Redfern Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redfern Park |
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Redfern Park, pictured in 2014
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Elizabeth, Redfern, Chalmers, and Phillip Streets, Redfern, Sydney, Australia |
| Created | 10 November 1885 |
| Operated by | City of Sydney |
| Open | 24 hours |
| Status | Open all year |
| Official name: Redfern Park and Oval | |
| Type: | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated: | 21 September 2018 |
| Reference #: | 2016 |
| Type: | Place of significance |
| Category: | Aboriginal |
Redfern Park is a special park in Redfern, Sydney, Australia. It's known for its history and beautiful design. The park was designed by Charles O'Neill and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2018. It's a place where people relax, play sports, and learn about important moments in Australian history.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
First Peoples of the Land
The Gadigal People of the Eora Nation are the original custodians of the land where Redfern Park stands. This area was once a rich wetland, a vital meeting place for Aboriginal people. They had a strong culture and community values.
When British settlers arrived, it brought big changes. Many Aboriginal people moved away, but from the 1930s, Redfern became a key place for Aboriginal families. They found homes and work in the city, especially during World War 2. Later, laws changed, allowing more Aboriginal people to live in Sydney.
How Redfern Suburb Began
The Redfern area used to have sand hills and swamps. The Cadigal people valued it for its food. The name "Redfern" comes from William Redfern, who received land here in 1817. He was a surgeon who had a fascinating life story.
William Redfern built a large country house with gardens on his land. Over time, the area grew. In the 1850s, businesses like tanneries moved to Redfern because of new laws banning them from the city. By the late 1850s, Redfern was a busy suburb with many people.
Building Redfern Park
For a long time, the park area was just swamp land. In 1885, the local council decided to turn 12 acres of this swamp into a park. It was officially named "Redfern Park" in November 1885.
Around 1886, trees were planted, including large Moreton Bay figs and Canary Island palms. The park's layout, designed by Charles O'Neill in 1888, split it into two parts: a southern section for sports and a northern part with formal gardens. This garden area had beautiful plants, lawns, and shaded paths.
A local resident, John Baptist Jr., donated a special fountain and urns in 1889-1890. The fountain, made in England, is still there today and has been restored. Citizens also helped pay for impressive sandstone gates at the northern entrance, showing their pride in the new park. Redfern Park officially opened in 1890, offering both beauty and sports facilities.
Park Life and Sports
Soon after opening, local sports clubs wanted to use the oval for rugby and cricket. A cricket pavilion was added in 1892. As sports became more popular, the oval was made bigger and fenced off, creating a clear separation between the park and the sports oval.
Rugby League became very popular in Sydney. In 1911, Redfern Oval became a regular home for the NSW Rugby Football League. The famous South Sydney Rabbitohs team is thought to have a long history with the oval.
After World War I, the community built a large war memorial in the park to remember local soldiers. It was finished in 1919-1920.
In the 1930s, sports like cricket and rugby league continued to grow. The park's gardens were also improved. During World War II, zig-zag air raid trenches were dug in the park for safety, but they were filled in after the war.
In 1946, the South Sydney Rugby League Club wanted Redfern Oval to be their main home ground. The oval was upgraded, and a new grandstand was built. This meant the old bandstand in the park was removed.
From the 1940s to the 1970s, the park's ornamental gardens were sometimes neglected. However, the Baptist fountain was restored in the 1960s, and new garden beds were added in the 1970s.
Redfern Park has always been a busy place for the community. It has hosted outdoor movies, Christmas carols, and many community events. In 2007, the park and oval had a big makeover. This made it even more beautiful and allowed the Rabbitohs to use the oval for training again. The park even won an international Green Flag Award in 2014, recognizing it as one of the best parks in the world.
The Redfern Aboriginal Community
From the 1930s, many Aboriginal people moved to Redfern, finding work and building a community. Redfern Park became a central meeting place for them. It was a comfortable green space where families could gather, socialize, and welcome new arrivals. The park became part of their identity and sense of belonging.
The Redfern Aboriginal community's strong connection to the area included important landmarks like the park and oval. These places were key to the Aboriginal rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s.
Rugby League: The Redfern All Blacks
Aboriginal people became very involved in Rugby League in South Sydney. In the 1930s and 1940s, "All Aboriginal" teams, sometimes called "All Black" teams, were formed. This was partly because Aboriginal players faced discrimination in other teams.
The Redfern All Blacks team started in 1944. It was created to give Aboriginal men who had moved to the city a positive activity. The team quickly became popular, attracting talented players like Charles "Chicka" Madden and Tony Mundine. These players became role models, and the club offered a welcoming place for new people to find community and pride.
The Redfern All Blacks played at Redfern Oval and other local venues. They became very successful, even drawing huge crowds for their games. In 1971, they were one of the founding teams of the NSW Koori Knockout, a major Aboriginal Rugby League competition. The All Blacks have won this competition many times, showing their incredible talent. Today, Redfern Oval is considered their home ground.
Rugby League: The South Sydney Rabbitohs
Redfern Oval became the main home ground for the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1948. Fans lovingly called it "The Holy Land." Over the years, the oval was improved with better facilities for players and spectators, including the Reg Cope Grandstand built in the late 1950s.
The Rabbitohs played at Redfern Oval until 1987. After that, they used it for training and occasional matches. In 1999, when the Rabbitohs faced being removed from the main league, a huge march of 40,000 people started at Redfern Oval to protest. This showed how much the team meant to its community.
