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Pyrmont: founded on corruption, divided by disease, united by industry

Written on July 3, 2020

by ALEC SMARTThe Pyrmont peninsula is a sandstone-based outcrop bordered either side by two navigable coves, Blackwattle Bay and Darling Harbour. The region has gone through boom, bust and boom again as it transitioned from abattoirs to quarries to docks to slums and is now a hub for technology and tourism.Although inhabited for millennia by Aboriginal peoples and known as ‘Pirrama’, the rocky region at the western end of Warrane (Aboriginal name for Sydney Harbour) came to the attention of the Sydney penal colony experiment not long after Britons settled New South Wales in 1788.This was due to its two main sources of drinking water – a mineral spring and a freshwater creek – and close proximity to a deep bay that would become the epicentre of Australia’s agricultural exports and shipbuilding industries.High quality sandstone also underpinned Pyrmont’s development. Resistant to erosion, it was extracted from 15 quarries and used for a range of major building works as well as ballast for shipping and railways.Pirrama peninsula To the west of Pirrama is Blackwattle Bay, a former tidal inlet known as Blackwattle Cove Swamp that European settlers originally crossed via a bridge, before the swamp was filled to form Wentworth Park.A freshwater creek – Blackwattle Stream – fed into the swamp, a source of drinking water. Named after the versatile black wattle trees, Acacia mearnsii, once abundant in the area, they were felled for timber and the tannins in the dark bark extracted for leather production.Subsequently, tanneries, abattoirs and wool and leather merchants were established alongside, utilising newly constructed wharves to import machinery and export their produce. However, the processing plants leached foul-smelling, toxic pollution into the swamp and bay, which in 1854 necessitated moving the main abattoir to Glebe Island. Accessible by a timber bridge from the northern tip of Pirrama, livestock were herded or carted there for slaughter, their blood flushed into the harbour, attracting hungry sharks.To the east of Pirrama, the bay of Tumbalong – an Aboriginal word for ‘place where seafood is found’ – was renamed Long Cove by European settlers due to its shape. Later, it was called Cockle Bay because of large shell middens (dumps) left by generations of Aborigines.Then, from 1826, tyrannical Governor Ralph Darling named it Darling Harbour after himself. Darling introduced a law banning drama performances and requiring the Colonial Secretary’s approval for all public entertainment, although he personally ensured most applications were rejected. It’s a strange irony two centuries later that major entertainment venues are now situated in the Darling Harbour environs.The name Cockle Bay has been repurposed since the Darling Harbour redevelopment (completed in 1988 Bicentenary year) and is given to one of two bays in Darling Harbour.Parcels of rogues in 1795 the tip of the Pirrama peninsula, 55 acres including a mineral spring, was granted to Thomas Jones, a private in the NSW Corps, an incorrigibly corrupt military unit that ran the colony as a private fiefdom under Major Francis Grose.In the first two decades of Sydney’s development by colonists, many grants of land were given to soldiers of the NSW Corps, from ranking officers down to lowly privates. A significant proportion were quickly sold on or traded for rum and other valuable goods.The Pirrama peninsula at the time was shared between the Gomorrigal and Wangal peoples. ‘Gal’ means ‘tribe of’ and Gomora and Wanne were the names attributed to bodies of water on the southern shores of Warrane (Sydney Harbour) where those tribes lived.Although first governor Arthur Philip referenced the Gomorrigal in his reports, little is known of them and social anthropologists have placed them collectively under the umbrella of the Cadigal (aka Gadigal) peoples that inhabited the southern shores of what is now central Sydney.The Pirrama land grant required Private Jones to clear and cultivate the peninsula for farming, but the rocky outcrop had poor potential for agriculture or raising livestock, so Jones sold it on to Sergeant Obadiah Ikin, also in the NSW Corps, for £10.Ikin, recalled from Norfolk Island by Governor King for his involvement in the NSW Corp’s brutal bullying of convicts, was no friend of the Aborigines. At the turn of the century they were still prevalent in the Pirrama area, despite the devastating effects of smallpox on their communities from an outbreak in 1789, which occurred within a year of the First Fleet’s arrival and completely bypassed