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Matraville, New South Wales facts for kids

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Matraville
Sydney, New South Wales
Matraville city centre.JPG
Matraville town centre
Population 9,925 (2021 census)
Established 1904
Postcode(s) 2036
Elevation 25 m (82 ft)
Location 9 km (6 mi) south-east of Sydney CBD
LGA(s) City of Randwick
State electorate(s) Maroubra
Federal Division(s) Kingsford Smith
Suburbs around Matraville:
Hillsdale Eastgardens Maroubra
Banksmeadow Matraville Malabar
Port Botany Phillip Bay Chifley

Matraville is a suburb located in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. It's about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) south-east of the Sydney central business district. Matraville is part of the City of Randwick local government area.

History of Matraville

Matraville is named after James Matra. He was an American sailor and diplomat. James Matra sailed with Captain James Cook to Botany Bay in 1770. He explored the area with Cook and his friend, the botanist Joseph Banks.

Matra suggested to the British government in 1783 that they start a new colony at Botany Bay. He thought this new colony could be a home for American Loyalists. These were people who supported Britain during the American Revolutionary War and had to leave the United States.

James Matra even offered to be the "Conductor and Governor" of this new colony. The British government liked his idea for a colony. However, they chose someone else to be the governor. Matra then became a Consul in Tangier, where he lived until he passed away in 1806.

Matraville1
Sandstone wall at the site of the soldiers' settlement

Important Places in Matraville

Matraville has some interesting landmarks. One big area is Heffron Park. It's a large reserve that borders the suburb of Maroubra. During World War II, this park was used as a naval stores base.

The Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park is also in Matraville. It includes Botany Cemetery, Eastern Suburbs Crematorium, and Pioneer Park. A famous person named Arthur Stace is buried at Botany Cemetery. He was known as "Mr Eternity" in Sydney. He became famous for writing the word "Eternity" all over Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s.

SydneySights0006
Copy of the Eternity sign Arthur Stace used to write around Sydney

Churches in Matraville

Matraville is home to a few churches. You can find St Agnes Catholic Church here. There is also the Matraville Baptist Church. Matraville also has a large Jehovah's Witness community with a Kingdom Hall.

Schools in Matraville

Matraville has several schools for students. There are three primary schools. One is a public school, and another is a Catholic school. The suburb also has Matraville Sports High School and Matraville Public School. There is also a child care center and a preschool.

Matraville Soldiers' Settlement Public School used to have separate schools for younger children (Infants) and older children (Primary). Now, they are combined into one larger school. This happened after they acquired more land at Finucane Crescent.

Getting Around Matraville

Matraville is about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from the center of Sydney. It's also about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) along Bunnerong Road from Kingsford town center.

Sydney Bus routes run through Matraville. You can catch buses to places like Central Railway station, Martin Place, and Circular Quay in the city. These buses travel along Bunnerong Road, Anzac Parade (where UNSW is), and Oxford Street.

Bunnerong Road Matraville
Bunnerong Road, Matraville

Matraville's Population

According to the 2021 census, Matraville had a population of 9,925 people. About 48.2% were male and 51.8% were female. The average age of people in Matraville was 42 years old. This is 2 years older than the average age for all of Australia.

In Matraville, 51.1% of homes were families with children. This is higher than the 37.9% in the wider Randwick City area. Overall, 73.8% of homes were family households. About 22.8% were single-person households. Most homes, 81.3%, had at least one person using the internet.

Most people in Matraville, 60%, were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces include England (3.5%), China (2.5%), New Zealand (2.0%), Indonesia (1.8%), and Ireland (1.6%). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 3.3% of Matraville's population.

Famous People from Matraville

Many well-known people have connections to Matraville:

  • Michael Atherton - A professor, composer, and musician who went to Matraville High School.
  • Bob Carr - A former Premier of New South Wales and Foreign Minister of Australia. He was the top student at Matraville High School in 1964.
  • Sandor Earl - A professional rugby league player.
  • Mark Ella, Glen Ella, and Gary Ella - Brothers who were famous Australian international rugby players.
  • James Tamou - A rugby league player who plays for the Wests Tigers.
  • David Warner - A well-known Australian international cricketer.
  • Mike Whitney AM - A former Australian Test cricketer and TV host.

Images for kids

  • St Agnes Church Matraville 001a

    St Agnes's Catholic Church, Bunnerong Road

  • Matraville2

    Foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Hughes at soldiers' settlement

  • Matraville6

    Cottage in Somme Way, the only surviving cottage from the soldiers' settlement

  • SydneySights0005

    Grave of Arthur Stace, Botany Cemetery

  • Matraville Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park 1

    Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park

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