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Waterloo Metro Rail Platform Taking Shape After 7 Months of Work

The Waterloo Metro Rail platform, the first platform in the Sydney Metro City and Southwest projects, is now taking shape after seven months of construction, thanks to the efforts of more than 800 workers.

Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said that the City and Southwest projects, including the 170-metre-long Waterloo Metro Rail platform, have been creating thousands of jobs and will continue to bring in more workers until its target completion date in 2024.

“More than 5,000 people are currently working on the City and Southwest project and by the time it opens, more than 50,000 will have worked on it,” Mr Constance said.

“When Sydney Metro services start through Waterloo, it will take customers just two minutes to get to Central, six minutes to Martin Place and eight minutes to Barangaroo.”

Waterloo Metro Rail Platform — Photo Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

Construction at the platform entailed the pouring of 1,100 tonnes of concrete in the specially designed moulds to assemble the platform, as well as precasting and stablising the concrete sections that weigh seven tons each. A 45-metre-tall tower crane was also used to lift the segments into the surface.

This platform is found underground at the corners of Raglan and Cope Streets and by the station bounded by Botany Road, Cope Street, Raglan Street and Wellington Street. This project will also include the following additions to create the Waterloo Metro Quarter:

New pedestrian crossings on Raglan, Wellington and Cope streets
New bike parking within the precinct
New taxi and kiss and ride bays on Cope Street
Existing bus stops retained northbound along Botany Road
Relocation of the bus stop southbound on Botany Road closer to Raglan Street
Relocation of the bus stops on Cope and Wellington streets to Raglan Street
Enhancement of pedestrian infrastructure around the Waterloo Metro Quarter including footpath widenings and through-site links

Redfern Student Tower in The Block Could Become First Student Quarantine Hub

A 600-bed student accommodation located in The Block in Redfern could become the first student quarantine hub in New South Wales upon the return of the international students.

Construction of the $100-million development, which will be one of three Scape student housing facilities in Sydney, is almost complete and could be ready in time for the launch of the government’s pilot program for student quarantine hubs.

Scape co-founder Craig Carracher confirmed that the student tower was re-engineered to be featured with contactless access points and a better airflow system that will limit the spread of the virus. It comes as International Education Association Australia CEO Phil Honeywood also said that similar student accommodation companies have been looking into developing and improving their facilities to comply with the policies and regulations of the NSW Health on student housing.

However, a spokesperson from the NSW Treasury said that the Scape development has only been shortlisted and a decision on the quarantine hub has yet to been made. Another student accommodation provided by Iglu, also found in Redfern, is up for consideration as well.

The spokesperson acknowledged the need to prepare quarantine-ready facilities for returning international students as they make up one of the “largest and important export sectors” of NSW, supporting local jobs and boosting the economy for over $14 billion a year.

South Australia was the first to propose a student quarantine hub and will meet with the officials of the federal government in the coming weeks to carefully carry out their plans. NSW, on the other hand, has not yet submitted any proposal to the federal government.

Meanwhile, the Scape development is not without its controversies as it will stand on an iconic site. Some Redfern locals worry about the potential impact of a quarantine facility next to the vulnerable Indigenous residents, who could be forced out of The Block due to the threats to their health and wellbeing.

Famous Redfern Street Cat, Tiger, Last Seen ‘Kickin and Living’

Meet Tiger. University residents and locals have doubtless had some unforgettable encounters with this popular Redfern native, an “old gangster” cat that’s a familiar sight on Abercrombie Street.

This ginger tabby cat is quite the legendary and well-loved character for despite his grumpy face, Tiger loves to solicit pats and touches from the humans walking in this busy Redfern section.

Stories have it that Tiger moved from the sleepy outskirts of Bundeena about 19 years ago to the stay in the lively inner west. Because he’s very adaptable, he had no trouble fitting in and growing attached to the locals.

For years, Redfern locals shared their encounters with Tiger, which has been documented on his dedicated Instagram @tiger_abercrombie_streetcat.

But sometime before the pandemic, a worrying post alarmed the community.

“I’m sorry to report that Tiger may be on his last legs,” the message said. “He’s at the vet now because he has been bleeding from the mouth. He’s a very old cat, around 17 years, and it might be his time. He’s coming back to Abercrombie this afternoon and will most probably spend the night at Huda’s place. If you do see him on the street, make sure to get one final pat on this lovely old fellow.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tiger (@tiger_abercrombie_streetcat)

Two months later, however, another message was shared on the Instagram account, saying that Tiger has recovered from his illness and he’s back at his favorite spot on Abercrombie.