European settlers.According to Judge-Advocate Richard Atkins, the colony’s principle legal officer, a letter sent to him by Obadiah Ikin admitted he and his associates had “destroyed many of them [Aboriginals].”Judge Atkins, a chronic alcoholic, fled to Sydney in 1792 after changing his name from Richard Bowyer to escape debts in Britain. Governor King sought his opinion on the colony’s legal treatment of Aborigines. Atkins concluded they were “at present incapable of being brought before a Criminal Court … and that the only mode at present, when they deserve it, is to pursue and inflict such punishment as they may merit.”In 1799, Ikin sold the Pirrama peninsula for a gallon of rum to John Macarthur, wealthy wool pioneer and, later, proponent of the notorious Rum Rebellion – the 1808 armed insurrection when Governor Bligh was deposed by the NSW Corps and Major Johnston ruled under Macarthur’s guidance.Also in 1799, Thomas Jones and wife Elizabeth were found guilty of murdering a Methodist missionary, Samuel Clode, and hung for the crime. A bay on the north-western tip of Pirrama, spanning the channel to Glebe Island, was named Jones Bay after the murderous private.In 1803 the rest of the Pirrama peninsula and 14 acres of what is now Ultimo was granted to John Harris, a military surgeon and magistrate.From Pirrama to plague town John Macarthur renamed Pirrama ‘Pyrmont’, after Bad Pyrmont, a spa town in the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont in Germany, renowned for a mineral spring where people ‘took waters’ during an era when mineral springs were believed to have medicinal qualities.The Pirrama spring, about 30 metres above sea level on the upper north-west, was a vital source of fresh water to indigenous communities in the area. It trickled through mosses and ferns and dripped into a cave formed by a large overhang. The water was captured in a bowl carved into the sandstone cave floor by Aborigines, later widened by British quarrymen to hold about 2 gallons (7.5 litres) and named Tinker’s Well.The flow of water reportedly never ran dry, even in periods of drought. Because of its guaranteed availability, and the need to arrive early to collect it in buckets before long queues formed, a settlement of squatters in tin humpies established themselves nearby, known as Tin Pot Town.Tin Pot Town remained for over a century, eventually dismantled when the land was acquired in 1935 for a garbage incinerator. The incinerator building was designed by husband-and-wife team, Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney (1912 winners of the international competition to design Australia’s capital, Canberra).Pyrmont Incinerator was one of many built to deal with tons of rotting garbage accumulating on a daily basis, which NSW health authorities identified contributed to Sydney’s outbreak of bubonic plague at the turn of the century.Sydney’s plague occurred during a global pandemic, arriving January 1900 via Darling Harbour on fleas carried by ship rats. The first recorded death was sailmaker Captain Thomas Dudley of Darling Harbour, probably infected whilst removing dead rats clogging his outdoors toilet.Squads of rat-catchers were formed and tens of thousands of rats were killed and incinerated in an attempt to stop the plague’s spread. Councils paid six pence per corpse, so vermin extermination became a lucrative enterprise. In late August 1900, the plague was contained with 103 deaths among 303 recorded cases.The NSW Govt compulsorily reclaimed ownership of almost the entire western foreshore, from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour, and used the plague as justification to evict and destroy shanty-town slums all over Pyrmont and The Rocks. Their impoverished occupants had no legal right of appeal. Authorities also demolished many small jetties in order to better regulate the main wharves.There have been several other clearances of people from the lower socioeconomic scale in Pyrmont, including: * 1875 construction of the CSR sugar refinery at Elizabeth Macarthur Bay.* 1970s start of freeways criss-crossing Pyrmont. Freeways were eventually curtailed by green bans enacted by the Builders Labour Federation working with community action groups.Many historic buildings and parks across the city, which today are major tourist attractions, would have been lost forever to carparks and high-rise if it weren’t for courageous green bans. The word ‘green’ to describe environmental-awareness came from this era.* 1980s police clearance of squatters in Pyrmont and Glebe (who moved in while the area was severely run down) to make way for new high-rise apartments and renovated wharves under the Urban Renewal program.

The changing face of Pyrmont

Written on July 3, 2020

By ALLISON HORENSW Govt and private consortiums are presenting development plans for Pyrmont’s future…Pyrmont through the ages has had many faces. The face of Pyrmont today looks a lot different to the Pyrmont that was a working class port area, and the derelict Pyrmont scarred by decades of quarrying of the 1980s.Over the 1990s the Pyrmont area was the focus of intensive urban renewal projects under the Better Cities Program, which saw many abandoned ex-industrial sites back in public hands. Warehouses were revamped, parks and harbourside walkways constructed, and the Star Casino, the National Maritime Museum and the Powerhouse Museum were built, creating the Pyrmont Sydney-siders know well today.In 2017, the population of the Pyrmont and Ultimo area had reached just under 25,000 residents, making the Pyrmont peninsula the 3rd most densely populated suburb in Australia, after the Melbourne CBD and the Potts Point and Woolloomooloo area. According to property research firm CoreLogic, the median price of units in Pyrmont is a whopping $929,308.Transformations But the Pyrmont peninsula is due for another big face-lift. Over the course of 2020 the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, along with other state agencies and the City of Sydney, is working to develop a new “Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy”. The NSW Government hopes that this plan will “transform Pyrmont into the next jobs hub and economic driver of Sydney.”In September 2019, the NSW Government released their findings from the Greater Sydney Commission’s controversial review of planning protocols in Pyrmont. The commission held meetings with, or collected written submissions from, representatives of the NSW government, local government, members of the community and representatives of industry. The review determined that a place-based approach must be implemented for planning procedures to be “fit for purpose”.State premier Gladys Berejiklian said that this place-based approach to planning would be instrumental in transforming the Pyrmont peninsula into “the next jobs hub.”“For our city and State to continue to be the jobs capital of the nation, we need this area to be revitalised. We have successfully transformed Barangaroo into a spectacular waterfront precinct and are in the midst of revitalising Central,” she said in an announcement following the results of the review being released. “Pyrmont is the next frontier.”A place-based approach involves breaking the Pyrmont peninsula down into its separate sub districts – including Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Wentworth Park – and identifying the defining characteristics of these areas. Planning regulations, and consideration of development proposals, would be based on the identified character and potential of each area.The ten “Directions for the Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy”, released in March, give an overview of how this strategy will be implemented. NSW Planning minister, Rob Stokes, said that all stakeholders working together with a “shared vision”, through these directions, would further transform Pyrmont.“Pyrmont is already home to tens of thousands of jobs, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sydney and is a much loved home for many residents,” Mr. Stokes said.“Strategic planning based on strong collaboration and a shared vision will transform this jobs and tourism precinct into an economic powerhouse over the next 20 years.” The ten directions include a focus on development that “complements or enhances” the area, creating jobs and industry “of the future”, providing more (and greener) public space for workers, residents and visitors to meet and move around, and a respect for the heritage value. The directions also call for a more “unified” planning framework.Other plans afoot Even before the Pyrmont Place Strategy is finalised, major development proposals set to change the face of the area have been flooding in. It was the Star Casino’s tower proposal which sparked the Greater Sydney Commission’s investigation into planning protocols in the first place. The Star’s plan, which was rejected in November 2019 for being “overly obtrusive”, would have seen a $529 million tower including a Ritz Carlton hotel and more than 200 units, sprung on the Star’s waterfront site.Property developer, Mirvac, has also recently released the amended version of their plan for The Harborside, a shopping center that is currently undergoing the approval process. The existing 30 year old Darling Harbour shopping complex is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use development, which will include a new shopping complex and a 153-metre tower containing 357 apartments.The controversial move of the Powerhouse Museum, which has faced extensive backlash from the public, will also open up prime real estate for developers if it goes ahead.Even more ambitious than these projects is the $20 billion “vision” for Pyrmont put forward by the Western Harbour Alliance and Committee for Sydney lobby groups which takes inspiration from globally-renowned foreshore precincts like Marina Bay in Singapore. Their concept would turn the area into one interconnected precinct with “distinct character” and cable cars linking the “world class” attractions in the area.At the launch for the committee’s vision in December 2019, treasurer Dominic Perrottet suggested the vision could lead to $20 billion in investment and lead to the creation of around 10,000 jobs.But not all are optimistic about such ambitious visions. At the launch of the Committee for Sydney’s report, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said “the vision has a few ideas that should remain just that – ideas.” She made reference specifically to the proposed cable car network, which she said “is reminiscent of – and will inevitably have the same short-lived appeal – as the monorail.”Ms. Moore also expressed concern that the Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy could be used as a way to push through development proposals which had been previously rejected, like Star Casino’s tower development. In a mayoral minute during a recent council meeting, Ms. Moore suggested she agreed there was a need to consolidate local and state government planning controls relevant to the area, but said that “this process must be driven by genuine research and consultation.”Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce representative, Alex Gibbs, told City Hub that residents and businesses in the Pyrmont area are not opposed to more development and infrastructure but that they want to see it “carefully planned.” He thinks the plan needs to look at how to support local businesses to take advantage of the new development in the area.“There’s an opportunity for both the business and resident community to look at how we embrace tourism as part of this plan. If we encourage tourism that benefits the local community as well as businesses, because there’s investment in really nice shared spaces,” Mr. Gibbs explained.“This is an area of the harbour that truly embraces the harbour. Every part of the harbour foreshore is open to the public, which is rare in Sydney.”The “directions” for the Pyrmont places strategy are currently available online and minister Stokes is encouraging the public to give feedback on the directions.“Feedback from the community and businesses will play a crucial role in setting the vision for this important precinct so we’ve moved consultation online to make it easier for everyone to share their ideas safely from home,” said Mr. Stokes.The Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce will be hosting an online community forum in May to discuss the Pyrmont Places plan, and they are encouraging business owners and local residents to tune in and have their say.Mr. Gibbs said, “At this time with COVID 19 there are lots of distractions for local business, so it’s hard for businesses to think long term.”

