Urban Growth and Decline

Issues in the Australian Environment: Urban Processes

Cities are always changing

Urban consolidation

Urban decline

Gentrification

Urban renewal

Change involves four urban processes

Sydney has changed since 1788

Sydney has grown out from a centre

The area of first settlement has changed

City from Pyrmont – 1880s

The same view from in Pyrmont 2010

Can you see anything from the 1880s?

The view from Pyrmont Bridge 2010

Can you see anything from the 1880s?

The area of first settlement has changed

A view of Darling Harbour, 1880s

View across Darling Harbour 2010

Can you see anything from the 1880s?

The area of first settlement has changed

1902

The area of first settlement has changed

Can you see anything from 1902?

Cities can be represented by circlesThe area of first settlement

Outward growth

Cities grow out from areas of first settlement, and as they grow certain processes occur:

Some areas Decline

In some areas there is Renewal

There’s Consolidation of people in some places

In other places change in social and economic status occurs - Gentrification

As cities growth they spread outwards

Geographers often use models like this

Models help us understand the real world

Models aren’t entirely accurate

Models have aspects that are accurate

We can apply this circular model to Sydney

Do you think it applies to Sydney?

As cities growth they spread outwards

The area of first settlement develops as the Central Business District.Here the most intense business activity takes place

Sydney CBD

Sydney CBD

Zone of management administration &

major retailing, where urban transport

converges ensuring accessiblity

Around the CBD a factory zone develops

Car factory Zetland

Industry develops close to CBD

administration, markets, labour, port

sites and rail yards

Then a zone of housing and factories

Rozelle & White Bay

Industry expands into the area. The poorest

people and housing conditions, high levels

of pollution and congestion.

Next a zone of newer housing

Housing Haberfield

Residential zone working class and upwardly mobile people, close to

employment in inner zones

Then a zone of even newer houses

Macquarie Links

Higher quality new housing on larger blocks, residents commute & have

higher transport costs

Beyond is the rural urban fringe

Mulgoa

Mixed rural and high class residential area. Residents commute

by train, often drive to railway stations

Does this describe the way Sydney is ?

Sydney CBD

Car factory Zetland

Rozelle & White Bay

Housing Haberfield

Macquarie Links

Much has changed

Mulgoa

There are no longer factories in Zetland

Rozelle has undergone ‘gentrification’

Suburbs like Zetland have become areas of urban consolidation with dense settlement & high rise apartment development

Urban consolidation involves increasing the amount of medium to high density housing in areas that already have urban infrastructure in place, such as old industrial areas.

Suburbs like Annandale, Camperdown, Rozelle, Balmain, Lilyfield & Leichhardt have become expensive places to live. They have been

the sites of Gentrification.

Gentrification involves new groups of wealthy people moving into poor neighbourhoods and renovating the houses or sometimes building new ones.

Suburbs like Annandale, Camperdown, Rozelle, Balmain, Lilyfield & Leichhardt have also experienced Urban Decline

With Urban Decline buildings and infrastructure fall into disrepair and dilapadation. It is sometimes called Urban decay. Businesses close and sometimes buildings

become derelict and the intensity of land use declines.

Suburbs like Annandale, Camperdown, Rozelle, Balmain, Lilyfield & Leichhardt have also experienced Urban Renewal

In the older parts of Sydney Urban renewal is apparent as changing economic conditions, new technology and the increasing expense of locating people and

services on the urban fringe, make inner city living and working most attractive..

The Old Piano Factory, Annandale