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Darlinghurst is an inner eastern suburb of Sydney, Australia. The suburb is named after Elizabeth Darling, the wife of Ralph Darling, who was the Governor of the state of New South Wales during the early 19th century.
Once a slum (in the 1920s) and a red-light prostitution district, as of the 1990s and early 2000s, it has undergone urban renewal and become a rather upmarket, cosmopolitan and diverse area.
The area is most famous for the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The parade which marks the end of this festival takes place on Oxford Street, the main street that runs through several suburbs, including Darlinghurst. Darlinghurst has two of Sydney's museums: the Australian Museum (a natural history museum) and the Sydney Jewish Museum. The suburb's St Vincents Hospital is one of Sydney's most important hospitals. The Darlinghurst Court House at Taylor Square is one of Sydney's most historic buildings. It is adjacent to the also historic Darlinghurst Gaol, which is now the East Sydney campus of the Sydney Institute of Technology.
Political issues
The area has often been a battleground between the two councils of the City of Sydney and the City of South Sydney. Most of the suburb belonged to South Sydney, however the New South Wales State Government moved the borders repeatedly in order to change the make-up of the city of Sydney. Many claim that these shifts have been attempted to shift the balance of power in the favour of the party in control of the State Government.
This battle has become a moot point however, with the two councils forced to amalgamate in February 2004 by the State Government. An election was held on Saturday, 27 March, 2004, in order to elect a new council for the new (expanded) city of Sydney.
Critics of the amalgamation have claimed that the election demonstrated strong voter backlash against the State Government for pressing the issue. The Australian Labor Party, for whom the area was usually safe, had their primary vote reduced to approximately 20%. The independent Clover Moore took the Lord Mayoral position, having campaigned against the Government's dismissal of the Council.
See also
External links
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Sydney Opera House
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