Open for business in Pyrmont Ultimo

Written on April 26, 2020

We may have been locked down by we haven't been knocked down.Many businesses in the precinct may not be able to function under the current restrictions, but some have found a work around. As long as we can keep the entrepreneurial embers burning there's a chance that one day, hopefully soon, we can re-ignite the local economy.The spirit of Pyrmont Ultimo is alive, so keep it thriving by supporting these local businesses. Sydney Fish Market On a normal sunny weekend this waterside precinct is packed with people and seagulls enjoying the open-air dining, variety of food outlets, groceries, bars and, of course, the widest range of seafood this side of the equator. As of this writing, the Sydney Seafood Market (SFM0 is continuing to trade, although you should check individual stores for hours and details. They are strictly enforcing physical distance rules, are implementing continuous surface cleaning, and have hand sanitisers mounted on the walls throughout the indoor complex. You can still buy freshly baked artisan bread; excellent quality fresh seafood, delicious cooked seafood as well as other food offerings; and do some grocery shopping while you’re there. Many shops are also offering home delivery of both fresh and cooked food. For store details visit the SFM website.www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au

Two Sis & Co Pyrmont Even if you’re not hungry you should visit the Facebook and Instagram accounts of these guys and indulge your visual senses. This is food art that belongs in a gallery; the colours alone will make you feel better about being in quarantine. If you prefer your desserts light blue with flower petals and a mermaid-tail garnish, then put this on your list of “places to visit when it’s all over.” In the meantime, they are offering home delivery and the presentation in the take-away box is still very impressive. They offer cafe style breakfast and lunch menu with delicious, healthy, good-sized Japanese-themed meals. You can have a salad or rice bowl with marinated pieces of fish, chicken, beef or tofu. Don’t forget to take a photo first. 😉https://www.facebook.com/twosispyrmont/

