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Camperdown, New South Wales facts for kids

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Camperdown
Sydney, New South Wales
Camperdown Hotel on the corner of Parramatta Rd and Layton St in Camperdown.jpg
Camperdown Hotel on the corner of Parramatta Rd and Layton St
 • Density 4,362.7/km2 (11,299/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 2050
Elevation 25 m (82 ft)
Area 1.5 km2 (0.6 sq mi)
Location 4 km (2 mi) SW of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)
  • City of Sydney
  • Inner West Council
State electorate(s)
  • Balmain
  • Newtown
Federal Division(s)
Suburbs around Camperdown:
Annandale Glebe Chippendale
Stanmore Camperdown Darlington
Stanmore Newtown Darlington

Camperdown is a busy suburb in the inner west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 4 kilometres south-west of the main city centre of Sydney. This area is part of the Inner West region. Camperdown is managed by two local councils: the City of Sydney and the Inner West Council.

This suburb is home to many people and important places. You'll find the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital here, which is a big hospital. The famous University of Sydney is also in Camperdown. There's also the old Camperdown Cemetery, which has a lot of history.

History of Camperdown

Camperdown got its name from a famous sea battle called the Battle of Camperdown. This battle happened in 1797. Governor William Bligh (who was once governor of New South Wales) named the area. He was given a large piece of land here, about 1 square kilometre. This land covered what is now Camperdown and parts of Newtown.

After Governor Bligh went back to England, the land went to his son-in-law, Maurice O'Connell. In the early 1800s, Camperdown started to grow. It became a place where people lived and farmed.

In 1827, a horse racecourse was built where the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is today. The University of Sydney was officially started in 1850. Its first buildings were designed by a famous architect named Edmund Blacket. In 1859, the university's impressive Great Hall was opened.

Historic Places in Camperdown

Camperdown has several places that are "heritage-listed." This means they are important historical sites that are protected.

Some of these special places include:

People in Camperdown

At the 2021 census, there were 9,381 people living in Camperdown. Most people in Camperdown speak English at home. Other languages spoken include Mandarin and Cantonese.

Education in Camperdown

A big part of Camperdown is taken up by the University of Sydney. This is one of Australia's oldest and most famous universities. Many students from all over the world come to study here.

The university has several residential colleges where students can live. These colleges include:

  • St John's College
  • St Andrew's College
  • St Paul's College
  • Sancta Sophia College
  • Wesley College
  • The Women's College

Homes in Camperdown

Camperdown has many old houses, especially "terraced housing." These are rows of houses that share side walls. Many of them were built in the Victorian era (late 1800s). You can also see "semi-detached" houses, which became popular around the time Australia became a federation in 1901.

New buildings in Camperdown are often designed to fit in with the older, traditional style of the streets.

  • Single Storey Terraces

    Modest terraced homes

  • Rare Weatherboard Terraces

    Weatherboard terraces

  • Former Corner Store

    Former corner store

  • Sympathetic Modern Development

    Infill

Parks in Camperdown

View of the Camperdown and Newtown local area
View of the Camperdown and Newtown local area

Victoria Park is a popular park located next to the University of Sydney. It's at the corner of Parramatta Road and City Road.

Camperdown Park is another green space. It has sports fields and even an urban farm. It's surrounded by Mallett, Pidcock, Fowler, and Australia Streets.

It's interesting to know that the well-known 'Camperdown Memorial Park' is actually located in the nearby suburb of Newtown, not Camperdown itself.

Getting Around Camperdown

Roads

Parramatta Road is a very important road that connects Sydney to Parramatta. It runs along the northern side of Camperdown. City Road is another major road that leads to Sydney's southern suburbs. These two roads meet at a big intersection on the eastern edge of Camperdown. Both City Road and Parramatta Road used to have tram services until the late 1950s.

Camperdown in Pop Culture

The suburb of Camperdown is mentioned in the song "Australia Street" by the band Sticky Fingers. This song is on their 2013 album Caress Your Soul. There is also a poem called "The Sleeping City, Australia Street" by Helen Loughlin, which talks about many places in the Camperdown area.

Famous People from Camperdown

Some well-known people have connections to Camperdown:

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