Woollahra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woollahra Sydney, New South Wales
Woollahra cottages.
Postcode(s)	2025
Elevation	72 m (236 ft)
Area	1.23 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Location	5 km (3 mi) east of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Municipality of Woollahra
State electorate(s)	Sydney, Vaucluse
Federal Division(s)	Wentworth
Suburbs around Woollahra: Edgecliff Double Bay Bellevue Hill Paddington Woollahra Bondi Moore Park Centennial Park Bondi Junction

Woollahra is a suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 5 kilometers east of the Sydney city center. Woollahra is part of the Municipality of Woollahra local government area.

The name Woollahra comes from the Birrabirragal and Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. These are the traditional owners of the land. The suburb is known for its quiet, tree-lined streets. It also has a charming village-style shopping area.

History of Woollahra

Woollahra sits on the traditional lands of the Birrabirragal and Gadigal people. These groups are part of the Eora Nation. When European settlers arrived in 1788, they learned the local Aboriginal word Woo-la-ra. This word has been translated to mean "lookout," "camp," or "meeting ground."

The name was later used by Daniel Cooper. He was an important leader in New South Wales. In 1856, he started building a large house called Woollahra House. This house was built where an older home, Henrietta Villa, once stood. Cooper and his family helped the suburb grow. The name of the suburb came from his house.

For over 40 years, into the early 1900s, Woollahra had a large iron factory. This factory on Edgecliff Road made cooking stoves. Woollahra was also home to John McGarvie Smith. He was a scientist who created the first vaccine for anthrax that could be stored.

Historic Places in Woollahra

Woollahra has several places listed for their historical importance. These are called heritage-listed sites.

• 14 Rosemont Avenue: This is the location of Rosemont (Woollahra).
• Waimea Avenue: This street is home to Waimea House.

People Living in Woollahra

In the 2021 census, Woollahra had 7,189 people. This was a small decrease from 7,405 people in 2016. Most people, 63.1%, were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included England (6.7%), New Zealand (2.9%), South Africa (2.8%), and the United States (1.7%).

About 79.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Mandarin (2.7%), Spanish (1.4%), and French (1.3%). For religion, 41.3% said they had no religion. Catholic was 19.1%, and Anglican was 14.5%.

Shopping and Businesses

Woollahra is known for its many art galleries. It shares this with its nearby suburb, Paddington. You can find lots of cafes, restaurants, and antique shops. These are mostly located around Queen Street.

The suburb also hosts several government consulates. These are like small embassies for other countries. Countries with consulates here include Serbia, Russia, Poland, and Turkey.

Churches in Woollahra

Holy Cross Church, Adelaide Street, built in 1940.

One well-known church is All Saints in Ocean Street. It was designed by Edmund Blacket and built between 1874 and 1881. A local resident, Henry Mort, gave a lot of money for its construction. The church was never fully finished. It has a porch that was meant to be the base for a tall tower and spire. It is made mostly of sandstone. This church is considered a beautifully designed and important building.

The Holy Cross Church in Adelaide Street looks very different. This brick church was designed by Austin Mackay and built in 1940. It is an example of Art Deco style, which is unusual for a church. It also shows influences from Dutch architecture.

The Congregational Church is on the corner of Jersey Road and Moncur Street. It was built from 1875 to 1877 and designed by Benjamin Backhouse. The church later burned down. It was then restored and changed into homes. It is also a heritage-listed building.

Homes in Woollahra

A beautiful residential home on Oxford Street.

Woollahra is a wealthy suburb. This is partly because it is close to the city. It is also near the large shopping center at Bondi Junction. The suburb has many beautiful homes, mostly in different Victorian styles. Moncur Street and Queen Street are especially wealthy areas. They have a mix of homes and shops. Many buildings there are heritage-listed.

New tall buildings have been avoided in Woollahra. This helps keep the suburb's historic look. Most homes here are apartments or townhouses. In 2014, the Woollahra Council reported that about 76% of all homes were multi-unit buildings. The other 24% were detached houses, semi-detached houses, or terrace houses.

Schools in Woollahra

Woollahra Public School first opened in 1877. It is a two-story brick building. It was designed by J. Wigram and W. Kemp. The school building is listed as a heritage site. The school offers special classes for gifted students in Years 5 and 6. In 1977, the school celebrated its 100th birthday. A time capsule was buried in the school grounds.

Getting Around Woollahra

Woollahra has good public transport. Transdev John Holland and Transit Systems bus services operate here. The 389 route serves the area. Many other bus services run along Oxford Street in the south of the suburb. Routes 333 and 440 go directly to the Sydney city center from Oxford Street. The 352 bus on Oxford Street takes people to Surry Hills, Newtown, and Marrickville Metro.

The closest train stations are Edgecliff to the north and Bondi Junction to the south. Both are on the Illawarra line. In the 1970s, there were plans to build a train station in Woollahra. However, local residents did not want it, so the station was never built.

Community Events

Queen Street Fair

From 1972, a fair was held on Queen Street. It started as a small community event. Over time, it grew much larger and became more commercial. Local residents eventually became unhappy with the noise and size of the fair. Because of this, the fair stopped after 1985.

Sports and Fun

Since 1908, Woollahra has been part of a popular Australian sport. The Sydney Roosters rugby league team represents the Eastern Suburbs. They play in the National Rugby League competition.

Gallery

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  Waimea, a heritage-listed Georgian home from around 1858.

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  A beautiful Federation Queen Anne style home on Edgecliff Road.

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  A heritage-listed shop on Ocean Street, built around 1860.

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  All Saints Church on Ocean Street.