Red Hill (postcode: 2603) is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The suburb is named after the northernmost hill of the ridge to the west of the suburb. The ridge is a reserve and managed as part of the Canberra Nature Park. The hill is an element of the central Canberra design axis.
The name 'Red Hill' was gazetted as a suburb name in 1928. This was the name associated with the hill since the days of the early settlers and probably suggested by the red soil in the area. Streets are named after ships and explorers. Mugga Way is named after an Aboriginal word also associated with the locality since the days of the early settlers.
The hill was once part of the Narrabundah lease held by Charles Russell. He grazed sheep but as the suburb became built up, local pet dogs worried them and killed them. He changed to cattle and finally gave up the lease in 1992.
The Red Hill Precinct or "Old Red Hill" is bounded by Mugga Way, Moresby Street, Arthur Circle, Monaro Crescent and Flinders Way. The major streets of this area were included in an outline plan for the early development of Canberra prepared by Walter Burley Griffin in 1918. Its streetscape and landscape character reflect 1920s garden city planning. It is listed by the ACT Heritage Council.
Residential land in the suburb of Red Hill was offered for sale in the first Canberra land auction conducted on 12 December 1924. By 1929, 22 houses had been built and by 1955 there were 64 houses.
Other sites in Red Hill listed by the ACT Heritage Council are:
The first families moved to the suburb of Red Hill in 1927 and by 1933 the suburb had a population of 132 people. Its population peaked in 1971 with 4,100 residents. At the 2021 census, Red Hill had a population of 3,146, little changed from its population of 3,170 in 2016, 3,249 in 2011 and 3,143 in 2006 and 3,062 in 2001. The population number has changed little over the last 30 years: in 2001 there were 16 fewer people than in 1996; 32 more people than in 1991.
The median age was 42 years; an increase over the median age of 39 recorded in the 2006 census and 37 years recorded in both the 1996 and 1991 censuses.
The mean household size was 2.8 persons.
In the 2021 census, 79.1% of dwellings were separate houses, 7.3% were semi detached, row or terrace houses and townhouses and 13.4% were flats, units or apartments.
Of all occupied private dwellings in the 2021 census, 39.2% were fully owned, 35.8% were being purchased and 21.8% were being rented.
History info courtesy of WikipediaLevel 9, 2 Phillip Law Street, Canberra, ACT, 2601
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