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.