WEDNESDAY HISTORY #10 - REDFERN

REDFERN STATION 1920

Redfern is 3kms from the centre of Sydney on the fringe of the CBD outskirts.

Redfern Station was originally known as Eveleigh Station when Sydney's original railway terminus was situated in Cleveland Paddocks which extended from Cleveland Street to Devonshire Street. The name was changed when Central Station was built further north on the site of the Devonshire Street Cemetery and Eveleigh was retained for the name of the railway workshops. The remains of Cleveland Paddocks became Prince Alfred Park.

Redfern is named after William Redfern, a surgeon granted 100 acres of land in the area in 1817 by Lachlan Macquarie. A country house was built surrounded by flower and kitchen gardens. His neighbours were Captain Cleveland and John Baptist. Cleveland was an officer of the 73rd regiment and Baptist ran a nursery and seed business. Cleveland House was built by Captain Cleveland during this time as well.

The people of Redfern define this area as it is renowned for its Aboriginal population in the vicinity known as The Block as well as the migrants who shaped the urban area and continue to populate it. In the late 1800s many of the businessmen in the area were from Syria and as the immigrants arrived in Australia many made Redfern their first home.


The Block however is an area bounded by Eveleigh, Caroline, Louis and Vine Streets. The area is important to the Aboriginal Community and the Aboriginal Housing Company purchased houses on the Block to provide housing to the Aboriginal community.




On 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall the South Sydney club was formed to compete in the first season of the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership (NRL). Known as the Rabbitohs they still hold an integral role in the area and promote a positive array of role models for the youth on the streets of Redfern. They also represent the tenacity of the area after being relegated for a period, the people power got South Sydney back into the National Rugby League competition, which today is a competition they currently lead in 2013.

Redfern riots began on 14 February 2004, at the end of Eveleigh Street outside Redfern station, sparked by the death of Thomas 'TJ' Hickey. The teenager, riding on his bicycle, was allegedly being chased by a police vehicle, which led to his impalement on a fence. Members of his family were then reported to have started grieving for TJ around Eveleigh Street with a crowd gathering commiserating with the family. Fliers were distributed blaming police for TJ's death. The police closed the Eveleigh Street entrance to the railway station, but youths in the crowd became violent, throwing bricks and bottles; this escalated into a riot. A subsequent inquest found that although the police were following Hickey, they had not caused the accident, a verdict that caused controversy in Redfern's Aboriginal community. The riots sparked fresh debate into the welfare of Australian Aborigines and the response of the police to those living in the Redfern area.

Today, Redfern is subject to extensive redevelopment plans by the state government, to increase the population and reduce the concentration of poverty in the suburb and neighbouring Waterloo. It is my current suburb of residence and I actually reside on the street named after Captain Cleveland. I walk up and down Eveleigh street on a daily basis and find it is still a very strong mix of people, much renovation is currently occurring, and it is as safe as any street in Sydney at any time day or night. There is a   derelict parking station at the top of Eveleigh Street which is home to over 24 stray cats.

You can feel the history of Redfern but it certainly has changed in the nearly 200 years of its existence.

Come and see for yourself

J G S