Terminus The Terminus Hotel is a favourite watering hole among Pyrmont locals as well as being popular with visitors and tourists. It’s one of the oldest pubs in the area and had actually lain dormant and dilapidated for 33 years before being completely restored and re-opened in 2018. So it’s probably not enjoying being empty again. Thankfully, their delicious Aussie pub style menu is now available for take-away and home delivery. Plus, you can order wine, beer, or cider to come with it, so you can almost completely recreate your Terminus experience on your own balcony. Take-away options include chicken curry pie, pasta, beef burger or chicken schnitzel and chips. They’ve even put together a couple of take-away meal/alcohol package specials to make life easier.www.terminuspyrmont.com

Banquerie This is a gorgeous French patisserie that occupies one of Pyrmont’s well preserved heritage buildings (a former bank) on the edge of the historical Union Square. And while, at this time, you can’t sit outside against the blonde sandstone wall and watch passers by a la Parisian cafe, you can still go inside and marvel at the glass cabinet display of French delicacies. They have delicious hand-made savoury and sweet pastries; biscuits, slices and other tempting morsels. Plus they do terrific large cakes for special occasions or no particular occasion. Pop in and grab something savoury and something sweet and order a freshly brewed coffee and take a little bit of Paris home with you.www.facebook.com/banqueriepyrmont/ Bar Clementine This is a quaint cocktail bar at the bottom of Harris Street. Like so many places in Pyrmont, it has the spirit of history mixed with modern sensibility in its decor. While you can’t sit and imbibe a drink while imbibing the decor, you can admire it while waiting for your take-away order. They have an uncomplicated menu, offering a handful of choices including pastas, burgers and a charcuterie platter, with salad, fries, and garlic bread as optional extras. There’s a selection of beer and wine to accompany your meal. Or you can go with the waiter’s recommendation - their #isolationsensation: two pastas, garlic bread, roquette salad and a bottle of wine for only $75. Oh my darling, oh my darling…www.facebook.com/barclementinepyrmont/

DK’ Station Vietnamese It’s got a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Facebook and it’s little wonder. This place is bustling during a normal work week and just as much on weekends. It has plenty of seating and great service, so keep it in mind for a group booking once we can start doing that again. In the meantime, you can sample the take-away menu in the comfort of your own home. This is quite simply really good Vietnamese food. Fresh, delicious, plentiful, well-presented and very satisfying. Just be wary if you order anything with chilli - it will be HOT. The take-away menu includes pho, bowl, fresh spring rolls, or pork rolls. And it all looks amazing.www.facebook.com/dkstationpyrmont/ Porter’s Liquor (Pyrmont Cellars) Thankfully, those in charge had to good sense to know that alcohol is an essential item and liquor stores must stay open. And even more gratefully for Pyrmont locals, Porter’s Liquor has a very wide, well-stocked selection of wines, beers, ciders, spirits and gin that hasn’t been lamentably turned into hand-sanitiser. The people in the store are very knowledgable and happy to give advice and make recommendations. Alas, the terrific wine tasting evenings and classes have been put on hold for the duration of the “C” thing, so you’ll have to conduct your own tastings at home with a selection of bottles.www.facebook.com/pyrmontcellars.com.au/

Australian National Maritime Museum A museum is one of those places where you really have to be there in person to experience it…or do you? The one benefit of living through a world-wide shutdown at this particular point in time is that we have the technology to at least partially recreate some of our real world adventures. ANMM is proof. They have put many of their exhibitions and experiences online so you can enjoy them virtually. Take a virtual tour of historic boats, yachts, and navy craft. Enjoy an online stroll through some terrific exhibitions. Get the kids involved in digital activities including games. You can do everything except shop in the museum store. No, wait! You can do that too, because they can ship your purchase to you…naturally! 😉https://www.sea.museum

