Explanatory notes for the petition

A number of terms, place names and descriptors which appear on the 1859 petition require some explanation due to changes in the area and nomenclature:

The districts: ‘Darling Point Upper Paddington and Watsons Bay’

‘Upper Paddington’
A subdivision of former Cooper estate land released for residential development in 1853 by William Wallis and Charles Scott. The ‘Upper Paddington Estate’ was bound (in present-day terms) by Oxford Street, Jersey Road, Moncur Street, John Street, Wallis Street and Nelson Street. The locality took its name from the neighbouring 1839 subdivision of James Underwood’s land as the Paddington estate. Now part of the suburb of Woollahra.


The proposed boundaries

‘Bridge at Rushcutters Bay Toll Gate’
A reference to Bentley’s Bridge, which once carried New South Head Road across the creek which ran into Rushcutters Bay. The storm-water drain crossing Rushcutters Bay Park provides an approximation of this point as described in the proposed boundaries.

‘Point Piper Road’
Former name for Jersey Road.

‘Old South Head Road’
Portions of this road have been re-named as Oxford Street – hence the junction of Point Piper Road and Old South Head Road referred to in the proposed boundaries.


The proposed name

‘Woollahra’
The family seat of the heirs of Daniel Cooper.


Street names cited in the addresses of petitioners

Eliza Place
Modern equivalent unknown.

Piper Street
Now Queen Street, Woollahra.

Point Piper Estate
The overall name for the local landholding of the Cooper family, and more specifically, for the 190 acre grant to Captain John Piper, centred on Point Piper, and transferred to Daniel Cooper as part of his acquisition of Piper’s 1,130 acre landholding.

Eliza Street
Now Victoria Avenue, Woollahra.

Denison Street
Now Holdsworth Street, Woollahra.

Ocean Street, Double Bay
Now Ocean Avenue, Double Bay.