About

History
Zetland was named for Thomas Dundas, 2nd Earl of Zetland, who was a friend of Governor Sir Hercules Robinson. Zetland is an archaic spelling of Shetland.



Zetland originally featured a lagoon and swamp which was drained in the early 1900s to create the Victoria Park racecourse. It was bordered by O’Dea Avenue, South Dowling Street, Epsom Road and Joynton Avenue. The privately owned racecourse was closed after World War II and the land bought by the British Motor Corporation for a car plant. In 1974, Leyland Australia closed the car plant [3] and the site was acquired by the Commonwealth of Australia for a Naval Stores depot which operated until the mid 1990s. The site was redeveloped into high density housing. 



Zetland Post Office was first opened on January 4 1937 and closed on September 29 1983.​



Former tram line

From 1902 a tram service operated through Zetland. The line initially ran via Chalmers and Redfern Streets and south along Elizabeth Street to Zetland via Elizabeth Street. In 1924, the line was extended to Epsom Road in Rosebery. In 1948, to facilitate construction of the Eastern Suburbs Railway, a new line was constructed down Elizabeth Street between Devonshire Street and Redfern Street and the route was deviated to run down this new section. The line was electrified double track throughout. The line was closed in 1957.

 

Waterloo Swamp

The Waterloo Swamp once dominated the landscape of the surrounding areas

of Waterloo and Zetland. Woolwash Park Pond is the only remnant of this

landscape which connected to a vast aquifer that still runs below the site. In

the 1800s industries such as wool washing and tanning were attracted to this

are by the clean water from the aquifer.

Vegetation remains.



Woolwash Park Pond is an important part of the innovative water management

and irrigation system at Victoria Park, Zetland. To ensure that the pond is able

to effectively perform its important functions, residents are advised of the

following by signage. The presence of fish is detrimental to water quality, as

fish disturb sediments, produce waste, damage the macrophytes, and block

the irrigation system. Any fish introduced into the pond will be removed.

Aquatic plants are not to be introduced into the pond. These plants often

infest the pond, killing the macrophytes and blocking the irrigation pumps.