historical walking tour - city of sydney · 2013-03-15 · william street in 1970 (photograph:...
TRANSCRIPT
historical walking tours
Front Cover Image: Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross, 1965 (Photograph: City of Sydney)
PASSIONSYDNEY’S WILD SIDEHistorical Walking Tour
William Street in 1970 (Photograph: National Archives of Australia, A1200,L84004)
Please allow 1½ hours for this tour.
If you want to go into Elizabeth Bay House, add an extra hour. There are lots of coffee shops
and pubs en route. Start at Kings Cross Station. Turn left and walk
along Darlinghurst Road (1) .
Once the domain of grand houses and stylish apartments, “The Cross” eventually became the city’s red light district and an entertainment zone that never sleeps.
But along with sailors, soldiers, tourists and suburbanites out for a night on the town, it has also been home to Sydney’s Bohemia, the haunt of artists, actors, writers and musicians. It continues to attract anyone hoping to find what the painter Donald Friend described in the 1940s as the “genuine Berlin air” of the Cross, where “Everybody is wicked”.
ings Cross, along with its adjoining locales of Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay, has a rich and risque history.
Historical Walking Tours — Passion / 01.
Sydney’s history
is all around us. Our walking tours will lead you on a journey of discovery from early Aboriginal life through to
contemporary Sydney.
Clover Moore MPLord Mayor of Sydney
BILLYARD
AVENUE
ITHA
CA
RO
AD
M4 WESTERN DISTRIBUTOR FREEWAY
GEO
RG
E S
T
HA
RR
ING
TON
STC
UM
BE
RLA
ND
ST
PIT
T S
T
PIT
T S
T
BLIG
H ST
CA
STL
ER
EA
GH
ST
ELI
ZAB
ETH
ST
ART GALLERY RD
GE
OR
GE
ST
AS
H S
T
YOR
K S
T
YOR
K L
N
KE
NT
ST
CLA
RE
NC
E S
T
KE
NT
ST
CA
RR
ING
TON
ST
SU
SS
EX
ST
HIC
KS
ON
RD
HICKSON R
D
HIC
KS
ON
RD
SPRING S
T
O’CONNELL
ST
PH
ILLI
P S
T
YOU
NG
ST
LOF
TUS
ST
MA
CQ
UA
RIE
ST
PH
ILLI
P L
AN
E
BRIDGE STDALLEY ST
PARK ST
WILLIAM ST
WILLIAM ST
KINGS CROSS RD
RO
SLYN
ST
RO
SLY
N G
AR
DE
NS
NEW SOUTH HEAD RD
OC
EA
N S
T
GLE
NM
OR
E R
D
CA
SC
AD
E S
T
GLENMORE RD
GURNER ST
PADDINGTON ST
OXFORD ST
RENNY ST
GORDON ST
MOORE PARK RD
