The Paddington Walk

Approximate walking times: Short = 1 hour Medium = 1 hour 45mins, Long = 2 hours 30mins

From Sullivans Hotel, turn right and cross Oxford Street at the lights on the corner of Greens Road. Turn to the right. Across the road note the sandstone perimeter wall of the Victoria Army Barracks. You will get the opportunity for a closer look on the way back to Sullivans. Continue to walk up Oxford Street, until you reach Shadforth Street. Turn left into Shadforth Street. If you look back, you will see the entrance to the Victoria Barracks compound. On the corner of Bourke Lane & Shadforth Street, you will see fine examples of cottages built to house the workers during the construction of Victoria Barracks. These were constructed in the early 1840's. Turn left into Gipps Street featuring more of the early workmen's cottages and many single story terraces. The houses on the corner of Gipps & Prospect Streets are fine examples. The terraces of Paddington were modelled on those in London. Most were built by small time builders who would complete one house on the edge of the block, then live in it until they could afford to build the second or third terrace in the row. The front facade would usually be similar, however the internal layout was often completely different to the other terraces in a row. The sandstone used in their construction was quarried nearby while the cast iron used in the lace work on the verandahs and fences came from England as ballast in ships. A variety of geometric, classical and Australian floral patterns were created in the ironwork. Continue following Gipps Street to Glenmore Road and turn right. This road was Paddington's first 'major' road. The bullocks hauling gin from the Glenmore Distillery, near Rushcutters Bay, to Old South Head Road (now Oxford Street) created it. The distillery closed in 1863 and was demolished shortly after. The name 'Glenmore' came from a vale near Abernethy in Scotland. Today, Glenmore Road is home to many art galleries, antique shops, bookshops and cafes. The Barry Stern Gallery is on the corner of Mary Place & Glenmore Road. Continue along Glenmore Road (crosses Liverpool Street). At number 96 you can see an old Paddington mansion, now partly hidden by an art gallery. Turn left down Brown Street. This street features some of the last terrace houses built in Paddington. These were built about 1910 at a time when terrace living had become 'unfashionable'. Turn right into Cooper Street (named after the gin distiller Robert Cooper). On the corner of Cooper Street and Brown Street is the Scottish Hospital. The current building is an extension of 'The Terraces'; a mansion built in the 1840's. The site still features remnants of the original gardens with many trees well over 100 years old, including Port Jackson & Moreton Bay figs, Norfolk Island Pines, Nettle trees, Bangalow Palms and Blackbeans. On the right hand side of Cooper Street are fine examples of Victorian Villas. Many years ago, these villas would have enjoyed magnificent harbour views. Take the narrow path and stairs opposite number 6 Cooper Street turning left at the top. You are now back in Glenmore Road. Cross Glenmore Road and walk past the myriad of shops, some of which are converted former residential terraces. You will come to a roundabout at the intersection of five streets. This is known as 'The Five Ways'. This shopping area developed after the second Sydney to Bondi Beach tramline was constructed along Glenmore Road & Gurner Street. The Royal Hotel was built around 1888 and is said to be Paddington's grandest hotel.

FOR THOSE TAKING THE MEDIUM or LONG WALK - CONTINUE ALONG GLENMORE ROAD (VERES LEFT) PAST THE CHURCH TO GURNER STREET. DIRECTIONS CONTINUE BELOW. FOR THOSE TAKING THE SHORT WALK: Turn right and walk up Heeley Street. This street dates back to the 1870's. The round detailing to the doors and windows was popular until about 1890 when square detailing became more fashionable. Take the first street on the right, Olive Street. On the corner of Olive & Heeley streets stands a fine single-storey villa, one of the last mansions to be built in the area. Completed in 1869, it originally sat on a three-acre block, which was divided in about 1878 into 89 building allotments. At Ormond Street, turn left. This is one of the steeper Paddington streets and features more fine examples of Victorian terraces. The steep gradient of the street allowed some terraces to have a basement below street level at the front, opening on to the garden at the rear. Continue up Ormond Street until you reach Oxford Street. On the left side you will see Juniper Hall. On the right side you will see the Paddington Post Office. Directly opposite Juniper Hall is the site of the old Paddington Reservoir, while diagonally opposite is the Paddington Town Hall. Turn left to explore the Paddington shops and the Paddington Saturday markets or turn right to see the Victoria Barracks and return to Sullivans.

