Dawes Point, New South Wales

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dawes Point
SydneyNew South Wales

Sydney Observatory, Dawes Point
Population: 344 (2001 census)
Postcode: 2000
Area: 0.1 km² (0.0 sq mi)
Location: km (1 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD
LGA: City of Sydney
Parish: St. Philip
State District: Port Jackson
Federal Division: Sydney
Suburbs around Dawes Point:
Port Jackson
Millers Point Dawes Point The Rocks
Sydney CBD

Dawes Point is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Dawes Point is located on the north-eastern edge of the Sydney central business district, at the southern end of Sydney Harbour Bridge, adjacent to The Rocks. It is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney.

[edit] History

The area was originally known by the Aboriginal names of Tarra and Tullagalla. This was later changed to Point Maskelyne in honour of Reverend Dr Nevil Maskelyne, British Astronomer Royal. He sent out the first astronomical instruments which were established at the point in the country's first observatory, by Lieutenant William Dawes (1762-1836), astronomer with the First Fleet. The point was renamed in honour of Dawes. The current Sydney Observatory building on Observatory Hill was completed in 1858.

It was also the site of the first guns mounted in Sydney by Dawes in 1788, contained Sydney's first cemetery and later Dawes Point Battery.

[edit] References

  • The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8

[edit] External links

Sydney Opera House This article related to the geography of Sydney is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.