Randwick, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Randwick Sydney, New South Wales
The Spot in Randwick, New South Wales
Population	28,943 (2021 census)
Postcode(s)	2031
Elevation	76 m (249 ft)
Location	6 km (4 mi) south-east of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	City of Randwick
State electorate(s)	Coogee Heffron
Federal Division(s)	Kingsford Smith Wentworth
Suburbs around Randwick: Centennial Park Queens Park Waverley Kensington Randwick Coogee Kingsford Maroubra South Coogee

Randwick is a lively suburb located in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney CBD. Randwick is also the main office area for the City of Randwick, which is like its local government. The postcode for Randwick is 2031.

Discovering Randwick's Past

Randwick got its name from a small village in England called Randwick, Gloucestershire. This was the birthplace of Simeon Henry Pearce. Simeon moved to Australia in 1842. He became the Mayor of Randwick six times! His brother James joined him in 1848. Together, they helped start and develop the area.

Early Buildings and Landmarks

Simeon built the very first stone house in Randwick in 1848. It was called Blenheim House and you can still see it on Blenheim Street today. For a while, it wasn't looked after, but the Randwick City Council bought and fixed it up.

Randwick became a Municipality in 1859 and a City in 1990. It has a rich history and many old, important buildings. Another Mayor, George Kiss, lived in a house called Ventnor in the 1870s. Ventnor is a two-storey sandstone house built in 1859. It overlooks Coogee and is now owned by the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church.

Important Churches and Public Buildings

The St Jude's Church group on Avoca Street is also very old. The church was designed by Edmund Blacket, who also designed famous buildings like St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney. It was finished in 1865. The rectory next door was built in 1870. The Verger's Residence, built in 1862, was actually the first Randwick Municipal Chambers. This unique building has cool Gothic details. The current Randwick Town Hall was built nearby in 1881.

Further down Avoca Street, you'll find a sandstone building with a tower. It was built in 1859 by William Ellis, one of Randwick's first elected leaders. It was briefly an inn called 'Star and Garter'. Later, Captain Thomas Watson lived there. He was responsible for the statue of Captain James Cook outside, which was made in 1874. Captain Watson also made the tower taller, making it a distinctive landmark.

The Prince of Wales Hospital's History

Close by is the Prince of Wales Hospital. It started in 1858 as the Randwick Asylum for Destitute Children. This was a place for children who didn't have homes. By 1863, over 800 children were living there. In 1915, the buildings were changed to be a military hospital during World War I. In 1953, it officially became the Prince of Wales Hospital. Today, it's a very well-known medical facility.

Historic Homes in Randwick

Some other notable old homes include Venice, on Frenchmans Road. It was built in 1884 and has cool Tudor and Gothic styles with stained glass windows. It's considered a special example of old Victorian Gothic architecture.

Sandgate, a sandstone house built around 1870, is on Belmore Road. The government bought it in the 1920s. It was used by the Red Cross to help soldiers who fought in World War I. Randwick Council saved and restored it in 1978.

The last Gothic mansion in Randwick is Nugal Hall, on Milford Street. It was designed by Mortimer Lewis and built in 1853. It has a beautiful staircase made of mahogany and cedar, with a glass dome above it. The building at the front was originally a place for horse-drawn vehicles.

Randwick's Heritage Sites

Ventnor, Avoca Street

Superintendent's Cottage, Prince of Wales Hospital

Corana and Hygeia, also known as Randwick Lodge, Avoca Street

Randwick has many places listed for their historical importance. These include sites on the New South Wales State Heritage Register:

• 124 Alison Road: Randwick Post Office
• 162 Alison Road: Randwick Presbyterian Church
• 102-108 Avoca Street: St Jude's Church, Randwick
• 211-215 Avoca Street: Corana and Hygeia
• 128 Belmore Road: Sandgate, Randwick
• 60 Bundock Lane: Electricity Substation No. 341
• 66 Frenchmans Road: Venice, Randwick
• 17 Gilderthorpe Avenue: Hooper Cottage
• 16-18 Milford Street: Nugal Hall
• 2S Frances Street: Electricity Substation No. 349
• 43 St Marks Road: Rathven, Randwick
• 43 St Pauls Street: Ritz Cinema, Sydney
• 18-20 Stanley Street: Emanuel School, Australia
• 26-42 The Avenue: Avonmore Terrace
• 29-39 Young Street: Big Stable Newmarket

