Green Bans Art Walk and Exhibition — 6 to 27 August 2011

The Mundeys and the Pringles and the Owens and the rank-and-file have effected one of those rare shifts in public thinking that occurs only a few times in a lifetime. Maybe they were mad hatters and larrikins — a true Australian tradition — but, by God, there’s many a Sydney resident who will remember them with love.
Marion Hardman (Marrison) and Peter Manning, 'Green Bans. The Story of an Australian Phenomenon', Australian Conservation Foundation, 1975.

On the fortieth anniversary of the Green Bans, Green Bans Art Walk captures the ideals and struggle to protect the character of the inner-city areas of Woolloomooloo, Darlinghurst and Kings Cross. These were the most brutal of the Green Ban struggles.

For four years Green Bans, a concept invented by the NSW Builders Labourers Federation, inspired a nation and the world. From 1971 to 1974, thousands of builders labourers voted on over 50 requests for bans from resident groups, the National Trust and/or the Institute of Architects. Others followed around Australia. They voted for a big picture: to keep urban low-cost housing and to protect the environment and heritage.

In Victoria Street after a brutal struggle, low-cost housing was lost with some heritage gain. Juanita Nielsen was murdered in mid-1975 and Mick Fowler, the other key leader, died an untimely death.

In Woolloomooloo the Labor Party promised to ‘Save the "Loo"’ and won Federal government in December 1972. This led to a visionary medium density workers’ housing project embracing renewal and new designs.

Having a say in the city of the future created a planning system revolution, then changed institutions and laws. These set standards around the world. The state BLF leadership paid dearly. The union was de-registered and the leadership denied the right to work in their industry.

Green Bans Art Walk revives the old walkways across Woolloomooloo basin accessed from stairs in Victoria Street on the escarpment. The Walk symbolically reunifies a beautiful area disconnected by rail and freeway structures, ugly site consolidations and looming high-rise.

Green Bans Art Walk opens up this crucial part of Sydney’s history for a new generation.

We propose ongoing walking routes, new signage and lighting, restoring existing and adding new Green Plaques, restoring and adding new artworks (perhaps a statue to Jack Mundey) and a ‘linear park’ to create a peoples' museum emphasising the area’s residential character. Designation as a special area ensures that the planning system protects significance and character and this is passed on to future generations. We hope to help put low-cost urban housing back on top of the action list.

Each walk seeks your ideas and responses.

Thanks: The project is part of Performance Space’s WALK, a season of walks, promenades, marches and strolls in and around Sydney taking place throughout 2011. XAP and BFP thank all the contributors and speakers, Green Banners past and present, The Firstdraft Depot Project Space, City of Sydney and the CFMEU (former BLF).

More information on Green Bans at www.greenbans.net.au

Marion Marrison, 'Stephen St', 1975. Looking towards Brougham St from Forbes St. Silver gelatin print.

Mickie Quick, Woolloomooloo Map, floor work, 2011. The Firstdraft Depot Project Space.

Margel Hinder, ‘Aphrodite’, bronze sculpture with fountain, 1981.

Opening of Denis Winston Place, Woolloomooloo by Sir Hermann David Black for Housing Commission of NSW and the Denis Winston Memorial C'tee of the Planning Research Centre, University of Sydney, October 1981.