Clare Press finds great galleries, retro furniture, vintage buttons and eggplant caviar in Sydney’s newest, hippest location.
Sydney’s Waterloo and Redfern are fast filling up with interesting new cafes, furniture stores and art spaces. The realtors have been trying to bump up house prices in the area by re-badging the block of streets south of Cleveland Street and east of Crown as East Redfern, presumably to capitalise on the chic reputation of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. But in fact that precinct is mostly just houses, Federation terraces that are slowly being done up with a few tower blocks thrown in. Much more fun is Redfern proper, with its odd mix of done-up warehouses, new galleries, crumbling old terraces and new development.
At the time of writing the old post office on Redfern Street is up for sale (oh to have a spare few million bucks) and the former site of the Rachel Forster Hospital on Pitt Street has just been sold to developers. Redfern Park has been overhauled and they’re rebuilding the Rabbitohs football team’s home next to it; the plan is for a state-of-the-art gym and training facility.
Behind Redfern train station in Eveleigh, the CarriageWorks complex is home to the new Anna Schwarz Gallery, a shining concrete box with a SoHo sensibility, as well as to Sydney Dance Company favourite, Performance Space. Network Seven is moving its HQ up the road to the Australian Technology Park next year, which will mean even more change. The most interesting blocks for visitors are concentrated around Danks Street in Waterloo, where housing commission flats are interspersed with fabulous old terraces, sleek new warehouse apartment complexes and homewares emporiums.
Galleries
Anna Schwartz Gallery
245 Wilson Street
Darlington
Tel: +61 2 8580 7002
Technically, it’s just over the train tracks into Darlington, but it’s an easy walk from Redfern to this truly inspiring venue. Whatever exhibition happens to be on, you can expect a bold, avant-garde and through-provoking experience from Schwartz’s stable.
Conny Dietzschold
2 Danks Street, Waterloo
Tel: +61-2-9690 0215
Looking for a next big thing? Conny Dietzschold, who also runs a gallery in Cologne, Germany, is the local go-to girl for emerging painters, video, mixed media and installation artists. This building also houses the Utopia Art and Brenda May galleries.
Darren Knight Gallery
840 Elizabeth Street, Waterloo
Tel +61 2 9699 5353
It kids Ricky Swallow and Louise Weaver call Darren Knight Gallery home, and it’s well worth the trip to this unassuming white brick building opposite Waterloo Oval to get the low-down on what’s hot in the local contemporary art scene.
Gallery Barry Keldoulis
285 Young Street, Waterloo
Tel: + 61 2 8399 1240
GBK recently moved to this sizeable warehouse space, allowing Keldoulis to properly showcase fascinating installations and contemporary sculpture works by the artists he represents including duos Thukral & Tagra and Sean Cordeiro & Claire Healy.
Grant Pirrie
86 George Street, Redfern
Tel: +61 2 9699 9033
This smart dove grey Federation building is home to some of the most exciting names in Australian contemporary art including photorealist painter Michael Zavros, whose figurative studies of male catwalk models and horses are a hit with the fashion set, and Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship winner, Ben Quilty.
Furniture and Design
A Pair of Chairs
80 Regent Street, Redfern
Tel + 61 0416 016 151
This cute little retro furniture store is nestled between a good bottle shop (the two shop cats sleep on the counter and the owners play Leonard Cohen records). A Pair of Chairs is a good place to find mid-century tables and chairs, cool old filing cabinets and 1960s lamps.
Abode Bazaar
1 Danks Street, Waterloo
Tel: +61 2 9698 8185
Don’t let its name mislead you – there’s nothing bustling or hectic about this serene white boutique that carries a selection of Scott Meyer’s chic leather bags and wallets and gorgeous candles by Ines Bontanica along with minimalist treasures fashioned from white marble, pale wood and stone.
Butterfield Tate Gallery
30 Wellington Street, Waterloo
Tel: +61 408112819
Vintage textile fanatic Hazel Butterfield Tate has just moved into this whitewashed space, bringing her handmade cushion collection with her. British-born Butterfield Tate used to have stores in LA, and has spent years collecting faded Italian linens, extraordinary bird-printed silks and 1940s chintzes from which she makes her covers, as well as wall hangings and lampshades. The delightful new store also carries collections of vintage buttons, jewellery, textiles and cleverly selected furniture – I bought the most divine little 1920s gold velvet boudoir chair here.
Salvage
2/2 Danks Street Waterloo
Tel: +61 2 9699 1005
Looking for a grand old set of Federation double doors? Some carved plaster pillars, or a pile of Victorian floor tiles? Some of the grander fitting and fixtures pulled from once great Australian houses end up here, along with specially picked antiques to fit the posh past mood. Warning – you get what you pay for, and prices here are high.
The Country Trader
197 Young St. Waterloo
Tel: +61 2 9698 4661
The bee’s knees of Sydney antiques stores, Country Trader now occupies impressive premises inside a giant warehouse conversion, the PYD building, which also houses specialists in flooring, marble, doorknobs and bathroom fittings. Head here for 17th century French armoires and ornate painted screens, marvellously weathered leather club chairs, giant old chandeliers and the like. It doesn’t get better – or pricier; expect to spend upwards of $30,000 on a special piece.
Food
Danks Street Depot
1 / 2 Danks Street, Waterloo
Tel: +61 2 9698 2201
This slow food Mecca is choc-a-block for brunch on weekends, but it’s worth the wait for a table to sample their excellent coffee and constantly changing menu. You’re in luck if the Western Australian sardines on toast are being served. The garlic bread is insanely good, and all the egg dishes rock. There’s also a bar in here – one of the few places you can be guaranteed a stress-free drink (pubs in these parts are still pretty rough).
Fratelli Fresh
It seems like aeons ago that this was all that drew people to Danks Street in their droves – much has changed in the years since this impeccable providores set up shop here selling imported Italian everything, along with organic meats, boutique cheeses and vegetables so beautiful you hardly dare eat them, to restaurateurs and foodies. There is also a wonderful eaterie, Sopra, upstairs and cooking classes once a week downstairs. Avoid shopping here on Saturdays; the queues are a mile long.
Macro Whole Foods
This new kid on the block is a stylish organic providore, stocking an exhaustive range of the usual certified organic fruits, vegies, meats, grains and dairy produce as well as organic soaps, shampoos and skincare lines. Drop by the café for a quick wholesome bite – and wash it all down with a healthful fresh organic juice.
PatissePyd. Building
197 Young Street, Waterloo
Tel: +61 (02) 9690 0665
Two words: mouth watering. Dieters must avoid this small but perfectly formed patisserie counter because the brioches, ginger cakes, citron tarts and flaky pasties are just too good to say no to. Those who don’t fear the calorie overload should take a seat at the rustic wooden bench or on one of the leather arm chairs, and indulge.
Strangers with Candy96 Kepos Street, East Redfern
Tel: +61 2 9698 6000
Housed in a raspberry red former shop front on the corner of Phillip Street is this neighbourhood gem that offers thoughtful modern cooking for breakfast and lunch on weekends and dinners Wednesday through Saturday. For my money, you can’t go past the blue cheese soufflé with green pear, rocket and eggplant caviar – delicious.
