Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Barangaroo - more invasion than gentrification












I am not totally sure where Barangaroo starts, and where Millers Point takes over, and just where The Hungry Mile fits into the whole picture. There is a lot crammed into a small kerchief of land.














Barangaroo has three precincts: Barangaroo South which is the Daddy Bear; Barangaroo Central, which is the Mummy Bear; and, Headland Park, which is the cuddly Baby Bear. The Three Bears analogy has significant traction in my pea brain.



You see, Barangaroo South is composed of the three high rises, and the concomitant medium-rise structures. The engine house of the development. The money-making machine dangled in front of governments 'til they could not think straight. Barangaroo South is a primarily a casino operated by Australia's richet man. A casino whose clientele will primarily be high-rollers from Asia.



Headland Park (Barangaroo Point) is the sweetie held out to the Ausralian people to get them to feel all warm and cuddly about the entire schemozzle.














I have, from its announcement, been on-board with the name "Barangaroo". Barangaroo was an indigenous woman of the Cameragal people. She cohabited with Bennelong, an indigenous man of the Cadigal/Wangal people. They lived with their children on a rocky outcrop of land known today as Bennelong Point, the site of the Sydney Opera House. It is entirely fitting that the promontory to the east of the harbour bridge is Bennelong Point, and the promontory to the west of the harbour bridge is Barangaroo Point. Both have been heavily reconstructed by the descendents of the invading colonialists.








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