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First LGBTQIA+ Museum in Sydney Confirmed at the Green Park in Darlinghurst

Photo Credit: Google Maps

After months of planning and discussions, the first LGBTQIA+ museum in Sydney will soon open at The Bandstand at Green Park in Darlinghurst.

Not-for-profit group Qtopia intends to launch the LGBTQIA+ museum in November 2022, with a showcase that pays homage to the history of the Queer community, ahead of the Sydney WorldPride celebration in February 2023.

The Bandstand is metres away from Ward 17 of the St Vincent’s Hospital, the country’s first HIV/AIDS unit.

Though the former Darlinghurst Police Station on Forbes and Bourke streets was also considered for the museum, The Bandstand has been seen as a fitting reminder of “the journey and obstacles the Queer community has both faced and overcome in recent decades,” according to David Polson, Qtopia Sydney’s Board Member and Chair.

“It’s [close] to St Vincent’s where I, among many, was treated for HIV/AIDS,” he added. “With the support of Sydney City Council, we are thrilled to have obtained this space to share significant facets of Queer history and culture.”

More than 400 HIV/AIDS patients received treatment at St Vincent’s, including the batch of 28 people who were part of the monumental drug trials at the facilityh.

The National Art School near The Bandstand will also become an exhibition space for Qtopia, for additional showcases and displays.

However, the Darlinghurst Police Station is not completely off the table as a bigger and more permanent museum. The LGBTQIA+ community is gaining support to reclaim the site. Currently, the building is an office space for workers of NSW Health.

In May 2022, the City of Sydney funded almost $300,000 to Qtopia’s project to establish an LGBTQIA+ Museum to acknowledge the community’s resilience and support actions to correct past mistakes and injustices as part of the city’s healing process.

Major Redevelopment of Cathedral on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills Approved

Photo Credit: City of Sydney / online2.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Plans for a $27.5-million redevelopment of a cathedral on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills have been approved.

Lodged by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in December 2020, the proposal seeks part demolition, alterations, and additions to its group buildings, particularly the function hall and parish hall that sits on land located at 242 Cleveland Street in Surry Hills.

The will be a place for public worship, a museum, a library, a theological college, domiciles and shared facilities | Photo Credit: City of Sydney / online2.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

The group of buildings that are subject of the redevelopment includes the former St Paul’s rectory building; the Eastern block of buildings that are used for residences, offices, and ancillary uses; the Northern block that is used for a function room, museum, library and Main Hall; and the cafe building. Except for the cafe building, all buildings are connected to one another.

The application which was approved by the City of Sydney Planning Panel last 31 August 2022 involves the construction of two new buildings with a shared basement to serve as a place for public worship, a shared function space, a museum, a library, and an office. There will also be a theological college, domiciles, and shared facilities.

Major Redevelopment of Cathedral on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills Approved — Photo Credit: City of Sydney / online2.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

The redevelopment is to be constructed in five stages with the first stage scheduled for completion in March 2024.

242 Cleveland St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal Design Competition Shortlist Revealed

Photo Credit: NSW Government / create.nsw.gov.au

Five Australian architectural design teams have been shortlisted for the Powerhouse Ultimo design competition to determine who will get to take part in the museum’s $500-million renewal project.

The Powerhouse Ultimo renewal project aims to turn the museum into a cultural destination to showcase excellence in art, design, science, and technology.

The design teams named in the announcement are the following:

Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects, Tyrrell Studio, Youssofzay + Hart, Akira Isogawa and Yerrabingin submitting under the working title SPARK.
BVN and Oculus with OCP Architects, TTW, Eckersley O’Callaghan, Transsolar Klima Engineering.
Cox Architecture, Neeson Murcutt Neille, Other Architects, Hector Abrahams Architects, Sue Barnsley Design and Arup.
John Wardle Architects, Billy Maynard, ASPECT Studios, Bangawarra, Eckersley O’Callaghan, Atelier Ten and Urbis.
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, JMD Design, TCL, Sibling Architecture, Freeman Ryan Design, Atelier Ten.

A glimpse into the history of Powerhouse Ultimo | Video Credit: Powerhouse / Vimeo

The NSW Government will invest $480 to $500 million to revitalise Powerhouse Ultimo which will see the museum deliver applied arts and sciences programming that will focus on design and fashion and present exhibitions that will showcase the Powerhouse collection and international exclusive exhibitions as well as programs that support the creative industries.

