Woolloomooloo
Woolloomooloo is one of the longest suburb names in Australia with a long history to match.
Its ancient Aboriginal name may derive from the word, Wallamullah, meaning place of plenty, or wal-mala, meaning a burial ground. Aborigines have inhabited the area continuously for over 40,000 years.The general area was a low-lying farm in the eighteenth century after John Palmer, a First Fleeter, was granted a 100 acre grant in 1793. As Colonial Commissary he was responsible for handling all government stores and public accounts. The area was then called Palmer’s Cove and was a fine farm of grazing, orchards and boat building, with Mr Palmer’s reputation for lavish entertaining spread colony-wide.
The original high water mark shoreline then extended 200 metres further south from today\'s wharf to where 85 Bourke Street now is, despite a small 2 metre tidal differential.
The area was sub-divided in the 1840s and sold to Mr Riley, after whom Riley Street is named, and then totally transformed with a large general cargo and fishing wharf built in the 1860s, which also permanently reclaimed low-lying tidal land.
A prominent Fish Market dominated the landscape as the public purchased fresh fish from catches brought ashore daily.
By 1882 Woolloomooloo was one of the most popular and distinct divisions within the city. Tightly packed streets with modest workers\' cottages were interspersed between some earlier mansions. However, the area gradually declined after the severe economic depression of the 1890s and into the first half of the twentieth century.
In 1915 a massive Finger Wharf, 400 m long and 63 m wide, and now the largest remaining timber pile wharf in the world, re-affirmed the area’s maritime roots. Principally designed for exporting wool cargo it was also later used by the Royal Australian Navy, for post-war immigrant arrivals and ship liners.
A 1987 government scheme to demolish it met with a virulent political campaign to adaptively re-use it: today it’s a glamorous hotel with exclusive, individual marine villa apartments built above the water and overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Many original industrial heritage features, including a soaring 41 metre high cathedral roof, massive hardwood beams and wool bale elevators add to its rich character and texture.
Woolloomooloo\'s recent renaissance is based on retention of its collection of 19th century sandstone cottages, layered with heritage hotels, yachts, outdoor dining and waterfront promenades on the cusp of the city centre.
Its ancient Aboriginal name may derive from the word, Wallamullah, meaning place of plenty, or wal-mala, meaning a burial ground. Aborigines have inhabited the area continuously for over 40,000 years.The general area was a low-lying farm in the eighteenth century after John Palmer, a First Fleeter, was granted a 100 acre grant in 1793. As Colonial Commissary he was responsible for handling all government stores and public accounts. The area was then called Palmer’s Cove and was a fine farm of grazing, orchards and boat building, with Mr Palmer’s reputation for lavish entertaining spread colony-wide.
The original high water mark shoreline then extended 200 metres further south from today\'s wharf to where 85 Bourke Street now is, despite a small 2 metre tidal differential.
The area was sub-divided in the 1840s and sold to Mr Riley, after whom Riley Street is named, and then totally transformed with a large general cargo and fishing wharf built in the 1860s, which also permanently reclaimed low-lying tidal land.
A prominent Fish Market dominated the landscape as the public purchased fresh fish from catches brought ashore daily.
By 1882 Woolloomooloo was one of the most popular and distinct divisions within the city. Tightly packed streets with modest workers\' cottages were interspersed between some earlier mansions. However, the area gradually declined after the severe economic depression of the 1890s and into the first half of the twentieth century.
In 1915 a massive Finger Wharf, 400 m long and 63 m wide, and now the largest remaining timber pile wharf in the world, re-affirmed the area’s maritime roots. Principally designed for exporting wool cargo it was also later used by the Royal Australian Navy, for post-war immigrant arrivals and ship liners.
A 1987 government scheme to demolish it met with a virulent political campaign to adaptively re-use it: today it’s a glamorous hotel with exclusive, individual marine villa apartments built above the water and overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Many original industrial heritage features, including a soaring 41 metre high cathedral roof, massive hardwood beams and wool bale elevators add to its rich character and texture.
Woolloomooloo\'s recent renaissance is based on retention of its collection of 19th century sandstone cottages, layered with heritage hotels, yachts, outdoor dining and waterfront promenades on the cusp of the city centre.