At the time of its abolition it also included the suburbs of Camperdown, Darlington, Enmore, Lewisham, Newtown, Petersham, Stanmore and parts of Dulwich Hill and Erskineville as well as the University of Sydney.

[2] Multi-member constituencies were abolished in 1894 and the district was created, along with Newtown-Camperdown, Newtown-Erskine and Newtown-St Peters to replace the then four member electorate of Newtown.

The seat was then held for twenty years by Norm Ryan, who for part of that time was Minister for Public Works and oversaw the building of the Sydney Opera House.

The ALP subsequently drafted Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt, who was then a member of the Legislative Council, as their candidate, as she was seen to be the best chance of holding the seat.

[4] Despite Tebbutt's profile, she faced significant challenges from Byrne, but ultimately won out - although the Green vote was the highest in Australian history at that time.