GR
EE
NS
RD
OXFORD ST
WIL
LIAM
ST
OA
TLE
Y R
D
RE
GE
NT
ST
DR
IVE
R A
VE
AN
ZAC
PD
E
AN
ZAC
PD
E
ALISON RD
ALISON RD
ALISON RD
CO
OK
RD
ROBERTS
ON RD
LAN
G R
D
LANG RD
OR
MO
ND
ST
GLENM
ORE RD
BR
OW
N S
T
NIE
LD A
VE
BOUNDARY ST
BARCOM AVE
MCLACHLAN AVE
ELIZ
ABETH S
T
CRAIGEND ST
LIVERPOOL ST
LIVERPOOL ST
WENTW
ORTH AVE
FOST
ER S
T
BATHURST ST
WILMOT ST
CENTRAL STALBION PL
GOULBURN ST
GOULBURN ST
CAMPBELL STHAY ST
HAY ST
BARLOW ST
PAR
KE
R S
T
EDDY AVE
VALENTINE ST
CAMPBELL ST
ANN ST
RESERVOIR ST
FITZROY ST
FOVEAUX ST
DEVONSHIRE ST
KIPPAX ST
COOPER ST
ARTHUR STDAVIES ST
ARTHUR ST
RAINFORD ST
PHELPS ST
BENNETT STPROSPECT ST
ALBION AVE
NAPIER ST
JOSEPHSON ST
CHURCH ST
SE
LWYN
ST
BURTON ST
MACDONALS ST
SEALE ST
FRANCIS ST
STANLEY ST
CATHEDRAL ST
BO
UR
KE
ST
CLAPTON PL
FARRELL AVE
FORBES
ST
DARLINGHURST
RD
DARLINGHURST
RD
MA
CLE
AY
ST
VIC
TOR
IA S
T
BO
UR
KE
ST
FOR
BE
S S
T
GREENKNOWE AVEELIZABETH BAY ROAD
CHALLIS AVE
MCDONALD LN
ST NEOT AVE
ROCKWALL CRES
ROCKWALL LN
ORWELL ST
EA
RL
ST
HUGHES ST
TUS
CU
LUM
ST
MANNING ST
WYLDE ST
CO
WPE
R W
HA
RF
RD
WY
WAR
D A
VE
VICTORIA
ST
VIC
TOR
IA S
T
PALM
ER
ST
PALM
ER
ST
CR
OW
N S
T
BA
PTI
ST
ST
NIC
HO
LS S
T
HU
TCH
INS
ON
MA
RSH
ALL
ST
SO
UTH
DO
WLI
NG
ST
SO
UTH
DO
WLI
NG
ST
SO
UTH
DO
WLI
NG
ST
RIL
EY
ST
SM
ITH
ST
BRIS
BANE
ST
BO
UR
KE
ST
BO
UR
KE
ST
CR
OW
N S
T
CR
OW
N S
T
CO
LLE
GE
ST
ALBION ST
TAYLOR ST
SU
SS
EX
ST
SU
SS
EX
ST
DIX
ON
ST
HA
RB
OU
R S
T
CA
STL
ER
EA
GH
ST
PIT
T S
T
KE
NT
ST
ELI
ZAB
ETH
ST
NIT
HS
DA
LE S
T
ELI
ZAB
ETH
ST
CO
MM
ON
WE
ALT
H S
T
BELM
OR
E ST
LAC
EY S
T
HO
LT S
T
RANDLE ST
CO
RB
EN
ST
MAR
Y ST
BELL
EVU
E ST
WAT
ERLO
O S
T
RIL
EY
ST
RIL
EY
ST
YU
RO
NG
ST
RIL
EY
ST
FLIN
DE
RS
ST
CH
ISH
OLM
ST
ELI
ZAB
ETH
ST
ELI
ZAB
ETH
ST
ELIZABETH ST
CLI
SD
ELL
ST
BU
CK
ING
HA
M S
T
CH
ALM
ER
S S
T
GR
EA
T B
UC
KIN
GH
AM
ST
CH
ALM
ER
S S
T
BE
AU
MO
NT
ST
WA
LKE
R S
T
DO
UG
LAS
ST
GE
OR
GE
ST
GEORGE ST
BROADWAY
THOMAS ST
MARY ANN ST
MACARTHUR ST
WILLIAM HENRY ST
QUARRY ST
FIG ST
ALLEN ST
MU
RR
AY S
T
WEN
TWO
RTH
PARK
RD
PARRAMATTA RD
CATHERINE ST
ARUNDEL ST
CARILLON AVE
MIS
SE
ND
EN
RD
WELLINGTON
OCONNOR ST
QUEEN ST
MEAGHER ST
CLEVELAND ST
CLEVELAND ST
