Population 14,436 (2011 census) LGA(s) Sutherland Shire Miranda Caringbah Federal division Division of Cook | Postcode(s) 2228 State electorate(s) Miranda
Cronulla Postal code 2228 | |
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Location 24 km (15 mi) south of Sydney CBD | ||
Miranda is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Miranda is 24 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the Sutherland Shire.
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Map of Miranda NSW 2228, Australia
Miranda has a mixture of low, medium and high density residential and is known as a commercial centre for the southern suburbs. The Westfield Miranda shopping centre attracts many shoppers from the Sutherland Shire, the St George area and as far away as Wollongong.
History
Thomas Holt (1811–88) owned the land that stretched from Sutherland to Cronulla. James Murphy, the manager of the Holt estate named the area after Miranda, a character in the William Shakespeare play The Tempest. In a 1921 letter, James Murphy said "the name Miranda was given to the locality by me as manager of the Holt Sutherland Company which I formed in 1881. I thought it a soft, euphonious, musical and appropriate name for a beautiful place." It is believed that the character in the play was named after Miranda de Ebro, a town in Spain.
Early Australian explorer Gregory Blaxland was promised a significant parcel of land in the area as a reward for discovering a passage through the Blue Mountains. He had not selected his parcel by 1816, when he chose to sell that promise to John Connell for £250. However, in 1831 he also selected a parcel of land and claimed it under the original promise of reward, at which Connell stepped forward to claim the land. The matter was taken to court, where Connell was recognised as the owner.
In the 1860s the parcel was sold to Holt, who planned a sheep and cattle farm. The plan failed but the fertile ground was leased to market gardeners instead.
By the 1920s, steam trams operated between Cronulla and Sutherland, via Miranda. The trip from Miranda to Sutherland took fifteen minutes and cost three pence (2.5 cents). In 1923 there were five shops in Miranda, including a post office and butcher, at the intersection of the main road from Sutherland and Port Hacking Road. Settlements of returned soldiers from World War I were well established in Miranda at this time and the area was considered to be one of the best fruit-growing and poultry farming areas.
Commercial area
Miranda is noted for the Westfield Miranda shopping centre (mall), adjacent to the Miranda railway station. The shopping centre runs parallel to The Kingsway, and is built on three blocks, crossing over Kiora Road and Wandella Road. This shopping centre was once notable for being the largest shopping centre in the Southern Hemisphere. Originally known as ‘Miranda Fair’, the last extension and renovation was completed in 1994, providing 107,000 square metres of retail space. Westfield Miranda was soon eclipsed in size by Westfield Parramatta's extension. Miranda Fair is currently the 8th largest in Australia and the 4th largest in Sydney. Another major redevelopment and extension began in mid 2013. For full details of the reopening during October and November 2014 see Westfield Miranda#Renovations. A cinema complex in the new area is due to open in mid 2015.
Miranda also has a shopping strip, running along The Kingsway and Kiora Road. Numerous commercial developments are also located on these roads and surrounding streets. The smaller Parkside Plaza Shopping Centre containing a supermarket and various grocery shops is located nearby in Wandella Road (North).
Transport
Population
According to the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population, there were 14,436 residents in Miranda. 30.2% stated they were born overseas with the top countries of birth being England 3.6%, New Zealand 2.5%, China 1.7%, India 1.4% and Philippines 1.1%. English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 76.5% of residents and the most common other languages spoken were Greek 2.3%, Mandarin 1.6%, Italian 1.6%, Cantonese 1.6% and Arabic 1.1%. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 30.1%, Anglican 23.1%, No Religion, 14.8%, and Orthodox 5.1% and Uniting Church 3.5%.