Zetland Archives - Redfern News

From Factories to Families: Green Square Transforms Five Suburbs

Green Square, stretching across Beaconsfield, Zetland, Rosebery, Alexandria and Waterloo, is being reshaped into one of the country’s largest new urban communities, set to welcome about 63,000 residents once construction is complete.

A new chapter for Inner Sydney

What was once a district of warehouses and industrial yards is undergoing one of the most ambitious urban renewal programs in Australia. Covering 278 hectares, the Green Square project is valued at $22 billion in private development, with the City of Sydney investing $1.8 billion in public infrastructure. The City has already delivered more than $700 million worth of projects, with another $80 million planned in the next five years.

The redevelopment is not simply about building apartments. The goal is to create a neighbourhood where people can live, work and spend time together, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, community spaces and accessible services.

Homes and jobs for a growing population

Once complete, Green Square will provide 33,000 new homes across the five suburbs. Around 63,000 people are expected to move into the area, nearly doubling the population of Sydney’s inner south. The project is also forecast to generate up to 22,000 permanent jobs, creating opportunities for residents to work close to where they live.

The scale of change is already visible. Zetland and Waterloo have seen new apartment towers rise over the past decade, bringing young professionals and families into the area. Shops, restaurants and cafés have followed, reshaping what were once quiet industrial streets into active neighbourhoods.

Community facilities at the heart of planning

Beyond housing, the City of Sydney has prioritised new public infrastructure to support daily life. Green Square Public School is set to open in 2025 on the former Royal South Sydney Hospital site at 3 Joynton Avenue. The award-winning Green Square Library and Plaza has already become a community hub, while the Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre is providing new opportunities for health and sport.

Open space is central to the vision. More than 40 parks and playgrounds are being created, giving families access to outdoor recreation and places for neighbours to meet. The former Royal South Sydney Hospital site is also home to the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre, preserving a cultural link to the area’s past.

Designing for sustainability

Green Square has been planned with long-term environmental goals in mind. It hosts one of Australia’s largest residential stormwater harvesting and reuse systems, designed to capture and recycle up to 320 million litres of water a year. Energy-efficient LED street lights line the precinct, while self-watering raingardens reduce water use and improve the health of local plants.

The development’s commitment to sustainability has earned it a 6 Star “Green Star – Communities” rating from the Green Building Council of Australia — the highest level achievable. This recognition highlights the integration of green design into housing, infrastructure and open spaces.

Moving around the city

Transport has been a major consideration in the renewal. The Green Square train station connects directly to the Sydney CBD and airport, making it one of the best-served suburbs for public transit. City planners have also prioritised cycling and walking, with separated cycleways and wide footpaths encouraging active travel.

The City of Sydney is advocating for a new light rail link between Green Square, Central and Parramatta Road/Broadway.

Balancing growth with community needs

With such rapid development, concerns have also been raised. Housing affordability remains a challenge, as new apartments are often priced beyond the reach of many long-term residents. Increased population density will also put pressure on transport networks, schools and health services if growth outpaces planning.

City of Sydney officials acknowledge these challenges but emphasise the scale of investment being made in community facilities and open space. The goal is to ensure Green Square develops as a balanced neighbourhood rather than just a cluster of high-rise buildings.

A model for the future

Green Square is being closely watched as a test case for urban renewal in Australia. If successful, the project could influence how other cities approach redevelopment, combining sustainability measures with housing growth and public infrastructure.

For residents of Beaconsfield, Zetland, Rosebery, Alexandria and Waterloo, the changes are more immediate. In place of warehouses and factories, new parks, libraries, shops and homes are taking shape. The project is reshaping not just the skyline, but the way people live and interact in the heart of Sydney’s inner south.

Category	Details
Location	278 hectares across Beaconsfield, Zetland, Rosebery, Alexandria, Waterloo
Purpose	Major urban renewal project – transforming old industrial area into sustainable, mixed-use community
Population & Housing	~33,000 new homes; ~63,000 residents when complete
Jobs	~21,000 permanent jobs expected
Sustainability	Stormwater recycling scheme (one of Australia’s largest); LED streetlights; self-watering raingardens; cycleways, wide footpaths
Green Star Rating	6 Star “Green Star – Communities” rating (highest possible)
Public Infrastructure	– 40+ parks, plazas, and playgrounds- Library, plaza, aquatic centre, community spaces- New primary school- Redevelopment of old Royal South Sydney Hospital site
Transport	Cycling network, integrated public transport, planning for light rail
Funding	Private development: ~AUD $22 billionPublic infrastructure: ~AUD $1.8 billion (City has spent $700m, with another $80m planned)
Overall Goal	Create a vibrant, sustainable, well-connected urban community with housing, jobs, green space, and amenities

Published 16-Sept-2025

New 40km/h Speed Limit Coming to Redfern

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Residents and visitors to Redfern will soon experience safer streets as the City of Sydney implements a new 40km/h speed limit in the area. This change is part of a broader initiative to reduce speed limits across Sydney, aimed at improving road safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

The new speed restrictions in Redfern will affect sections of roads that currently have a 50km/h speed limit. This adjustment aligns Redfern with other Sydney suburbs receiving similar speed limit reductions, including parts of Glebe, Forest Lodge, Beaconsfield, Waterloo, Annandale, Alexandria, Zetland, and Woolloomooloo.

Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO, highlighted the significance of this change for Redfern and other affected areas: “When people drive at safer speeds it reduces the number of crashes and their severity, improves safety for people walking and riding and helps to support better place-making.”

For Redfern, a suburb known for its vibrant community and pedestrian activity, the speed limit reduction is expected to enhance street safety and contribute to a more livable urban environment. The change may be particularly impactful given Redfern’s mix of residential areas, community facilities, and proximity to the city centre.

The City of Sydney plans to install new speed limit signs in the coming weeks. To ensure drivers are aware of the changes, temporary electronic signs will be positioned at key locations in Redfern for a minimum of two weeks.

This initiative is part of a long-term strategy by the City of Sydney to improve road safety. Since 2004, the proportion of local and regional roads in Sydney with a 40km/h speed limit or lower has increased from 5% to 75%. The inclusion of Redfern in this latest round of changes brings the suburb in line with this broader safety trend.

While the new speed limit will apply to roads managed by the City of Sydney within Redfern, it’s important to note that some major roads passing through or near the suburb that are under NSW Government control may retain higher speed limits. However, the City is working with Transport for NSW to prioritise speed reduction on these roads as well.

Redfern residents and those who frequently travel through the area are encouraged to stay alert to the new speed limit changes and to always observe posted speed limit signs. The City of Sydney emphasises that these changes will not only make Redfern’s streets safer but also contribute to a quieter neighbourhood with reduced exhaust emissions.

Published 9-July-2024

Victoria Park Racecourse: A Look Back At Zetland’s Forgotten Sporting Venue

Before its ongoing transformation to become a masterplanned community, the area now known as Victoria Park was swampland in the late 19th century and a racecourse in the early 20th century.

Read: William Redfern: Get To Know the Man Who Lent His Name to Redfern

In the early 1900s, the site was nothing more than a lagoon and swamp, until it was drained to create a racetrack.

The racecourse was privately owned by Sir James John Joynton Smith, a hotelier, racecourse and newspaper owner, who spared no expense in developing the site to become the greatest and finest pony horse racing course in Sydney.

Victoria Park — Sir Joynton Smith (Photo credit: State Library of New South wales, Image number DL 92/263 Dixson Library)

Mr Joynton Smith had a reputation for being extensively involved in exclusive track racing. Before constructing the Zetland racecourse, he held a lease at the Brighton racecourse located in Rockdale, and later at the Forest Lodge racecourse in Glebe, which eventually transformed into Harold Park.

It was located on land bounded by Joynton Avenue, Epsom Road, Dowling Street and O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo.

The racetrack at Victoria Park became a popular destination for fans of horse racing, but it wasn’t long before other forms of racing began to take place at the site.

In 1908, a clay-and-cinder track, measuring 1.81 kilometres in length, was built around the horseracing course. This new track was used for speedway racing by both cars and motorcycles, and quickly became a favourite spot for fans of high-speed racing.

On 6 October 1908, the first motor racing meeting was held at Victoria Park. This was the start of an era of motor racing that would last for over a decade, and attract some of the most skilled and daring drivers of the time. The speedway at Victoria Park became known for its thrilling races, as drivers competed at breakneck speeds on the clay-and-cinder track.

During the Second World War, the site was repurposed as an aircraft factory, but after the war ended, it was transformed into a horse training course in 1945.

However, this was short-lived as British businessman Lord Nuffield purchased the racecourse in 1947 and converted it into a motor vehicle assembly facility in 1950.

Photo credit: CC0/Ross Brothers – Sydney/Wikimedia Commons

The site was utilised by Nuffield Australia for vehicle production, which continued under the successors BMC Australia and Leyland Australia until the factory’s closure in 1975.

Read: Locals Continue Fight Against Privatisation Of Explorer St Public Housing

Today, the area is undergoing transformation into a master-planned community that encompasses a variety of functional community spaces and parklands, along with a range of housing options including affordable housing and live/work apartments. Additionally, there will be various shops to cater to the diverse needs of the community.

Published 25-April-2023