When the pandemic struck, his social media site went dark for a year, leading Tiger fans to conclude that the furry local’s nine lives might be up.

However, sometime in April 2021, a message on Instagram gave Tiger’s adoptive community some hope. It explained why the social media account has been quiet. Apparently, the person who managed it lost access and the password to the account. Tiger, however, is still “kicking and living.”

The Redfern community is waiting for more updates.

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A post shared by Tiger (@tiger_abercrombie_streetcat)

But Tiger is not the only Abercrombie celebri-kitty. The Eveleigh Hotel is the turf of Ambercrombie Charlie, a classic tabby with blotched black and white streaks on its fur who is about 13 years old.

Though not quite a street cat since he lives with owner Lou Shackleton, Ambercrombie Charlie gets regular visitors, especially after he made it to the local news quite a number of times.

Students at the University of Sydney, who major in the study of animals, are very familiar with this cat. In 2017, his photo was part of the campaign to vote for marriage equality in NSW.

In 2019, he caused serious worries for the community for his reported disappearance. Even the police got involved in his search.

Following investigations, an Uber rider thought that Charlie was a missing cat as he has found him on the street without his collar. It was an honest mistake.

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A post shared by Charlie Abercrombie (@abercrombiecharlie)

Student Accommodation to Replace Petrol Station on Regent Street

Did you know that an idle site on Regent Street in Redfern, formerly a petrol station, will soon be developed into a three-tower student accommodation with 1,300 beds and shops on the ground floor?

Plans to demolish the petrol station have been approved in January 2021 (DA D/2020/1095) after developer Wee Hur bought the 1,366 square metre property (104 to 116 Regent Street) from BP Australia. The Singaporean investor has two other adjoining properties in the area: 90-102 Regent Street and 13-23 Gibbons Street.

With this third site in his portfolio, the developer is looking to build three towers of student accommodation that will seal Redfern’s reputation as the ideal student precinct. One of the towers will have its own outdoor cinema on the rooftop, as well as communal areas with BBQ facilities.

Photo Credit: City of Sydney Development Application

Per the approved development application, demolition on the site will cover the service station hardstands, canopy and equipment, as well as the removal of the signage. Excavation and remediation work are also included in the approved plans.

The total cost of this demolition is $287,824. The developer, however, will still submit a separate application for the student accommodation, projected to stand at about 18-storeys tall.

Mr Wee’s Australian investment company, Intergen Property Group, also manages two student accommodation sites at the Unilodge Park Central in Brisbane (1,578 beds) and Unilodge City Gardens in Adelaide (772 beds).

According to industry experts, student towers remain the fastest-growing investment for property developers despite the impact of COVID-19. Pre-pandemic, Australia’s third-largest industry has been education, generating about $30 billion annually.

Significant changes have been happening in Redfern following its rezoning in 2000 as a high-density suburb. Redfern will also become the site of the NSW’s first Build-to-Rent social housing project.

New Sydney City South Parish Merges Redfern with Rosebery and Waterloo

The Archdiocese of Sydney has established the new Sydney City South Parish that merges Redfern Catholic Church with Rosebery and Waterloo. Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has created a decree recognising the amalgamation after consultations with various communities.

The new Sydney City South Parish will comprise St Joseph in Rosebery, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterloo, and St Vincent de Paul in Redfern with Fr Paul Smither as the parish priest. Fr Paul said that whilst mergers may be difficult, it’s an important step to make the parishes viable.

The churches in Waterloo and Rosebery are within walking distance whilst the Redfern church is around three kilometres away. Fr Paul said that as these small parishes integrate, the community will cover a bigger area as well, allowing the Catholic faithful to participate in various activities of the three churches.

Members of the parish might leave as a result of these changes but Fr Paul is also optimistic that new people will be encouraged to join.

Redfern local Ralph Townsend welcomes the change as an Aboriginal Elder because he believes this merger will not only make the new parish the church for Indigenous but the church for all people.

As a long-time parishioner, Mr Townsend said that the Redfern church embraces diversity and a multi-cultural community. The change will reinforce the thrust of the Catholic Church as one big community.

The Norfolk Hotel in Redfern to Unveil New Look for Millennials

An old watering hole in Redfern will debut its new look and design following a $2 million refurbishment from The People, a new hospitality group. Once The Norfolk Hotel on Cleveland Road re-opens, it’s expected to get people talking, especially the millennials.

The transformation of The Norfolk Hotel will be completed by the end of May 2021 with the pub set to re-open in early June. A few months later, its six rooms will begin accepting accommodations that will appeal to digital natives like YouTubers, podcasters, TikTok users, and young people who value co-working spaces or a good recording space with a refreshing design and cutting edge audio-video facilities.

