a medical facility.

Other noteworthy buildings include private homes like Ilfracombe and Clovelly, both in Avoca Street, and Venice, in Frenchmans Road. The latter was built 1884-84 on part of St Mark's Glebe. The land had been leased in 1880 for 99 years to S.Holmes and J.Parsons. The house features Tudor and Gothic elements and has stained glass windows. It has been described as a "comparatively rare and distinctive example of late Victorian Gothic architecture retaining most of its detailing intact." It has a New South Wales heritage listing.

Another notable home was Sandgate, located in Belmore Road. This sandstone house was built circa 1870 on land granted to Simeon Pierce in 1853. A number of tenants passed through the house until it was bought by the Federal Government in the 1920s; it was then used as a Red Cross facility for First World War veterans. It was saved from demolition in 1978 and restored by Randwick Council.

The last Gothic mansion left in Randwick is Nugal Hall, located in Milford Street. It was designed by Mortimer Lewis and the southern portion of the house was built in 1853 for Alexander McArthur, a shipping merchant. The house features a staircase with glass dome above; the staircase was built of Mauritius mahogany and cedar. The coach house building at the front was originally a lodge for horse-drawn vehicles. The northern portion of the house was completed by Dr Fred Tidswell who owned the Coogee Bay Hotel. The architect of the northern portion is thought to have been Mortimer Lewis's son Oswald. The Tidswell family owned the house from c.1880-1903. Frederick Squire Tidswell (1831-1898) and his wife Mary Ann (1836-1912) had nine children including the microbiologist Dr Frank Tidswell (1867-1941) and architect Thomas Tidswell (1870-1950).

Heritage

St Jude's Church, Avoca Street

The following items are on the Register of the National Estate:

• Centennial Park
• The Spot Randwick
• Avonmore Terrace, The Avenue
• St Jude's Church and Rectory, Avoca Street
• Original Randwick Borough Chambers, Avoca Street
• Newmarket House and The Big Stable, Barker and Young Streets
• The Park, Avoca and Cuthill Streets
• Prince of Wales Hospital Group, Avoca and High Streets
• Randwick Lodge, 211 Avoca Street
• Captain James Cook Statue, Avoca Street
• Hannan's Butcher Shop, Belmore Road
• Goldring House and Attached Residence, Avoca Street and Meares Avenue
• Royal Hotel, Cuthill Street
• Former Randwick Police Station, Coogee Bay Road
• Nugal Hall, Milford Street
• Ventnor, Avoca Street
• Members' Stand, Randwick Racecourse
• Busby Bore (Tunnel from Lachlan Swamp to Hyde Park, City)
• Shaldon, Darley Road, has a state heritage listing

Commercial area

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Randwick is primarily a residential area. The Randwick Racecourse takes up a large portion in the north-west corner of the suburb. The Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal Hospital for Women, Prince Henry Hospital and Sydney Children's Hospital are all located in Randwick. Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club play nearby at Coogee Oval.

The main commercial area is centred on Belmore Road. A range of retail stores are located at Belmore Road along with two shopping centers (Royal Randwick Shopping Center and Coles Shopping Center) on Belmore Road where have attracted many people living nearby to shopping everyday. Within one kilometer, Coogee is another retail precinct offering good food services while enjoying the great view of the beach. The Spot at the Perouse and St Pauls Road junction also wins good fame for its popular restaurants, cafés and recreational facilities. Randwick's main entertainment district is The Spot, located in the suburb's south-east, which contains the Randwick Ritz cinema and numerous cafes and restaurants.

Sport and recreation

Randwick Racecourse on Derby Day

Just 6 kilometres east of Sydney’s CBD, the City of Randwick, also known as the ‘Sports Coast’ is home to some 29 km of coastline, 10 beaches and bays and many major recreation facilities. Randwick City is one of the most visited tourist areas outside central Sydney, attracting some 13 million visits each year. The City is home to the Coastal Walkway, Randwick Racecourse, Coogee and Maroubra Beaches, Botany Bay National Park, Centennial Park, several top class golf courses and major institutions including the University of New South Wales and the Prince of Wales Hospitals.

A number of well-known sporting teams represent the local area. One of them is the well known NRL club named the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The local Randwick DRUFC rugby union team, nicknamed the 'Galloping Greens', is based in Coogee. Local derby contests between these two neighbouring teams are always fiercely contested. Junior rugby league teams include the Coogee Dolphins and Coogee-Randwick Wombats. The local cricket team Randwick Petersham plays in the Sydney Grade Cricket domestic competition.

The former Randwick Post Office building in the centre of Randwick Junction (corner of Alison Road and Avoca Street) is known as Easts House. The building is owned by the Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs Rugby League Club), which has donated the building for use by the Ted Noffs Foundation, for the purpose of providing assistance to troubled youth in the district.

Schools

Rainbow Street Public School

Primary schools in the area include Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart, Coogee Public School, Claremont College, Randwick Public School, Coogee Preparatory School, The Joseph Varga School and Rainbow Street Primary. Secondary schools include two independent Catholic schools, Brigidine College and Marcellin College, a Jewish day school Emanuel School and three state schools, Randwick Boys High School, Randwick Girls' High School, and the Open High School. Randwick North High School was closed in 2001 and the site was divided between Open High School and Randwick Public School.

There are branch campuses of the University of New South Wales and Sydney Institute of TAFE located in the area.

Transport

Randwick is currently only served by buses.

On 13 December 2012, the NSW Government announced a commitment to build a $1.6 billion light rail from Circular Quay down George Street to Central Station, then across to Moore Park and down Anzac Parade. South of Moore Park the line will spit into two branches - one of which will head to Randwick via Alison Road. A bus/tram interchange will be established in Randwick and many of the bus routes that currently traverse Anzac Parade to access the city would be replaced by feeder routes connecting to the light rail.

Notes

1. Randwick City Council Website 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The Heritage of Australia: Macmillan Company of Australia (1981)

External links

• The Spot Randwick Website
• www.australian-post-codes.com Randwick Postcode and other Suburbs around Australia
• Randwick City Council website
• 2001 Census Information
• Randwick City Tourism website
• Media related to Randwick, New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons