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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.

Rosa Cienfuegos to Open Larger Tamaleria in Redfern

Sydney locals who frequent market food stalls know the name Rosa Cienfuegos very well. After opening a tamaleria and Mexican deli in Dulwich Hill, the city’s ultimate expert in Mexican cuisine is expanding to a larger eatery in Redfern.

The Redfern site will be the second store for Rosa Cienfuegos’ growing Mexican food empire in Australia. Set for an April 2021 opening, the Tamales Queen chose the site after conducting a survey from her store’s loyal customers in 2020.

“Our second place we will have more tables and you will be able to celebrate your birthdays there,” Rosa said.

The new site will offer the same deli bestsellers. However, with a bigger place, diners could expect a more extensive menu as Rosa plans to introduce breakfast and food-on-the-go (comida corrida). The food showcased in her new cookbook, Comida Mexicana, will form part of the new menu as well.

Rosa Cienfuegos opened her first tamaleria in late 2018 as the authentic place to get hot tamales and other Mexican food fares like pulled pork or beef brisket tacos, burritos, lamb barbacoa, chicken with mole sauce, or rajas con queso.

A native of Mexico City, Rosa’s tamales are made Oaxaca-style but from time to time, she also serves different versions of the popular street food, such as those wrapped in banana leaf or enhanced with sweet and spicy flavours.

The new tamaleria will also have ingredients for people who’d like to try their hand at Mexican cooking at home. Since Rosa plans to be at both shops regularly, she’ll give advice on how to cook the dishes the right way.

Follow the Facebook page for updates about the new store.

Elizabeth Street Housing Development in Redfern Stalled Amidst Fingerpointing

One year after its assessment with the City of Sydney, the planned social housing development on Elizabeth Street in Redfern has still not moved forward.

Council said that it has assessed the planning proposal “in less than three and a half months” following the submission from NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) in February 2020. However, public consultation and community engagement for this Redfern site have not yet started.

But the Council’s website for their housing project stated that it is still under assessment and “will be reported to Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee for consideration.” The page also did not have any timeframes for the release of the assessment report.

NSW Housing Minister Melinda Pavey said that the project has been stalled because Council prioritises “politics before people.” Ms Pavey also enumerated delays in the development of the Waterloo and Glebe housing projects.

LAHC planned to develop 600-660 Elizabeth Street, a state-owned land, into a residential precinct with 4-storeys, 8-storeys and 16-storeys buildings. The block also surrounds Phillip, Walker and Kettle Streets.

The agency took over the development after the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces announced a new approach to the Redfern development in 2019. This project supposed to be the first state-supported build-to-rent residential development in the country and would be undertaken closely with the City of Sydney.

The Elizabeth Street housing development was primed for 351 dwellings with 70 percent of the units set as build-to-own homes for low-income families.

The State Government increased the budget for social housing to $812 million due to the pandemic. The move was aimed at economic recovery and to help the most vulnerable sectors.

Channel Seven Moving From Martin Place to Eveleigh After 17 Years

After 17 years at Martin Place in Willoughby, Channel Seven is relocating and moving all of its divisions in the studios to its headquarters in Eveleigh.

James Warburton, the CEO of Seven West Media, announced that news programs like Sunrise, This Morning Show and Seven News will begin broadcasting at the Eveleigh site, which is currently undergoing redevelopment and expansion.

In the next 21 months, staff members working at Martin Place will slowly transition to Seven Eveleigh. Mr Warburton said that it will be the first time in 40 years for Channel Seven’s Sydney team to be in one building.

The improved site will have seven floors and will feature new state-of-the-art facilities and a purpose-built studio for its news and public affairs programs.

Channel Seven’s administration has been at the Eveleigh site since 2003. In 2009, its TV production facility was built at the nearby Australian Technology Park. In 2018, the network made Eveleigh its headquarters after moving out of Jones Bay.

Meanwhile, the move out of Martin Place was deemed a cost-saving measure against property leasing in the CBD. This building was like a tourist attraction for Sydney visitors, who have their photos taken outside during a Sunrise broadcast.

