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Darling Harbour

Harbour adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Darling Harbour

Harbour adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

An aerial view of Darling Harbour and its surrounds, looking east from above Pyrmont

Darling Harbour is a harbour and neighborhood adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that is made up of a large recreational and pedestrian precinct that is situated on western outskirts of the Sydney central business district.

Originally named Long Cove, the locality extends northwards from Chinatown, along both sides of Cockle Bay to King Street Wharf on the east, and to the suburb of Pyrmont on the west. Cockle Bay is just one of the waterways that makes up Darling Harbour, which opens north into the much larger Port Jackson.

The precinct and its immediate surroundings are administered independently of the local government area of the City of Sydney, by Property NSW.

History

Darling Harbour as an industrial port in 1900

The original name of the land now known as Darling Harbour is Tambalong, in Dharag language.

Darling Harbour is named after Lieutenant-General Ralph Darling, who was Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831. The area was originally known as Long Cove, but was generally referred to as Cockle Bay until 1826 when Governor Darling renamed it after himself. The name Cockle Bay has recently been restored in reference to the headwaters of the harbour. It was originally part of the commercial port of Sydney, including the Darling Harbour Railway Goods Yard. During the Great Depression, the eastern part of Darling Harbour (Barangaroo) became known as The Hungry Mile, a reference to the waterside workers searching for jobs along the wharves.{{cite news |access-date=30 December 2008 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924201911/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/hungry-mile-gets-minor-role/2006/09/11/1157826874231.html |url-status=live

Redevelopment and urban renewal of the area in the early 1980s

Much of the land had been the site of the NSW Railways central marshalling yards and freight consolidation centre. The Enquiry into the NSW industry, including rail/road competition (1978–80), under Commissioner Gavan McDonell, found that this centre was inefficient, should be moved, and the land used for other public purposes. These recommendations were acted upon and by the mid-to-late 1980s, when the area had become largely derelict it was redeveloped as a pedestrian and tourist precinct as an initiative of then New South Wales Minister for Public Works, Laurie Brereton. The Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour was a venue of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and a key meeting venue of APEC Australia 2007.

On 26 January 1994, Charles III then Prince of Wales, was giving a speech during the Australia Day celebrations. David Kang ran at the Prince whilst firing two blanks before falling onto the ground and being promptly held and arrested. The Prince was unhurt and was ushered off the podium.

Heritage listings

Darling Harbour has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

  • Darling Harbour Woodward Water Feature
  • Darling Harbour Carousel
  • SS South Steyne
  • Pyrmont Bridge

Attractions

The Darling Harbour precinct is home to a number of major public facilities and attractions, including:

Cockle Bay Wharf
The Ribbon
  • Cockle Bay Wharf (restaurants, bars and Home nightclub – one of Australia's largest nightclubs)
  • IMAX Sydney theatre (part of The Ribbon building)
  • Paddy's Markets
  • Chinese Garden of Friendship
  • Tumbalong Park
  • Darling Quarter Playground and cafes
  • Australian National Maritime Museum (featuring museum ships including HMAS Vampire)
  • The Star Casino & Entertainment Complex
  • The Darling Hotel & Spa
  • Powerhouse Museum
  • Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
  • Madame Tussauds
  • Wildlife Sydney Zoo
  • Aboriginal Centre
  • International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), opened in December 2016
  • Darling Square (modern complex of specialty shops, eateries and bars in South Darling Harbour and features Darling Square Library)

Former

The former Harbourside Shopping Centre
  • Harbourside Shopping Centre, which included Kingpin Bowling Alley (the only bowling alley in Darling Harbour), M9 Laser Skirmish, as well as Australia's first retail Jet flight simulator; closed for redevelopment since Spring 2022.

Transport

Darling Harbour is accessible via various modes of public transport. The precinct is served by the Inner West Light Rail of Sydney's light rail network, with access via Paddy's Markets, Convention, Exhibition and Pyrmont Bay stations. Ferry wharves including Barangaroo and Pyrmont Bay provide access to the Pyrmont Bay ferry services to Circular Quay and other suburbs while the Barangaroo wharf also provides access to the Parramatta River ferry services. King Street Wharf is accessible by private boat charters. The Goods Line is a park and pedestrian pathway connecting Darling Harbour to Railway Square and Central station. The nearest train station is Town Hall.

