Maroubra, New South Wales

Maroubra is a beachside suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Maroubra is located 10 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Randwick. Maroubra is the largest suburb in the area governed by Randwick City Council in both size and population. Maroubra Junction is a locality in the centre of the suburb.

1800's
Maroubra is a local Aboriginal word meaning place of thunder (lieu de tonnerre). In 1861, the first house was built in the area by Humphrey McKeon. A number of other settlers arrived on the land in the 1870s to work on the wool scouring works located at the northern end of the bay. The suburb first made headlines on the 6 May 1898, when the Hereward, a fully rigged iron ship weighing 1,513 tons, was caught by the gale force winds and shipwrecked at the northern end of Maroubra Beach while heading north toward Newcastle. The shipwreck remained on the beach for a number of years until a failed attempt to refloat it was made by building a coffer dam around the wreck. Hereward Street in Maroubra is named after the event.

1900's
Major residential development only began in the 1910s after Herbert Dudley, a real estate developer, subdivided the land into residential blocks. Herbert Dudley also lobbied for the extension of the tramline to Maroubra Junction in 1912, where he had built Dudley's Emporium which has just recently been redeveloped. More crown land was released for residential use in the 1920s and the tram line was extended to Maroubra Beach in 1921.

Between 1925 and 1934, the Olympia Motor Speedway was located in South Maroubra at the corner of Anzac Parade and Fitzgerald Avenue. However, due to the dangerous nature of the concrete track, a number of deaths occurred and it was closed after only nine years of operation. Coral Sea Park and surrounding estates was announced on the site in 1947 and formally completed in 1961. The estates and park was given its namesake from the 1942 battle; The battle of the Coral Sea.

2000's
Unfortunately, in 2005, Maroubra was named as one of the suburbs involved in the Cronulla Riots, after more than 100 cars were vandalised in relation to the riots between Middle Eastern and Anglo youth. In 2006, Maroubra Beach became the second Australian beach to be named a National Surfing Reserve (the first beach being Bells Beach in Victoria).

Maroubra Junction and Surrounding Areas
Maroubra Junction is one of the main shopping areas in the district and is home to Pacific Square shopping centre (built on the area once known as Stockland Mall, Maroubra). Pacific Square shopping centre has an outdoor eating area on Anzac Parade, Coles and Aldi supermarkets, many specialty shops as well as being home to the area's Australia Post outlet. Commercial developments are also found along Anzac Parade, Maroubra Road and surrounding streets, including Dudley's Emporium which was the first shopping centre in Maroubra Junction built in 1912 and has been recently redeveloped.

Maroubra Beach and Surrounds
There are also a handful of shopping districts besides Maroubra Junction including the areas surrounding Maroubra Beach. One of them including the once-thriving Lexington Place. Known as "Lexo" to the locals, Lexington Place has become a notorious 'no go zone' in the area as result of high rates of crime, often blamed by the high concentration of Housing Commission estates. McKeon Street is the street running straight onto the beach, it is home to a stretch of shops including some well known restaurants in the area.

South Maroubra
South Maroubra Shopping Village, know as "The Village", is located in South Maroubra and is home to many well-known shops including a late night pharmacy, Walsh's Pharmacy as well as Maroubra's only Woolworths supermarket.It is also next door to the well known Sands Hotel. The Village and South Maroubra Village Green are home to the Christmas Carols every year. The once prominent Duffy's Corner is located on the border of Maroubra (South Maroubra end), Matraville and Malabar.

Current

 * Glasshouse (Since 1947) - The licence of the Golden Grove Hotel was transferred from Darlington to new premises on the corner of Anzac Parade and Boyce Road, Maroubra Junction in February 1947. The hotel has more recently changed its name to the Glasshouse Hotel.
 * The Sands Hotel (Since 1972) - A hotel in South Maroubra alongside South Maroubra Shopping Village.
 * Maroubra Junction Hotel (Unknown Opening Date)- A hotel in Maroubra Junction across Maroubra Road from Pacific Square.
 * Ocean View Tavern (Since 2010) - In an attempt to popularise the mostly vacant area surround Maroubra Beach, the Maroubra Bay Hotel premises was revitalised and re-opened under the name of the Ocean View Tavern.
 * Juniors @ The Junction (Since 2009) - The result of a merger with South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club (Kingsford) and the struggling Maroubra Returned and Services League (RSL) Club. The club is on the site of the former Maroubra RSL club on Anzac Parade and Haig Street.