Martin Place hosted some of the biggest acts in the world, like One Direction and Justin Bieber.

Dying Woman Gets Last Wish from Redfern Horses

A dying woman living in a hospice centre in Newcastle got her final wish from Hollywood and Don, a couple of handsome Redfern horses from the Mounted Unit NSW Police Force.

In her early 20s, Rita became the first female mounted police officer in the United Kingdom.

Hollywood and Don traveled more than 100 miles with their handlers, Graham and Nicole, from their homebase in Redfern to Calvary Mater in Newcastle, where 75-year-old Rita Meredith (nee Browning), was waiting to see and smell them.

According to the Mounted Unit, Rita has been “quite unwell and is not expected to return home” from the care facility where she has been receiving treatment in her last days. However, she wanted to be around horses for one last time.

Her friend thought of getting in touch with the NSW police unit to see if they could help grant her last wish and they obliged.

The Redfern horses met visited Rita on 10 March 2021. She was able to pat and feed Hollywood and Don as well, whilst Graham and Nicole answered questions from the care facility workers who were swept with emotions for Rita.

Photo Credit: Mounted Unit – NSW Police Force

“A pretty special feat for a very special lady,” Emily Skyes, Rita’s daughter-in-law, posted on Facebook. “She has done plenty of other extraordinary things in her life, but these days are always looked back at fondly and some of the best she recalls.”

“I cannot thank the NSW police for making this happen. You have made this lovely ladies wish come true and did it with such professionalism, respect and grace. On behalf of Rita’s family and friends, THANK YOU!” Emily added.

“We are blown away, thank you to everyone that has commented or shared this post. We are humbled yet so excited for people to see our lovely mum.”

Redfern Terrace House, Abandoned for 30 Years, Selling for Over $1 Million

No one has lived in this three-bedroom terrace house in Redfern for the last 30 years and it has recently been put up in the market, commanding a price of over $1 million.

The house on 31 George Street sits on a 164 square metre block. It has peeling paint, rotting wood, rusting metal and some dusty old furniture and appliances.

It’s been described as a general mess and could be “completely unliveable” but the realtors said it is a house filled with “extraordinary prospects” once it undergoes a major transformation. The new owner may also acquire the old furniture to do as they please.

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The owner of the house has been living in aged care since 1989 when his wife passed away. The terrace home has been with his family for 80 years and was originally bought at the value of $109,000 in the 1920s.

Today, the value of the land itself is about a million as it is in a sought-after Sydney location. Domain.com.au estimates the whole property’s median price at $1.48 million. In 2019, a small terrace on the same street sold for $2.5 million though it wasn’t as broken-down as this house.

Belle Property Surry Hill principal Mark Foy said that there has been a lot of interest in the abandoned home as soon as it went up the market because the new owners could rebuild from the ground. It went into the auction on 20 Feb and the family has been waiting on a four-week settlement period.

Enthusiasm for old and dilapidated terraces in Sydney remains in vogue. In 2020, a terrace house without a bathroom and a missing ceiling sold for $1.01 million in Waterloo whilst a grand but deteriorating Darlinghurst terrace fetched $4.6 million.

This Cafe In Redfern Serves Delicious All-Day Breakfast

Photo credit: Cafe Ortanek/Facebook

Everyone loves breakfast. But if you struggle in waking up very early and simply want to have your toast or coffee right in the middle of the day, there’s no better place to go than restaurants serving an all-day breakfast menu. If you’re in Redfern or nearby, one of the cafes worth checking out for an all-day menu is Cafe Oratnek.

Just a stone’s throw away from Central Station and Prince Alfred Park, Cafe Oratnek takes pride in the freshness of the food that uses locally sourced and seasonal produce.

