Barangaroo – there probably isn't much we don't know about 'Sydney's largest redevelopment project this century' given the scale and the publicity it has received. Not to mention the controversy around James Packer's casino resort proposal….
But did you know the name of the development, selected as part of a competition, is taken from a woman believed to be the wife of great warrior Bennelong, a significant figure during the time Sydney was colonised?
The waterfront site on the western edge of the Sydney CBD was previously 22 hectares of disused container wharves until excavation started in 2012. It is now in full blown construction mode proved by the permanently installed tower cranes (at last count ten) inhabiting the city's skyline.
As a quick overview, the precinct is made up of three redevelopment areas - the 6 hectare Headland Park, Barangaroo Central and Barangaroo South.
Barangaroo Central is the cultural and civic heart of the site for recreation, events and entertainment. While Barangaroo South will accommodate the commercial centre supported by residential living.
The headland park is just as the name promises, but what excites me is connecting the missing piece of the puzzle to the rest of Sydney's waterfront through a foreshore walk onto Walsh Bay and Darling Harbour.
add a new dimension to Australia's financial capital by integrating mixed use commercial, residential, retail, educational, civic, cultural and entertainment activities into an extended financial hub.