The Block (Sydney)
Encyclopedia
The Block is a colloquial but universally applied name given to a block of housing in Redfern
Sydney
. The block was purchased over a period of 30 years by the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) for use as a project in Aboriginal-managed housing.
The Block is probably the most famous feature of the suburb of Redfern
, although in point of fact it is located on the western border of that suburb, on the edge of Darlington
. The focus of life in the Block has always been Eveleigh Street, which is its eastern border, with railway lines on the other side of that street.
The area around The Block is now reportedly the subject of plans for massive redevelopment by private developers at the instigation of the New South Wales state government - see Redfern-Eveleigh-Darlington
.
, successfully lobbied the Whitlam government
for a grant which allowed the AHC to commence purchasing houses in 1972. The area was significant as an affordable source of low-cost housing for disadvantaged Aboriginal people.
As a pioneering and still unique project in Aboriginal-run housing near the centre of Australia's largest city, it excites enormous emotions, and moreover is viewed by the largely rural indigenous population of New South Wales
as a pied a terre
and spiritual home in Australia's largest city. For non-Aborigines, the Block has assumed a notorious reputation for violence and crime.
following the death of an Australian Aboriginal boy, killed after being impaled on a fence while fleeing from police. Many of the local Aboriginal population believed his death had been instigated by the police, while the police denied any involvement whatsoever.
The AHC's own plans for redevelopment of the Block itself, The Pemulwuy Project, have been met with some opposition by the State Government.
of the Wayside Chapel organised a Freedom Ride
with 30 white Sydney University students from the group Student Action for Aborigines (SAFA)'. This inspired Koori political activists, awakened positive media interest and commenced an era of protests.
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. The block was purchased over a period of 30 years by the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) for use as a project in Aboriginal-managed housing.
The Block is probably the most famous feature of the suburb of Redfern
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, although in point of fact it is located on the western border of that suburb, on the edge of Darlington
Darlington, New South Wales
Darlington is a small, inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darlington is located about 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney and is part of the region of the Inner...
. The focus of life in the Block has always been Eveleigh Street, which is its eastern border, with railway lines on the other side of that street.
The area around The Block is now reportedly the subject of plans for massive redevelopment by private developers at the instigation of the New South Wales state government - see Redfern-Eveleigh-Darlington
Redfern-Eveleigh-Darlington
The Redfern-Eveleigh-Darlington or RED project was instigated by the state government of New South Wales to redevelop the run-down housing and railway yards in the suburbs of Redfern, Eveleigh and Darlington to the South-West of Sydney central business district to ease the pressure of Sydney's...
.
1972 Transfer to the Aboriginal Housing Company
The Block has historically been the subject of large protests, starting in the early 1970s, when landlords in the area conducted a campaign of evicting all Aboriginal residents. A group of campaigners, led by future judge Bob BellearBob Bellear
Bob Bellear was the first Indigenous Australian judge.Bob was born in the far north-east of New South Wales, and grew up near the town of Mullumbimby...
, successfully lobbied the Whitlam government
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
for a grant which allowed the AHC to commence purchasing houses in 1972. The area was significant as an affordable source of low-cost housing for disadvantaged Aboriginal people.
As a pioneering and still unique project in Aboriginal-run housing near the centre of Australia's largest city, it excites enormous emotions, and moreover is viewed by the largely rural indigenous population of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
as a pied a terre
Pied a terre
A pied-à-terre is a small living unit usually located in a large city some distance away from an individual's primary residence. It may be an apartment or condominium....
and spiritual home in Australia's largest city. For non-Aborigines, the Block has assumed a notorious reputation for violence and crime.
2004 Redfern Riot
On 14 February 2004, The Block was the scene of 2004 Redfern riots2004 Redfern riots
The Redfern Riots on the evening of Saturday 14 February 2004 was an event in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern sparked by the death of Thomas 'TJ' Hickey, a 17 year old Indigenous Australian....
following the death of an Australian Aboriginal boy, killed after being impaled on a fence while fleeing from police. Many of the local Aboriginal population believed his death had been instigated by the police, while the police denied any involvement whatsoever.
Post riot
The present Redfern railway station was damaged by fire in the 2004 Redfern riots. The ticketing area and station master's office were significantly damaged - and the windows in the front of the station were bricked up for almost a year afterwards to prevent further attacks. They have since been replaced with glass windows.The AHC's own plans for redevelopment of the Block itself, The Pemulwuy Project, have been met with some opposition by the State Government.
Timeline
1965 Charles Perkins and Reverend Ted NoffsTed Noffs
Theodore Delwin Noffs was a Methodist minister, writer and founder of the and Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, Sydney, in 1964. During the youth revolt of the 1960s, Noffs was attracted to what he saw as the life-affirming side of the movement...
of the Wayside Chapel organised a Freedom Ride
Freedom Ride (Australia)
The Freedom Ride of 1964 and 1965 was a significant event in the history of civil rights for Indigenous Australians.Inspired by the Freedom Riders of the American Civil Rights Movement, students from Sydney University formed a group called the Student Action for Aboriginals, led by Charles Perkins...
with 30 white Sydney University students from the group Student Action for Aborigines (SAFA)'. This inspired Koori political activists, awakened positive media interest and commenced an era of protests.
External links
- Foley, Gary Black power in Redfern 1968–1972 in http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/essays/essay_1.html
- Four Corners transcript 12/05/97 The Block