THE PADDINGTON STORY

Named after the London borough, Paddington was a densely wooded hillside when the first fleet sailed into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) in 1788. A tribe of Aborigines hunted the plentiful game and lit their campfires.

In the early 1800's Thomas West was granted land in Lecrosia Valley, now central Paddington. The land was cleared and by 1810 West had built a house, watermill and planted an orchard.

The area continued to develop with the building of the road to South Head, now Oxford Street, in 1811. Another early inhabitant, John Palmer, refused to allow people to cross his land so the road followed a roundabout way through Paddington.

In 1818 Robert Cooper and his partners built the Glenmore Distillery. The present day Glenmore Road was first trodden out by the hooves of bullocks drawing carts loaded with gin from the distillery to the top of the hill, near present day Taylor Square. The distillery closed in 1863 and was demolished a few years later. Robert Cooper's mansion, Juniper Hall, still stands today on Oxford Street opposite the Paddington Town Hall and Post Office.

It was decided in 1838 to construct a new military barracks on the Old South Head Road. At the time the military occupied Wynyard Barracks at the lower end of George Street and it was felt that this valuable land could be put to better use. Victoria Barracks was designed by the Colonial Engineer, Lieutenant-Colonel George Barney who was also responsible for the fortification of Fort Denison and the construction of Semi-circular Quay, now Circular Quay. This site was chosen as being strategically placed between Port Jackson and Botany Bay in the event of enemy invasion. The site presented problems for the builders due to the huge sandhills. Work on the Barracks began in 1841 using convict labour and under the supervision of the Royal Engineers. The sandstone used was quarried either on the site or close by. It was originally estimated that construction of the Barracks would take two and a half years, however it took three times as long. The Barracks were opened in 1848.

Today Victoria Barracks is kept in outstanding condition by the Army Eastern Command and offers the largest and best-preserved examples of colonial Georgian buildings in Australia. The museum is open to the public every Sunday from 10am until 3pm. Guided tours of the Barracks are available on Thursdays at 10am. The Australian Army Band also performs at various times throughout the year. The establishment of the Barracks changed the character of Paddington. Along with the soldiers came their wives and families as well as shopkeepers and publicans.

Between 1860 and 1890 some 3,800 terrace houses were constructed giving Paddington its unique character. The terrace design was based on similar houses in London. There the style of building suited the cold climate. Some Paddington residents however soon found this type of housing to be very hot in summer. The terraces are known for the decorative wrought iron "lacework" featured on the balconies and street frontages, exhibiting not only geometric and classical patterns but also Australian motifs of ferns and wattles.

In 1810 Governor Macquarie set aside 1,000 acres of land for leisure use. The area was named Moore Park after Charles Moore, Mayor of Sydney 1867 - 69. In 1879 Sydney's first public zoo was established in the park. It was relocated to Bradley's Head in 1916. Today, Moore Park remains dedicated to recreation with tennis courts, a golf course, the Sydney Cricket Ground and Football Stadium within its boundaries.

In 1866 work began draining Lachlan Swamps. The 400 acres were landscaped and transformed into a magnificent park, celebrating Sydney's centenary. Centennial Park was officially opened in 1888 and today continues to be a popular picnic, bike riding and leisure spot.

In 1890 plans for the Paddington Town Hall were prepared. The building was completed in 1891 and was said by some to be the finest Town Hall in the state after Sydney Town Hall.

Paddington continued to prosper in the years before World War I. When the war ended, people turned away from the inner city suburbs and Paddington went into decline. The Depression of the early 1930's was a hard blow. Many owners evicted tenants who were unable to pay their rent and the houses soon became derelict. By the end of World War II there were plans to demolish the terraces, straighten out the winding streets and turn the suburb into a precinct of high-rise home units. Fortunately these plans never came to fruition.

The revival of Paddington began in the 1950's with the arrival of migrants from the Mediterranean who had no idea that the suburb was regarded as a "slum" by the native-born. They would paint the terraces, make repairs and then sell them off to more recent arrivals. Painters and writers later joined the migrant owners and by the early 1950's the first restored houses were visible.

Today the suburb's proximity to the city has made it popular with business and professional people. The shops have changed from those serving local needs to cafes, bookshops, antique shops, art galleries, specialty and designer fashion boutiques. Since the 1970's Paddington Markets have been held on Oxford Street every Saturday and attract visitors from all over Sydney.

Paddington is an ideal suburb in which to stroll and explore the winding streets, shopping and colonial architecture. Further information including maps and walking tours is available from reception at Sullivans Hotel. Free guest bicycles are also available for your use.

We hope you take the opportunity to experience the charm and historic value of Paddington.