The participating designers will develop a concept for the planned Powerhouse renewal and present them to the jury who will announce the chosen concept later this year.

“The renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo is a momentous project for NSW that will deliver new and expanded spaces to present exhibitions to showcase the Powerhouse’s significant collection, international exhibitions programs, and dedicated fashion and design galleries,” Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin said.

“This is a unique opportunity for one of the shortlisted design teams to leave a lasting impression on our city and reinforce Sydney’s reputation as a global cultural destination” he added.

“The Powerhouse is thrilled these five innovative Australian design teams have been selected to develop a concept for the renewal of the Powerhouse,” Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said

“We look forward to seeing bold and ambitious ideas that will place the museum at the very forefront of contemporary museum practice for the benefit of our communities.”

The Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal Design Competition is being managed by City Lab on behalf of Create NSW, Powerhouse and Infrastructure NSW. A jury of architecture and cultural industry experts chaired by Wendy Lewin LFRAIA, Commissioner, NSW Independent Planning Commission and Principal, Wendy Lewin Architects will determine the winning design concept.

More information about the Design Competition and the shortlisted design teams can be found here.

Crown Street, Sydney Set to Receive $32-Million Upgrade

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Plans have been submitted to implement a $32-million upgrade to a portion of Crown Street in Surry Hills, seeking to improve and modernise the public spaces and footpaths in the area, encourage visitors, and provide a much-needed boost to local businesses.

A 1-kilometre stretch of Crown Street between Devonshire St and Oxford St is the subject of the proposed multimillion-dollar makeover, which will include:

removing timber electrical poles and placing overhead electrical cables underground
new multi-function smart poles with LED streetlights
footpath widening, kerb upgrades, and pedestrian ramp upgrades
replacing the existing signal crossing at Crown Street Public School with a raised zebra crossing
new garden beds along the street, new bubblers, bike racks, and seating.

Three of the existing trees in the area will be replaced with 40 new trees, in order to increase the canopy cover by 50 per cent. Likewise, eight of the on-street parking spaces will be converted into tree pits, with a new footpath in the area.

Fresh Air and More Canopy Cover

These improvements are expected to provide both shade and fresh air, providing more venues to hang out in and encouraging greater outdoor interaction.

“We’re working hard to improve our streets and public spaces to make them more inviting and sustainable for our residents, visitors and workers,” the Lord Mayor of Sydney said.

“As we strive to create an environment to support our pandemic recovery efforts, local businesses are being given an environment that people want to visit, to come together, be entertained and be inspired.”

“We can clearly see the enormous benefit that creating calmer, safer streets, wider footpaths and planting new trees and garden beds have for local communities.”

“I would love to see a bit more al fresco dining, a bit more greenery, just so people have the ability to hang out and to make the whole area more of a destination,” Lachie Thompson from The Winery said.

“It could encourage people to come here, not to just do one thing, but to say, ‘Hey, we can go to Crown Street, maybe we’ll grab a coffee, maybe we’ll grab a few drinks.’

“We’ve been constantly adapting since Covid and trying to find our new normal. I definitely think these public spaces can have a positive benefit for business.”

The public consultation on the proposed project has concluded and all feedback is now being reviewed. Once endorsed, construction works are expected to commence in 2023.

For the past 12 months, the City of Sydney has completed several footway upgrades including locations in Glebe, Beaconsfield, Newtown, and Surry Hills as well as upgraded footpaths along Elizabeth Street and Sussex Street in the city centre. Moreover, the Macleay Street Potts Point upgrade is almost complete.

Some Apprehensions

Other small business operators, however, are not keen on the proposal, fearing that construction activities will disrupt the flow of business to the area. This is especially true for businesses whose customers rely on nearby car parking areas to access their shops.

Other are apprehensive that the project will only favour select businesses and may limit curbside spaces for the use of a few businesses.

Gildas Tapas and Wine Bar Brings World-Famous Basque Cuisine to Surry Hills

Chef Lennox Hastie’s success with Firedoor, the refined Surry Hills heritage dining venue that serves some of the best steaks in the world, has led to another sensational venue — Gildas, a Basque-themed Spanish tapas and wine bar located a few doors down on Albion Street.

Taking over the former home of Chur Burger, the new Surry Hills foodie haunt is inspired by Chef Hastie’s time in Spain’s northern Basque Country, in a small seaside town called San Sebastian.