CLEVELAND ST
CLEVELAND ST
KNOX ST GRAFTON ST
GLEBE POINT RD
CAMPBELL ST
GLEBE ST
BROUGHTON ST
PHILLIP ST
WENTW
ORTH ST
MT VERNON ST
WESTMORELAND ST
DERWENT ST B
AY
ST
WATTLE S
T
WATTLE S
T
AB
ER
CR
OM
BIE
ST
BU
CK
LAN
D S
T
PIN
E S
T
SH
EP
HE
RD
ST
RO
SE
ST
BA
LFO
UR
ST
GLEBE PO
INT RD
TALFOURD
STG
OTTEN
HAM
STC
OLBO
UR
NE AVE
DAR
LING
STD
ARG
HAN
STBELLEVU
E ST
BUR
TON
ST
GR
IFFIN PL
BAYVIEW ST
LOM
BARD ST
TAYLOR ST
GLEBE PO
INT RD
MAN
SFIELD ST
MAXW
ELL ROAD
BELL STALLEN
STAVE RD
ALEXAND
RA
ROSS ST FO
REST ST
LOD
GE ST
JAROC
IN AVE
MINOGUE CRES
BRIDGE RD
BRIDGE R
D
PYRM
ONT
BRIDGE
RD
MILLER ST
BOWMAN ST
ED
WA
RD
ST
JOHN ST
HARVEY ST
WIGRAM RD
BOYCE STTOXTETH RD
ARCADIA RD
FORSYTH ST
COOK ST
FERRY RD
VICTORIA RD
EGLINTON RD
HEREFORD ST
MARLBOROUGH
ST JOHNS RD
ST JOHNS RDLYNDHURST ST
MIT
CHELL
ST
CO
WP
ER
ST
BOUNDARY ST
JAMES ST
JAMES ST
WELLS ST
REDFERN ST
TURNER ST
ALBERT ST
PHILLIP ST
RAGLAN ST
KELLICK ST
REEVE ST
HENDERSON RD
RAILWAY PDE
LOCOMOTIVE ST
CENTRAL AVE
WELLINGTON ST
MCEVOY ST
ALLEN ST
MANDIBLE ST
POWELL ST
LACHLAN ST
DACEY AVE
BOURKE ST
JOYN
TON
AVE
LINK R
D
O’DEA AVE
TOD
MAN
AVE
O’DEA AVE
EPSOM RD
EPSOM RD
LENHALT ST
AN
ZAC
PD
E
DO
NC
AS
TER
AV
E
AN
ZAC
PD
E
TODMAN AVE
COLLINS ST
HUNTLEY ST
HUNTLEY ST
COULSON ST
MACDONALD ST
VICTORIA STASHMORE ST E
LLIO
T A
VE
EV
E S
T
RO
CH
FOR
D S
T
FLO
RA
ST
GE
OR
GE
ST
CH
AR
LES
ST
BR
IDG
E S
TB
UR
RE
N S
T
MA
LCO
LM S
T
CONCORD ST
SYDNEY PARK RD
PRIN
CES
HW
Y
KIN
G S
T
MADDOX ST
MORELY AVE
GARDENERS RD
GARDENERS RD
BURROWS RD
BUR
RO
WS
RD
BELM
ONT
ST
LAW
RENCE
ST
EUST
ON L
ANE
EUST
ON R
OAD
EUST
ON
RO
AD
CAMPBELL RD
BOURKE
RD
BOURKE RD
RICKETTY ST KE
NT
RD
HARCOURT PDE
RO
THS
CH
ILD
AV
E
RO
SE
BE
RR
Y A
VE
DA
LME
NY
AV
E
DA
LME
NY
AV
E
DA
LME
NY
AV
E
JOHN ST
POWER AVE
PAR
K R
D
CLA
RA
ST
PAR
K S
T
NE
WTO
N S
T
KIN
GS
CLE
AR
RD
ALE
XAN
DE
R S
T
HARLEY ST
ASHMORE ST
COPELAND ST FOUNTAIN STBO
WDEN ST
JENNINGS STSWANSON ST
ALBERT ST
ERSKINVILLE RD
RENWICK ST
MIT
CHELL
RD
SUTT
OR S
T
DIBBS
ST
ALLEN AVE
FOX
AVE
BELM
ONT
STLA
WREN
CE ST
MCEVOY ST
HUDSON ST
DANGAR PL
MYRTLE ST
VINE ST
IVY
ST
CO
DR
ING
TON
ST
IVY
LN
VINE ST
ABER
CROM
BIE
ST
ABERCROMBIE ST
