suburb No 14: Haberfield

Haberfield. Been there a few times before but like Marrickville, only to visit friends. My entire 
experience of the main street was limited to finding a bottle shop to buy some wine for said 
friends. Hopeless really. But even with eyes half shut it was impossible not to notice there was 
something different about the suburb - namely the gardens were big and the houses uniformly 
attractive and mainly Federation. So it didn't come as a surprise when I learnt this week that 
Haberfield was designed as a 'model' garden suburb.

The history in 20 words or less:

• Darug tribe first in, to be replaced by the British - two of whom made their mark on the place - 
David Ramsay and Richard Stanton
• The Ramsay family built a great old building, Yasmar, and St Davids Church (see pics below) 
• Stanton arrived early 1900s to name the suburb after some rellies and transform the place into 
a garden suburb
• The entire suburb is heritage listed, hence the uniform appearance
• The Italians moved in a little later and never left.

Random impressions: quiet, nice churches, very green and flower-colourful. Yasmar is kind of 
spooky now that it's all shuttered up. And there's a small but lethal cluster of restaurants, cake 
shops and delis on Ramsay Street - I am now much wiser about the suburb but considerably 
fatter too...


Part 1: Flowers are everywhere



flowers in the stairs :: 1




flowers on the floor




flowers in the stairs :: 2




flowers in the tiles and dresses




flowers in the tiles and dresses, close-up




flowers in the garden ladies




Part 2: This goes with that



circles




blue




flutterbies




wrap around glass




love love love




how do you like your garden path?




Part 3: Italia



Italy is shaped like a boot




proud colours




the greengrocer's dad




having a chinwag




Part 4: The food



Papa!




the famous cheesecake




star :: 1




a place to meet




creamy goodness




hand made




before and after




star :: 2




Part 5: A church or three



a variety of churches




flowers even grow out of stone (St Davids Uniting Church)




inside out (Haberfield Baptist Church)




St Joan : 1 (Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church)




St Joan : 2 (Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church)




from the garden (Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church)




open the window please (St Oswalds Church)




Part 6: Yasmar (Ramsay spelt backwards)



Yasmar :: 1




Yasmar :: 2




Yasmar :: 3




Part 7: Ciao garden suburb 



a 'model' home




flowers, in the ground and in the hands

The 'model suburb' of Haberfield was designed to be beautiful and it is - what it lacks in diversity 
it makes up for with uniformity in its homes and gardens. Even the food is aesthetically pleasing 
with pretty pastel coloured gelatos and myriad shaped pastries. So pleasing I ate half the suburb 
before I rolled down to my car and left. Stuffed but happy to be one more suburb slightly wiser 
about my own city. 



You might like to visit...

Pasticceria Papa, 145 Ramsay Street

Dolcissimo, 98 Ramsay Street

Yasmar, 185 Parramatta Road 


See you next week.