Find out about the local area, the transport options, key shopping district, restaurant and café scene, sports, recreation and fitness and local schools
This inner-eastern suburb is the northern gateway to the City of Randwick and is located between Victoria Park to the west and Royal Randwick Racecourse to the east. Kensington is home to the University of New South Wales , the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and the large green space of the Australian Golf Course.
Kensington dates back to the 1800s, when it was developed for residential use after Sydney ’s water reserve on Lachlan Mill Estate was no longer required. Today, 60 per cent of dwellings in Kensington constitute apartments, built between the 1930s and present day, although in the north-west corner lies the West Kensington Heritage Conservation Area, the site of Federation and interwar housing.
The busy transport and shopping thoroughfare of Anzac Parade runs straight through Kensington, to which Randwick Council has plans for improvements.
At the 2001 Census, Kensington had just over 11,000 people living there. However, the suburb is growing fast and is expected to house nearly 12,000 people by 2021. A high proportion of residents in Kensington are university students.
Distance from CBD : 4km.
Transport: Bus and road. Major bus services operate along Anzac Parade, while cross regional services operate along Todman Ave.
Key shopping: The strip of one and two storey shops along Anzac Parade constitutes Kensington’s town centre. Peter’s of Kensington attracts visitors from far and wide to buy gifts and homewares, while the strip is home to cheap eateries from a variety of ethnicities, and convenience stores.
Restaurants & cafes: To reflect the large international student population, Anzac Parade is bustling with cheap eateries from many corners of Asia , including Indonesia , Korea , Thailand and Malaysia . It also accommodates pizzerias and old-fashioned style fish and chip shops.
Sports, recreation and fitness: Kensington is home to the Australian Golf Course and is adjacent to the large green spaces of Moore Park and one of Sydney ’s oldest and best loved parks, Centennial Park . Within the university is a 50m heated swimming pool and several gyms and fitness centres, however the public has only limited access to these.
Schools:5-12 years: Kensington Public School , Doncaster Ave ; Our Lady of Sacred Heart College, Addison St (female only). 18-over: University of New South Wales . There are several childcare centres, pre-schools, primary schools and independent high schools located at Randwick .