For such a small region, Basque Country earned a global reputation for having the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants, with heaps of world-famous chefs. Chef Hastie lived in the region for over five years to find out and learn from the best. He trained at Astelena, a pintxos bar serving finger foods (pintxos or pinchos), and became very passionate about creating bite-sized flavourful dishes.

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A post shared by Gildas (@gildas_surryhills)

The chef has the help of Zach Elliott-Crenn in the kitchen, combining top-quality Spanish ingredients with Australian flavours. Food served at Gildas includes the traditional Spanish Jamon Iberico paired with ham from Bundarra Berkshires in New South Wales.

Regulars cannot get enough of Matilda, a classic pintxos with an Australian twist. It’s made with Seared red Paroo kangaroo, salted desert lime, charred onion, and pepper berry dressing.

Gildas Matilda — Photo Credit: Gildas/Instagram

The Alubias is quickly becoming the go-to dish as well and it’s made with jamon broth, pipis and manzanilla sherry.

Gildas Alubias — Photo Credit: Gildas/Instagram

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Check Out the Menu

Chef Hastie has also envisioned Gildas to replicate the vibe of the pintxo bars, where diners are served with plenty of choices without any obligations. Gildas is typically a drop-in place where people come for a quick drink, some bites, and a chat before deciding where they want to spend the rest of the night or they may decide to settle in and stay for the evening.

In true Basque Country style, the wine bar is not overly decorated. Gildas is mostly open for walk-ins and has limited reservations.

Visit the official site to learn more about Gildas or follow their Instagram page.

The Incredible Secrets of Strawberry Hills in Surry Hills, including a Velodrome and a visit from Queen Elizabeth

A small precinct within Surry Hills has evolved from an industrial area to a world-class velodrome to a car plant and then to a site visited by the late Queen Elizabeth, the day she came to Surry Hills.

Imagine an international cycling track in the middle of Surry Hills, packed with spectators 7 days a week, jazz bands, and a huge party atmosphere every night. The velodrome on Riley Street was one of the most popular local entertainment precincts, with top-class track cycling that included international stars.

Velodrome From Canterbury to Strawberry Hills

Built in Strawberry Hills in 1937, it was named the Sydney Sports Arena. The velodrome at Canterbury had been dismantled and the boards were used to build the track on Riley Street. The track was built with a 55-degree bank and was 200 metres long.

During his cycling career, Sir Hubert Opperman set many world 24-hour records here, where he was held in similar standing to Don Bradman, Phar Lap, and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith by Sydney society.

The Velodrome gradually lost its lustre and was closed in the 1950s, when the Larke & Hoskins assembly plant for Leyland vehicles was built on the site.

Then, the site and surrounding areas were taken over by the construction of John Northcott Place, an enormous Public Housing building, built to accommodate the huge number of migrants who needed cheap housing after WW2.

The scale of the project deserved a grand opening.

Photo Credit: Surry Hills Police Command/Facebook

Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip in Surry Hills

It was 2nd March 1963 when Queen Elizabeth came to Surry Hills.

Having sailed from Hobart during their 5-week tour of Australia, the Queen and Prince Philip arrived in Sydney, where they were asked to officially open John Northcott Place.

The building had already been occupied for two years. Every balcony across all its 15 floors seemed to have people hanging over it, watching as the Queen officially opened and toured the building, including the rooftop looking across the city.

Photo Credit: National Archives of Australia

She dropped into a family on the 14th floor unannounced and joined them for tea, a story that went around the world at the time and did a lot to engender warmth towards the monarchy.

Of course, the Queen also had a pair of golden slippers made at the Perkal Brothers Bespoke Shop, Sydney’s premier bootmakers, located on Crown Street in Surry Hills.

Charles Touma talks about the early days of Strawberry Hills as well as the velodrome and the Queen’s visit in the video below:

Beysis Water Bottles: Surry Hills Brand Surges after Oprah Winfrey Endorsement

Beysis co-founder Ariana Hendry had no idea that the “Oprah” insulated water bottles ordered from their Surry Hills-based customised gift store were for the famous media personality until they saw a video of Oprah Winfrey raving about their bottles. And that was the start of something good…nay, great(!) for their business.

Ariana and her business partners, Anthea Hendry and Jessica Bryce, thought someone who was a die-hard fan of Oprah ordered the customised bottle until they realised who it really was.

