Barangaroo Reserve

The site of Barangaroo Reserve holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, who lived along this shoreline for thousands of years before European settlement. The reserve is named after Barangaroo, a powerful Cammeraygal woman who was a key figure in the early years of the colony and the wife of Bennelong. Historically, this rocky headland was a rich source of fish and shellfish, serving as a vital communal gathering point for the local Aboriginal community. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the natural beauty of the headland was stripped away to make room for Sydney's growing maritime industry. The area was flattened and covered in concrete to create a massive industrial container terminal, which effectively cut off the public's access to the foreshore for over a century. During the Great Depression, the nearby wharf area became known as the 'Hungry Mile,' as workers walked from wharf to wharf in search of a day's labor. The transformation of the site began in the early 21st century as one of the world's most ambitious urban renewal projects. Completed in 2015, the reserve was designed to recreate the naturalistic look of the headland as it existed prior to 1836. Engineers used 10,000 giant sandstone blocks, all quarried directly from the site, to create the tiered foreshore. Today, it stands as a 6-hectare oasis of native plants and sustainable design, reconnecting the city with its harbor.