WILSON ST
LANDER ST
DARLINGTON RD
KING ST
CITY RD
MAZE CRES
BLACKWATTLE
EVEL
EIG
H S
T
RE
NW
ICK
ST
GE
OR
GE
ST
WIL
LIA
M S
T
GE
OR
GE
ST
CO
PE
ST
CO
PE
ST
GE
OR
GE
ST
PIT
T S
T
PIT
T S
T
PIT
T S
TB
UR
NE
TT
HU
GO
ST
LEW
IS S
T RE
GE
NT
ST
RE
GE
NT
ST
GIB
BO
NS
ST
BO
TAN
Y R
D
BO
TAN
Y R
D
O’R
IORD
AN S
T
O’R
IOR
DA
N S
T
BOTANY
RD
PH
ILLI
PS
ST
LOVE
RID
GE
BR
EN
NA
N S
T
GE
RA
RD
ST
GA
RD
EN
ST
CO
RN
WA
LLIS
ST
RO
SE
HIL
L S
T
WYN
DH
AM
ST
SH
EP
HE
RD
ST
EDW
ARD S
T
CALDER RD
CAROLINE STLAWSON ST
LAWSON SQ
MARGARET
PITT ST
LEE
ST
REGENT ST
THO
MA
S S
T
QU
AY
ST
DA
RLI
NG
DR
HA
RR
IS ST
HA
RR
IS ST
BU
LWA
RA
RD
HA
CK
ETT ST
PYRM
ON
T ST
MO
UN
T ST
JON
ES S
T
DARLI
NG IS
LAND R
D
PIR
RA
MA
RD
PIRR
AMA R
D
JON
ES ST
JON
ES ST
KE
NS
ING
TON
ST
HARBOUR ST
ULTIMO RD
PIER ST OXFORD STPOPLAR
WAINE ST
DRUITT ST
MARKET ST
ALFRED ST
BENT ST
HUNTER ST
MARTIN PL
KING ST
GROSVENOR ST
MARGARET ST
BOND ST
CURTIN PL
REIBY PL
ERSKINE ST
BARRACK ST
ARGYLE ST
WINDMILL ST
LOW
ER FORT
STTOWNS PL
MC
CA
ULE
Y S
T
STO
KES
AVE
ON
SLO
W P
L
ON
SLO
W AVENUE
WOMERAH AVENUE
SURREY STREET
NIM
RO
D S
TB
RO
UG
HA
M S
TRE
ET
MC
ELH
ON
E S
TRE
ET
DO
WLI
NG
STR
EE
T
PYRMONT BRIDGE
UNION ST
ObservatoryHill
QUA
RRY
MASTER DR
IVE
LITTLE PIER ST
WE
STE
RN
DIS
TRIB
UTO
R
Sydney CoveWarrane
Bennelong PointDubbagullee
Dawes PointTar–raWalsh Bay
Darling HarbourTumbalong
RoyalBotanicGardens
The Domain
Hyde Park
Beare Park
DarlingHarbour
Moore Park
Belmore Park
Wentworth Park
Harold Park
JubileePark
VictoriaPark
Centennial Park
Royal Randwick Racecourse
Cockle Bay
Blackwattle Bay
Rozelle Bay
Johnstons Bay
Farm Cove Wahganmuggalee
Woolloomooloo Bay
Elizabeth Bay
RushcuttersBay
Sydney Park
TaylorSquare
Sydney University
Circular Quay
Wynyard
Martin Place
Town Hall
Museum
St James
Central Station
Erskinville
Redfern
Macdonaldtown
St Peters
Kings Cross
John StSquare
SydneyFish Market
WentworthPark
StarCity
PyrmontBay
Convention
Exhibition
Paddy’sMarkets
CapitolSquare
Central
HarboursideDarling
Park CityCentre
GalleriesVictoria
WorldSquare
16
15
17
14
18
19
20
01
21
22
09
05
04
03
06
02
07
08
111312
10
Historical Walking Tours — Passion / 02.