Oprah gave away personalised Beysis water bottles for the guests of director Ava DuVernay’s 50th birthday bash in Maui. The popular TV personality was hosting the party for her.

In the video, Oprah could be heard raving about Beysis: “Here’s what I love so much…. I was looking for the perfect water bottle. I love the smoothness of this one when you pull it out of your bag, and the most important [thing] is having everyone’s name on their water bottle.”

She then shared the product on Oprah Daily and her Instagram reel, which has over 21.4 million followers. Beysis was tagged on the post, thus quickly gaining a boom in its sales by 1,200 per cent and heaps of traffic to their website by nearly 5,000 per cent.

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A post shared by Beysis Lifestyle Accessories (@beysisofficial)

“We have been working tirelessly to design a collection of beautiful sustainable products. The last three years have not been without their challenges, but when you receive such positive feedback from one of the world’s most influential people, it creates a fire to keep persevering,” Ariana said.

Oprah’s endorsement came at the right time as Beysis was also launching in the U.S. Ariana said that Oprah’s endorsement was such a welcome opportunity for a young business that usually cannot afford a celebrity to recommend their products.

The company opened in Surry Hills in late 2019, or just a few months before the pandemic hit. Aside from the challenges of opening a new business, the company had to overcome an economy pulled down by the global crisis.

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A post shared by Beysis Lifestyle Accessories (@beysisofficial)

Meanwhile, Beysis also sells sustainable customised iPhone and AirPods cases, makeup cases, candles and vases. A percentage of the company’s profits is coursed through Project Change International, an Australian social enterprise that supports causes for women.

The company is due to launch six new products for the next quarter, which are focused on reusables. For now, the Beysis team is busy filling out orders as a result of the Oprah endorsement.

Follow Beysis on Instagram for updates on new products.

Bruno Mars to Perform at the Newly Rebuilt Allianz Stadium

Photo Credit: Brothers Le, CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars is set to perform at the launching of the brand new Allianz Stadium in Moore Park with two concerts slated in October 2022.

The Grammy Award-winner is coming back to Australia after four years to do a couple of shows at the Allianz Stadium to mark the opening of the newly rebuilt stadium.

The old 45,500-seater Sydney Football Stadium was demolished three years ago to undergo redevelopment at a cost of AU$874 million. The new stadium, named Allianz Stadium, has a reduced capacity of 42,500 with three levels of seating on either side and two levels at the ends.

The last time Mars performed for the Australian audience was in 2018 during his 24K Magic World Tour. The two concerts will be staged on 14-15 October 2022.

Justine Bieber and Elton John will also be performing at the Allianz Stadium in November 2022 and January 2023, respectively.

Born Peter Gene Hernandez, Bruno Mars rose to fame in 2010 via the Billboard no.1 single “Nothin’ on You” with B.o.B. His debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans spawned U.S. chart-toppers “Just the Way You Are” and “Grenade”.

Photo Credit: Markéta Machová from Pixabay

In 2021, Mars partnered with American rapper Anderson.Paak to form Silk Sonic and released their debut album as a duo, An Evening with Silk Sonic. The album features the singles “Leave The Door Open”, “Skate” and “Silk Sonic Intro”.

To date, the 15-time Grammy winner is estimated to have sold more than 26 million albums and 200 million singles worldwide, putting him in the company of the best-selling artists of all time.

Bruno Mars Live in Sydney happens on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 October 2022 at the Allianz Stadium.

Buy tickets

Dads Get a Free Gin & Tonic at Four Pillars in Surry Hills; What Else is Happening in September?

Visit the Four Pillars in Surry Hills on Father’s Day and score a free G & T for your gin-loving dad!

Visits to their Sydney Gin Laboratory or to Eileen’s Bar could even include a masterclass or Maker Session, perfect for a father and son bonding, or for your dad to enjoy with his friends. All you have to do is pick a date and book online.

BOOK A GIN WORKSHOP for POPS

Everyone can still have an unforgettable gift time even after Father’s Day, as Four Pillars unveils their exciting new events for September 2022.

Four Pillars Lab Launch: 2022 Bloody Underhill Shiraz Gin

On Thursday, 8 September, Four Pillars will launch the 2022 Bloody Underhill Shiraz Gin at the Sydney Laboratory with the “tasting to end all tastings.”

