Dulwich Hill

What’s in a name? In the case of Dulwich Hill, quite a bit. Dulwich Hill, nestled in Sydney’s Inner West, borrowed its name from its London counterpart. Before settling on this moniker in 1892, it went by several names: Petersham Hill, Wardell’s Bush (after early landowner Dr. Robert Wardell), South Petersham, and Fern Hill. Imagine Dulwich Hill in the late 19th century. The year is 1889. Sydney’s tram network expands, reaching this then-fledgling suburb. This marked a period of rapid growth for Dulwich Hill. This boom left a legacy of Federation-style architecture, interspersed with Edwardian, Gothic, and Italianate influences. These trams, a vital part of Dulwich Hill’s early life, clanged along its streets until 1957. Today, echoes of this era remain in the suburb’s charming streetscapes. Dulwich Hill boasts not one, but two distinct shopping areas. A smaller cluster of shops can be found near the Dulwich Hill railway station on Wardell Road. A larger, more vibrant hub bustles around the intersection of Marrickville and New Canterbury Roads. This main shopping strip, once the domain of the tram line, is now a popular spot for cafes and restaurants, reflecting the suburb’s ongoing gentrification. Dulwich Hill’s educational institutions also hold a unique place in its story. The former public school on Seaview Street, built around 1892 in a Romanesque style, is now the Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design. It holds the distinction of being Australia’s first visual arts school. Adding to the mix, Dulwich Hill Public School, St. Maroun’s College, and St. Paul of the Cross Catholic school cater to the area’s diverse community. While gentrification has reshaped Dulwich Hill, glimpses into its past still exist. Remember the former freight line? It now serves as the corridor for the Inner West Light Rail, connecting Dulwich Hill to Sydney’s CBD. The area surrounding this line, once industrial, has been transformed into medium-density residential flats. Despite this change, landmarks like the former Waratah Flour Mill silos still punctuate the skyline, now repurposed as the distinctive Waratah Apartments.