The Spot, New South Wales facts for kids

Pan Arcadian House, St Pauls Street

The Spot is a lively area in the south-east of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's a fun place located in the suburb of Randwick. You'll find lots of shops, yummy restaurants, cozy cafes, and a cool cinema there.

Many buildings in The Spot are very old and special. They are protected because of their history. These include the famous Ritz Cinema and Pan Arcadian House. Pan Arcadian House used to be a special meeting place called a Masonic Temple in the 1930s. Also, the shops on the corner of Perouse Road and St Pauls Street have a cool curved shape. This shape was needed because a tram line used to run all the way to Coogee Beach!

The Royal Hotel and the main Randwick shopping centre are close by. It's easy to get to The Spot by bus. Regular Transdev John Holland buses come from the city centre and Bondi Junction.

What's in a Name?

The Spot is right in the middle of a residential area. Some maps call this area "St Pauls." The post office at The Spot is also officially named "St Pauls 2031."

However, the official government group that names places, the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales, doesn't officially list "St Pauls" as a place name in Randwick. The name "The Spot" is also not officially registered. Even though everyone uses it, it's still an unofficial name!

A Look Back in Time

Early Explorers in Sydney

Local historians have found that The Spot might be on old paths. These paths were made by the first European settlers in Sydney Cove. These explorers walked through the bushland here.

There's a special stone monument at The Spot. It has a plaque that tells us: Between January and March, 1788, explorers from the Lapérouse trip at Botany Bay and the First Fleet at Sydney Cove passed this place. They were on friendly visits. Their path is now followed by parts of Avoca Street, Frenchmans Road, and Perouse Road.

'Struggletown'

In the early days of Randwick, the area west of The Spot was home to workers. These labourers built some of the beautiful homes in Randwick. This area was often called 'Struggletown'. Sometimes it was also called 'Irish Town'. The name Struggletown is still used today. It's the name of the local animal clinic on Barker Street!

Fun Things to Do

The Ritz Cinema

The Ritz in 2009

The Ritz Cinema was built in 1937. It's a great example of Art Deco style cinema architecture. This style was very popular in Australia in the 1920s and 1930s. The architect, Aaron Bolt, designed many classic Art Deco buildings in Sydney.

Over the years, different groups have owned the cinema. These include the Hoyts cinema company and the Brigidine Sisters. The Brigidine Sisters are nuns who run the school next door, Brigidine College. In the late 1980s, the owners wanted to knock down the cinema. They planned to build something new.

But the Randwick City Council and the government stepped in. They made a special order in 1993 to protect The Ritz building forever. The current owners then fixed up the building in the late 1990s. They added more cinema screens. This helped The Ritz compete with bigger movie theatres.

In 1997, The Ritz Cinema was added to the Register of the National Estate. This means it's a very important heritage site in Australia. The record says: The Ritz Cinema is the only one of three similar theatres in New South Wales that is still a cinema and looks almost the same. It's one of the few cinemas left from the 1930s. That was a very creative time for cinema design in Australia. The Ritz has been a movie theatre almost non-stop since 1937. It's important to the community as a fun cultural centre in Randwick. People who love Art Deco also really value it. The Ritz is special because of its complete and detailed Art Deco design. It's a key part of the St Paul's Road area.

The Spot Food and Film Festival

Since 2008, the Randwick City Council has held a yearly food and film festival at The Spot. This festival shows special movies at The Ritz. It also has live performances and food stalls. The Spot Food and Film Festival is part of the Coogee Arts Festival.

Australian Film Walk of Fame

In 2008, a special "Australian Film Walk of Fame" was created. This was a joint effort by the Australian Film Festival, local businesses, and the Randwick City Council. It celebrates successful Australian actors and filmmakers.

The Walk of Fame has brass plaques set into the footpath. You can find them on the northern side of St Pauls Street, right outside the Ritz Cinema. The Council plans to add more famous people to the Walk of Fame during future Food and Film Festivals.

The first person honored was Australian actor Bud Tingwell. His plaque is right outside The Ritz. Other Australian film stars on the Walk of Fame include Michael Caton, Roy Billing, Steve Bisley, and Claudia Karvan.

Old Buildings in the Area

The Randwick Local Environment Plan 2012 lists many buildings near The Spot as heritage items. This means they are historically important. The whole area around The Spot is also a special Heritage Conservation Area.

Some of the heritage buildings in this area include:

• 13 Lee Street - an Edwardian house built around 1910.
• 84 Perouse Road - a two-story Federation house.
• 85 Perouse Road - a Federation Bungalow built around 1915.
• 106 Perouse Road - a Federation Period Queen Anne cottage.
• 108 and 110 Perouse Road - two more Federation Period Queen Anne cottages.
• 15 St Pauls Street - a Victorian terrace house.
• 17 St Pauls Street - a Federation Period cottage.
• 19 St Pauls Street - a Victorian Italianate terrace house.
• 25-27 St Pauls Street - two Victorian Italianate terrace houses.
• The Ritz Cinema is a very important heritage item for the whole state.
• 42 St Pauls Street - Pan Arcadian House, which used to be the Masonic Temple.

Images for kids

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  The Ritz Cinema by day.

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  Pan Arcadian House by night.

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  A row of businesses along St Pauls Street.

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  Italianate terrace houses, 25-27 St Pauls Street

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  Federation Bungalow, 85 Perouse Road

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  Federation house, 84 Perouse Road