Darling Harbour facts for kids

An aerial view of Darling Harbour and its surrounds, looking east

Darling Harbour is a fun and exciting area right next to the city center of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's a big place with lots of things to do, especially for walking around and enjoying the sights. You can find it on the western edge of Sydney's main business district.

This area was first called Long Cove. It stretches north from Chinatown, along both sides of Cockle Bay. To the east, it reaches King Street Wharf, and to the west, it goes to the suburb of Pyrmont. Cockle Bay is one of the smaller waterways that make up Darling Harbour, which then opens into the much larger Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour).

Darling Harbour and its nearby areas are managed by Property NSW, which is separate from the local government of the City of Sydney.

History of Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour as an industrial port in 1900

The land where Darling Harbour now stands was originally called Tambalong by the Dharag people.

Darling Harbour got its name from Ralph Darling, who was the Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831. Before that, it was known as Long Cove, but people often called it Cockle Bay. Governor Darling renamed it in 1826. Recently, the name Cockle Bay has been brought back for the inner part of the harbour.

This area was once a busy commercial port for Sydney. It even had a large railway yard for moving goods. During the Great Depression (a time when many people lost their jobs), the eastern part of Darling Harbour became known as The Hungry Mile. This name came from the many waterside workers who would walk along the wharves, hoping to find work.

Redevelopment and urban renewal of the area in the early 1980s

Much of the land used to be a big railway hub for the NSW Railways. In the late 1970s, it was decided that this area was not very efficient and should be used for other public purposes. So, by the mid-1980s, the area was mostly empty and run-down.

Then, a big project began to turn it into a place for pedestrians and tourists. This idea came from Laurie Brereton, who was the Minister for Public Works at the time. The Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour was even used for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and for important meetings like APEC Australia 2007.

The heritage listed Pyrmont Bridge spans the width of the harbour

The southern end of Darling Harbour

Heritage Sites

Darling Harbour has a few places that are protected because of their historical importance. One of these is:

• Harbour Promenade: Darling Harbour Woodward Water Feature

Fun Attractions

The Darling Harbour area is home to many popular places and activities for everyone to enjoy:

Cockle Bay Wharf

The Ribbon building

• Cockle Bay Wharf: A lively spot with restaurants, bars, and even a large nightclub called Home.
• IMAX Sydney theatre: A huge cinema screen, now part of The Ribbon building.
• Paddy's Markets: A famous market where you can find all sorts of goods.
• Chinese Garden of Friendship: A beautiful and peaceful traditional Chinese garden.
• Tumbalong Park: A large open park perfect for relaxing or playing.
• Darling Quarter Playground: A fantastic playground for kids, surrounded by cafes.
• Australian National Maritime Museum: A museum about Australia's history with the sea, featuring real museum ships like the HMAS Vampire.
• The Star Casino & Entertainment Complex: A big complex with entertainment, restaurants, and a casino.
• The Darling Hotel & Spa: A luxurious hotel.
• Powerhouse Museum: A museum of science, technology, and design.
• Sea Life Sydney Aquarium: Home to many amazing sea creatures.
• Madame Tussauds: A museum with lifelike wax figures of famous people.
• Wildlife Sydney Zoo: A zoo where you can see Australian animals.
• Aboriginal Centre: A place to learn about Australia's Indigenous culture.
• International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney): A large, modern venue for conferences and events, opened in 2016.
• Darling Square: A modern area with unique shops, places to eat, and the Darling Square Library.

Past Attractions

The former Harbourside Shopping Centre

• Harbourside Shopping Centre: This shopping center used to have a bowling alley (Kingpin Bowling Alley) and a laser tag arena (M9 Laser Skirmish). It closed in 2022 for a big redevelopment.

Getting Around Darling Harbour

King Street Wharf, looking north towards Barangaroo in October 2019.

It's easy to get to Darling Harbour using public transport:

• Light Rail: Sydney's light rail network has stations like Paddy's Markets, Convention, Exhibition, and Pyrmont Bay, all close to Darling Harbour.
• Ferries: You can catch a ferry from Barangaroo and Pyrmont Bay to places like Circular Quay and other suburbs.
• The Goods Line: This is a cool park and walking path that connects Darling Harbour to Railway Square and Central station.
• Train: The closest train station is Town Hall.

Future Metro Station

Darling Harbour will soon have its own fast train station called Pyrmont. This will be part of the new Sydney Metro West project.

New Developments

Darling Quarter has been the focus of a major mixed-use redevelopment in recent years

The International Convention Centre and the Sofitel Hotel

The eastern part of Darling Harbour has seen a lot of new building and changes. This big project aims to create new business and living spaces, while also keeping half the area as open public space. This area is now part of the Barangaroo precinct.

The old Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre was replaced by the new International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), which opened in 2016. This new center has a huge exhibition area. Other new facilities include the ICC Theatre, an 8,000-seat venue for concerts and shows. There's also a new 25-story building called The Ribbon, which replaced the old IMAX Theatre and reopened in 2023 with an updated cinema.

This area used to be a busy port for ships, including a passenger terminal. Now, the passenger terminal has moved to White Bay, and the container terminal has closed.

Darling Square

Darling Harbour in Pop Culture

Darling Harbour from the National Maritime Museum, looking towards King Street Wharf 3. The area is a major tourist attraction

Darling Harbour has been featured in several TV shows and movies:

• The MTV reality TV show The Real World: Sydney had its cast living in Darling Harbour in late 2007.
• The 1995 film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie was filmed in Sydney, and some scenes were shot in Darling Harbour.
• The TV music show Eclipse Music TV used to film weekly at the Harbourside shopping center.
• The soap opera Neighbours filmed scenes in the harbour and on a cruise ship in 2010.
• The Canadian band Silverstein even has a song called "Darling Harbour" on their Transitions EP.

See also

In Spanish: Puerto Darling para niños