PASSIONSYDNEY’S WILD SIDEHistorical Walking Tour
Darlinghurst Road is many things. It is the city’s red light district, backpackers’ mecca and home for temporary and long-term residents. Many famous people have lived in the street, including poet and activist Mary Gilmore, artist William Dobell, cartoonist Emile Mercier, and the “gun doc”. In the 1930s and 1940s its Bohemian atmosphere made its cafes and nightclubs a magnet for writers, artists and musicians. The nearby Garden Island naval base and Woolloomooloo docks brought in many servicemen during World War II and the Vietnam War, and this led to the introduction of American-style bars and strip clubs. On the eastern side of the road, notice the Art Deco building at No. 52, now the Council Neighbourhood Service Centre and Library. This is a place to find more information about The Cross. On the corner of Roslyn Street is the Empire, formerly the site of the legendary Les Girls. Darlinghurst Road is also where the first Mardi Gras protest march for gay rights ended in a riot and 53 arrests in 1978.
DarlinghursT rOaD
Pink Pussycat Club (Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
01
Continue along Darlinghurst Road to the end. To the left is Macleay Street and opposite are the Fitzroy Gardens (02) .
In Orwell Street you will see many examples of Art Deco buildings. The Metro building, designed by Bruce Dellit in the 1930s, was previously known as The Minerva Theatre. In the 1960s it was the venue for the groundbreaking musical Hair. For a time in the 1970s it was a supermarket. Today it has been restored and is the headquarters of Kennedy Miller Mitchell Films, makers of Mad Max and Babe.
Orwell sTreeT
Two women outside Minerva French Perfumery in 1941 (Photograph: Russell Roberts Walkabout collection, State Library of NSW)
03
Retrace your steps along Orwell Street, turn left into Macleay Street, then left into Hughes Street, home of the Wayside Chapel (04), 29 Hughes Street.
This was the site of Maramanah, the house occupied by eccentric aunts in Robin Eakin’s book Aunts up the Cross (1965). The aunts had their own private orchestra and could see no good reason to pay taxes or conform to any of the usual behaviour expected of “respectable” society. The house was sold to the City Council in 1945 and demolished to build the park. The El Alamein Fountain, designed by Robert Woodward, was built in 1961. The dandelion effect of the arrangement of its bronze pipes has become a symbol of Kings Cross.
02 FiTzrOy garDens anD el alamein FOunTain
El Alamein Fountain (Photograph:
City of Sydney Archives)
Turn left and walk along Macleay Street to Orwell Street (03) .
The Wayside Chapel was set up in 1964 by the Reverend Ted Noffs of the Methodist Church (now the Uniting Church). As well as the Chapel, it houses a Crisis Centre offering crisis accommodation, food, clothing, counselling and referrals to 2000 people a week. It also offers telephone and face-to-face counselling, health care and bathroom facilities for the homeless and those in need, and support to homeless and at-risk youth.
04 waysiDe Chapel
Continuing down Hughes Street, turn right into Tusculum Street, and right again into Manning Street, to reach Tusculum (05), 3 Manning Street.
Historical Walking Tours — Passion / 03.
PASSIONSYDNEY’S WILD SIDEHistorical Walking Tour
When the first land grants were made on Woolloomooloo Hill (now Potts Point) houses there had to meet several conditions — they had to cost at least £1000, face the city, and be approved by the Governor. Tusculum, designed by John Verge for the merchant Alexander Brodie Spark and completed in 1835, was typical of the mansions that once dominated the landscape of this precinct. Originally there was an open colonnade of Doric columns at ground level, but in 1851 merchant William Long rebuilt it with the two-storey Ionic colonnade we see today. Tusculum went through many uses, ending up near-derelict before being restored in 1988 as home of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. A new building at the rear contains an architectural bookshop open to the public.
