Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Campbell's
Storehouses
1
7-27 Circular Quay West; The Rocks.
Map
1 B2.
@
Sydney Explorer, 431,
432, 433, 434.
6
7
In 1798, the Scottish
merchant Robert Campbell
sailed into Sydney Cove and
soon established himself as a
founding father of commerce
for the new colony. With
trade links already established
in Calcutta, his business
blossomed. In 1839, Campbell
began constructing a private
wharf and stores to house the
tea, sugar, spirits and cloth he
imported from India. Twelve
sandstone bays had been
built by 1861 and a brick
upper storey was added in
about 1890. Part of the old
sea wall and 11 of the original
stores still remain. The area
soon took on the name of
Campbell's Cove, which it
retains to this day.
Today the bond stores
contain several harbourside
restaurants catering for a range
of tastes, from contemporary
to Chinese and Italian. It is a
delightful area in which to
relax with a meal and watch
the bustling boats in the
harbour go by. The pulleys
that were used to raise cargo
from the wharf can still be
seen on the outside, near the
top of the building.
George Street
2
Map
1 B2.
@
Sydney Explorer, 431,
432, 433, 434.
colony must have looked like,
characterized by cobbled pave-
ments, narrow side streets,
warehouses, bond stores, pubs
and shop fronts that reflect the
area's maritime history. Even
the Museum of Contemporary
Art
(see p73)
, constructed
during the 1950s, began its life
as the Maritime Services
Board's administration offices.
In the early 1970s union
workers placed “green bans”
on the demolition of The
Rocks
(see p31)
. These streets
had been considered slum
areas by the government of
the day. However many of
the buildings in George Street
were restored and are now
listed by the National Trust.
The Rocks remains a vibrant
part of the city, with George
Street at its hub. A market is
held here every weekend,
when part of the street is
closed off to traffic
(see p203).
Formerly the preserve of
wealthy merchants, sailors
and the city's working class,
George Street today is a
popular attraction with visitors
to Sydney, who are drawn to
its restaurants, art galleries,
museums, jewellery stores
and craft souvenir shops. For
one-stop memento and gift
shopping it is ideal, with little
of the mass-produced and
tacky, but a great deal in the
way of modern Australian
craft of a very high calibre,
with many unique pieces.
One of Sydney's original
thoroughfares - some say
Australia's first street - it ran
from the main water supply,
the Tank Stream, to the tiny
community in the Rocks, and
was known as Spring Street.
In 1810 it was renamed in
honour of George III. George
Street today runs all the way
from the Harbour Bridge to
the Central Railway Station
north of Chinatown.
Many 19th-century buildings
remain, such as the 1844
Counting House at No. 43,
the Old Police station at No.
127 (1882), and the Russell
Hotel at No. 143 (1887).
But it is The Rocks end that
most reflects what the early
The Rocks
Discovery
Museum
3
2-6 Kendall Lane, The Rocks.
Map
1
B2.
Tel
9251 9793.
Circular
Quay.
Sydney Explorer, 431, 432,
433, 434.
@
#
10am-5:30pm daily.
This museum is in a restored
1850s sandstone coach house,
and has exhibitions on the
Umbrellas shade the terrace restaurants overlooking the waterfront at Campbell's Storehouses
