Another City of Sydney walking tour through a history of Commercial & Retail Sydney
Down Martin Place where the Commonwealth Bank and original MLC building are, through the Grace Hotel which was requisitioned by General MacArthur in WWII, past the AWA Tower – “Sydney’s Eiffel Tower”, the beautiful Dymocks Building, State Theatre, Arthouse Hotel, Tattersall’s Building and more.
A beautiful autumnal day for a historical wander around Glebe.
We visited the house where Robert (born Robin) Askin grew up, saw the park where a wireless was installed for poor families to hear the current news, had breakfast in one of the old original pubs, learnt of the strong medical ties to the area and were staggered to learn that Glebe Public School once had 2,300 students!
Another City of Sydney walk History Walk – Customs House to Millers Point
We went, for the first time, to Observatory Hill Park and went through the observatory. Was great. And free! Site of Sydney’s first windmill with beautiful views of Sydney to the east and west. We discovered Ferry Lane and The Paddock, had a drink at the Lord Nelson, found a still in use cast iron urinal and discovered the laneway below Lower Fort St.
So much to see, and such beautiful parks and public spaces, so close to Australia’s busiest city.
The highlight for us this walk (from a walk from City of Sydney Council) was tripping over the gorgeous McElhone Reserve near Elizabeth Bay House. A new place to bring visitors from overseas for a picnic.
We did a walk that City of Sydney council put together, one that takes you down old hidden laneways.
While nothing like Melbourne’s fabulous laneways, there’s still plenty of interest in Sydney.
Bulletin Place, where the Basement venue is, Reiby Place (as in Mary), Palings (music) Place, Angel Place, the Tank Stream.
Lots to see and learn.
Neither of us had ever wandered around Naremburn before.
What a pretty suburb, and plenty of history to explore as well. I wonder if current residents know that it used to be known as both Dog Town and Pension Town!
We learnt that Henry Lawson lived here for a while as well as some other bits and pieces.
http://edocs.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/DocumentViewer.ashx?dsi=4787009
| Looking across the gully to Walter Burley Griffin’s Incinerator |  |
| How many times have I driven across this 1886 bridge at the bottom of Willoughby Road without knowing the history behind it? |  |
This weekend we walked the Tom Uren Walking Trail at Balmain.
I knew of Tom Uren’s green bans, activism, interest in heritage and the environment and the like but I wasn’t aware he was a sportsman (professional boxer, swimmer, rugby league player for Manly) or a soldier or prisoner-of-war.
He grew up in Balmain and so Leichhardt Council has designed a nice stroll around the area.