TusCulum
Tusculum (Photograph: Max Dupain / Australian Institute of Architects)
05
Turn right at Macleay Street, and walk back along the street to the intersection of Greenknowe Avenue. Cross over to the corner building known as Kingsclere (06), 48 Macleay Street.
Kingsclere, completed in 1912 and designed by Halligan and Wilton, was the first block of high-rise apartments built on this street and among the first in Sydney. They aimed at an exclusive market, with features such as two balconies and two bathrooms for each flat, luxurious wood panelling and automatic passenger lifts. In the 1920s and 1930s, Macleay Street became known for its fine apartment buildings designed by prominent architects, including the Macleay Regis at No. 12 (1939), Manar at No. 42 (1926) and Byron Hall at No. 97–99 (1929).
06 KingsClere
Kingsclere, 1912 (Photograph: Building
magazine, December 1912, State Library of NSW)
Continue down Greenknowe Avenue, then turn left into Onslow Avenue, to reach Elizabeth Bay House (07), 7 Onslow Avenue.
Historical Walking Tours — Passion / 04.
Elizabeth Bay House was the home of Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay from 1839. The design is attributed to John Verge, who also designed Tusculum and Rockwall, which you will see later on this walk. From 1841 to 1927, the 54 acre (21.8 hectare) estate was progressively lost to subdivisions. Between 1928 and 1935 it became a squat where some of Sydney’s Bohemian artists lived rent-free with beautiful harbour views, but without electricity. It then became a reception venue, then flats. A City Council plan for it to be used for receptions—and as a residence for the Lord Mayor—was set aside by the NSW Government in 1976 and it was finally restored and opened to the public as a house museum in 1977. Its magnificent elliptical, domed saloon with its curving, cantilevered staircase is one of the finest interiors of a 19th century Australian building. Don’t miss out on going inside.
elizabeTh bay hOuse
Staircase at Elizabeth Bay House (Photograph: Ray Joyce / Historic Houses Trust of NSW
07
On leaving Elizabeth Bay House you may turn left and find the stairs back up to Macleay Street, or take a detour right onto Billyard Avenue to reach Boomerang (08), 42 Billyard Avenue.
PASSIONSYDNEY’S WILD SIDEHistorical Walking Tour
Historical Walking Tours — Passion / 05.
Just around the corner from Boomerang is Beare Park, a good vantage point for viewing the harbour or taking a break. Then retrace your steps along Billyard Avenue past McElhone Reserve. Across the road you will see a stairway—proceed up the stairway and follow the “dog-leg” footpath between apartment buildings which takes you back to Macleay Street. Turn left into Macleay Street, then right into Rockwall Crescent to the old mansion Rockwall (09) on your left.
rOCKwall
This is one of the remaining original grand residences of Potts Point. Its gardens once extended to Macleay Street. It was designed by John Verge and built 1830–37 as an ”Italian villa” for John Busby, who achieved fame by overseeing the construction of Busby’s Bore, a tunnel that brought fresh water into the city when the original Tank Stream was running dry. Italianate verandas were added later, and over its life the house has been many things, including a school for girls. By the 1960s it was virtually derelict, but was restored in the 1990s for the adjoining hotel (now Rockwall Apartments). Today, it is back in private hands.
09
Rockwall, c1840 (Image: Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW)
Retrace your steps back to Macleay Street and turn left. Continue past Challis Avenue to “The Yellow House” (10), 57–59 Macleay Street.
