Whispers of the past linger here at McMahons Point. A brush maker’s legacy. A peninsula transformed.
McMahons Point a harbourside suburb on Sydney’s Lower North Shore boasts a rich history. It’s named after Michael McMahon a successful 19th-century brush and comb manufacturer. He built his family home here in 1864. He later became mayor of the borough of Victoria which later became North Sydney.
Before McMahon this land was home to the Cammeraygal people. They lived along the foreshore. They used the cliffs and rock shelters. James Milson a Napoleonic War veteran settled the land in 1806. Billy Blue a Jamaican convict later acquired it. He was a Sydney Harbour waterman. His family held the land until the 1850s.
The area developed gradually. Blues Point Road a thoroughfare from the ferry wharf to St Leonards was gazetted in 1839. Most of the peninsula was subdivided by the 1870s. A tram line arrived in 1909 spurring further development along Blues Point Road.
Ferries connected McMahons Point to the city. Millions of passengers used them annually. The Sydney Harbour Bridge’s opening in 1932 made many ferries redundant. Smaller ferries continued service. The tram line was replaced by buses in 1933.
A pivotal moment arrived in 1957. North Sydney Council planned to rezone much of McMahons Point as waterfront industrial. Residents and architects led by Harry Seidler fought this plan. They envisioned a residential future. Seidler proposed a significant apartment development. Only two towers Blues Point Tower and Harbour Master were eventually built.
Today McMahons Point is a blend of old and new. Victorian terrace houses stand alongside modern apartments. The area is now among Sydney’s most exclusive. It offers stunning harbour views. It retains its vibrant cafe and restaurant scene. It is a testament to its enduring charm and resilience. The whispers of boat builders and ferry workers are still carried on the wind. They speak of a vibrant past interwoven with the present. A legacy of industry and community preserved within a stunning harbour setting.