Other important places include:

Tayar, The Avenue

• Ventnor
• Original Randwick Borough Chambers
• Prince of Wales Hospital Group
• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church
• Captain James Cook Statue, corner Belmore Road and Avoca Street
• Former Randwick Police Station, Coogee Bay Road
• Tayar, The Avenue

Who Lives in Randwick? (Demographics)

In the 2021 Census, there were 28,943 people living in Randwick. Slightly more than half (52.9%) were female, and 47.1% were male. The most common backgrounds were English (31.1%), Australian (22.2%), and Irish (17.8%).

Most people (73.5%) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Mandarin, Spanish, and Greek. For religion, 41.0% said they had No Religion, while 26.0% were Roman Catholic. The average weekly household income in Randwick was $2,442, which is higher than the national average.

Shopping and Entertainment in Randwick

Randwick is mostly a place where people live. A big part of the suburb is taken up by the Randwick Racecourse. The Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal Hospital for Women, and Sydney Children's Hospital are all together on a large campus. This campus is growing with a big project called the "Randwick Campus Redevelopment."

The main shopping area is on Belmore Road. You'll find many shops and two shopping centres there: Royal Randwick Shopping Centre and Randwick Plaza. Avoca Street is also popular for businesses, including the 150-year-old Coach and Horses Hotel. Where these two busy streets meet, there's the gourmet Cookhouse, an old sandstone building with a statue of Captain Cook outside.

Randwick's main entertainment spot is The Spot, in the south-east. It has the Randwick Ritz cinema, a famous old cinema from the 1930s. You can also find many cafes, bars, and restaurants there.

Places of Worship

Randwick has several churches for different faiths:

• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church
• St Jude's Anglican Church
• East Sydney Community Christian Church
• Randwick Presbyterian Church
• Canvas Church
• Rhema Church of God

Sports and Fun in Randwick

Royal Randwick Racecourse

Randwick is known as the 'Sports Coast' because it's only 6 kilometres east of Sydney's city centre. It has about 29 km of coastline, 10 beaches and bays, and many great places for recreation. Randwick City attracts about 13 million visitors every year!

The city is home to the Coastal Walkway, Randwick Racecourse, Coogee and Maroubra Beaches, and Centennial Parklands. You can also find several top golf courses and major institutions like the University of New South Wales here.

Many well-known sports teams come from this area. Since 1882, the Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, nicknamed the 'Galloping Greens', has played rugby at Coogee Oval. The local cricket team, Randwick Petersham Cricket Club, also plays in the Sydney competition.

Randwick is represented in the National Rugby League by the Sydney Roosters. There are also many community parks like Alison Park, Randwick Peace Park, and Fred Hollows Reserve. These parks are great for relaxing and playing sports.

Schools in Randwick

Emanuel School

Randwick has many schools for different ages. Primary schools include Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Coogee Public School, and Randwick Public School. For older students, there are secondary schools like Brigidine College, Marcellin College, and Emanuel School. There are also state schools like Randwick Boys High School and Randwick Girls' High School.

You can also find parts of the University of New South Wales and Sydney Institute of TAFE in Randwick.

Getting Around Randwick (Transport)

Randwick Light Rail stop

Until December 2019, you could only get around Randwick by bus. Buses travel along Belmore Road to places like Bondi Junction, Coogee, and the Sydney CBD.

In 2012, the NSW Government decided to build the CBD and South East Light Rail. This light rail system connects Circular Quay to Central Station and then splits into two branches. One branch goes to Randwick via Alison Road. Construction started in 2015, and the light rail services to Randwick began in December 2019. This means many bus routes were changed to connect to the light rail instead.

Famous People from Randwick

Many interesting people have lived in or come from Randwick. Here are a few:

Images for kids

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  Randwick Town Hall

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  St Jude's Church, Avoca Street

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  Venice, Randwick

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  Randwick Borough Chambers

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  Ritz Cinema

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  Montrose

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  Former Randwick Post Office