Friday, September 18, 2009

suburb no.3: Potts Point





Seeing as 52 Suburbs ventured north and west in weeks one and two, I thought we'd head east 
this week to the suburb of Potts Point. While I’ve driven through PP many times I’ve never dawdled 
long enough to realise it contains a who’s who of buildings from every major architectural period 
in the last 180 years:

• Grand 1830's mansions, including Rockwall House, Tusculum and Elizabeth Bay House (just down 

the hill from PP)
• Victorian terraces along Victoria Street

• Art deco beauties such as Macleay Regis, Manar and Byron Hall, as well as a Streamline Modern 

classic, the Minerva (Metro) Theatre.

All in one tiny suburb, measuring just one km long by 200 metres wide at its greatest point.


My five minute research also revealed PP is home to ‘The Yellow House’, an experimental art hub 

in the 1970’s, Ted Noff’s amazing Wayside Chapel and that today PP is considered a Paris meets 
Manhattan sort of place, complete with swanky boutiques, gourmet delis and a smart bookshop 
(and a few thousand sailors when the US navy is in town).  

After three hours of happy trawling through the streets I left the suburb of Potts Point with one 

parking ticket and hundreds of snaps. A fair swap I guess…



long before the cafe set moved in



what a difference 100 years makes



from the top



vertical life



when the world zigs, zag



cut outs ('Giraffe' by Me and Amber, Potts Point Bookshop)



negative space



shipshape



for some




love available from the Wayside Chapel ('Girl' by Me and Amber, Potts Point Bookshop)




fade to blue



woof!



love blooms



cinematic



chop chop
Potts Point is obviously a beautiful suburb with its smorgasboard of architectural delights and not 

too shabby setting. But what I found equally appealing is the mixed crowd that wander down 
its many charming streets. The combination of everything made the pain of a parking ticket 
almost tolerable. 



slice of suburban life

Next week? Not sure yet but I hope you can make it.


24 comments:

  1. The way you combine your images into diptychs, matching or contrasting colours and/or patterns, is gorgeous. May I request one of the newer, planned-out suburbs next?

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  2. what an absolutely beautiful take on one of my favourite suburbs! Can't wait to see what's on for next week...

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  3. Amazing photos. Looking forward to next week.

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  4. This one brings back a lot of memories for me. I used to live in one of the terraces in Victoria St in my younger, more carefree years! And, yes, I remember the parking tickets only too well....

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  5. Just discovered your blog & really enjoying the small sample I've seen so far. I love anything that is about re-discovering your home city and - without coming across as too postcard-sentimental or cheesy, at all - your photos are gorgeous.
    Lee Tran

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  6. Love your work. As someone who has written about ALL of Sydney's suburbs (oh yes, all 600+ suburbs), I love seeing the pictorial representations. May I suggest: Granville (a genuine Victorian-era factory suburb with wide streets), Castlecrag (the best architecture in all of Sydney), Campsie (wild and full of $2 shops, butchers and dress shops like no other) and Cabramatta (which has the most expensive commercial property rents in all of Sydney)? Hope you don't think I'm being too presumptuous with my suggestions ... but I'd love to see what you could do with those suburbs!

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  7. Thank you everyone, comments much appreciated. It's lovely to think of you all as I wander around on my lonesome.

    LexyB - those four suburbs are all on my list - can't wait.

    Louise

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  8. Fantastic blog - loving the photos. I noticed not as many people photos from Potts Point as Lakemba, a reflection of what's more interesting in each location ?

    I won't do the obvious and ask for Newtown to be added to your list - it's hardly unknown, although I'd still love to see your photography skills applied there. Rather, looking forward to wherever you take use next.

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  9. What a lovely blog! And I love the photos. I will be looking forward to the next post :)

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  10. Beautiful pairings of photos....combining them into minature stories of the suburb.

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  11. Isn't Potts Point great? A little bit of Europe in Sydney. Your photos reminded me that about a year or so ago Michael and I were taking a friend to and from physio sessions at a hospital in Potts Point where she'd had knee surgery. In the hour or so she was doing painful exercise, we got to do the pleasant exercise of roaming the streets of Potts Point - going to Elizabet Bay House, checking out the spikey fountain, browsing in little one-off shops. I was sorry when her knee was better ;-)

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  12. Love your photos, such an interesting slice of life

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  13. I was going to suggest you should have checked out Elizabeth Bay while you were just up the road, but you did! Several of those shots are from my local 'hood, Lizzie Bay. Looks like I'll be moving to the inner west next year, and I know I'll miss the inner east VERY much. Apropos of Potts Point, everyone should have breakfast sometime at Zinc on Macleay Street: really great food and friendly, non-attitude, staff.

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  14. I am totally enthralled by your blog. I had the joy of living in Sydney for only a year many moons ago and I'm drinking in all the beauty and learning about all I missed! My next trip back will be so much richer for having followed you! Thank you!

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  15. Love the photos all fabulously visually gorgeous. And I finally worked out how to leave a comment. Others have suggested a suburb challenge ... looking forward to some of them. Can you add sounds and smells ! ... a tall friend xx

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  16. Really beautiful blog. I just moved to Sydney after traveling around the world for the past seven months...and now I'm living just a few steps from Potts Point. Great work!

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  17. wow this is amazing, i love it, i just moved into epping and should explore my own area more!

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  18. so well put together!

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