Paul Schulte and Andrew Taylor, the co-founders of The People, have the millennials in mind when they started redeveloping The Norfolk Hotel, owned by George Confos. The partners said that the younger generation has been looking for an affordable hangout that also ticks all of the boxes when it comes to lifestyle perks and the coolness factor.

The pub itself will have something different as frequent patrons won’t have to use a credit card to open up a tab. Instead, they will have to register for an account that will exclusively run on a new app made for The People. This new system will also be used for the accommodation at The House, the hotel’s upper floor, and the other restaurants under the hospitality group’s management.

The Norfolk Hotel is The People’s first redevelopment. The group is also transforming Camelia Grove Hotel in Alexandria, the Kurrajong Hotel in Erskineville, and The Exchange Hotel in Balmain. The idea is to change these old hotels into boutique accommodations or hang out without the five-star price tag.

To keep taps of the opening of The Norfolk Hotel, bookmark their website. The social media pages will follow after the group re-establishes the pub.

Surry Hills Village: Construction of Redfern Lifestyle Precinct Starts

Following years of planning, Toga Group’s $200-million Surry Hills Village redevelopment in Redfern is now underway.

In late March 2021, Toga Group and officials of the City of Sydney, along with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, had a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the iconic site’s regeneration. The groundbreaking also signaled the demolition of some existing buildings to make way for a revitalised lifestyle precinct comprising high-end apartments across three structures, retail shops, food and dining sites, commercial spaces, and a boutique hotel.

“I welcome the revitalisation of the old Surry Hills shopping centre as a vibrant, mixed-use development of apartments, supermarket, speciality shops and boutique hotel – bringing new life to the area and better serving the needs of the people who are living here,” the Lord Mayor said.

The new Surry Hills Village will also include a 517-square-meter public park where various community activities can be mounted. The project will see through the extensive and careful modifications of heritage buildings and facades as commercial and communal spaces that were once under-utilised.

SJB Architects was hired as precinct’s designer, paying homage to the history of the neighbourhood. The company’s director, Adam Haddow, said that the locals are passionate about retaining some of their community’s unique features whilst creating a modern and inclusive space for everyone to enjoy in the years to come.

Also behind this redevelopment are some of Sydney’s prestigious creatives — BKH director Iain Halliday, Aspect Studios director Sacha Coles, and Studio Prineas principal and architect Eva-Marie Prineas.

Surry Hills Village, located on Cleveland and Baptist Streets in Redfern, has a 2024 completion date. For tenancy details or residential enquiries visit the official site.

New Dining Attractions Flow into Locomotive Street in South Eveleigh

The development of South Eveleigh has ramped up with the opening of new dining attractions on Locomotive Street, the food and drink precinct located near the Redfern Station. The former industrial site is now Sydney’s newest hip and happening hub for foodies.

Locomotive Street features some of the culinary forces that will put this heritage landmark on the map yet again. Within the last six months, here are the restaurants that have established their new home in this burgeoning precinct.

Fishbowl

Fishbowl, which opened its first site in Bondi in 2016, offers various healthy salads and meals as takeaway. The eatery specialises in authentic food, where minimal intervention during preparation is applied. The owners take inspiration from Japanese cooking thus their menu includes plenty of rice, sushi and vegetables.

Bekya

Bekya serves Middle Eastern wraps, Egyptian flavourful meals and vegan specialties with some Greek, Italian and French influences. The foodie spot also focuses on takeway meals, perfect for busy Sydneysiders.

Eat Fuh

Eat Fuh is known for its Pho, Vietnam’s national dish. A frequent market vendor at various Sydney markets for many years, this family-run business finally established a spacious permanent home in Eveleigh.

RaRa Chan

From the group behind RaRa Ramen comes RaRa Chan, the team’s “baby sister,” which offers tsukemen or dipping-style ramen with thick noodles. This noodle dish is so packed that its broth is always served in a separate bowl.

Pepper Seeds

The first Pepper Seeds restaurant opened in Balmain in 2012 to serve a fusion of spicy Thai dishes, alongside a diverse menu of curries, salads, noodles and stir-fry. As a boutique restaurant, its menu features carefully curated dishes.

Re

Re, an offshot of the London cocktail bar Scout, aims to deliver a sustainable drinking experience “built on waste.” Everything from its drinks, to its glasses, furniture and fit-out is upcycled. If you’re wondering how banana peels taste on a cocktail, this is the bar to visit.

Romeo’s Food Hall IGA

Whilst technically a supermarket, Romeo’s Food Hall IGA has a takeaway section featuring pizza, sushi, salads, and even a cheese bar.

