Watch the film clip The Bays Precinct History to see some of the main human activities that have shaped the Bays precinct and changed it over time.

Pre fieldwork journal Q3a.

Write the answers in your Pre fieldwork journal.

a. From the film clip name three ways Blackwattle Bay (or any other bay in the Bays Precinct) has been used in the past and name the groups of people who used them.

b. Find out more information on indigenous and Gadigal history of the area. Write down two interesting features about Gadigal history that you found.

Pre fieldwork journal Q4 continued.

Write the answers in your Pre fieldwork journal.

Use Google earth to locate Blackwattle Bay. Type Blackwattle Bay into the search icon and explore Blackwattle Bay.

c. Back in 1943 Blackwattle Bay was mainly used for industrial activities, eg, factories. Name two land uses around Blackwattle Bay today.

Click to view Google earth timelapse. Follow instructions below.

i. Click on the voyager symbol at left, scroll down and click on the timelapse tile.

ii. Find 'Search the planet' on the top right, and type in Sydney, NSW.

iii. Zoom in until Sydney Olympic Park is on your far left and BondiJunction is on your far right. Try not to zoom in too much as the image will become blurry.

iv. Click the arrow which begins the timelapse, (it starts at 1985 and goes to 2020) and watch the timelapse.

Enrichment activity

Write the answers in your Pre fieldwork journal.

d. Can you spot the important bridge at the top of Blackwattle Bay which is built during the time lapse?

e. Name the bridge and approximately what year it was built ? Hint: Use one of the other maps on the website to find the name of the bridge.

Geographers make great Town Planners, also called Urban Planners.

Town Planners are people who design plans to make new areas for people to live in. They have skills in drawing, mapping and working out where the best places for features like parks are to be put, so as to make a liveable community.

Town planners often work with stakeholders. There are the people are involved in planning decisions and who often use the planned spaces to visit, work or live in. Examples of stakeholders affected by plans include residents, business owners and the public.

Town planners also work with a range of stakeholders when they are creating their plan including architects, building companies (developers), transport authorities, environmental groups, real estate agents and community representatives.

Watch the Youtube clip 'What is a town planner' to find out more about Town Planning.

Town planners often work for governments or large building companies.

All levels of government employ town planners and make laws, rules and planning decisions that change and shape our communities. There are three levels of government in Australia, these are:

1. Federal (also known as Commonwealth or Australian government).

2. State eg NSW government.

3. Local government (also known as Councils).

Watch the Youtube clip 'The three levels of government' to find out more about what each level of government does.

Your excursion (or webinar) will focus on a place called Blackwattle Bay which is located in The Bays Precinct, a large area of underdeveloped land on the edge of Sydney Harbour. This area is managed by a NSW Government Department called Infrustructures NSW (INSW). The NSW state government began planning its ideas for Blackwattle Bay a few years ago.

In 2019 Infrastructure NSW consulted with the community and stakeholders in the area to get their input into the plan. Some of the important stakeholders were local residents, the City of Sydney (which is the local council in this area), and the general public.

Blackwattle Bay is a bay on Sydney Harbour between the suburbs of Pyrmont and Glebe. It has a mix of land uses, including a school, rowing club, parkland, cement factory and a Fish Market. This market is where fishermen sell their fish to businesses. It is a place where the public and tourists can come to buy and eat seafood. It is currently looking rundown and overcrowded.

The government is creating a new Fish Market close to the existing one. When it is finished the government will knock down the old Fishmarket and redevelop the site. One plan for the site involves focussing on homes with 1,700 Homes, 4,000 Jobs and 30,000 square metres of open space. The homes will be in a collection of slender buildings ranging in height from 18 to 44 storeys. On the ground level, there will be cafes and shops opening to the street and public spaces, as well as community services such as a childcare and a library or a community centre. Public open space will be made up of smaller parks and public spaces, each with distinct characteristics and connected by the continuous waterfront walkway.

For the complete plan visit Blackwattle Bay Plan