Cafe Oratnek is best known for its sandwiches, like the teriyaki chicken with avo mayo that opens up to smashed egg served with some iceberg lettuce. Yet the star is the katsu sandwich, which combines 200g pork loin katsu with cabbage, japanese barbecue sauce, and american mustard. For dessert, their tiramisu is a crowd favorite and for drinks, their matcha latte is quite popular among regulars.

It’s the first solo venture of Kenny Takayama, former Head Chef of Bills in Darlinghurst. Cafe Oratnek, whose name actually comes from the chef’s name spelt backwards, produces everything possible in-house, with the exception of their coffee, and their bread which is supplied by Sonoma.

This neighborhood coffee only has 25 seats inside, but decor-wise, you’ll feel at home dining here with its rustic walls, and subway tiles and timber furniture. If you feel like dining outdoors, they have 25 outside in the courtyard amongst the garden full of flowers and herbs.

Cafe Oratnek is located at 4 Pitt Street, Redfern and is open seven days a week, from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays, and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekends.

Fans of Cafe Oratnek will be happy to know that because of its resounding success in Redfern, Chef Kenny has also opened a second cafe in nearby Surry Hills, this time called Cafe Kentaro. But that’s another story to tell.

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Redfern Awaiting Approval for Massive Renovations

Last year, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia on Cleveland Street in Redfern, unveiled its massive renovation plan for the restoration of the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady. One year later, the Archdiocese is still waiting to go forward with the five-stage redevelopment plan.

With an initial budget of $2 million, the specific historical building’s renovation will entail some alterations and the inclusion of new features for functionality, aside from the repair of deteriorating structures.

Designed and built in 1848 by Edmund Blacket as the St Paul’s Anglican Church, the gothic architectural building was reconsecrated for the Orthodox faith in the 1970s. It became a heritage-listed site in 2012 whilst the church community has been recognised for establishing and sustaining the religious practices of Greek-Australians in New South Wales.

The next stages of the renovation will cover work for a new St Andrew’s Theological College. The old building will be demolished and replaced by a new structure designed by Angelo Candalepas, a Greek-Australian architect who has worked on projects like St Mary’s Cathedral and the Punchbowl Mosque.

The college’s site will also house the new administration office for the Archdiocese, a new Library and Museum, and a basement level crypt.

Photo Credit: City of Sydney Development Application

Mr Candalepas ensured that his ideas for the overhaul of the buildings will deliver what the community and the next generations need, whilst preserving some of the building’s cultural and historical significance.

The first stage is expected to be completed by March 2024, when the Archdiocese celebrates 100 years. However, the whole renovation plan is expected to be completed within two decades with a total budget of $15 million.

Following the conclusion of the public exhibition of the development application (DA D/2020/1361) on 9 Feb 2021, the Archdiocese is now awaiting approval from Council to start construction work.

Redfern Station Upgrades for Better Accessibility in Progress

Upgrades are in progress at the Redfern Station, one of New South Wales’ busiest transport hubs, to improve accessibility and enhance commuters’ experience.

Per Transport for NSW, the upgrades will include the addition of a six-metre concourse at the southern section to connect to the east and west sides of the train station. This path will be on Lawson Street, stretching between Little Eveleigh and Main Streets.

Access for people with a disability, limited mobility, parents/carers with prams and customers with luggage will be improved as well with the addition of new lifts and stairs. The existing lift currently serves just two platforms but this project will provide easy access to all 10 platforms once finished.

“The upgrade will not only mean easier access to the sixth busiest station on the network, but it will also future-proof Redfern station as the area grows,” Transport Minister Andrew Constance said. “The upgrade will also include new and improved shared zones on Little Eveleigh and Marian Streets, and increased bike parking.”

This $100 million project, funded by the NSW’s transport access program, took more than 18 months of planning with an expected completion date for 2022. It will ensure that the Redfern station will be able to handle more passengers and comply with the accessibility standards.

The construction, excavation, installation of necessary materials and equipment will impact traffic and pedestrian access. For concerns about this project, phone 1800 684 490.

Redfern Station stands near Tech Central, Sydney’s Silicon Valley.