This one-night event will be hosted by two of Four Pillars’ famous personalities, Stu and Cam. One makes the jokes and the other makes the gin, alongside Sarah Crowe from Yarra Yering.

Four Pillars Sara and Cam — Photo Credit: Supplied

“The evening will feature a mix of gin and wine, with a tasting of the barrel-aged Rare Dry that goes into making the single vintage, followed by both vintages Four Pillars have released – 2021 and 2022.”

“Sarah will be pouring three wines on the evening from Yarra Yering, one of which is made from the same grapes as the Bloody Underhill Shiraz Gin. Expect canapes to start and bigger bites during the evening, with all dishes tied to Four Pillars’ and Yarra Yering’s home in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Get ready to taste from some very special producers.”

Get Tickets to the Wine Tasting

Guests will be able to avail of a discount for the Single Vintage Bloody Shiraz Gin.

Dinner at Nour for Negroni Week

The following week, on Wednesday, 14 September Four Pillars is teaming up with Nour, its Surry Hills neighbour for a Middle Eastern feast. Dinner at Nour for Negroni Week will include gin-infused Middle Eastern courses, each paired with a different cocktail.

“On the menu is classic flavours such as labneh, yellowfin tuna, date-glazed lamb shoulder and caramelised kishk, but look out for the gin-twists of Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz caviar, Campari marmalade and Four Pillars Gin-infused chocolate and buckwheat tart.

Book a Seat for Negroni Week

Four Pillars x Fabbrica – Pasta Party

Lastly, Four Pillars is hosting a Fabbrica Pasta Party in collaboration with The Lab on Friday, 16 September, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m., and Saturday, 17 September, from 3:00 to 10:00 p.m.

“Dishes will celebrate classic Italian flavours with mafaldine cacio e pepe, casarecce and pork and fennel sausage, and the Four Pillars gin spiked baba with truffle cream on the menu, while the tailored drinks include La Salut Salad (Olive Leaf Gin, hazelnut, blood orange + tomato fizz, EVOO), a Fabbrica Negroni (Olive Leaf Gin, Campari, Oscar.697 Rosso, salted ruby grapefruit, EVOO) and a drinkable gin Tiramisu (Bloody Shiraz Gin, Mr. Black, Veneziano cold brew, mascarpone, savoiardi milk).”

The Lab Four Pillars — Photo Credit: Supplied

Four Pillars The LAB — Photo Credit: Supplied

After enjoying the meal, swing by The Lab for packs of Fabbrica Cacio E Pepe with Spaghetti and Pork and Fennel Sausage with Trotolle, as well as bottled Fabbrica Negroni, made with Olive Leaf Gin, Campari, Oscar.697 Rosso, salted ruby grapefruit and EVOO.

Visit Four Pillars Gin for more of these events or follow the Facebook page.

New Community, Parks Planned Over Sydney Central Station Rail Yards

Plans to build three new parks, a public square, and social services hubs for a new community over the rail corridor of Sydney central station have been unveiled, including a 24-ha deck that will connect parts of Sydney which have been divided since the railway line split Ultimo from Surry Hills back in 1874.

Read: Surry Hills is Australia’s Most Instagrammable Suburb

There will be around 15 new buildings ranging in size and scale from three to 34 storeys for a range of uses including tech and office space, hotel and residential, bars, restaurants and cafes, education, community and cultural uses.

It will feature 850 new homes, including a minimum 15 percent affordable housing as well as 266 rooms for student housing.

The project is part of the Central Precinct’s redevelopment, which is expected to cost around $11 billion.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the NSW Government’s vision for Central Station will utilise unused space over the current rail corridor to deliver a vibrant destination and provide much needed space for the expansion of the CBD.

“We have a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine this iconic part of our CBD and transform it into a world-class precinct of shops, restaurants, office spaces, parkland and additional housing,” Mr Perrottet said.

The announcement came just days after works have already started for the Atlassian Central tower, which will be located on the western edge of the new deck and dubbed as the largest component of the Tech Central precinct.

“This proposal will be another major investment into the future of the Sydney CBD. Our vision will convert Central precinct into a must-visit part of our city for locals as well as for domestic and international tourists,” Mr Perrottet added.

Have Your Say

To clear the way for the redevelopment, Transport for NSW has prepared a rezoning proposal for the Central Precinct. It will go on public exhibition until Monday 19 September 2022.

To view the proposal and have your zay about plans for Sydney Central Station, visit https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/.