The outskirts of Paddington are considered part of the locality associated with stories of the Cadigal people, who belong to the Dharug (or Eora) language group.
In the early 19th century, the Paddington area was largely used for farming and grazing. However, after the construction of the South Head road in 1811, the area began to develop into a settlement.
The name Paddington itself is taken from the name of a village in England. In the 1820s and 1830s, Paddington began to develop into a bustling suburb with Victorian terrace houses and shops.
Paddington Reservoir: History and Transformation Located on Oxford Street, Paddington Reservoir was designed by the city engineer, Edward Bell, and was one of the important elements in Sydney's water supply of that era.
Paddington Reservoir was designed in 1857, but its construction only began in 1864 and was completed in 1866. In 1876, the reservoir was doubled resulting in a total capacity of 2 million gallons (9,092 megalitres) with dimensions of 33 meters long, 31 meters wide, and 5 meters water depth.
The reservoir is part of Sydney's third water supply system, and is designed to hold water pumped from Lords Dam in Botany Bay.
This Paddington Reservoir was used between 1878—1899 until the larger and more efficient Centenial Park Reservoir system as its replacement.
Thereafter, Paddington Reservoir was used as a goods storage site by Sydney Water, and became the site of a Council-owned garage and workshop.
The reservoir was sold to Paddington City Council in 1934, who leased the space west of it for a petrol station, while the space to the east was still occupied by Sydney Water until the end of the 1950s.
The roof was later used as a grassy public park since the 1930s. Seating and stairs were built and later became known as Reservoir Gardens.
In 1953, the local government built the Walter Read Reserve on the roof of Paddington Reservoir and integrated the John Thompson Reserve located near that Reservoir.
Both areas provide open space in the Paddington area which includes the Town Hall, Post Office and Juniper Hall.
The site was classified as a state heritage site by the National Trust of Australia (NSW) in 1985 and in that year an interim conservation order was issued against the property.
Sydney City Council undertook a massive redevelopment which included restoration and rearrangement of the landscape for Paddington Reservoir Garden, Walter Read Reserve and John Thompson Reserve.
Paddington Reservoir City of Sydney. Courtesy Josef Nalevansky, City of Sydney Credit: Josef Nalevansky, City of Sydney
The facility reopened in 2009 as a sunken garden with a nature reserve above the preserved eastern space with much of its original frame featuring rows of towering brick arches alongside modern metal and stone walkways.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 08: Models walk the runway at the We Are Handsome show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia 2014 at Paddington Reservoir Gardens on April 8, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Caroline McCredie/Getty Images) Credit: Caroline McCredie/Getty Images
The park consists of two tiers. The street level is accessible at all times, but the lower room, which is accessible by elevator, is only open during the day.
Paddington is an interesting and historic suburb in Sydney. With a wide range of attractions and activities on offer, Paddington is a great place for anyone to visit.
Paddington Reservoir is one example of how a historic site can be transformed into a beautiful and rewarding public space. The park is a great place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty in the bustling middle of Sydney.
Hope this article was useful for those of you who want to know more about Paddington and Paddington Reservoir.
