Woolloomooloo: A day walk through this complex suburb

A Self-Guided Walk in Woolloomooloo

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The word Woolloomooloo appears to derive from one of two Aboriginal words, one meaning place of plenty and the other meaning young black kangaroo. No matter the origin, it’s a difficult word to spell and in the past, has just been referred to as the ‘Loo.

Woolloomooloo Street Scenes

My walk starts from Kings Cross Station. Hoardings with historic photographs of local buildings and Woolloomooloo street scenes in the early 1900s screen complex building work in Brougham Street.  These are the streets I’ll be visiting today.

At the top of Hills Stairs, a woman sees me taking photographs and asks if she can go down. When I tell her I won’t photograph her, she says it will be a pleasure, and poses. Then with a “have a nice day” she trots of down the stairs.

Aboriginal Artwork

The public housing complex at the foot of the stairs is decorated with a detailed and colourful Aboriginal artwork. The basketball court and thriving community garden are empty on this weekday morning.

Weave Community Centre, in McElhone Street, works with residents to create a strong connected community. While gentrification is happening in Woolloomooloo, the area still has social problems and many residents who live in poverty.

Rae Place

Pretty metal doorway awnings add interest to Rae Place, a little side street which ends in a high sandstone wall. The street was part of the first restoration work of the Woolloomooloo renewal project in 1977.

It is still relatively early and the doors of the local watering hole, The Old Fitzroy Hotel, are still closed. When I saw an Arthur Miller play here recently (in the theatre attached to the hotel), the place was buzzing. In the harsh light of day, the building looks rather dilapidated. I hear that there is a renovation planned for 2019.

Urban Walk

A fluffy little white dog peers out at me from a downstairs window. A group of young people listen attentively to a man in a blue Hope Street Baptist Care shirt.  He takes groups on “Urban Walks” raising awareness about the contrasting living standards and realities of those living in the area.

Plunkett Street Public School

Metal grids protect the classroom windows of the nearby Plunkett Street Public School. Part of the Woolloomooloo renewal project, the school (together with the Sydney Distance Education High School) is housed in a complex of recycled industrial buildings, terrace houses and new buildings.

The “No alcohol Zone” sign indicates that public drinking may be a problem around here.

Harry’s Cafe de Wheels

At the end of Dowling Street, between the Finger Wharf and Garden Island is the well-known Harry’s cafe de Wheels which first opened as a caravan cafe in 1938. While it’s not quite lunch time and I am no real fan of pies, I feel I must at least tick this Sydney “must do” off my list and order a pie with mushy peas without gravy. Perhaps it would have tasted better after a night on the town.

Nevertheless, it is pleasant sitting harbourside watching the goings on at the Finger Wharf. Vans and small trucks unload boxes of supplies for the restaurants and hotel located in the historic heritage building.

Woolloomooloo Renewal

Over the road an old red cast iron post box is another example of the Woolloomooloo Renewal project. It has a waratah finial and embossed leaves on top of the box.  Only a few steps away, the Artspace Visual Arts Centre is housed in the historic Gunnery building. Exhibitions rotate throughout the year.

Finger Wharf

Built by the Sydney Harbour Trust between 1911 and 1915, the Finger Wharf fell into disrepair and by the 1980s was scheduled to be demolished. The demolition was stopped by a Green Ban in 1991. Today, the Finger Wharf is home to the Ovolo Hotel, restaurants and upmarket apartments.

After checking with the funkily dressed concierge, I walk confidently up the gold edged wooden stairs. If I hadn’t been here before, I think I would feel quite intimidated by the luxury that surrounds me. But I know that as a public wharf, the historic building is “open for inspection” with the wharf’s history etched into glass information panels along the length of the building.

Sculptures from ARTpark add to the interesting décor. Old wooden framed conveyor belts, big steel wheels and metal walkways above my head have been retained in this heritage building. A man speaking Italian uses his swipe card to enter the Otto Restaurant kitchen. Perhaps he is one of the chefs.

Victorian Terraces

Walking along Forbes Street, through grassed parkland, I pass the four terraces that make up Bottomley’s Terrace which was built in 1886. Wandering around Woolloomooloo, there are many Victorian terraces interspersed with public housing and new residential developments.

The various styles of architecture are fascinating and I spend time admiring the different styles of balconies and terraces.

Hope Street Cafe

Outside the Hope Street Café, a man invites me to go in and get myself a cool drink. The Café is run by Baptist Community Care and while I hadn’t planned on stopping, I feel I can hardly say no.

Adrian tells me that he grew up in the area, and is waiting for a home to come up so that he can return. He’s been on the waiting list since 2004. The man behind the counter is also a local. He explains that this end is the public housing end of Woolloomooloo, while “all the millionaires live near the naval base and at the Finger Wharf”.

Sleeping Rough

Outside, in a little paved area, a group of women, their possessions scattered around them, chat and look me up and down. They will most likely be sleeping rough tonight.

A man is passed out on his stomach outside the offices of St Vincent de Paul. Office workers step into the street to bypass him. I stop to make sure that he is breathing, not quite sure what I will do if he isn’t.

Walla Mulla Reserve, like other areas around this suburb, is another “No alcohol zone”. Not everyone takes any notice. Two men sit on the concrete wall, one with a bottle in a brown paper bag. We greet each other. His mate takes two bottles of spirits out of his bag, shows his friend and returns them to the bag.

Of the 16 Woolloomooloo murals painted on the pylons of the Eastern Suburbs Railway viaducts only about half remain. Looking closely, I see that the murals raise political and social issues including the Green Bans and redevelopment threats to the area in the 1970s. It is here that Midnight Oil recorded their Power and Passion video.

Matthew Talbot Hostel is nearby and I pass a sausage sizzle where locals are tucking in. The young people behind the BBQ are those who were doing an urban walk of the area earlier.

Another person sleeps on a pile of blankets under the overpass. The sounds of people yelling at each other reaches me from a house opposite. At the end of Bourke Street, I realise that there are three pubs all in very close vicinity here. The Tilbury, The Woolloomooloo and the Bells Hotel. There is no shortage of alcohol in this suburb.

On the Finger Wharf, the restaurants are buzzing. Many tables are occupied by groups of workers having their office Christmas parties. There is a celebratory feel to the air.

Large, luxury yachts are moored on my left as I walk to the end of the wharf. The dark shining finish of “Oscar” really takes my fancy. At the end of the wharf, a man and a woman, sitting separately eat their packed lunches. What a contrast to the expensive meals being consumed nearby.

From here, the city skyline makes an impressive backdrop to the flashy yachts in the foreground. Close by, a set of stairs and an overpass across the M1 makes it easy to return to the city via the Domain car park express walkway. One side of the walkway is closed, but the air is cool and it is a relief to be out of the hot sun.

From here, the city skyline makes an impressive backdrop to the flashy yachts in the foreground. Close by, a set of stairs and an overpass across the M1 makes it easy to return to the city via the Domain car park express walkway. One side of the walkway is closed, but the air is cool and it is a relief to be out of the hot sun.

Having written the word Woolloomooloo so many times now, I don’t think I’ll ever get it wrong again:

“double U, double O, double L, M, double O, L, double O”.

I also won’t easily forget the varied architecture and housing in the area and the contrasting fortunes of the residents of this interesting suburb.

If you would like to explore this area differently have a look at a post by Sydney blogger, Sydney Expert who discovers the area by taking the 311 bus.

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