The yellOw hOuse 10
Painter at work at the Yellow House, early 1970s
(Photograph: © Rennie Ellis Collection, held at Mitchell
Library, State Library of NSW)
This 1897 terrace was once owned by Frank and Thelma Clune, patrons of the arts. In 1957 it became the Terry Clune Gallery, and artists who exhibited there included Russell Drysdale, John Olsen and John Perceval. From 1970 to 1972 Martin Sharp, a young Sydney artist, turned the gallery space into what he described as “an artist community in the south, in the sun, and probably one of the greatest pieces of conceptual art ever achieved”. Virtually every surface was painted with images inspired by the Surrealists and Van Gogh. The house was named after Van Gogh’s Yellow House in Arles and was the venue for cabarets, plays and films. Artists involved included Brett Whiteley, Peter Weir, Jim Sharman and George Gittoes. In 2003 it was reinvented as apartments, with an art gallery space on the ground floor. Remnants of the 1970s work were found in the building, restored and repositioned for public view.
You may wish to take a detour and view Garden Island. Otherwise, go back a few steps along Macleay Street, then turn right into Challis Avenue (11).
If you continue north along Macleay Street and Wylde Street you will reach the Royal Australian Navy base, HMAS Kuttabul, incorporating Garden Island. There has been a naval base on Garden Island since 1858. This picture shows it c1920. It was joined to the mainland by the building of the Captain Cook Graving Dock in 1942. Many of the old colonial villas of the area are now part of HMAS Kuttabul. For more information on guided tours call the Naval Historical Society on 9359 2372.
DeTOur: garDen islanD
Garden Island when it was still an island, c1920 (Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
bOOmerang08
Boomerang brought the Hollywood-influenced Spanish hacienda style to Sydney. It was designed by English architect Neville Hampson for the music publisher Frank Albert, who lived there from 1926 until his death in 1962. It was named after his company’s Boomerang trademark, the brand name for his popular sheet music and a range of mouth organs. Unoccupied from 1962 to 1978, it has since changed hands several times, becoming one of Australia’s most expensive city houses. Note: this is a private residence, not open to the public.
PASSIONSYDNEY’S WILD SIDEHistorical Walking Tour
Historical Walking Tours — Passion / 06.
Challis Avenue is named after John Henry Challis, who arrived in Sydney in 1829 and became a successful local merchant. He was a great benefactor of the University of Sydney, leaving his property to the University to form the Challis Bequest. The street has many fine town houses built in Greek Revival style, as well as Romanesque style terraces with elaborate colonnaded verandas. A fine example is the Garcia Centre (12).
Challis avenue11
12
In 1909 the Sisters of Charity, located nearby, bought these four terraces before they were completed as houses, and converted them to the Garcia School of Singing and Music. The inspiration behind this was Sister Mary Paul of the Cross, previously known as Madame Christian, a great oratorio singer and a teacher of Nellie Melba. She had renounced a brilliant singing career to enter the order in 1894.
garCia CenTre FOr perFOrming arTs
Turn left into Victoria Street. On this corner are the imposing walls of St Vincent’s College (13) .
The Sisters of Charity acquired an old residence called Tarmons on this site, for a convent. They established a free hospital in 1857 and a school for the local children in 1858. A few years later St Vincent’s Hospital moved to its present location, leaving room for the school to expand, as semi-rural Potts Point became a dense inner city location. St Vincent’s College now has about 700 students, with 160 boarders.
sT vinCenT’s COllege13
On your right, across Victoria Street are the McElhone Stairs (14) and further down the street you will find the Butler Stairs (19) .
These stairs were built about 1870 to link the neighbourhoods of Kings Cross and Potts Point with Woolloomooloo. They had been separated by an escarpment, and the divide was social as well as physical. This is seen in the classic 1920s Australian silent film The Kid Stakes, based on the Fatty Finn comic strip, where the rich boy from Potts Point is contrasted with his poorer cousins from The ’Loo.
14 19 mCelhOne sTairs buTler sTairs
Take the McElhone Stairs to enjoy the Woolloomooloo detour. Continuing down Victoria Street leads to the site of one of the first “Green Bans” (18) of the 1970s.
