AGY-568 | Darling Harbour Authority

Full description

The Darling Harbour Authority was constituted under the Darling Harbour Authority Act 1984 (Act No. 103, 1984) (1) to promote, encourage, facilitate, carry out development of land within the Darling Harbour Development Area. The Act provided the Authority with powers to acquire, manage and dispose of land and to control development within the Development Area in accordance with plans approved by the Minister on submission by the Authority. The Development Area extended from Paddy’s Market through the disused Darling Harbour Goods Yards, to Cockle Bay, Darling Park, the Pyrmont Bridge, and the first wharf sites in Pyrmont and Darling Harbour. In relation to the Development Area, section 11 of the Darling Harbour Act, 1984 provided that Darling Harbour Authority may -
a) promote, organise and conduct tourist, educational, recreational, entertainment, cultural and commercial activities within the Development Area
b) construct, establish, maintain and operate tourist, educational, recreational, entertainment, cultural and commercial facilities within the Development Area
c) construct, establish, maintain and operate transport facilities within and outside the Development Area, being facilities for the purpose of providing transport, to, from and within the Development Area
d) carry out works for the purpose of beautifying the landscape of the Development Area.

The Darling Harbour Authority (Further Amendment) Act 1985 ( Act No.161, 1985) (2) provided for the Darling Harbour Authority to carry out "Scheduled Works" in relation to the installation and operation of the Monorail. The Act gave the Darling Harbour Authority, for the purpose of the Scheduled Works, the power of a Construction Authority under the meaning of the Public Works Act, 1912 and the right to protect the Scheduled Works. (3)

"Darling Harbour was opened to the public as a major recreational, education, tourist and entertainment precinct on 16 January 1988". (4)

In 1988 Darling Harbour provided one of the focal points for the celebration of the Bicentenary. One of Australia’s most important archaeological excavations was conducted in 1992 to investigate Australia’s first industrial site, Dickson Mill, at Little Pier Street. The dig was conducted by Godden Mackay Pty. Ltd. The site marks the arrival of industrial technology in the colony of New South Wales and Australia. (5)

By 1993 close to 400 permits for development approval covering major projects, tenancies, miscellaneous works and subdivisions had been issued. Permit Approval at Darling Harbour is based on a one step rather than the traditional approval followed by building approval process. (6)

The Darling Harbour Authority (General) Regulation, 1984 was repealed on 1 September 1994 as required by the Subordinate Legislation Act, 1989 and was replaced by a new Regulation. Changes to the regulation involved application of parts of the Local Government Act to land within the Development Area. The new regulation clarified the Authority’s powers related to development approvals, orders, and building certificates. (7) The heritage restoration of Pyrmont Bridge was completed in 1995. Also the Darling Harbour Development Area was expanded to encompass the former Government Printing Office building and the AML&F Woolstore site, to facilitate any expansion of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on to this land (8). While the Authority was directly involved in development applications, design development, and property management it also obtained some of its service requirements through outsourcing arrangements. These included accounting, internal audit, security, site cleaning and management of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Entertainment Car Park, Harbourside Car Park, and The Chinese Garden. (9)

In 1996 the decision was made to transfer the Authority’s role for consent for development to the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning. (10) The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority was established by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Act,1998 (Act No. 170 1998). The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority assumed the functions of City West Development Corporation and Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, which were subsequently dissolved. The Darling Harbour Authority was to become part of the new authority after the 2000 Olympic Games. (10)

On 1 January 2001, the Darling Harbour Authority Act 1984 was repealed and the Darling Harbour Authority was abolished. All land vested previously in the Act was transferred to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority under the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Act 1998. (11)

Endnotes
1. Assented to 28 June 1984, New South Wales Government Gazette No.116, 27 July 1984, p.3909.
2. Assented to 3 December 1985, New South Wales Government Gazette No.180, 27 December 1985, p.6770.
3. Annual Report of the Darling Harbour Authority for the year ended 30 June 1992, p.17.
4. Annual Report of the Darling Harbour Authority, year ended 30 June 1994, p.2.
5. Op. cit 1992. p.9.
6. Annual Report of the Darling Harbour Authority for the year ended 30 June 1993, p.12.
7. Special Supplement to the New South Wales Government Gazette No.111, 31 August 1994, pp.5337-5355.
8. Annual Report of the Darling Harbour Authority for the year ended 30 June 1995, p.7, 11.
9. Annual Report of the Darling Harbour Authority for the year ended 30 June 1996, p.15.
10. Ibid., p.15
11. Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Act 1998 (Act No.170, 1998), s.49; Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Amendment Regulation 2000 (2000 No 760), cl.1.

References
1. New South Wales Government Directory 1988-96.
2. Annual Report of the Darling Harbour Authority 1992-96.