Located in the centre of Sydney, east of the central business district of the city, Darlinghurst is a prominent suburb full of locals, as one of the most densely populated areas, and a cosmopolitan hub. It is an area saturated in culture, having undergone a modern day revival and become a unique and urban centre with its own local, independent community. It is a demographically young area of Sydney and hub of small businesses, the main road of the suburb is Oxford Street and is often considered to be the centre of the city’s LGBT community.
Many buildings in Darlington are registered as sites of important heritage, including St Peter’s Church, The Grange on Liverpool Street, the National Art School and Courthouse. The suburb is a place of historic culture, as well as modern urban culture, and hosts both the Australian Museum and the Sydney Jewish Museum, which provide insight into the heritage of the city and country. Visitors can explore the centre surrounding Oxford Street and Crown Street to experience the best of Darlington nightlife, which is full of bars, cafes and restaurants, including ones focused on the gay community. There are also many independent boutiques for shopping and small galleries revealing the hidden local culture, and visitors can catch a unique drama performance at one of the secret theatres in the neighbourhood, like the Eternity Playhouse.
Visitors can easily access Darlington by travelling into the centre of Sydney, as many bus routes navigate the eastern suburbs and travel down Oxford Street into the heart of the city. Although there are no train stations in the neighbourhood, the main stations of Kings Cross and Museum Station are close by, located on the corner of Hyde Park. Visitors can travel through Darlington itself by foot, which is the best way to appreciate the small aspects of the local culture.
The neighbourhood has a history of being named after the wives of governors in Sydney as it was first called Henrietta Town, after Lachlan Macquarie’s wife in the 18th century. The name then changed to its current title, honouring Elizabeth Darling, the wife of Ralph Darling, a governor of the 19th century. Darlington has always been a place of political and governmental importance, as the city of Sydney has expanded outwards from this core location.