Barangaroo - the progress

Barangaroo is a massive development on the water next around from Sydney Cove. The southern pylon of the harbour bridge has its footprint on Dawes Point. Bennelong Point, with its Opera House is on the next easterly promontory. Barangaroo Point is the next westerly promontory. This development was sold to state governments, of both political persuasion, by one of Australia's richest people, James Packer. He is divesting from a family investment focus on media, to a personal investment focus on gambling. He owns a casino in Melbourne, and wants to own one here in Sydney, too. He owns casinos in Asia, naturally.

But no state government with an eye on the next election, is going to approve just a standalone cxasino on prime harbourside land. So, the development was sexed-up with a mega-star hotel, office space, apartment blocks, and the jewel-in-the-crown: a people's park. The centre shot was taken by SBS in April 2014, and shows the footprint of the entire development. The other two shots I took from the Darling Harbour ferry, which I cannot recommend enough! The lead shot shows part of the "people's-park "on Barangaroo Point. It has been scultured from massive sandstone blocks in an endeavour to (eventually) replicate the original look of the headland. Remember, BTW, that all this part of the harbour foreshore is NOT natural. Since 1788, we have cribbed metres of the harbour, and straightened out miles of kinks and curves. In this photo, you might just be able to make out the tip of the bridge on the left horizon, and the top floor of the Palisade Hotel in Millers Point, immediately to the right of the steps. Beneath this sandstone park, there is a multi-level car-park. The final image shows the progress on the money-making part of Barangaroo.

Barangaroo - more invasion than gentrification

I am not totally sure where Barangaroo starts, and where Millers Point takes over, and just where The Hungry Mile fits into the whole picture. There is a lot crammed into a small kerchief of land.

Barangaroo has three precincts: Barangaroo South which is the Daddy Bear; Barangaroo Central, which is the Mummy Bear; and, Headland Park, which is the cuddly Baby Bear. The Three Bears analogy has significant traction in my pea brain. You see, Barangaroo South is composed of the three high rises, and the concomitant medium-rise structures. The engine house of the development. The money-making machine dangled in front of governments 'til they could not think straight. Barangaroo South is a primarily a casino operated by Australia's richet man. A casino whose clientele will primarily be high-rollers from Asia. Headland Park (Barangaroo Point) is the sweetie held out to the Ausralian people to get them to feel all warm and cuddly about the entire schemozzle.

I have, from its announcement, been on-board with the name "Barangaroo". Barangaroo was an indigenous woman of the Cameragal people. She cohabited with Bennelong, an indigenous man of the Cadigal/Wangal people. They lived with their children on a rocky outcrop of land known today as Bennelong Point, the site of the Sydney Opera House. It is entirely fitting that the promontory to the east of the harbour bridge is Bennelong Point, and the promontory to the west of the harbour bridge is Barangaroo Point. Both have been heavily reconstructed by the descendents of the invading colonialists.