Page 111 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sydney
P. 111
BO T ANIC GARDEN AND THE DOM AIN 109
Historic Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf redevelopment, including stylish apartments, restaurants and a hotel
5 Fort Denison restaurant and museum. It can 7 Art Gallery of
be reached by Captain Cook New South Wales
Sydney Harbour. Map 2 E1. Tel 9361 Cruises ferries from Wharf 2,
5208. g from Circular Quay and See pp110–13.
Darling Harbour. Closed 25 Dec. Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.
& - 8 phone to book.
∑ fortdenison.com.au 8 The Domain
∑ nationalparks.nsw.gov.au 6 Woolloomooloo
∑ captaincook.com.au Finger Wharf Art Gallery Rd. Map 1 C4. @ Sydney
Explorer, Elizabeth St routes, 441. 7
First named Rock Island, this Cowper Wharf Roadway,
prominent, rocky outcrop in Woolloo moo loo. Map 2 E4. Free openair concerts featuring
Sydney Harbour was very quickly @ Sydney Explorer, 311. some of the country’s top
dubbed “Pinchgut”. This was artists at The Domain’s shell
probably because of the meagre The largest of several finger like covered amphitheatre is
rations given to convicts who wharves that jut out into the some thing of a summer
were confined harbour, this tradition in Sydney. More than
there as punish timber wharf, 100,000 people are drawn to
ment. It had a completed in the events here, from Carols in
grim history of 1914, was an The Domain on the Saturday
incarceration in embarkation before Christmas to Symphony
the early years of point for soldiers and Opera under the stars in
the colony. bound for both January (see p51). By day, the
In 1796, con Fort Denison in 1907 world wars. vast green space is a magnet
victed murderer Following World for active city workers, who can
Francis Morgan was hanged on War II, it was a landing place for be found jogging or playing
the island in chains. His body many of the thousands of touch football during their
was left to rot on the gallows for immigrants who came to make lunch breaks.
three years as a grisly warning a new life in Australia. This extensive public space
to the other convicts. The wharf was the subject of has long been a rallying point
Between 1855 and 1857, the public contro versy in the late for crowds of Sydneysiders
Martello tower (the only one 1980s and early 1990s, when whenever emotive issues of
in Australia), gun battery and demolition plans were thwart ed public importance have arisen,
bar racks were built as part of by conservation groups. Since such as the attempt in 1916 to
Sydney’s defences and the site then, this National Trustlisted introduce military conscription
was renamed after the gover nor maritime site has been or the dismissal of the elected
of the time. The gun, still fired redeveloped to include prime federal government by the
at 1pm each day, was an residential apartments, the Ovolo then governorgeneral in 1975.
important aid for navigation, Woolloomooloo luxury hotel (see Since the 1890s, The Domain
allowing mariners to set their p179), and fashionable bars and has been the setting for speakers
ships’ chronometers. restaurants whose patios offer to get on their soapbox and
Today, Fort Denison is a fantastic views of Sydney make their point on Sunday
popular tourist spot with a Harbour and the city skyline. afternoons at “Speakers’ Corner”.
108-109_EW_Sydney.indd 109 29/05/17 12:16 pm
