Sydney suburbs receive grant for major makeover

Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Darlinghurst will be renamed ‘Rainbow Precinct’ and become an accredited LGBTQIA+ Rainbow District as part of a city-wide suburb rebranding.

Twenty-one suburbs in Sydney will receive approximately AU$200,000 as part of the NSW government’s ‘Uptown Grant Program’.

Money will enable suburbs to reimagine themselves as trendy ‘precincts’ with distinct characters, new attractions and, in some cases, different names. The goal is to entice domestic and international visitors according to NSW Music and Night-time Economy Minister John Graham.

Graham said the grants would allow local creatives and businesses to give their precincts a unique, exciting refresh.

Current ideas on the table include renaming Darlinghurst to the Rainbow Precinct, as a nod to the LGBTQI+ events often hosted in the area, and the area’s strong queer community and various Rainbow celebrations.

Little India will replace what is currently known as Harris Park, due to the vibrant Indian community who live in the area. Similarly, Eastwood will be reimagined as Koreatown.

In the north, ‘BAD’ will be the nickname for Brookvale Arts District; a build on the current name, Brookvale.

The areas of Balmain and Rozelle will be merged to create a stronger offering for visitors, and put it “back on the map”.

Sydney’s inner-city suburbs and CBD will not be left behind in the plans. Closer to the city, the grants will also direct money to the waterfront and laneways, as well as suburbs such as Paddington, Eddy Ave, Green Square, Haymarket, Chippendale and Surry Hills.

The Uptown Grant Program is a continuation of the Uptown Accelerator scheme from 2022.

Last year, the scheme hosted several workshops with 24 district teams to ‘dream up’ ways of revitalising Sydney’s suburbs.

The grants will help those dreams become a reality, said NSW 24-hour Economy Commissioner, Michael Rodrigues.

“With an Uptown Grant, districts can bring their visions to life and deliver brilliant experiences that celebrate what’s best about their community,” Rodrigues said.

“The Uptown Program is a key element of our 24-Hour Economy Strategy, encouraging place-based collaboration, branding and storytelling within districts, and providing a platform for them to innovate with reduced risk and ultimately become self-sustainable in the future.”

Investment NSW’s website has provided more details on the scheme and changes for each suburb.