One of the aims of this series on governors, was to find a statue of each gentleman. I failed with Hunter. Perhaps there is one in Newcastle which is based on the Hunter River, and is the port which heads the Hunter Valley. However, in Sydney there is a "Hunter Street".In 1810, at the very beginning of his term, Governor Macquarie straightened a bunch of streets up, ordered they be given signs, and changed many names. Hunter Street was one such. It is one of the many streets in the CBD which run east-west, from the Macquarie Street ridge down the gully through which runs the Tank Stream, and up the next ridge along which runs York Street. Hunter Street stops at George Street though because of the military barracks that used to front the main city thoroughfare. |
The four images in the middle of this post: First row shows the terrain that Hunter Street traverses. On the left, I am looking down the slope from the George Street - western - end. On the right, I am looking down the slope from the Macquarie Strret - eastern - end. Second row shows two landmark buildings from their Hunter Street frontage. On the left is the 1856 Fairfax Building which now houses The Raddison Hotel. Fairfax publishes the "Sydney Moaning Herald". On the right is the 1936 art-deco City Mutual Building. |
13 comments:
Love your text today. Quite informative too. Could sit in that warm spot in your shot.
Nice bit of local history here.
How unusual that there was no statue of Hunter to be found and what a wonderful quest you have set for yourself.
I love the way you understate things in such a wonderfully wry way, Julie.
Interesting gap between governors.
K
Interesting leaving a jail without a keeper.
AAhh .. but the gaol was an island down the bottom of the known world. Most of the convicts lived in the community until Macquarie built HP Barracks. Those who escaped did not live long.
Julie, there is a bust of John Hunter in Hunter Park in Balmoral. There is also a statue in Scone and one in his birthplace in Leith, Scotland.
Very interesting post once again.
Robyn, are you the Robyn I think you are? I knew about the statue in Leith, Scotland. Scone. Scone, NSW or Scone, Scotland? I will check out Balmoral.
The Scone one looks like a replica of the Leith statue.
I can find a Hunter Park in Bondi, but not Balmoral. However, cannot find (using google streetview) a statue of Hunter in that Bondi park.
Yes, I am that Robyn! The park is off The Esplanade, Balmoral. You can see the statue on street view at the corner with Hunter Road.
Oh in short NSW that's beautiful.
Now I'm in Sydney and I'm work for SHOPPRICE
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