Former

 * Maroubra Bay Hotel (1926 - 2010) - Popular after World War I due to the extension of the tram line to the beach, the construction of a promenade and bathing sheds. Due to a downturn in trade the hotel closed in early 2010.
 * Trade Winds (1972–2002) - Maroubra Junction on Maroubra Road. 2002 saw the hotel converted into apartments. The Trade Winds Brasserie is all that's left of the old hotel.
 * Maroubra RSL (2000 -2009)- The struggling Maroubra Returned and Services League (RSL) Club merged with South Sydney Junior Leagues Club in order to keep the premise open due to poor income. It was reopened under the name "Juniors @ The Junction".

Roads
Anzac Parade leads directly from Moore Park to La Perouse through Maroubra Junction via Kensington and Kingsford. Anzac Parade begins at the end Flinders and Oxford Streets which leads traffic out of the CBD. Cleveland Street runs onto Anzac Parade connecting the inner-city suburbs such as Surry Hills, Darington and Camperdown as well as Central Station and Railway Square to Maroubra.

Buses
Regular bus services run from Maroubra Junction to the city including route numbers 394, 399, 396 and 397. The 394 and 399 originate from La Perouse and Little Bay (respectively) while 396 and 397 originate from Maroubra Beach and South Maroubra, respectively.

The 400 and 410 run from Maroubra Junction in two directions; Bondi Junction, Randwick and Waverley to the north and Eastgardens, the airport, Rockdale and Burwood to the south. Central Station and Railway Square can be accessed through the Railway Square buses (393 and 395) as well as the Metro10 bus service which goes through the inner-city, past Queen Victoria Building and continues along Broadway to provide services to the University of Sydney and Leichhardt. Other services run through Maroubra providing locals with routes into more suburban areas such as Coogee, South Coogee, and Randwick.

Trams
The former Maroubra tram line opened from Anzac Parade to Maroubra Bay in 1921. The line branched of the main line to La Perouse at the intersection of Anzac Parade and Maroubra Road, travelling east along Maroubra Road, Cooper Street, French Street and Mons Avenue before terminating in a balloon loop in Marine Parade at Maroubra Bay Beach. The line was double track throughout, and passed through several tram reservations on its descent down to the beach. Direct services operated from Circular Quay and Railway Square. The line closed in 1961. The current route of bus 397 now covers this route.

Media
There are no local radio or television stations servicing the area. However, Maroubra is within the reporting and circulation boundaries of the South-Eastern Suburbs newspaper; "Southern Courier" which is owned and distributed by News Limited. Maroubra was home to the set of the television series Heartbreak High which was filmed at Maroubra Bay High School after it's closure. Maroubra Beach can often be seen on Sydney evening news bulletins as a backdrop to the weather, especially during summer.

Sporting
Despite geographically being apart of the Eastern Suburbs, Maroubra is often considered by many involved with the National Rugby League as part of the home territory of the South Sydney Rabbitohs as opposed to the Eastern Suburb's based Sydney Roosters.

Maroubra Beach being national surfing reserve and a notably large beach has as a result had long history of surfing culture; furthermore has been selected as a venue to national and world surfing tournaments. Due to its large size the beach has also been used for sports other than surfing, such as Tri-Nation Beach Cricket. Maroubra Beach was home to Round Three of the 2007 Beach Cricket series between Australia, England and West Indies which saw Australia and England progress to the finals which were also played the following day at Maroubra.