Mirvac started developing South Eveleigh in 2016 to transform one of Australia’s significant, historical national railways into a lifestyle site, with Locomotive Street as the food and drink centre for Everleigh, Redfern, Alexandria and nearby suburbs.

“The vision for South Eveleigh has been not only to create a world-class technology and innovation hub to work and play, but also to curate a food and retail space that has people and community at its heart, and that is welcoming and accessible to everyone,” Mirvac Head of Commercial Property Campbell Hanan said as more establishments are expected to open before 2021 ends.

Near Locomotive Street, South Eveleigh also has Priceline, wellness and personal grooming facilities, as well as fitness studios.

Redfern Shanty Club Reunited One Year After the Lockdown

Have you heard of the Redfern Shanty Club? It’s a vibrant community devoted to weekly meetings, with members who sing Australian folk music and sea shanty songs at The Dock on Redfern Street. When the pandemic restrictions got stricter, the group was forced to go on a hiatus. Zoom meetings and Tiktok never quite brought the same vibe but now they’re back at the old haunt!

On Monday, 29 March 2021, Redfern Shanty Club reunited for their first shanty night since the 2020 lockdown as Sydney’s restrictions eased. Needless to say, there were a lot of singing and joyful noises as the members touch-based with each other in person and resumed singing, clapping and playing the bongo. There was a line of curious on-lookers outside The Dock as well.

Redfern Shanty Club was established by Sydney comedian Carlo Ritchie in Berlin, after meeting a sailor from Canada and an architect from Australia. Over lamb steaks and booze, the trio talked and sang folk songs they’ve loved from back home. When the night was done, they agreed to meet up again and bond over more songs, booze and food, and this became their weekly get-together.

When Mr Ritchie moved back home in 2014, he continued the tradition at The Dock, which quickly appealed to university students and Redfern locals. Monday nights became shanty nights, with Mr Ritchie leading the crowd in singing songs like “The Shores of Botany Bay,” “Seven Drunken Nights” and other folk classics or hits. Some might call sea shanty songs as “pirate music” but this was created as a working song for seafarers to make manual labour easier aboard a ship.

The other guests at The Dock are usually advised beforehand that shanty singing is about to take place when they hear the leader shout, “Ahoy!” a few times. However, non-club members could also join in the singing as someone usually shouts the lyrics, raising everyone’s energy and enthusiasm.

Sarah Willing, one of the organisers of the reunion, said that the feeling of having their very first post-lockdown was hard to put in words so they sang and banged on the bongos as loud as they could to express their happiness.

Redfern Shanty Club has a broad membership. Ms Willing said that they have anyone from the young Tiktok crowd and the shanty “elders” who have shared stories of the complex and intricate history of sea shanty songs.

Meanwhile, to make up for lost time, the group has decided to do two shanting nights a week (Monday and Tuesday) for a limited time. Monday is still reserved for The Dock but the Tuesday meets will take place during the YCK Laneways Block Party at The Duke of Clarence in Sydney CBD from 6 April to 18 May 2021 at 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Cooee Art New Flagship Gallery Opens in Redfern

Here’s wonderful news for art lovers in and around Redfern, especially those who follow and support the Aboriginal fine art niche! Cooee Art Gallery, the oldest exhibit and auction house featuring indigenous Australian culture, has expanded and opened a third outlet on Thurlow Street.

Cooee Art Gallery Redfern opened its doors on 25 March 2021 with two special exhibitions.

The first is a group exhibit, titled Cooee: Come Here, featuring the masterpieces of well-known First Nation artists like Djon Mundine, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Vincent Namatjira and Queenie McKenzie. The second exhibit features 16 paintings by contemporary artist Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori as loaned from the Mirndiyan Gununa Arts Centre. Ms Gabori started painting at the age of 81 in 2005 until her death in 2015.

Both exhibits will remain on display until 10 April 2021. Digital versions of the artwork may be viewed and ordered online for both Cooee: Come Here and Ms Gabori’s solo feature.

For the last 40 years, Cooee Art Gallery, has been featuring talented Aboriginal artists, who do not often gain commercial gallery opportunities, at its Bondi Beach site. This space will still continue to operate as a collector’s gallery. A second gallery was opened in 2015 at Oxford Street in Paddington.

The Redfern site, spanning 480 square metres, will become its main auction and exhibition space. The very first auction will take place on Tuesday, 8 June 2021, at 7:00 p.m.

Ken Done owns the property in Redfern, which used to be his own art and clothing studio. During the official opening day, Done was also there to welcome the artists and their guests to his workspace.

Cooee Art Gallery Redfern is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.