| Historical notes: | The "Eora people" was the name given to the coastal Aborigines around Sydney. Central Sydney is therefore often referred to as "Eora Country". Within the City of Sydney local government area, the traditional owners are the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora. .
With the invasion of the Sydney region, the Cadigal and Wangal people were decimated but there are descendants still living in Sydney today.
The first land grant in the area, of 30 acres covering today's Potts Point, was made to Patrick Walsh, an Irish ex-convict, in 1809. Governor Macquarie revoked that land grant in 1822, granting the land instead to Mr. Drennan. Later the land was brought back under Crown control for the establishment of huts for local aboriginal people. Governor Macquarie gave the name Elizabeth Town to the area after his wife. After Macquarie's departure, Elizabeth Town was divided into land grants for important public servants who were encouraged to build grand villas. These included Sir John Wylde Judge Advocate, 1822 and Alexander Macleay, Colonial Secretary. The final name of the area Potts Point came from association with Joseph Hyde Potts, Clerk of the Bank of NSW, who purchased six and a half acres in the area.
East of Forbes Street lay several estates that extended down the escarpment from Potts Point including E. Hallam’s grant, Judge Stephen’s grant and the Tusculum Estate. Judge James Dowling received an 8 acre land grant in 1831 bounded by William Street, Dowling Street and Victoria Street and built Brougham Lodge on his property. He allocated some of his grant for the formation of streets such as Victoria Street, Duke Street and McElhone Street. His estate was subdivided in 1846. The line of Victoria Street is shown on Edward Hallens Plan of 1842.
Subdivision of A. Campbell’s Estate occurred in 1849 and included lots in Macleay, Victoria, Brougham and Forbes Street. Brougham Lodge was located on Victoria Street and was subdivided into 22 allotments.
The Tivoli Estate of 1867, the Challis Estate of 1889 and various smaller subdivisions along Victoria Street represent the earliest layer of intensive residential development in the area. Subdivision of the early mansion estates occurred in the early twentieth century with Tusculum Estate 1901, Campbell Lodge Estate 1910, Grantham Estate 1922, and Orwell House Estate 1921. Many of the grand houses of the period remained until the 1930’s when they were replaced by flat buildings. A further group were demolished in the 1960’s , including Tarmons on the site of St Vincent's College. Only four sites with grand villas remain in the precinct today.
During the 20th century, the area evolved into a bohemian enclave populated with Sydney’s artists, writers and other like minded individuals. In the 1970s Potts Point became the focus of green bans over development plans for Victoria Street which were lodged in October 1971. Many residents on the city side of the street had already moved out, as the principal developer, Frank Theeman's Victoria Point Pty. Ltd. offered them favourable terms. The NSW Builders and Labourers Federation imposed green bans in sympathy with local resident activists, including the murdered Juanita Nielsen who lived in Victoria Street. They opposed the demolition of the area's historic terrace housing and there was a protracted battle with the developers until 1976, when the green bans were lifted. A new plan called for the restoration of 22 of the 32 houses in conjunction with a 10 storey complex located to the east behind them. |