Where does water go when we build a city on top of it? And what happens when it starts to come back?
Between the rivers that flow through its centre and the harbour that surrounds its perimeter, it’s hard to argue that Sydney isn’t an inherently watery city. People come from all over the world to see the beaches here, but few are aware that there are more watery places than meet the eye. Beneath the foundations of the city there are clues to the waterways that used to run through this country, with some of it remaining closer than you might think.
Just next to the UTS campus in Ultimo is one of those buried waterways- Blackwattle Creek. Flowing in the sewers and drains beneath what is now Blackwattle Lane, this creek used to run into a swamp at what is now Wentworth Park and into the harbour. “Before colonisation, this would have just been a beautiful wetland” says Holly O’Neill, one of a number of researchers who have been studying this area here at UTS.
Holly, Alexandra Crosby, Sarah Jane Jones, and Shannon Foster make up the Follow The Creek team, which recently ran a walking tour following the creek’s hidden path. In this episode of Welcome to the Neighbourhood, you’ll hear from researchers who have gone deep into the history of this place and uncovered its surprising past. It’s a past that can help us prepare for a future in which Sydney is a much wetter, rainier city thanks to the our changing climate.
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
The stories and history behind the University of Technology Sydney and the neighbourhood around it.
If you study or work at UTS, this podcast hopes to make you feel more at home, knowing the stories and histories of the places you visit every day.
Hear about UTS’ several quirky (and world-famous!) buildings, and how UTS students used to study in a department store! And learn about the First Nations history of the land UTS sits on – Gadigal Country.
VOICES
Dr Shannon Foster is a Dharawal eora knowledge keeper who supported the Follow The Creek team in their research of Blackwattle Creek.
Holly O’Neil is a multimodal researcher and anthro-artist who contributed research and artworks to the Follow the Creek project. She designed the episode art.
Dr Sarah Jane Jones is a visual communication designer and professor at UTS who led the tour of Blackwattle Creek from Blackwattle Lane to Wentworth Park.
Prof Alexandra Crosby is a design anthropologist and visual communicator who researched and organised the Follow the Creek tour.
This episode is hosted by producer Lachlan A’Court.
CREDITS
This episode of Welcome to the Neighbourhood: UTS was produced by Lachlan A’Court, with support from Regina Botros and Sarah Gilbert.
Welcome to the Neighbourhood is an Impact Studios podcast.
