maroubra
The name "Maroubra" is derived from the language of the Mura-ora-dial aboriginal people who were living in the area when the white people came. Some historians think it comes from the name Mura-ora-dial. Others think it was originally a separate word meaning "like thunder" - the sound that the big waves make on Maroubra's famous surfing beach.
Here is some interesting facts about Maroubra:
history
- The first house in Maroubra was built by Humphrey McKeon in 1861.
- In the 1870s a number of settlers arrived to work on wool scouring works located at the northern end of the bay.
- Major residential development began in 1910s when Herbert Dudley subdivided the land into residential blocks. Dudley's Emporium was the first shopping centre in Maroubra Junction. It was built in 1912.
- The Sydney tramline system was extended to Maroubra Beach in 1921. The last tram that ran to Maroubra beach was in 1961.
- The Maroubra Junction Public School was first established in 1909
- The Messenger newspaper started in 1932 and originally called the ‘Maroubra News’.
- The 1935 Shark arm murder case: a shark caught and being held in Coogee Baths regurgitated a tattooed human arm. It was later identified as missing launch captain James Smith.
- Coral Sea Park was created in 1947, and was named after the 1942 battle of the Coral Sea.
- In 1959 heavy rain caused severe damage to Maroubra, Coogee and Randwick.
- In 1960 the 142.5 hectare rifle range was sold to Randwick Council.
- Maroubra Skate Park was conceived around 1997.The skateable area is approximately 1100 metres squared
the suburb
- Maroubra is the largest suburb in the Eastern Suburbs, both in size and population.
- The water reservoir north of the junction of Storey St and Malabar Rd holds 30 million litres.
- Approximately 35% of people in Maroubra speak a language other than English at home. The most common languages are Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Greek, Indonesian, Italian and Spanish