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Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district, within the local government area of the City of Sydney. The postcode is 2010, shared with Surry Hills and East Sydney. Darlinghurst is a densely-populated suburb with the majority of residents living in apartments or terraced houses. From a slum in the 1920s and a red-light prostitution district, Darlinghurst has undergone urban renewal since the 1990s and early 2000s to become a rather upmarket, cosmopolitan and diverse area. East Sydney is a locality in the western part of the suburb; Taylor Square is another locality within the suburb. Kings Cross is a locality on the northern border. Darlinghurst is surrounded by the suburbs of Woolloomooloo, Potts Point, Rushcutters Bay, Paddington and Surry Hills. Culture The area is most famous for the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The parade which marks the end of this festival takes place on Oxford Street, the main street that runs through several suburbs, including Darlinghurst. History The suburb was originally known as Eastern Hill and then Henrietta Town, after the wife of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, whose second name was Henrietta. The loyalties changed with the change of governors and the suburb became Darlinghurst in honour of Elizabeth Darling, the popular wife of Governor Ralph Darling, during the early 19th century. The 'hurst' is an old English word for a wooded area. Politics The area has often been a battleground between the two councils of the City of Sydney and the City of South Sydney. Most of the suburb belonged to South Sydney, however the New South Wales State Government moved the borders repeatedly in order to change the make-up of the city of Sydney. Many claim that these shifts have been attempted to shift the balance of power in the favour of the party in control of the State Government. This battle has become a moot point however, with the two councils forced to amalgamate in February 2004 by the State Government. An election was held on Saturday, 27 March, 2004, in order to elect a new council for the new (expanded) city of Sydney. Critics of the amalgamation have claimed that the election demonstrated strong voter backlash against the State Government for pressing the issue. The Australian Labor Party, for whom the area was usually safe, had their primary vote reduced to approximately 20%. The independent Clover Moore took the Lord Mayoral position, having campaigned against the Government's dismissal of the Council. At a federal level, Darlinghurst falls in the electorate of the Division of Sydney. Its current MP is Australian Labor Party leftist Tanya Plibersek, an outspoken supporter of Gay rights, Women's rights and refugees. Plibersek is well-liked by the Darlinghurst and Surry Hills community and Sydney is one of the safest Labor seats in the country. Landmarks Darlinghurst has two of Sydney's museums: the Australian Museum (a natural history museum) and the Sydney Jewish Museum. The suburb also features St Vincent's Hospital, and is associated with the Sacred Heart Hospice on Darlinghurst Rd, and the Garvan Institute, a medical research institute. The Darlinghurst Court House at Taylor Square is one of Sydney's most historic buildings. It is adjacent to historic Darlinghurst Gaol, which is now the East Sydney campus of the National Art School formerly the Sydney Institute of Technology. Darlinghurst Gaol Darlinghurst Gaol, the large sandstone penal complex in the middle of Darlinghurst was built between 1836 and 1840. The large sandstone walls still bear convict markings, and the complex features six wings surrounding a circular chapel. Australian poet Henry Lawson spent time incarcerated here during some of the turbulent years of his life. The site is now open to the public as the Sydney Institute of Technology. The last hanging at the gaol was in 1907 (Jahn, 1997). Captain Lightfoot, a bushranger, was hanged outside the gaol, on Forbes St, Darlinghurst. Darlinghurst Courthouse Darlinghurst Courthouse is an imposing sandstone building on Taylor Square. It was designed by architect Mortimer Lewis (1796 - 1879) in 1844, and has a Greek Revival style facade. The central block is adapted from an 1823 design in Peter Nicholson's 'The New Practical Builder' (Apperly, Irving & Reynolds, 1989). Oxford Street Oxford St is the major commercial street of Darlinghurst, running from the south-east corner of Hyde Park, through to Taylor Square and beyond through Paddington, Woollahra and Bondi Junction. Oxford St was originally called the South Head Road, and work was commenced on the road in 1811 (Faro, 2000). Oxford St assumed its current name in 1875. Stanley Street Stanley Street is known as the Little Italy of Sydney. There are more quality Italian restaurants here then anywhere else in Sydney. Restaurants range from basic to upmarket. The majority of the restaurants have outdoor seating which creates a wonderful atmosphere in the evenings. There is an annual Italian Festival held every June. The Horizon This 43-storey tower looms over the surrounding neighbourhood in Darlinghurst. It has a distinctive scalloped facade, and is finished in rendered concrete. Located at 184 Forbes St, Darlinghurst, the controversial tower was completed in 1998. Controversy stemmed from the height of the building, and the shadowing effects on surrounding buildings. The building was designed by Sydney architect, Harry Seidler. Darlinghurst Fire Station Completed in 1912, this three-storey brick and stone building occupies a prominent location at the corner of Darlinghurst Rd and Victoria St. It was designed 1910 by Walter Liberty Vernon (Jahn, 1997). It still functions as a fire station. Transport Darlinghurst is well-served by public transport, with many bus routes from the Eastern Suburbs converging on Oxford Street prior to entering the central business district. The 380 bus between Circular Quay and Bondi Beach travels through Darlinghurst along Oxford Street. The 378 bus between Railway Square and Bronte also travels through Darlinghurst along Oxford Street. The 392, 394, 396 and 399 buses also travel through the suburb on Oxford Street. Buses that travel through the centre of Darlinghurst are the 311 and the 389 buses. There are no train stations in Darlinghurst, however Kings Cross railway station on the CityRail Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line is just over the northern border of the suburb. Museum station on the City Circle, is located just to the west of Darlinghurst, on the south-west corner of Hyde Park. Schools The Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School (SCEGGS) was founded in 1895 in Victoria St, Darlinghurst, and moved to its current site in Forbes St, Darlinghurst, in 1901. The Darlinghurst Public School is in Womerah Ave and was opened in 1884. The Sydney Grammar School is located on College St, Darlinghurst, across the road from Hyde Park. This school is a boys-only private school, and opened in 1857. The Marist College, Darlinghurst, on Liverpool St, has long been closed, and is now an apartment complex. Churches Darlinghurst has 4 functioning churches; God in the City, an Assemblies of God congregation affiliated with Christian City Churches, St. Pauls Lutheran congregation, St. John the Evangelist, an Anglican congregation and the Church of Christ, Scientist. St. Johns operates Rough Edges; a street outreach centre that functions as a cafe. It provides a range of services to the local homeless community. There are also a variety of smaller chapels and religious services attached to St Vincent's Hospital and other religious organisations in the suburb. The Sacred Heart Church on the corner of Darlinghurst Rd and Oxford St, a Catholic Church, was closed in August 2005 as part of a controversial site redevelopment which will involve a campus of the Notre Dame University being built on its site. There is also the now defunct St. Peters Anglican, which is now administered by SCEGGS. Amenities Darlinghurst's commercial activity is centred on Oxford St, however, Victoria St, Flinders St, Crown St and Darlinghurst Rd also have commercial activity. There are a large number of cafés, restaurants and take-away food stores throughout Darlinghurst, as well as a large number of pubs and nightclubs, many of which are on Oxford St. There is also a significant retail presence, including fashion retailers. Darlinghurst in Songs Darlinghurst in Books Fiction See also | |||||||
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