The oval was redeveloped between 2007 and 2009, allowing the Rabbitohs to use it for training again. Since 2009, they hold an annual pre-season match called "Return to Redfern" at the oval.
The Long March for Freedom, Justice, and Hope, 1988
Redfern Park was a significant meeting place for political activities in the 1960s and 1970s. It's believed that early ideas for important Aboriginal services, like the Aboriginal Medical Service and Aboriginal Legal Service, were discussed here.
In 1988, Australia celebrated 200 years since the arrival of the First Fleet. Many Aboriginal Australians felt this was a "Day of Mourning" because it marked the start of invasion and hardship for their people. They felt insulted by the celebrations and wanted to highlight the true history.
Inspired by marches like Martin Luther King Jr.'s in Washington, a "Long March of Freedom, Justice, and Hope" was planned. Aboriginal activists from all over Australia organized a protest to draw attention to their message: "White Australia has a Black History."
On Australia/Invasion Day 1988, thousands of Aboriginal Australians and their supporters gathered at Redfern Park. By 11 am, about 20,000 people were ready to march. The march grew to over 30,000 or 40,000 people as it moved through Sydney to Hyde Park. It was a peaceful and well-organized protest, the largest Aboriginal gathering ever at that time.
This march brought global attention to Indigenous issues and showed the strength and unity of Aboriginal people. It was a powerful statement of survival and a call for justice and equality. The march helped lead to important changes in Aboriginal rights and reconciliation in the years that followed.
Prime Minister Paul Keating's Redfern Speech, 1992
Paul Keating became Prime Minister in 1991 and wanted to address injustices faced by Aboriginal Australians. In 1992, a landmark court decision, the Mabo decision, recognized Aboriginal land rights. This decision overturned the idea of terra nullius (meaning "nobody's land"), which the British had used to claim Australia.
Keating saw this as a chance to support Aboriginal land rights and acknowledge the true history of Australia. He chose Redfern Park for a very important speech because it was a hub for the Aboriginal community and their fight for self-determination.
On December 10, 1992, Prime Minister Keating delivered his famous Redfern Speech. He spoke honestly about the suffering caused by British settlement:
The starting point might be to recognise that the problem starts with us non-Aboriginal Australians. It begins, I think with that act of recognition. Recognition that it was we who did the dispossessing. We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life. We brought the diseases. The alcohol. We committed the murders. We took the children from their mothers. We practiced discrimination and exclusion. It was our ignorance and our prejudice. And our failure to imagine these things being done to us. With some noble exceptions, we failed to make the most basic human response and enter into their hearts and minds. We failed to ask, how would I feel if this were done to me? As a consequence, we failed to see that what we were doing degraded all of us As I said, it might help us if we non-Aboriginal Australians imagined ourselves dispossessed of land we had lived on for fifty thousand years-and then imagined ourselves told that it had never been ours. Imagine if ours was the oldest culture in the world and we were told that it was worthless. Imagine if we had resisted this settlement, suffered and died in the defence of our land, and then were told in history books that we had given up without a fight. Imagine if non-Aboriginal Australians had served their country in peace and war and were then ignored in history books. Imagine if our feats on sporting fields had inspired admiration and patriotism and yet did nothing to diminish prejudice. Imagine if our spiritual life was denied and ridiculed. Imagine if we had suffered the injustice and then were blamed for it. It seems to me that if we can imagine the injustice, we can imagine its opposite. And we can have justice.
—Paul Keating, Prime Minister of Australia, 10 December 1992.
Keating's speech was a monumental moment. It was the first time a Prime Minister publicly acknowledged the dispossession of Indigenous Australians. It sparked national debate about Aboriginal rights and reconciliation. This speech is still remembered as one of the most powerful in Australian history and helped pave the way for future steps towards reconciliation.
What Makes Redfern Park Special
Redfern Park still has many features from its early days. These include the beautiful Baptist Fountain and the main gates. These show the generosity of local people who helped create the park.
The park's trees are also very important. The large fig trees around the edges and the tall palms mark the entrances. These trees were chosen by directors of the Royal Botanic Gardens and are significant for their beauty and variety. They give the park a wonderful rainforest feel in the middle of the city.
The park's layout, with its open spaces and paths, reflects how towns were planned long ago. It was designed to give people fresh air, sunlight, and places for sports and play. This focus on fitness continues today with children's activities.
The main gates are a rare example of early Australian design, featuring the Waratah flower. Redfern Oval's history with the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Redfern All Blacks also makes it a very special place for sports fans and the Aboriginal community.
Why Redfern Park is Important
Redfern Park and Oval are incredibly important to the history of New South Wales and Australia. They are a physical reminder of Aboriginal culture, politics, and sports. The park is a symbol of the journey towards Aboriginal rights, recognition, and reconciliation.
It's a place where people gather for important events, like the annual Survival/Invasion Day commemorations. These events help teach future generations about the Indigenous perspective on Australian history.
Redfern Oval is also famous for its long connection to Rugby League. It was the original home ground of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, one of the oldest teams in the league. Many Aboriginal players have played here, making it a key site in the history of Aboriginal participation in the sport.
The park's design, with its beautiful trees and gardens, also makes it special. It's a green oasis in the city, blending old Victorian style with new art installations. This mix of history, nature, and community makes Redfern Park a truly unique and significant place for everyone in NSW.
Gallery
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Yabun Festival, Redfern Park (2005)
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Launch of the International Year of the World's Indigenous People, Redfern Park (1992)
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Crowd at the 1992 launch event in Redfern Park
See also
- List of parks in Sydney
- Redfern Oval
