Chifley, NSW 2036

Chifley is a quiet, predominantly residential suburb in the City of Randwick, about 13 km south-east of the Sydney CBD and set back just behind the coastal suburbs of Malabar and Little Bay. Named after Ben Chifley, Australia's wartime Labor Prime Minister, it was carved from the southern end of Matraville by Randwick Council in 1964; the first house in the area, Bunnerong House, dates to 1825. Its low- to medium-density housing attracts a larger share of families with children than most Randwick suburbs, and in recent decades much of the original post-war stock has been demolished and replaced by larger, taller family homes and townhouses. The 2021 census counted 3,490 residents — 66.8% born in Australia, with English (26.8%), Irish (12.9%) and Chinese (7.0%) among the most common ancestries.

At a Glance

Transport

Public transport is bus-based — Chifley has no railway station or light rail stop, and buses along Anzac Parade on the suburb's western edge are the main service: the 394X express runs from La Perouse to City Museum and the 390X express to Bondi Junction, both stopping along Anzac Parade through Chifley, operated by Transdev John Holland. Local and express services also run down Bunnerong Road and Little Bay Road on the suburb's fringes, connecting to Little Bay, La Perouse, Maroubra Junction and the city (Sydney Accueil).

Schools

Chifley Public School — NSW government primary school (K–6) on Mitchell Street in Chifley, one of two schools the suburb contains. Matraville Sports High School — NSW government co-educational high school at Anzac Parade, Chifley (the school's own contact page lists 'Anzac Parade Chifley NSW 2036'), which doubles as the local government high school catchment for surrounding suburbs including Phillip Bay. The suburb also has a number of preschool centres.

Shopping & Amenities

Chifley is essentially residential, with a small low-rise strip of local shops, cafes, takeaways and services along Anzac Parade in the suburb's west — there is no large shopping centre within the suburb. Community anchors include Chifley Public School, Matraville Sports High School and Bob Clarke Memorial Reserve on Anzac Parade.

Parks & Outdoors

Chifley's parks are low-key, family-oriented open spaces: Bob Clarke Memorial Reserve on Anzac Parade, Dr Walters Park on Mawson Parade and the Women's Athletic Field. The western edge of the suburb preserves a remnant of Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub — an endangered ecological community that was once the dominant coastal flora of the region and is now the subject of remediation and preservation efforts. Long Bay Correctional Centre, Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park and Bunnerong Equestrian Park adjoin the suburb's borders, and the ocean beaches and coastline of adjacent Malabar and Little Bay are minutes away.

Property Market

The median house price in Chifley was around ~$2.5M–$2.7M across trackers in 2026: proplo.com.au reported a median house price of $2,740,000 (+2.7% YoY); andreamonti.com.au reported $2,597,000 (−5.5% over 12 months, Jul 2026); picki.com.au reported a $2.5M median (mid-2026). See our full Sydney property price map for how the suburb compares across the city. Chifley is a family, house-dominated market: 46 settled sales were recorded in the 12 months to mid-2026 and 295 over the longer record (proplo, NSW Valuer General data), with recent settled house sales clustered around $2.6M–$3.7M (e.g. 36 Mitchell St $2.7M, 71 Mawson Pde $3.7M, Oct–Nov 2025). Trackers diverge on the median — roughly $2.5M (picki) to $2.74M (proplo) — reflecting a 2025–26 price correction (andreamonti: −5.5% 12m) after a stable 2024–25. The original 1950s–60s housing stock has been progressively replaced by larger two-storey family homes and townhouses. 2021 median weekly household income was $2,132, above the NSW median (ABS via andreamonti). Average days on market ~86 (andreamonti).

New Developments

Development is minimal infill rather than major projects: Randwick Council planning records for Chifley are dominated by household-scale applications — demolitions of post-war dwellings and construction of two-storey attached dual occupancies, granny flats, pools and additions (microburbs planning data, 40+ applications). No apartment towers or large mixed-use projects characterise the suburb, which retains its low-rise family character while older homes are steadily rebuilt.

Jobs & Local Economy

Chifley is chiefly a commuter suburb: residents work across the Sydney CBD and eastern suburbs, with express buses on Anzac Parade the main public link, while regional employment is dominated by healthcare and education sectors (andreamonti local-industry profile). Local jobs centre on the suburb's schools (Chifley Public School, Matraville Sports High School), its Anzac Parade retail strip and community facilities, with the Randwick health and education precinct, Port Botany's industrial area and Sydney Airport all within a short drive.

Nearby Suburbs

Matraville, Malabar, Little Bay, Phillip Bay

Sources & method

Researched 4 September 2026 from named public sources — census and government records, transport authorities, council and planning documents — plus published sales data. Where sources disagree on a figure, the guide says so rather than picking one.

Sources cited in this guide:

• Wikipedia — Chifley
• Transport for NSW
• NSW Government

Corrections are welcome — if something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we will fix it.

Back to all Sydney suburb guides.