Proposed Metro station

Darling Harbour will be served by Pyrmont as a future rapid transit station that will be built as part of the Sydney Metro West project.

Redevelopment

Darling Quarter has been the focus of a major mixed-use redevelopment in recent years

East Darling Harbour has been part of a large urban renewal development. Plans for the 18 ha site include half business and residential developments, while the other half to be reserved for open public space. The state government of NSW declared plans for "Globe Street", a street designed to become Australia's and Asia Pacific's centre for corporate trade (styled on New York's Wall Street district). The urban renewal development was expected to be completed by 2020. East Darling Harbour is now known as a part of the Barangaroo precinct.

Darling Square

At the south end of Cockle Bay, the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre site was replaced by the new International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), opened in December 2016. The new site includes a 40000 m2 exhibition facility. Other new facilities within the Darling Harbour region include the ICC Theatre, an 8,000 seat mixed purpose venue for concerts and intimate shows, replacing the Sydney Entertainment Centre, a gallery, and a 25 story multi purpose venue called The Ribbon (replacing the IMAX Theatre, which was closed and demolished in late 2016), opened on 11 October 2023 with an updated theatre.

This area was the site of the Sydney Port Authority and featured an Overseas Passenger Terminal (Wharf 8) which was mainly used by the Pacific Dawn of the P&O Cruises Australia fleet and the Sun Princess, operated by Princess Cruises. The passenger terminal is now in White Bay on the site of a former container terminal.

On the west side of Cockle Bay, the Harbourside Shopping Centre, built in 1988, was demolished in 2023, and a new Harbourside Residences project is under construction in 2024/2025.

References

References

  1. Johnson, Wayne. (2008). "A history of Sydney's Darling Harbour". Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.
  2. "Commission of Enquiry into the NSW transport industry, 6 vols, Sydney 1980". Opac.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au.
  3. "Shots fired at Prince Charles (1994) | RetroFocus".
  4. {{cite NSW SHR. 5061721. Darling Harbour Woodward Water Feature
  5. {{cite NSW SHR. 5053339. Darling Harbour Carousel
  6. {{cite NSW SHR. 5045049. South Steyne (S.S.)
  7. {{cite NSW SHR. 5053337. Pyrmont Bridge
  8. "Darling Harbour". Sydney.com.
  9. "Timeline".
  10. Gorrey, Megan. (9 December 2022). "Iconic Harbourside shopping centre shuts for demolition after three decades".
  11. [http://www.transdevsydney.com.au/hop-on-board/the-light-rail-network/ Transdev] {{webarchive. link. (1 December 2013 . Retrieved 4 October 2013)
  12. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200329022748/https://sydneycharterboat.com.au/boats/ Our Boats] Sydney Charter Boat
  13. (11 December 2020). "New Metro Station for Pyrmont". Transport for NSW.
  14. "The Ribbon".
  15. Cummins, Carolyn. (13 June 2018). "The Ribbon or The Snail? The new hotel heading for one of Sydney's iconic sites". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
  16. Maddox, Garry. (10 October 2023). "After seven years, Sydney's IMAX is reopening, just in time for Taylor Swift".
  17. [http://www.awedwards.com.au/projects/white-bay-5-passenger-terminal.php?filter=clients White Bay Cruise Terminal] [[AW Edwards]]
  18. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130222062737/http://www.sydneyports.com.au/projects_and_planning/white_bay_cruise_terminal White Bay Cruise Terminal] [[Port Authority of New South Wales]]
  19. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317193838/http://www.jpw.com.au/Projects/Commercial/WBCPT/WBCPT.shtml White Bay Cruise Terminal] [[Johnson Pilton Walker]]
  20. Kaplan, Don. [http://www.nypost.com/seven/01092007/tv/real_world_off_to_sydney_tv_don_kaplan.htm "Real World' Off to Sydney"] {{Webarchive. link. (15 April 2009 , ''[[New York Post]]'', 9 January 2007.)
  21. [http://www.realworldhouses.com/realworld19.html Former OneWorld Sport Building] {{Webarchive. link. (22 February 2011 , Realworldhouses.com, 25 May 2010, accessed 14 February 2011)
  22. "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1995) – IMDb".
  23. (29 September 2010). "Neighbours become good Friends with Pacific Jewel". Travel Blackboard.
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