Rozelle, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Rozelle
city = Sydney
state = nsw


caption = Garry Owen Hotel
lga = Municipality of Leichhardt
postcode = 2039
est = 1892
pop = 6,794 (2001 census)
area = 1.9
propval = [http://www.domain.com.au/Public/SuburbReport.aspx?suburb=Rozelle&postcode=2039 A$678,000] (Feb 2006)
stategov = Balmain
fedgov = Sydney, Grayndler
near-nw = Birchgrove
near-n = Balmain
near-ne = Balmain East
near-w = Rodd Point
near-e = Pyrmont
near-sw = Lilyfield
near-s = Leichhardt
near-se = Glebe
dist1 = 4
dir1 = west
location1= Sydney CBDRozelle is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 4 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt.

Rozelle sits between the suburbs of Balmain to the north-west and Lilyfield to the south-west. Iron Cove is on the north-west border, while Rozelle Bay, White Bay and Johnstone's Bay make up the south-east border.

History

.

The land was first settled in 1836 and by 1861 had been divided into the well populated eastern suburb of Balmain and the sparsely populated western area, extending to the gates of Callan Park, known as Balmain West.

By 1877 the population of Balmain West had increased and the Balmain post office was inadequate for their needs as a growing suburb. Residents petitioned for a post office of their own and in 1880 Balmain West post office was established in Joseph Gosling's grocery shop at the junction of Weston Road (now Victoria Road) and Withecombe Street. Over the next 10 years the population of Balmain West grew further and in 1891 work started on a new post office on the corner of Weston Road and Darling Street.

In December 1892, prior to the opening of the new post office, the Postmaster-General declared Rozelle (named after the nearby Rozelle Bay to the south east) as the new name for the Balmain West post office. The new Rozelle post office opened in 1894 and by the early 1900s, both the suburb itself and local residents had adopted the name.

The name Rozelle and Rozelle Bay (often shown as "Rozella Bay"), originated from the parrots found in abundance at Rose Hill (near Parramatta) the first suburb of Sydney, established as a prime farming area for the new colony. The parrots, also in abundance in the inner west Bay area of Sydney, were commonly called "Rose Hill parrots" or "Rose-hillers" then Rosella. [Book of Sydney Suburbs, Frances Pollon (Angus and Robertson) 1990, p.231]

Landmarks

*A dominant structure on the landscape, the coal fired White Bay Power Station supplied electricity to Sydney for 70 years during the 20th century and was last used in 1983. The station now lies derelict at the junction of Roberts and Victoria Road at White Bay. Next door stood the White Bay Hotel, which opened in 1916 but fell victim to lack of customers in 1992 and was destroyed by fire in 2008.

*On the western side of the peninsula, the wonderful art deco Iron Cove Bridge, which opened in 1955, is a gateway across the Parramatta River linking Rozelle with the suburb of Drummoyne. Beside the bridge on the Rozelle side, is the site of the Balmain Power Station, which was demolished in 1996 to make way for residential apartments.

*On the eastern side stands the magnificent ANZAC Bridge which was completed in 1996 and is the main arterial link between the inner west and Sydney city. Below the bridge lies its predecessor, the Glebe Island Bridge, which opened in 1901.

* St Paul's Presbyterian Church, Darling Street, was designed by E.J.Bowen and built in 1904. It is a brick building with stone trimmings and a slate roof. It is now listed on the Register of the National Estate. [The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.2/40]

* The former Rozelle Public School, corner Darling Street and Victoria Road, was designed by Horbury Hunt and built of sandstone in 1877. An extra wing was designed by W.E.Kemp and built in 1881. The school is now listed on the Register of the National Estate. [The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.2/41]

References

* "The Heritage of Australia", Macmillan Company, 1981, ISBN 0 333 337506
* Solling, M; Reynolds, P; "Leichhardt: On the margins of the city", Allen & Unwin, 1997, ISBN 1-86448-408-X.
* Lawrence, J; Warne, C; "A Pictorial History of Balmain to Glebe", Kingsclear Books, 1995, ISBN 0-908272-40-5.

External links

* [http://photosau.com/Leichhardt/scripts/home.asp Local Images at InnerWest ImageBank]
* [http://www.lmc.nsw.gov.au/libraries/07 Local History Collection, Leichhardt Council]