Hi, it’s Adrian Bo here and today, I’m at the newest large scale development in Randwick called Newmarket which is on Barker Street opposite the Prince of Wales Hospital. Barker Street was originally named after the Bishop of Sydney, Frederic Barker, who was the first bishop to live at Bishopscourt in Randwick. He passed in 1882 and the official residence of the Anglican Bishop was moved to Darling Point in 1911. The Newmarket development is an exciting mixed use project in Cbus Property’s portfolio, the latest release being a precinct called FigTree Pocket, which cleverly builds around the history of the site. Now the site originally contained the Newmarket Hotel built in 1861. Then in 1906, the Inglis family moved their bloodstock operation to the site, including horse stables and a thoroughbred sales ring. The structure of the sales ring has been turned into a children’s playground as part of what is called Inglis Park including a magnificent 130 year old Moreton Bay Fig Tree. 30% of the site is open public space making it very attractive for young families and certainly a great lifestyle choice. In 1917, William Inglis & Son purchased Newmarket for 50,000 pounds after renting it since 1906.

It remained the company’s headquarters and main bloodstock auction location until 2017 when it moved to a location adjacent to Warwick Farm racecourse. Whilst at Newmarket, the list of extraordinary champion horses to go through the ring here is endless. They include the almighty Black Caviar, Chautauqua, Jameka, She Will Reign, Takeover Target, Fairy King Prawn, Schillaci, Naturalism, and going way back to to a colt called Heroic who fetched 1800 guineas in the ring here and went on to win 21 races including many of the big races of the 1920s and became a very successful stallion. These large mixed use developments on sites with both history and heritage can often be controversial and of course, we miss the wonderful equine complex that was once here. However Cbus Property and Arcadia Landscape Architecture have melded a lot of history into this particular project. There are plaques, signage, mosaics, an engraved historical timeline as well as significant original infrastructure. The big stables which were used to film many scenes in the iconic movie, “Phar Lap,” has been given to RCC. Eventually this development is expected to provide 650 residences in total as well as 2500 square metres of retail.

In fact a new restaurant has just recently opened on the site just behind me called Sella Vinoteca, by some close friends of mine actually, which boasts a wine list of over 350 and an authentic Italian menu, joining Rara Ramen, Baccomatto Osteria, Dumplings & Beer and Gelato Messina here on the premises at Newmarket. Over the 31 years I’ve been selling real estate in the eastern suburbs, I’ve sold many properties in Randwick including several transactions very close to this site here at Newmarket, including 8 Kara Street, a four bedroom house, apartment 4 at 32 Arthur Street, apartment 11 at 49 Coogee Bay Rd, 175 Botany Street which was a 2 bedroom house selling for 1.64, 17 Judge Street being a free-standing home, 615 at 65 Belmore Rd at Randwick, another house at 349 Avoca Street being a five bedroom house, and also the boutique townhouse development at 2 Llanfoyst Street, being four, three bedroom Coco Republic design townhomes. I hope this has been of interest to you. Royal Randwick is very much on the worldwide racing map and Newmarket has provided a significant contribution to that status. So i think it’s vital we celebrate these historical journeys in the eastern suburbs before they are forgotten. Enjoy the summer racing calendar and always remember your home is worth more with Adrian Bo.