Kwik Kopy (Darling Harbour) These people are in the business of business, that is, they help other businesses stay in business. If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur, it’s worth your while to visit to their website and read some of the valuable blog posts. Or just go to their Facebook page and look check out the perfect range of products they have for the current conditions. Floor signs that remind people to keep the requisite 1.5 metres away from each other. Sandwich boards to let people know you’re open for take-away. Corporate backdrops that make you look professional (and hide family photos) during those video calls. Tonnes more signage and other great services too.https://www.facebook.com/KwikKopyDH/ Pyrmont Pharmacy Apart from getting prescriptions filled and buying behind-the-counter medicines, there is a lot you can get from a pharmacy that you can’t get from the supermarket. One of those things is good solid advice. At Pyrmont Pharmacy, the staff are friendly and helpful and make sure you get what you need. They have good supply of prescription medication and will work hard to get anything they don’t have. Just remember, if you have any dubious COVID-19 type symptoms you need to call a doctor and get instructions on what to do next. DON’T go to a chemist or anywhere else until you’ve been given the all clear.https://www.facebook.com/PyrmontPharmacy/ Pyrmont Vet Those of you who have been quarantined with non-humans will be pleased to know that veterinarians are considered essential service providers. So if something goes awry with your fur baby you can take them down to Pyrmont Veterinary Hospital (call first, of course!). Pyrmont Vet has fully qualified staff who can provide a range of specialised services, from medical and maintenance right through to grooming. They are also a cattery and can advise you on all things feline. If you like looking at cat photos (who doesn’t?) visit their Facebook page and enjoy.https://pyrmontvet.com.au

Broadway Sydney (Shopping Centre) This is a major shopping precinct for Pyrmont and Ultimo with a variety of specialty stores and supermarkets. The centre is currently open for select stores and services. Coles, Aldi, Harris Farm, K-Mart and Target are open. You’ll need to check the website for other stores, some of which may have switched to online or delivery only services. The centre is also launching pop-up food stalls on the ground floor featuring one of the food outlets in the centre for a period then rotating through other retailers. You can order a meal, do some shopping, then come back and pick up your meal and head home. Mr Wu, Mumbai Express, and Pepper Seed Thai etc will be among the first. Also, while we’re in this lockdown period, parking in the centre is FREE.www.broadwaysydney.com.au

This is the first of a three part series.

We'll be listing more businesses over the next two months.

If your business is still able to supply products or services and you're in the Pyrmont Ultimo precinct, fill out the form below and we'll post the details.

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Data is key for all businesses

Written on March 15, 2020

Ensuring you make key decisions based on data is even more critical, given the challenges local businesses face in the current environment. Recently, governments have identified the immense benefits of using and sharing their data with businesses and the community through Open Data Portals. Open data allows anyone to use free data to make informed decisions, create projects and initiatives that add value to the local community and small business.Top tips for using the Open DataMany data sources are now open and free on the internet. The challenge for small businesses is to understand better how to use the data best to make better decisions that affect business growth. Here are some tips to make the most of Open Data sources:

Better understand your audience and what data provides information about your current and potential customers.
Use the data to create a PR pitch related to your business. This will increase your success in engaging with media outlets and journalists to get coverage.
Open data can assist you with justifying new business ideas and potential strategies you want to focus on.
Find the right tools that enable you to sort the data, so it's valuable and easy to understand.
Ensure the data source is clean and reliable.
Ask for support by contacting the Open Data source as they can provide you with more detail about the data to ensure it's relevant to your business.

Open Data sources available to small businessesAs a local business, you have access to several Open Data sources that are available to the public for the broader benefit of the community and business. Here are some examples of Open Data sources that may be relevant to your organisation:

Christmas Message

Written on December 19, 2019

Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce would like to wish all its members and subscribers, and all the business owners and residents in and around the precinct a very happy, joy-filled Christmas and prosperous New Year. We’re proud of our achievements this year and we have many more exciting events and projects planned for 2020. We hope you’ll join us.

New Year’s Eve

Written on December 19, 2019

Let’s face it - Sydney owns New Year’s Eve. There is no better place in the world to be when the clock strikes midnight - plus you can raise your glass of champagne while wearing a singlet and shorts. Of course, the fireworks display over Sydney Harbour is the headline act, but there are many other things to do if fireworks or crowds aren’t your thing. The most important thing to remember is to plan ahead; have a strategy if people get lost; wear sensible shoes if you’re going to trek into the city; use public transport; make sure your phone is charged; bring basic necessities; be safe and sensible and have a good time. For a comprehensive list of what’s happening around Sydney, visit:Sydney New Year's Eve

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