Your Place in History

Thank you Helen O'Reilly for finding A Place in History for 34 Queen Street.Dowell Philip O'Reilly
Dowell O'Reilly 1865-1923.
Poet and Short Story Writer, Father of writer Eleanor Dark.
Member of Parliament who introduced the first Bill for Women's Suffrage in 1895.

Do visit Woollahra Municipal Library - the Local History Centre. You might find that your building has a Place in History

Some interesting Places in History in Queen Street and West Woollahra:

  • First WMC Chambers
    Town Clark Residence
    1864- 1964
    (now Goethe Institut)

  • 14 Queen St
    Dr Frederick Harrison Quaife
    Surgeon
    1870-1902
    (now The Hughenden)

  • 115 Queen St
    Dame Joan Sutherland
    1932-51

  • "Lorelei"
    Heinrick Dorhauer
    Master Builder & Cabinet Maker
    1880-1960
    (now Dorhauer Carpark)

  • 124-128 Queen St
    Shops est by William Latimer
    Member of State Pariliament 1901-1934
    Mayor of Woollahra 1900-1910

  • 135 Queen St
    Banjo Patterson
    1903-1908

  • 57 Ocean St
    Dr Harry Windsor
    First Heart Surgeon
    1978-87

Let your association know where your building is, who lived there and when admin@qswwa.com.au by visiting the Local History Centre at Sherbrooke Hall - Double Bay or phoning (02) 9362 0044.

Your Place in History could be here!

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH: Ocean Street, Woollahra. Large Victorian Academic Gothic sandstone parish church, chancel, apse and portion of nave built in 1876, last three bays of nave in 1883 (BLACKET), first floor of tower, north and south porches to Blacket's designs, 1926 (H.C. KENT) The major benefactor was Henry Mort.

ANTIQUE SHOPS: Along Queen Street in Woollahra originated from Mr Bill Bradshaw opening one at No 96 in 1957. This was the catalyst for the revitalisation of Queen Street which is now given over almost entirely to the Antique/Gallery business.

COTHAM: No 316 Jersey Road, Edgecliff. A two-storeyed residence was for a time an unofficial rectory for All Saints' Church in Woollahra, its first rector, Canon Wallace Mort had lived there.

DAVIES RESERVE: cnr Queen and Oxford Sts, Woollahra. Named in honour of AId. C.W. Davies, Woollahra Alderman during late 1940's and 1950's, Mayor in 1953. The Reserve acquired a fine Victorian garden piece in November 1987.

GADEN RESERVE: cnr of Ocean St and Edgecliff Rd, Woollahra. Laid out in 1947, it was named in honour of John Gaden, OBE, Alderman of Woollahra 1934-48 and Mayor in 1940. The Senior Citizen's Centre was opened in 1960 as one of the Woollahra Council's Centenary projects.

HEATHFIELD, Woollahra: Heathfield was one of the earliest houses in the Wallis / Nelson Street area of Woollahra. Council records indicate that it was in existence in 1871. The Heathfield site was originally leased from the extensive estates of Sir Daniel Cooper. The land remained part of Cooper's estate until 1930. Over the years Heathfield had many rate paying lessees the earliest of which being J. R. Treeve who sublet Heathfield to William Wilkinson in 1871. More information on Heathfield.
Join us at QSWWA July Event to celebrate YOUR PLACE IN HISTORY and email admin@qswwa.com.au to receive a HERITAGE PLAQUE.

HOLDSWORTH STREET, Woollahra: Denison Street was the original name for Holdsworth Street, Woollahra - renamed in honour of a Councilor of the first Woollahra Council in June 1913. (See Jame Jervis / A History of Woollahra, p. 124)

HOLDSWORTH ST CENTRE: Holdsworth St, Woollahra. Acquired in 1939, the park was reclaimed from swamp forming the upper reaches of the creek that flowed into Rushcutters Bay. The Centre opened as a playground in 1940 and was extended in 1976.

JERSEY ROAD: Originally called Point Piper Road and was built by Capt. John Piper to give access to his Henrietta Villa on today's Point Piper. His road followed present day Jersey Road, Ocean Street/Ocean Avenue, William Street, Double Bay and New South Head Road so placed in order to avoid the reed swamps in Rushcutters and Double Bays. It was renamed Jersey Road in 1900 in honour of the Earl of Jersey, NSW State Governor from 1890 to 1893.

NELSON STREET, Woollahra: was named after Lord Horatio Nelson (Viscount Nelson) British naval commander at Trafalgar.

ODDFELLOWS' HALL: No. 38 Queen St, Woollahra. Initiated by the 'Loyal Rose of Denmark, No 39 Lodge of the Manchester United Independent Order of Oddfellows', it was built in 1870 (HILLY) and restored in the 1970's by Leo and Ann Schofield.

MONCUR STREET UNITING CHURCH, Woollahra: Victorian Gothic Congregational Church built in 1875 (BACKHOUSE), major benefactor was James Reading Fairfax. It ceased being used as a church in the 1980s and was fire-gutted in January, 1989.

ROSEMONT: Rosemont Ave, Woollahra. The house built around 1857 (one of the first in the area) by Alexander Campbell, subsequent owners included the Hon. J.T. Walker, Sir Chades Mackellar (ex Dunera), Sir Samuel Cohen and the Lloyd Jones family. The house survives but is surrounded by houses built after the 1912 sub- division.

ST KEVIN'S: No. 117 Queen Street, Woollahra. The house was built 1892-93 for DR Patrick Collins to the designs of John Bede Barlow and is the only known building by this architect surviving unaltered. It was restored in the 1970's by Leo Schofield.

TARA STREET, Woollahra: named after the house Tara, later known as Rancliffe in Ocean Street, Woollahra.

QUIRIANG: Demolished house, Woollahra. The Regency house occupied the block Edgecliff Road, Trelawney Street, Fullerton Road (previously Oatley Street) and Wellington Street, built by the Hon. John Duncan MacLean, pastoralist - occupied by Mr Walter Lamb (1877-80), the Hon. William Halliday, M.L.C. (1895). It was replaced by the high rise block of the same name, No 6 Trelawney Street.

WESTBOURNE: A Prominent sandstone house 17 Jersey Road Woollahra showing a mix of Victorian Gothic and Italianate styling, built in 1868 for the Rev. John West who was editor of the Sydney Morning Herald in 1854. It has decorative barge board gable, quoined corners and faceted bay window.

WOOLLAHRA: Believed to be based on the Aboriginal name for Lookout Woo-la-ra reported by Daniel Southwell in a letter to his uncle 12 July, 1788 and chosen by (Sir) Daniel Cooper for the name of his proposed house. The name was no doubt given to the Municipality in 1860 in deference to the Coopers who owned most of the land that it comprised. See also WILLARA.

WOOLLAHRA PUBLIC SCHOOL: Forth Street, Woollahra. Built in 1877 (Backhouse, architect), the two storey block in 1899, colours, navy and mid blue, motto Strive to Serve.