A small precinct within Surry Hills has evolved from an industrial area to a world-class velodrome to a car plant and then to a site visited by the late Queen Elizabeth, the day she came to Surry Hills.
Imagine an international cycling track in the middle of Surry Hills, packed with spectators 7 days a week, jazz bands, and a huge party atmosphere every night. The velodrome on Riley Street was one of the most popular local entertainment precincts, with top-class track cycling that included international stars.
Velodrome From Canterbury to Strawberry Hills
Built in Strawberry Hills in 1937, it was named the Sydney Sports Arena. The velodrome at Canterbury had been dismantled and the boards were used to build the track on Riley Street. The track was built with a 55-degree bank and was 200 metres long.
During his cycling career, Sir Hubert Opperman set many world 24-hour records here, where he was held in similar standing to Don Bradman, Phar Lap, and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith by Sydney society.
The Velodrome gradually lost its lustre and was closed in the 1950s, when the Larke & Hoskins assembly plant for Leyland vehicles was built on the site.
Then, the site and surrounding areas were taken over by the construction of John Northcott Place, an enormous Public Housing building, built to accommodate the huge number of migrants who needed cheap housing after WW2.
The scale of the project deserved a grand opening.
Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip in Surry Hills
It was 2nd March 1963 when Queen Elizabeth came to Surry Hills.
Having sailed from Hobart during their 5-week tour of Australia, the Queen and Prince Philip arrived in Sydney, where they were asked to officially open John Northcott Place.
The building had already been occupied for two years. Every balcony across all its 15 floors seemed to have people hanging over it, watching as the Queen officially opened and toured the building, including the rooftop looking across the city.
She dropped into a family on the 14th floor unannounced and joined them for tea, a story that went around the world at the time and did a lot to engender warmth towards the monarchy.
Of course, the Queen also had a pair of golden slippers made at the Perkal Brothers Bespoke Shop, Sydney’s premier bootmakers, located on Crown Street in Surry Hills.
Charles Touma talks about the early days of Strawberry Hills as well as the velodrome and the Queen’s visit in the video below:
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