Rozelle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rozelle Sydney, New South Wales
Foreshore of Iron Cove at King George Park
Rozelle Location in Sydney
Established	1892
Postcode(s)	2039
Elevation	45 m (148 ft)
Area	1.9 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Location	4 km (2 mi) west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Inner West Council
State electorate(s)	Balmain
Federal Division(s)	Grayndler
Suburbs around Rozelle: Birchgrove Balmain Balmain East Drummoyne Rozelle Pyrmont Lilyfield Annandale Glebe

Rozelle is a cool suburb located in the inner west part of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's only about 4 kilometers west of the main city center of Sydney. Rozelle is part of the Inner West Council area, which helps manage local services.

Where is Rozelle?

Rozelle is nestled between two other suburbs: Balmain to the north-east and Lilyfield to the south-west. On its north-west side, you'll find Iron Cove. To the south-east, there are three bays: Rozelle Bay, White Bay, and Johnstons Bay.

These bays surround a big container port called Glebe Island. This island was connected to the land a long time ago, starting in the 1890s, by filling in parts of Rozelle Bay and White Bay.

A Look Back in Time

Rozelle Post Office, 1901 (National Archives of Australia)

Back in 1877, the area was known as Balmain West, and more and more people were moving there. The local post office in Balmain was getting too small for everyone's needs. So, in 1880, people asked for their own post office, and the Balmain West post office opened in a grocery shop.

The area kept growing, and by 1891, work began on a brand new post office building. Before it even opened, in December 1892, the Postmaster-General decided to give the area a new name: Rozelle. This name came from the nearby Rozelle Bay. The new Rozelle post office opened in 1894, and soon, both the suburb and its residents started using the new name.

The name "Rozelle" and "Rozelle Bay" actually came from a type of parrot! These colorful birds were very common at Rose Hill (near Parramatta), which was one of Sydney's first farming areas. People called them "Rose Hill parrots" or "Rose-hillers," which eventually became "Rosella." These parrots were also found in large numbers around the bays in the inner west of Sydney.

Special Historic Places

Rozelle has some places that are listed for their historical importance. These "heritage listings" mean they are protected because they tell us about the past. Some of these include:

• Callan Park: This is where Sewage Pumping Station 27 is located.
• Victoria Road: This road is home to the White Bay Power Station.

Famous Spots in Rozelle

• White Bay Power Station: This huge, old, coal-fired power station used to provide electricity to Sydney for 70 years! It stopped working in 1983 and now stands empty. It's a very noticeable building near White Bay.
• Iron Cove Bridge: On the western side of Rozelle, this modern-style bridge opened in 1955. It crosses the Parramatta River and connects Rozelle to the suburb of Drummoyne. Right next to the bridge, on the Rozelle side, used to be the Balmain Power Station, which was taken down in 1996 to build new homes.
• Anzac Bridge: Finished in 1996, this big bridge is the main way to get from the inner west suburbs to Sydney city. Below it, you can still see the old Glebe Island Bridge, which opened in 1901.
• Callan Park: This place was once a hospital for people with mental health issues between 1878 and 1914. Many of the original sandstone buildings are still there, and the large park areas are now open for everyone to enjoy.
• St Paul's Presbyterian Church: Located on Darling Street, this church was built in 1904. It's made of brick with stone details and has a slate roof. It's also a listed heritage site.
• Rozelle Public School: This school, at the corner of Darling Street and Victoria Road, was built in 1877 from sandstone. It's a beautiful old building and is also a listed heritage site.
• Rozelle Markets: These popular markets are open every Saturday, offering lots of interesting things to see and buy!

Who Lives in Rozelle?

In 2021, about 8,553 people lived in Rozelle. Most people, about 66.8%, were born in Australia. Other people came from countries like England (8.3%), New Zealand (2.6%), and Ireland (1.4%).

When it comes to languages, 83.3% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Spanish (1.3%), Mandarin (1.2%), and Italian (0.9%). For religion, 53.0% said they had no religion, and 21.8% were Catholic.

As for homes, about 38.8% were semi-detached houses or townhouses, 34.9% were flats or apartments, and 24.5% were separate houses.

Schools and Learning Places

Rozelle has several places where you can learn:

• Rozelle Public School
• Sydney College of the Arts (part of Sydney University)
• Sydney Community College
• Australian International Conservatorium of Music
• Rozelle School of Visual Arts
• Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus (part of Sydney Secondary College)

Churches in Rozelle

• St Joseph's Catholic Church
• St Thomas's Anglican Church (built in 1874)
• C3 Church

Gallery

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  Merton Estate Hotel

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  Tattersalls Hotel

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  Bald Rock Hotel

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  White Bay Power Station

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  Iron Cove Bridge

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  Unit wheat train in Rozelle rail yards approaching the Grain Terminal in 1977

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  Rozelle Public School, Darling Street (designed by John Horbury Hunt)

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  Garry Owen Hotel

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  St Thomas's Anglican Church, Darling Street

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  Rozelle Bay with White Bay Power Station and the Glebe Island grain silos in the background