Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of Randwick City were thought to be the Cadigal and Biddigal Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the late 1780s, following the arrival of the First Fleet. However, population was minimal until the 1820s and 1830s. Growth took place in the 1880s and 1890s, spurred by the construction of tram lines, with settlement mainly in the north. Expansion continued into the early 1900s, when growth spread southwards, aided by the extension of tram lines. Growth also took place in the interwar period, with the population of the City growing from about 51,000 in 1921 to 79,000 in 1933. Significant development occurred during the post-war period, with rapid growth during the 1960s, when many flats and apartments were built. The population grew from about 101,000 in 1947 to 126,000 in 1971. The population declined during the 1970s and 1980s, and then increased marginally from the early 1990s, rising from under 116,000 in 1991 to about 120,000 in 2006. Most of this growth was in the suburb of Maroubra. The population of the City increased more significantly from 2006, rising to over 140,000 in 2016, with growth largely in the north-western suburbs of Kensington, Kingsford and Randwick, and also in the suburbs of Coogee, Little Bay and Maroubra.

Land use

Randwick City is a predominantly residential area with some commercial, industrial and military areas. The City encompasses a total land area of about 37 square kilometres.

Transport

Randwick City is served by Southern Cross Drive and Anzac Parade.

Major features

• Major features of the City include Kamay Botany Bay National Park,
• Malabar Headland National Park,
• The University of New South Wales (Cliffbrook,
• Kensington and Randwick Campuses),
• Sydney TAFE (Randwick College),
• The Prince of Wales Hospital,
• Royal Randwick Racecourse,
• Randwick Golf Club,
• New South Wales Golf Club,
• St Michael’s Golf Club,
• The Australian Golf Club,
• The Coast Golf Club,
• Anzac Rifle Range,
• Randwick Barracks,
• Long Bay Correctional Complex,
• Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park (Botany Cemetery),
• The southern part of Port Botany,
• Centennial Park,
• Heffron Park,
• Eastern Beaches Coastal Walk,
• Coogee Beach,
• Maroubra Beach,
• several other beaches and various baths and ocean pools.

Included areas