MEDIUM & LONG WALK: In Gurner Street you will find more examples of terraces & corner shops. At Duxford Street & Gurner Street note the handsome buildings on the corner. The intersection of Gurner, Cambridge and Norfolk Streets offers fine views of the harbour & Rushcutters Bay. Continue along Gurner Street until the end and turn right into Cascade Street. This is the steepest street in Paddington. It was once the path of a stream of crystal clear water used in the production of gin at the Glenmore Distillery. Walk on the right hand side and turn right into the passageway between numbers 40 & 42. At the end of the passageway, turn right and then left into the passageway at the very end of the laneway. Continue straight down Broughton Street to Union Street and turn left. On the corner you will see examples of Victorian Gothic Terraces featuring decorative woodwork and gables. Turn left into Underwood Street. On the corner of Underwood Street & William Street stands the London Tavern Hotel built in 1875. Most of the houses in Underwood Street are more modest than others in Paddington and were built in the 1840s to accommodate the Officers and their families from Victoria Barracks. Continue along Underwood Street until you reach Elizabeth Street. On the corner is the three-storey Grand National Hotel.

FOR THOSE TAKING THE MEDIUM WALK - TURN RIGHT TO RETURN TO OXFORD STREET. FOR THOSE WISHING TO CONTINUE ON THE LONG WALK - TURN LEFT TO CONTINUE ALONG ELIZABETH STREET TO PADDINGTON STREET.

MEDIUM WALK - when you reach Oxford Street turn left to explore Paddington shops, the Paddington Saturday Markets & Centennial Park OR turn right for shops, Juniper Hall, Post Office, Town Hall, Victoria Barracks and return to Sullivans.

LONG WALK - Turn right when you reach Paddington Street. This street features two-storey terraces on both sides beneath a canopy of shady plane trees. Continue to the end of Paddington Street and turn right into Jersey Road. On the corner of Paddington Street & Jersey Road is the Christopher Day Gallery. Jersey Road features some magnificent mansions on the left-hand side and more traditional terraces on the right. On the corner of Underwood Street are two-storey terraces unusually built at an angle to the road. The Gothic-style mansion at no. 17, Westbourne, was built in 1868. Opposite is the Police Station and Courthouse, built in 1888. Continue along Jersey Road to Oxford Street. On reaching Oxford Street turn left to see Centennial Park and St. Matthias Church OR turn right to see Assisi Church, Paddington Public School (1856), Paddington Saturday Markets, Juniper Hall, Post Office, Town Hall, Victoria Barracks and return to Sullivans.

OXFORD STREET HIGHLIGHTS:

JUNIPER HALL Once home to gin distiller Robert Cooper, Juniper hall was built in 1824. This site is Paddington's highest point being 74 metres above sea level. In earlier times, the house enjoyed magnificent views of Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay and as far west as the Blue Mountains. Believed to be the oldest house east of Sydney City and the oldest surviving villa in Australia it was saved from demolition in the 1920's and is now part of the National Trust. Juniper Hall is a fine example of Colonial Georgian architecture.

PADDINGTON POST OFFICE This late Victorian suburban Post Office was built in 1885. Note the arched windows and Corinthian columns at the entrance and the coat of arms on the first floor. A sympathetic extension has been added to the rear of the original building.

PADDINGTON RESERVOIR In 1864 a reservoir was constructed here to provide water to the expanding suburbs of Sydney. For more than 30 years, water was pumped from the pumping station at Botany. The pumps were stopped when the 'stand-pipe' located near Victoria Barracks was seen to overflow by those at the pumping station observing using telescopes. With the continued expansion of Sydney, new reservoirs were constructed in the Centennial Park area in 1899, making the Paddington Reservoir redundant. After being converted to a garage which housed government vehicles for many years the site is now the subject of proposed redevelopment.

PADDINGTON TOWN HALL In the late 1800's, Paddington was considered, after Balmain, to be the second wealthiest municipality outside the City of Sydney. It was built at a cost of £15,000 with money borrowed form overseas and opened in 1891. The clock tower stands 107 feet high, still dominating the neighbourhood, as it's designer had intended. The Oxford Street clock face features an inscription to King Edward VII in place of the usual numerals. The Town Hall today houses a library, recording studios, a ballroom seating 1,000 and various other meeting rooms. Take a look down Oatley road to see the contrasting roof of the Sydney Football Stadium and the light towers of the Sydney Cricket Ground.

VICTORIA BARRACKS It was decided in 1838 to construct a new military barracks to replace the Wynyard Barracks at the lower end of George Street. 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. 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 as the site was found difficult due to huge sandhills. 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.