[4] William Redfern (1774–1833) was a surgeon's mate in the Royal Navy and was aboard HMS Standard when its crew took part in the revolt in 1797 known as the Mutiny of the Nore.

The commodious home Redfern built on his land was considered to be a country house, surrounded by flower and kitchen gardens.

Tanners, wool scourers and wool-washers, fellmongers, boiling down works and abattoirs had ten years to move their businesses outside city boundaries.

Public meetings were held and after a flurry of petitions Redfern Municipality was proclaimed on 11 August 1859, the fourth in Sydney to be formed under the Act.

While many were worked by European-Australians, by the 1870s Chinese market gardeners had acquired leases in the district and a decade later were dominating the trade.

[4][3] In the early history of the New South Wales Government Railways, Redfern station was the frequently used but unofficial name of the principal Sydney terminus, a fact which has led to persistent confusion.

This second station, the second Sydney Terminal which grew to 14 platforms, was designed for through traffic if the lines were extended in the city direction.

[8] A station was opened in 1876 1.3 kilometres (1 mi) west of the original Redfern and named Eveleigh, after an old home located on the western side of the railway line.

Rosehill Street was demolished to make way for the later expansion of Redfern station to the east, while the ticket office survived and was later extended.

In 1913 a footbridge was erected at the southern end of the platforms to allow access to the Eveleigh workshops from the station for the workers.

[3] A single track tunnel was built for steam locomotives from Central station to access Eveleigh Railway Workshops.

[8][3] A rising public concern about the lack of disability access to the station platforms led to a petition of over 50,000 signatures and a debate in State Parliament in 2013.

Station offices and facilities such as toilets and the main indicator boards are located next to the Lawson Street entry.

[3] Erected in 1892, the exterior of Redfern Station consists of a main entrance building and ticket office, built of brick in a Federation Queen Anne style with terracotta tiled hipped roof with central cupola and ornamental flèche.

[3] The brick, Type 3, waiting room, completed in 1884, features a U-shaped floor pattern with enclosed end wings.

Decorative features include timber valance to awning ends and coloured glass to upper panes of windows.

Unfinished tunnels also run north and south from this section of the station, indicating earlier plans for extensions that never proceeded.

[3] The structures at Redfern Station are in good condition with the exception of the disused tunnels at the eastern end and the exposed steelwork frames which are rusted.

A condition report completed for the Lawson Street overbridge in 2006 indicated a number of structural issues that required attention.

[3] Redfern Station has undergone a number of modifications and changes, including an upgrade of the overhead walkway and stairs in c. 1999, the addition of awnings to the platforms in c. 1999 but overall is largely intact and has a moderate to high level of integrity.

[3] Since 2013, there have been a number of announcements concerning major upgrades for Redfern Station including the building of a lift to platforms 6 and 7.

[28][29][30] In December 2014 Transport for NSW invited customers to provide feedback on plans for the new lift at Redfern station.

Structures such as the air vents or chimneys connected to the underground engine dive, on Platform 1, are indicators of the adjacent industrial uses of the Eveleigh Yards and are unusual features on a suburban station.

The pair of newel posts is an example of colonial cast-iron work and represents the end of the era of ornamentation brought about by Railway Commissioner Eddy.

[3] Redfern railway station was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.

The expansion of the Sydney network is evident at Redfern through the addition of platforms to cope with new lines, including the Eastern Suburbs Railway in the 1970s.

[3] The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

[3] The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The elaborate detailing of the building, including the cupola and decorative fleche, make it unique in Sydney's railway architecture.

The brick air vents or chimneys on Platform 1 are unusual features on a suburban station and demonstrate the connection to the Eveleigh Railyards adjacent to Redfern.