Rosebery has a mix of residential, commercial and industrial developments but the landscape is being redeveloped as high-density housing, displacing many industrial businesses and affecting the heritage of the suburb. This is happening in the northern parts of Rosebery and the adjacent Green Square.

Rosebery was named after Archibald Phillip Primrose, the fifth Earl of Rosebery, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1894–95. The suburb was named in his honour after his visit to Australia for two months in 1883–84.

Rosebery was once the site of Rosebery Racecourse, which first opened as a pony track in 1906. Race meetings held by the Associated Racing Clubs became as popular as those at Randwick, especially in the 1920s. The track became an army camp during World War II. After the war, it became a training track used by the Sydney Turf Club.

In 1961, much of the land was purchased by the Rosebery Town Planning Company and developed as an industrial area. The housing commission purchased the remaining acres for high density public housing. The area north of Gardeners Road was developed by Richard Stanton (1862–1943) and the same company that developed Haberfield, with the result that Rosebery is known as a 'garden suburb'. Garden competitions were held in the suburb prior to the 1990s. Houses are predominantly single-storey California bungalows, Federation Bungalows or "standard" suburban detached homes.

The Roseberry tram line opened in 1902 and 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.

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