PASSIONSYDNEY’S WILD SIDEHistorical Walking Tour
Historical Walking Tours — Passion / 07.
Continue down Victoria Street and you reach Kings Cross (21)
itself, where William Street, Darlinghurst Road, Victoria Street and Kings Cross Road meet and cross.
The Nimrod Street Theatre at 10 Nimrod Street was founded in 1970 when a group of young actors, writers and directors including John Bell, Anna Volska, Richard Wherrett, Ken and Lilian Horler and Ron Blair turned an old stable into an intimate and provocative theatre space. They produced new Australian plays and radical new versions of Shakespeare in a steady stream until 1974 when they moved to bigger premises in nearby Belvoir Street, Surry Hills. The Nimrod Street Theatre was renamed SBW Stables Theatre and in 1979, the Griffin Theatre Company took it over.
22 sTables TheaTre
The intersection of many streets, including the crossover of Darlinghurst Road and Victoria Street at William Street, was originally named Queens Cross to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. In 1905 the name was officially changed to Kings Cross. William Street then was much narrower than it is today. It was widened in 1916, and the building of the Kings Cross tunnel in the 1970s extended it through to Bayswater Road. The buildings at the top of the Cross have sprouted bright advertising signs for many decades, and the current large Coca-Cola sign has become a Kings Cross landmark.
21 The CrOss
Kings Cross, c1950 (Photograph: City of Sydney
Archives)
If you want to begin exploring the other side of The Cross, known as Darlinghurst, cross over the intersection, continue down Victoria Street, turn left into Craigend Street then right into Nimrod Street.
The ’Loo is one of Australia’s most internationally famous place names, mentioned not only in the Monty Python ‘Bruces’ sketch, but in F Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, perhaps because this was many visitors’ first landfall in Australia – and the name couldn’t be more Australian. The name is derived from the local Aboriginal language, variously spelt as Walamul, Wooloo Mooloo and Wallamoula. The navy still ties up here (15), but the “Finger Wharf” (16), one of the largest in the world, has now been turned into residential units, hotel accommodation and restaurants. Also in the area are several pubs and the legendary pie cart, Harry’s Café de Wheels, Cowper Wharf Road (17).
DeTOur: wOOllOOmOOlOO 15
17
to
Juanita Nielsen came from a wealthy family and could have chosen to live a quiet life. Instead she became heavily involved in the campaign to save Victoria Street. She was the proprietor of a local newspaper NOW which she used to crusade for the retention of the street. Her vocal support of the Green Bans and her refusal to sell this house may explain why she disappeared on 4 July 1975, assumed murdered.
202 viCTOria sTreeT
Juanita Nielsen (Photograph: courtesy Elizabeth Butel and Tom Thompson, Kings Cross Album, 1984)
20
Victoria Street contains many beautiful old terraces and is lined with plane trees that meet in the middle to form a leafy canopy over the road. When developers wanted to demolish terraces in the 1970s to build high rise apartments, the Builders’ Labourers Federation (BLF) imposed Green Bans on the houses. Residents refused to leave their properties, and after a long battle, some places were saved and the new development was not as intrusive as had been planned.
18 viCTOria sTreeT anD The green bans
Walk on down the street until you arrive at No. 202 on the left hand side, formerly the house of Juanita Nielsen (20).
Harry’s Café de Wheels (Photograph: Paul Green / City of Sydney)
East side of Victoria Street, 1974 (Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
This brochure was prepared by the History Program at the City of Sydney. 5th edition, September 2011.
historical walking tours
Think before you bin this guideAfter reading, pass it on to someone else who might find it useful or recycle it.
hwT 7
Discover more of historic Sydney with the other walking tour brochures in this series.
More information can be found at the City’s website: www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/history or call the City of Sydney on 9265 9333 We welcome your feedback: [email protected]
This story is one of many layers www.dictionaryofsydney.org