Woolloomooloo ( ) is a harbourside, inner-city eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1.5 kilometres east of the central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney. It is in a low-lying, former docklands area at the head of Woolloomooloo Bay, on Port Jackson. The Domain sits to the west, the locality of East Sydney is near the south-west corner of the suburb and the locality of Kings Cross is near the south-east corner. Potts Point is immediately to the east.
Woolloomooloo was originally a working-class district of Sydney and has only recently changed with gentrification of the inner city areas of Sydney. The redevelopment of the waterfront, particularly the construction of the housing development on the Finger Wharf, has caused major change. Areas of public housing still exist in the suburb, with 22% homes in the 2011 postcode, owned by Housing NSW, in front of Redfern, Eastlakes and Glebe.
Woolloomooloo is home to Artspace, an independent, not-for-profit, contemporary art space which is located in the heritage-listed Gunnery building.
History
Aboriginal culture
In 1852, the traveller Col. G.C. Mundy wrote that the name came from Wala-mala, meaning an "Aboriginal burial ground". It has also been suggested that the name means field of blood, due to the alleged Aboriginal tribal fights that took place in the area, or that it is from the pronunciation by Aboriginals of windmill, from the one that existed on Darlinghurst ridge until the 1850s.
European settlement
An 1832 map by Thomas Mitchell shows "Woolloomooloo Estate" extending from the road "To South Head" northwards to Woolloomooloo Bay. To the east lies a hill with windmills and a "New Prison", and land grants on the peninsula that is now the suburbs of Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay. The map shows the original shore-line of Woolloomooloo Bay, Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay. The land to the northwest around Farm Cove is designated "Government Domain".
In the 1840s, the farm land was subdivided into what is now Woolloomooloo, Darlinghurst and parts of Surry Hills. Originally the area saw affluent residents building grand houses, many with spectacular gardens, attracted by the bay and close proximity to the city and Government House.
The area slowly started to change after expensive houses were built in Elizabeth Bay and further east and a road was needed from Sydney. It was for this reason that William Street was built, dividing the land for the first time.
Woolloomooloo Bay was used extensively as a port. As recently as October 1971, the Maritime Services Board opened a 200 metre berth on the western side of the bay.Materials handling Freight & Container Transportation October 1971 page 53
Trams
Green ban
Heritage listings
- Cowper Wharf Road: Finger Wharf
- 43–51 Cowper Wharf Road: The Gunnery, Woolloomooloo
Population
Landmarks
The Sydney Harbour Trust built the Finger Wharf, or Woolloomooloo Wharf, between 1911 and 1915 with the charter to bring order to Sydney Harbour's foreshore facilities. The wharf became the largest wooden structure in the world. The area's commerce was dominated by shipping at the wharf and by the regular influx of sailors and officers from the Garden Island base of the Royal Australian Navy.
The wharf's influence diminished for Woolloomooloo during the 1970s when other more modern wharves were preferred. By the 1980s the wharf lay derelict and empty and in 1987, the state government decided to demolish the Wharf. A new complex was approved to replace the wharf in Woolloomooloo Bay, but when demolition work was due to begin in January 1991, locals blocked entrance to the site. Unions imposed a green ban, which stopped demolition crews from undertaking work.
In the mid-1990s the wharf was renovated into 300 private residential apartments and a boutique hotel with 104 guestrooms. It also has several restaurants and bars, including the popular Water Bar, frequented by many visiting celebrities. At first, the hotel was launched as "W Sydney - Woolloomooloo" and was the W Hotels brands' first internationally launched property outside of the United States. The hotel's licensing expired in 2007 and rebranded as "Blue Hotel", managed by Taj Hotels & Resorts. Notable residents include actor Russell Crowe, who lives in a $14 million penthouse which as a result has become famous in Australia and abroad and one of the most expensive and sought after places in the country. Another prominent resident is controversial former Australian radio presenter John Laws.
Woolloomooloo is home to Artspace, an independent, not-for-profit and non-collecting residency-based contemporary art centre. Artspace is housed in the historic Gunnery Building. Devoted to the development of certain new ideas and practices in contemporary art and culture, since the early 1980s Artspace has been building a critical context for Australian and international artists, curators and writers.
The Andrew "Boy" Charlton Pool, sits on the western side of Woolloomooloo Bay, amongst the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Popular culture
Public transport
Notable residents
Notes
External links
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