Catholic

 * St. Mary & St. Joseph Catholic Church
 * Holy Family Catholic Church
 * Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church

Anglican

 * St Johns Anglican Church
 * St Edmund's Anglican Church (also known as Wild Street Church)

Baptist

 * Maroubra Baptist Church

Salvation Army

 * Salvation Army Maroubra

Presbyterian

 * Maroubra Presbyterian Church

Uniting Church

 * Maroubra Uniting Church
 * Maroubra Bay Uniting Church

Buddhist

 * AuGuang Maitreya

Pentacostal (Christian City Church)

 * C3 Church Maroubra

Judaism

 * Kingsford Maroubra Hebrew Orthodox Congregation

Healthcare
Maroubra is located close to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick. As a result there a several clinics and out-patient services run by Prince of Wales Hospital located in Maroubra, such as the Maroubra Centre that provides support to people living with mental illness. Maroubra is also home to a NSW Ambulance station; located on Mons Avenue near Maroubra Beach.

Maroubra has several medical centres including Maroubra Medical Centre and Waratah Medical Centre as well as this there are many doctors with private surgeries. There is a cluster of pharmacies, doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals located in 806-830 Anzac Parade which is spread over two blocks.

Current

 * St Spyridon College
 * Lycée Condorcet (The International French School Of Sydney)
 * Maroubra Bay Public School
 * Maroubra Junction Public School
 * Mount Sinai College
 * South Sydney High School
 * St Aiden's Primary School
 * St Mary St Joseph Primary School

Closed

 * Maroubra Junction High School
 * Premises now in use by Lycée Condorcet


 * Maroubra Bay High School
 * Premises no longer existant - residential estate in place of former grounds. Famous for being the school used for the TV Series Heartbreak High.


 * Brigidine College Maroubra
 * Moved to Randwick and became Brigidine College Randwick. Ground used by Lycée Condorcet until they moved to former Maroubra Junction High campus. Grounds no longer in use with plans for residential development.

Maroubra Beach and parklands


Maroubra Beach stretches for approximately 1 km on Maroubra Bay. Mahon Pool is located north of the beach, near Mistral Point. There are two surf clubs at Maroubra: Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club and South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club. Arthur Byrne Reserve sits behind both these clubs. A skating park is located at the southern end of Maroubra Beach.

Maroubra has a few large parklands, the most popular being the reserve along the waterfont at Maroubra Beach, called Arthur Byrne Reserve. The reserve has an enclosed children's playground to the north of the blue Pavilion building at North Maroubra, close to the car park. There are barbecue facilities and tables for picnickers. There are public ablution facilities inside the blue Pavilion building. Arthur Byrne Reserved is the home to the Oktoberfest/Fun Run every year.

Heffron Park, on Fitzgerald Avenue and between Bunnerong Road and Robey Street is a particularly large park. It accommodates the Des Renford Aquatic Centre with indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, sports fields, parklands, and a two kilometre cycle track which is used for time trials and is accessible for public use at other times.

Nagle Park, on Wild Street between Walsh Street and Holden Street, is a flat parkland equipped for use as a sports facility. It is also a popular dog park, with dogs permitted off-lead.

Snape Park, on Snape Street between Hannan and Percival Streets is equipped with popular tennis facilities and sports fields and is frequently used for organised sporting events.

Central Park, at the corner of Cooper and Storey Streets, has a flat parkland with an excellent bicycle track for young children built of smooth concrete. This park also has playground equipment.

Coral Sea Park, south of Yorktown Parade, has a flat area that provides several sports fields. It has playground equipment at its south end.

Notable residents

 * The Honourable Bob Carr, former New South Wales Premier
 * Surfer Koby Abberton (Bra Boys)
 * Yvonne Strahovski, Actress on Chuck
 * Reni Maitua, NRL Player for the Parramatta Eels; former player forCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks
 * John Sutton, NRL player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
 * Michael Whitney, TV personality (Sydney Weekender, Who Dares Wins) and former Test Cricket Player for NSW Blues and Australia.
 * Michael Daley, Current Member of the Maroubra State Electorate.
 * Tilly Devine, Famous Sydney crime identity
 * John Flaus, Australian film academic and theorist, actor, anarchist and raconteur.