Issues

From the President
Posted on 28th March 2023
Labor had a victory in the recent election and, despite a swing of nearly 8% against them, the Greens have held the seat of Balmain in which Glebe and Forest Lodge are located. In his monthly report, the President of the Society, Ian Stephenson, thanks Jamie Parker, the retiring MP, and welcomes his successor, Kobi Shetty.

Unravelling the biodiversity secrets and potential of ‘The Hill’
Posted on 26th March 2023
How will the biosleuths discover the fauna and flora living on ‘The Hill’ on the northern side of the Tramsheds? Find out at a free talk on 7 May 2023.

Updates from the volunteer bushcare groups
Posted on 27th March 2023
The volunteer bushcare groups have been busy and have some advice on how to stop your moggy attacking birds.

Having your cake and eating it too
Posted on 28th March 2023
Is it possible to build new social housing to fit in with a heritage conservation area? In this article Ian Stephenson, President of the Glebe Society, argues that the plan for the demolition of 82 Wentworth Park Rd is a case of not managing public assets in an intelligent manner.

We need a commitment by Government to restore Glebe Island Bridge
Posted on 28th February 2023
The old nursery rhyme goes: “London Bridge is falling down”, and the song could be suitably modified to refer to the tragic state of the Glebe Island Bridge today. In this article the former President of the Glebe Society, Janet Wahlquist, calls for a commitment from NSW politicians seeking election on March 25 to guarantee funding for the renovation of the Bridge as a priority.

Original porch substantially retained
Posted on 28th February 2023
The Society has successfully submitted that the adaptation of the front porch of St James Hall, Woolley St, be redesigned to retain as much as possible of the original porch. A sensible decision.

From the President
Posted on 2nd March 2023
An update from Ian Stephenson, President of the Glebe Society, about recent community activities and issues of interest to members.

News from the Blue Wrens
Posted on 27th February 2023
‘The Hill’ is a fenced-off area of contaminated Crown land on the northern side of the Tramsheds at Forest Lodge. The Glebe Society has successfully applied for a grant from the City of Sydney to sponsor the recording of wildlife with a view to creating an undisturbed urban nature refuge in the Johnstons Creek corridor, where plants and native wildlife are protected from disturbance.

Remembering Tibby Cotter
Posted on 2nd March 2023
The eleventh site nominated for a Blue Plaque by the Glebe Society is Monteith at 266 Glebe Point Road, where the famous cricketer Albert ‘Tibby’ Cotter lived. Blue Plaques are part of a NSW Government program that aims to capture public interest in and fascination with people, events and places that are important to the stories of NSW.

Bicycles and One-Way Streets
Posted on 5th March 2023
As reported in the November 2022 issue of the Bulletin, the City Council called for submissions on its plan to allow cyclists to travel on some roads in an opposite direction to a one-way traffic sign. In response to our members’ concerns the Glebe Society made a detailed submission that opposed the plan for 10 of the 15 proposed streets in Glebe and Forest Lodge. On 16 February the Council approved the plan for all of the proposed streets.

The Glebe Society’s submissions to City of Sydney Council, 2023
Posted on 1st March 2023
The Management Committee believes Glebe Society members benefit if they are informed of the Society’s submissions concerning development applications that may impact local Heritage Conservation Areas, the streetscape, the public domain or local amenity. This article contains links to recent submissions.

Glebe’s social, commercial and industrial history
Posted on 20th December 2022
This year the Glebe Society’s Bulletin has published many fascinating articles about Glebe’s social, commercial and industrial history, its historic buildings and about the people and families who lived here in the 19th and 20th centuries. Often in response to enquiries from members of the public with a family connection to Glebe.

What’s happening at Bidura?
Posted on 14th December 2022
Bidura at 357 Glebe Point Road was built in 1860 by Edmund Blacket and is listed on the State Heritage Register. Property developer Vision Land has plans to demolish the Metropolitan Remand Centre (behind the heritage building) and replace it with an apartment block. The Council is expected to make a decision about the latest DA in mid-December. Meanwhile the heritage building and fence look to be in serious need of repair.

Society wins grant to investigate Glebe’s Hill as urban wildlife refuge
Posted on 15th December 2022
Great news from the Blue Wren Subcommittee! The Society has been awarded a City of Sydney Innovation and Ideas Grant to investigate Glebe’s Hill potential as a site of the City’s first urban wildlife refuge.

What’s happening with the Bridge Rd cycleway
Posted on 14th December 2022
The Society met recently with representatives of Transport NSW to discuss the problems with the Bridge Rd cycleway and to get an update on proposed improvements. The Management Committee is particularly concerned about the stretch of cycleway between Glebe Point Rd and Ross St because of safety for cyclists and amenity for residents. We note that not all our members share this view. Your feedback is welcome.