High & Dry in the Rocks

Today I wandered around the historic "Rocks" area of Sydney which is effectively one massive block of Sydney sandstone which has been chiselled into, to form building lots over the past two centuries. Some of the oldest and most historically important structures in the city are to be found here. 100 years ago it was a place of slums, crime and skulduggery. It was the last place in which anyone would want to invest. So the old pubs and warehouses and seamen's cottages were largely left alone to survive.

All of a sudden, somebody realised that all of this "down-market ugliness" occupied some of the potentially most valuable land in the country - being as how it sat right opposite Circular Quay in Sydney Cove and all. Back in the 1960s somebody decided to tear down the entire precinct in favour of some ugly glass and aluminium towers which would probably (themselves) have been torn down by now anyway. Concerted union action and ultimately large scale public support defeated that stupid proposal and the area continues to preserve so much wonderful history.

I am not comprehensively familiar with the town planning rules except that buildings built before a certain date are completely protected from wholesale redevelopment while pre-war buildings may be developed under strict rules which do not impinge upon protected structures or the established character of the area. Buildings since the war may be replaced or converted to sympathetic architecture under rather more liberal rules. Getting rid of cheap "modernistic" rubbish from the 1960s and 1950s (before the heritage regime kicked off) is actively encouraged, provided that the replacements are in keeping with "the look". There still remains the problem of "gentrification" however. I am glad I don't have to decide such things.

Today the locality is a mecca for tourists and those looking for craft markets, ethnic food stalls, traditional wares, fine restaurants and "pub crawls" through nineteenth century ale houses.

It still worries me to see large scale development going on, however. I found this image interesting because it shows a house left high and dry on what has become (due to excavations) a naked pedestal of Sydney sandstone. I have included a few extras of the area. I must come back soon and shoot a lot more.