Ultimo Sydney - From farm land to trendy inner city suburb

Ultimo is now considered by many to be among Sydney's best localities for inner suburban office and character residential areas. Now home to the Aspire Hotel Sydney, Ultimo is a far cry from the past of once being an industrial and slum area.

Ultimo - An interesting naming origin

Ultimo was the name given to the 34 acre estate of Dr John Harris granted to him in 1803, named somewhat humorously after a clerical error in a legal case against Harris which prevented him being court martialled. His offence was listed as 'ultimo' having occurred in the previous month whereas it should have been cited as 'instant' having occurred in the same month. Harris Street is named after him.

Historic Buildings
The Ultimo area remained as farmland, in possession of the Harris family, until it was subdivided in 1859 with the first residences owned by the descendants of John Harris. Residential development accelerated in the 1880s to the point that by 1891 the population of the Pyrmont-Ultimo area was 19,177, in 3,966 dwellings.

Industrialisation
The construction of factories, quarries, woolstores and a power station in the early 20th century saw the demolition of hundreds of houses, and a steady decline in population. It was a good site for warehouses because of its proximity to Darling Harbour. Several examples of the Federation Warehouse style can be found along Wattle Street. By 1954, the population of Pyrmont and Ultimo was 5,000, and by 1978 it was just 1,800.
For approximately 10 years from the early 1950s, Harris Street was home to the head office, recording studio, pressing plant and warehouse of Festival Records (Australia), Australia's leading independent record company for almost 50 years.

Redevelopment
By the start of the 1980s, derelict industrial sites began to be redeveloped for residences, mostly as apartments, so that the area is now mainly residential and commercial.
Among the interesting buildings in the area are the Victorian era terraced houses, the brick shell of Davey's Flour Mill, built in 1911, and adjacent to the southern approach to the Anzac Bridge; the Uniting Church on the corner of Quarry Street and Bulwara Road built in 1883 , the TAFE building and the commercial precinct centred around Broadway, Harris Street and Wattle Street.

Ultimo is the home of the Aspire Hotel Sydney, Sydney radio and television studios of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the Powerhouse Museum, Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, the Wentworth Park sporting complex, the Sydney University of Technology, the Sydney Institute of TAFE and the International Grammar School.

A distinctive landmark is the railway viaduct built in 1922 and consisting of 23 brick arches to carry the old railway line through Wentworth Park (now the Metro Light Rail line). It is considered "an outstanding example of engineering brickwork" and is listed on the Register of the National Estate.

View and Book accommodation at Aspire Hotel Sydney in Ultimo