Darlington, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Darlington is a small, inner-city suburb
of Sydney
, in the state of New South Wales
, Australia
. Darlington is located about 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district
and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney
and is part of the region of the Inner West
.
In 1835 William Shepherd, a botanist, held about 28 acres (113,312.1 m²) in the area where he cultivated a nursery garden. He named it Darling Nursery, in honour of Governor Ralph Darling
. The suburb became known as Darlingtown, which gradually was corrupted to Darlington. Street names such as Ivy, Vine, Rose, Pine and Myrtle recall the nursery origins.
while the south-west and the east has continued as private housing. Students from Sydney University and the nearby University of Technology reside here but due to its central Sydney location, access to facilities, and attractive terraces, homes in the suburb are increasingly sought after by higher paid workers and families. Darlington is bordered by City Road
to the west, Cleveland Street
to the north and the railway to the south and east. A small group of shops is located on Abercrombie Street.
Most of Darlington is built on the terrace model in which rows of attached, two storey terrace houses face one another across the street. Behind the houses there is often a back lane running parallel with the street. The lanes were once known as 'dunny lanes' because before the introduction of the sewerage system they were used to provide access – by 'sani-men' or human waste collectors – to pan toilets sited near the rear boundary of each property. The back lanes are now used for garbage collection and for car access to garages or parking spaces at the rear of properties. The street-lane system affords raked varigated views on both sides, with back yards much cultivated by gardeners, and to a lesser extent the much smaller front yards where they exist.
On the Darlington side of the railway line near Redfern Station is The Block
, a housing area around Eveleigh Street, owned by the Aboriginal community. The Block is an enclave of Darlington's neighbouring suburb of Redfern
.
and later the UTS. Controversially, a large part of old Darlington has been consumed by Sydney University which began acquiring and demolishing houses in the 1960s in order to expand its campus. Over the years, a good deal of Darlington's architectural heritage and character has been sacrificed to the demands of Sydney University and the remaining houses close to the University – such as those on or near Abercrombie and Shepherd Streets – are to some degree affected by University activities. The Old Darlington School, a distinctive 19th century building, has been preserved within Sydney University's Darlington Campus and is used by the Music Department, especially the gamelan
group.
All the records held by the old Darlington municipal council have been lost, making research of the suburb's history and architecture a challenge.
The former Eveleigh Railway Yards is now 'CarriageWorks', a centre for nurturing, development and presentation of contemporary arts. It is located off Wilson Street and is part of the adjacent suburb of Eveleigh
. CarriageWorks contains two theatre spaces, a gallery, a scenery construction workshop, exhibition spaces, offices, a bar and café.
railway stations at Redfern and Macdonaldtown.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, in the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Darlington is located about 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district
Sydney central business district
The Sydney central business district is the main commercial centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It extends southwards for about 3 kilometres from Sydney Cove, the point of first European settlement. Its north–south axis runs from Circular Quay in the north to Central railway station in...
and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
and is part of the region of the Inner West
Inner West (Sydney)
The Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia...
.
History
Darlington was part of the area first occupied by the Cadigal band of the Dharug people. The Cadigal people were decimated in the smallpox epidemic of 1789 and it is said only three Cadigal people were left by 1791. It is suggested that some Cadigal people may have escaped to the Concord area.In 1835 William Shepherd, a botanist, held about 28 acres (113,312.1 m²) in the area where he cultivated a nursery garden. He named it Darling Nursery, in honour of Governor Ralph Darling
Ralph Darling
General Sir Ralph Darling, GCH was a British colonial Governor and Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831.-Early career:...
. The suburb became known as Darlingtown, which gradually was corrupted to Darlington. Street names such as Ivy, Vine, Rose, Pine and Myrtle recall the nursery origins.
Developments
Although Darlington is small in area it can be split into a number of subdivisions including the Golden Grove locality. Much of the western half of the suburb has become part of the campus of the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
while the south-west and the east has continued as private housing. Students from Sydney University and the nearby University of Technology reside here but due to its central Sydney location, access to facilities, and attractive terraces, homes in the suburb are increasingly sought after by higher paid workers and families. Darlington is bordered by City Road
City Road, Sydney
City Road is a large thoroughfare in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. City Road runs south from a junction with Broadway and Parramatta Road, through the University of Sydney and becomes King Street as it enters the suburb of Newtown....
to the west, Cleveland Street
Cleveland Street, Sydney
Cleveland Street is a busy thoroughfare in the city of Sydney, Australia. It runs from City Road in Chippendale, across the railway line between Central and Redfern stations and east through Surry Hills to Anzac Parade....
to the north and the railway to the south and east. A small group of shops is located on Abercrombie Street.
Most of Darlington is built on the terrace model in which rows of attached, two storey terrace houses face one another across the street. Behind the houses there is often a back lane running parallel with the street. The lanes were once known as 'dunny lanes' because before the introduction of the sewerage system they were used to provide access – by 'sani-men' or human waste collectors – to pan toilets sited near the rear boundary of each property. The back lanes are now used for garbage collection and for car access to garages or parking spaces at the rear of properties. The street-lane system affords raked varigated views on both sides, with back yards much cultivated by gardeners, and to a lesser extent the much smaller front yards where they exist.
On the Darlington side of the railway line near Redfern Station is The Block
The Block (Sydney)
The Block is a colloquial but universally applied name given to a block of housing in Redfern Sydney. The block was purchased over a period of 30 years by the Aboriginal Housing Company for use as a project in Aboriginal-managed housing....
, a housing area around Eveleigh Street, owned by the Aboriginal community. The Block is an enclave of Darlington's neighbouring suburb of Redfern
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
.
Landmarks
Darlington was once a suburb of the industrial working class. In the decades after World War II, Darlington saw the establishment of Greek and other immigrant communities. It also became a student dormitory due to its proximity to the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
and later the UTS. Controversially, a large part of old Darlington has been consumed by Sydney University which began acquiring and demolishing houses in the 1960s in order to expand its campus. Over the years, a good deal of Darlington's architectural heritage and character has been sacrificed to the demands of Sydney University and the remaining houses close to the University – such as those on or near Abercrombie and Shepherd Streets – are to some degree affected by University activities. The Old Darlington School, a distinctive 19th century building, has been preserved within Sydney University's Darlington Campus and is used by the Music Department, especially the gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
group.
All the records held by the old Darlington municipal council have been lost, making research of the suburb's history and architecture a challenge.
The former Eveleigh Railway Yards is now 'CarriageWorks', a centre for nurturing, development and presentation of contemporary arts. It is located off Wilson Street and is part of the adjacent suburb of Eveleigh
Eveleigh, New South Wales
Eveleigh is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eveleigh is located about 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney.- History :...
. CarriageWorks contains two theatre spaces, a gallery, a scenery construction workshop, exhibition spaces, offices, a bar and café.
Transport
Darlington is served by buses on the City Road route and CityRailCityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
railway stations at Redfern and Macdonaldtown.