Cities Without Maps/Kota Tanpa Peta

If You See Something, Say Something newspaper

There Goes The Neighbourhood - Redfern and the Politics of Urban Space

Local Brew

Local Brew:

The launch of Local Brew was at Serial Space in Chippendale, May 2010.

Chippendale is a small suburb nestled between Broadway, Cleveland St, Central Railway Station and the University of Sydney. The land had rich soil, fresh water and has a long history of Indigenous ownership but got its current name after William Chippendale was granted a 95-acre estate over the area in 1819. Chippendale sold his namesake for a couple of hundred pounds and the fledgling settlement passed through a few hands as it grew into an urban slum known for its narrow streets and substandard housing. In 1835 the fortunes of the area shifted when Kent Brewery was established between George and Regent St with a pub springing up on each corner. As the amber ale began to flow so did life in Chippendale, with many poor people coming to the area to live and work. A sobering thought is that today the tiny suburb reportedly has the smallest amount of open space of any in Sydney.

Despite, or perhaps because of, its small size Chippendale’s cramped streets have enabled an intoxicating combination of cheap inner city living, beer and creativity to develop - fermenting within its tiny borders much of Sydney’s underground performance, art and entertainment venues, spaces and places. From Boomalli in the 80s, Jellyheads in the 90s, Lan Franchis Memorial Discotheque in the 2000s to Serial Space today Chippendale has seen many “on the hop” artist run spaces which have emerged briefly to challenge, delight and intrigue Sydneysiders before staggering off into the night.

Local Brew is published by You Are Here and is a toast to the suburb of Chippendale containing stories from some of the bar-flys who made it what it is today. Cheers!

Local Brew has sold out! But you can download a PDF of the publication here.

With thanks to: