Interesting facts about Alexandria

Alexandria, located in the inner-city of Sydney, about 5 kilometres south of the CBD in New South Wales, Australia, is a vibrant neighbourhood with a rich history and diverse community. Due to its strategic location near Sydney and modern transformation over the years, Alexandria has now become one of the best places to live near the city, particularly for students and working professionals commuting to Sydney for work/study. Once an industrial town, Alexandria was gradually transformed into a trendy and popular suburb over the years, now encompassing a mix of residential, commercial, and recreational facilities. Here are some exciting facts and things to do in Alexandria.

The postcode of Alexandria is 2015.

Historical Facts

The Parish (district) of Alexandria was established in 1835 and was named in 1838.

The Municipality of Alexandria was formed in 1868.

The Iron Duke Hotel in Alexandria is named after the 1st Duke of Wellington, Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley.

The former Alexandria Town Hall was built in 1880-81 by Ferdinand Reuss Snr. in Garden Street. It was later converted into a community centre and is also now used as a branch of the City of Sydney Library.

By 1943, Alexandria became famous as the largest industrial hub in Australia, and was given the nickname “Birmingham of Australia.”

At the time, the 1,000-acre industrial area of the suburb had 550 factories manufacturing a variety of things.

In 1949, the municipality of Alexandria was merged into the City of Sydney.

In 1968, it was shifted under the municipality of South Sydney Council, which was later merged with the City of Sydney in 2004.

The Alexandria tram line, which was opened in 1902, was eventually closed in 1959.

People and Culture

The population of Alexandria was 9,649 as of 2021, of which 59.9% people were born in Australia. Common nationalities included Australian 31.6%, English 24.3%, Irish 13.6%, Chinese 10.1% and Scottish 9.9%. Over 74% of people spoke English, while Mandarin 3.1%, Spanish 2.0%, Cantonese 1.9%, Portuguese 1.0% and Indonesian 1.0% were other common languages.

Source: Wikipedia

The Grounds of Alexandria is a popular contemporary cafe that also features a kitchen garden and a dedicated area with farm animals. It’s also known for its fresh bread and self-roasted coffee.

Industries

Alexandria is a mix of residential and commercial/industrial buildings. It is home to the Sydney Corporate Park, a business park hosting offices of over 80 businesses, including the Australia offices of Virgin Atlantic. It also features an entertainment sector with indoor trampolining, bowling and skiing, along with the facility of various sports, retail shops, a brewery and many exciting café and dining venues.

Landmarks and Recreation

The top heritage-listed sites in Alexandria include Alexandra Canal, Enginemans Resthouse (39 Brandling Street), and Yiu Ming Temple (16-22 Retreat Street).

The suburb is part of a gentrification project, which includes the construction of modern retail, business and residential areas in and around Alexandra.

Sydney Park is the major park and recreational centre of Alexandria. It, along with Mitchell Road, forms the west boundary of the Alexandria suburb. Alexandria Park and McKell Playground are other major centres for sporting and recreational activities.

Alexandria is connected to the CBD by Transdev John Holland bus routes. The suburb is also connected to two railway lines through three nearby stations, including Green Square railway station on the Airport & South Line and Erskineville railway station and St Peters railway station on the Bankstown Line.

Major restaurants and pubs in and around Alexandria include the Alexandria Hotel, Iron Duke Hotel, Buckland Hotel and the Parkview Hotel.

Other notable buildings include the Victorian terrace house at Garden Street, the Lord Raglan Hotel at Henderson Road, the Former Alexandria Baby Clinic, and Bestex Mills.