|
|
Glebe Estate
At the southern end of Glebe is the
Glebe Estate,
an original subdivision of workmen's cottages, suburban villas, terraces
and grand houses which, by the 1970s had noticeably deteriorated. It was
only through protracted political activism that the suburb's public housing
and significant history is still able to be admired. Examples of the Estate's
rejuvenation can be seen in the cottages along Mitchell Street, and to
the west of Glebe Point Road into Mt. Vernon, Derwent and Westmoreland
Streets.
The
Glebe Estate was once part of a land grant (or 'glaeba') given to Rev.
Richard Johnson, Chaplain of the First Fleet, which arrived in Sydney
Cove on January 26, 1788.
Derwent Street in the Glebe Estate
Former Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, has written in detail a chapter on the
Glebe Estate in The Whitlam Government,
1972-1975, E.G. Whitlam (1985) Penguin Books Australia.
"Few places in Australia are richer in history
than the inner-Sydney suburb of Glebe. The area was first surveyed in
1790, two and a half years after Governor Phillip established he penal
colony at Sydney town. The name was acquired when approximately 200 hectares
of land were granted to the Church of England. The Church subdivided and
sold much of the estate in 1824. It kept 19 hectares for its own use,
comprising Bishopthorpe as a residence for the Bishop of Australia and
St. Phillip estate running down to the harbour.
"Sydney's aristocracy built large homes in the
district. Leading architects, Edward Hallen (Hereford House 1929) and
John Verge (Toxteth Park 1831, Lyndhurst 1834 and Forest Lodge 1836) were
commissioned to design elegant houses. From the 1840s, however, the area
progressively adopted a more working class nature. Bishopthorpe was subdivided
in 1856 and substantial brick homes were built on land leased for 99 years.
Tradesmen and labourers inhabited the St. Phillip estate within range
of the slaughterhouses on Blackwattle Bay.
"Glebe was fully built up by World War I and began to decline after
it. With Chippendale, Redfern and Waterloo it began to show signs of urban
blight. Commercial interests began to leave the area, faced with competition
from new businesses along Broadway. Social problems associated with the
Great Depression reduced Glebe to one of Sydney's less savoury districts.
Despite this decline, the area retained a close and distinctive community.
"After World War II it became increasingly obvious that, however
effective in building mansions in heaven, the Church of England could
not cope with its houses in Glebe. Low rent return meant that the Church
could not allocate enough money for repair work. As a result, in 1973
the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney urged the Federal or State Governments
to buy the Glebe estate for a planned experiment in low-income housing.
My Government readily accepted this offer, regarding it as an excellent
opportunity for Federal involvement in urban rehabilitation schemes. In
May the Bishopthrope and St. Phillip estates, occupied by more than 700
dwellings, were purchased at a cost of $17.5 million. Uren [Tom Uren,
MP and Minister for Urban and Regional Development] introduced the enabling
legislation, the Glebe Lands (Appropriation) Bill on 11 July 1974.
"A Glebe Project Board, including 10 representatives elected by local
residents, was established. The Board determined that the restoration
of dwellings would occur in three stages - reroofing followed by repairing
exterior appearance and, finally refitting interiors. A great deal of
work was carried out and, if it were not for the Fraser Government's cutting
funds and then in 1981 abandoning the project, all houses would now have
been renovated. In December 1984 the Hawke Government sold the estate
to the NSW Government which was determined to complete the restoration
work commenced under my Government.
"The quality of the completed renovations prompted the Royal Australian
Planning Institute Journal to comment in November 1979 that "The
Glebe project has become a classic example of successful rehabilitation.
It stands as a refreshing and humane contrast to the insane excesses of
the commercial redevelopment of the central business district and as a
remarkable symbol of official concern for community values rather than
developers' balance sheets." Improved housing facilities in turn
fostered the regeneration of commercial activity. During the late 1970s
Glebe Point Road became a thriving mixture of new restaurants and antique
shops and traditional corner grocery stores and second-hand merchandise
dealers.
"The project was also a tremendous financial success. A financial
analysis in 1978 showed that the Glebe estate was capable of earning a
real rate of return of about four percent on the funds invested, given
market-level rents and optimum rehabilitation. While a renovated home
at Glebe in 1978 cost $39,000 a comparable dwelling in new Housing Commission
low-rise housing at Waterloo cost $44,500."
If you wish to learn more about Glebe, go to our Bibliography.
|
