View source for Glebe Point Road

{{Short description|Road in Sydney, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox Australian road
| road_name    = Glebe Point Road, Glebe
| state        = nsw
| type         = street
| image        = Glebe point road, sydney.jpg
| caption      = Glebe Point Road looking south
| length       = 1.9
| length_ref   = <ref name="gmaps">{{google maps |url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-33.8716663,151.1804939/-33.8845486,151.1930295/@-33.8784935,151.1843402,16.06z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=en |title=Glebe Point Road |access-date=28 July 2023 }}</ref>
| mapframe      = no
| coordinates_a = {{coord|-33.871676|151.180498|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=inline}}
| coordinates_b = {{coord|-33.884525|151.192981|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=inline}}
| alternative_location_map = Australia NSW east Sydney
| pushpin_label_position_a = top
| pushpin_label_position_b = bottom
| direction_a  = Northwest
| direction_b  = Southeast
| end_a        = '''Federal Road'''<br />{{small|[[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe, Sydney]]}}
| end_b        = {{AUshield|NSW|A22}} '''[[Parramatta Road]]'''<br />{{small|[[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe, Sydney]]}}
| exits        = Bridge Road
| through      = {{NSWcity|Glebe}}
}}

[[File:Tram line glebe point road.jpg|thumb|upright|Exposed [[Trams in Sydney#Glebe Point|tram track]] in July 2010]]
'''Glebe Point Road''' is the main road of the inner city suburb of [[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe]] in [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], Australia. It is a boutique shopping strip with numerous restaurants and cafés.

==History== 
Glebe Point Road is one of the most historic streets in Sydney, dating from the early days of settlement, when the area was granted to the [[Anglican Church of Australia|Anglican Church]]. 

St John's Church was built on the corner of Glebe Point Road and St Johns Road, after a design by [[Edmund Blacket]]. Built from 1868–1870, the church is listed on the (now defunct) [[Register of the National Estate]].<ref>Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981, pp. 2/38</ref> 

Blacket also built his own family home, the heritage-listed ''[[Bidura]]'', on Glebe Point Road in 1858.<ref>Sydney Architecture, John Haskell (UNSW Press) 1997, p. 62</ref><ref name=nswshr-1994>{{cite NSW SHR|5063601|Bidura House Group|hr=01994|fn=EF16/2939|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> 

There was once a post office at no. 181a.<ref name=aboutgleebooks/>

There was an active [[Trams in Sydney#Glebe Point|tramway on Glebe Point Road]] between 1892 and 1958, when the trams were replaced by buses.<ref>Keenan, D. ''Tramways of Sydney''. Transit Press 1979</ref> Roadworks near the Bridge Road crossing in late 2009 uncovered a section of the original tram tracks, which were left exposed by the [[City of Sydney]] to serve as a historical reminder. 

The street is the main entry point to the Glebe Estate, which was originally owned by the Anglican Church and which was taken over by the [[Whitlam government]] in 1973 for an urban renovation program.

===Valhalla Cinema===
<!---redirects target this section--->
The Astor Cinema, designed in simple [[Art Deco]] style by theatre architects [[Kaberry & Chard]], opened at no. 166D Glebe Point Road on 1 December 1937. It remained independently operated throughout its existence, through many changes of name.<ref name=ct>{{cite web | title=Valhalla Cinema in Sydney, AU |first=Ken| last= Roe| website=[[Cinema Treasures]] | url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/25662 | access-date=20 February 2024}}</ref>

The Astor was closed in November 1959 and was used as a warehouse for theatre equipment, before re-opening in 1968 as a second-run cinema. It was renamed Filmor Red Star Cinema in 1970 and began screening [[cult film]]s and [[experimental film]]s. After being acquired by new owners in 1971, they made alterations to the stage so that it could host live performances as well as film, and renamed it New Arts Cinema. Stage productions included ''[[The Rocky Horror Show]]'' for three years from 1973. This was followed by ''[[Oh Calcutta]]'', but the performers were arrested by police after a few nights, as the show was banned.<ref name=ct/>

After a brief closure in mid-1978, the New Arts Cinema reopened as the Curzon Cinema, screening mainstream films, but did not last long. After a brief return to live shows, it was put up for sale. In December 1979, after the lease was purchased by Chris Kiely, it reopened as the Valhalla Cinema, and began showing revival and [[arthouse film]]s and occasional [[rock concert]]s. In 1987, Kiely purchased the freehold on the building, and undertook renovations to split the cinema into two; one using the circle and the other the stalls. The cinema was very successful until a new 10-screen [[Hoyts]] multiplex and a new four-screen arthouse opened nearby.<ref name=ct/>

Valhalla Cinema was closed on 31 January 1999. A new company took over the lease, but that did not work, and Kiely again reopened the Valhalla. Despite many loyal patrons, it could not sustain enough income, and Kiely was forced to close again on 3 August 2005. Eventually Kiely sold to developers, who converted the building into office and retail space. The [[National Trust of Australia]] (NSW) were consulted in an attempt to get the building [[listed building|listed]] for its heritage value, but it was too late. In 2007 the interior was gutted.<ref name=ct/>

==Description ==
[[File:Bidura, home of Edmund Blacket glebe point rd.jpg|thumb|[[Bidura]], former home of colonial architect, [[Edmund Blacket]]|left]]
Glebe Point Road's southern end begins at the northeastern tip of [[Victoria Park, Sydney|Victoria Park]], where [[Broadway, Sydney|Broadway]] becomes [[Parramatta Road]]. This area is frequented by a mix of students from the [[University of Sydney]] and [[University of Technology, Sydney|University of Technology]] as well as residents of nearby suburbs: [[Darlington, New South Wales|Darlington]], [[Ultimo, New South Wales|Ultimo]], [[Chippendale, New South Wales|Chippendale]], and [[Haymarket, New South Wales|Haymarket]] (also known as [[Chinatown, Sydney|Chinatown]]). Glebe Point Road extends north through [[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe]], terminating at [[Glebe Point|Bicentennial Park]] located on [[Rozelle Bay]].<ref>[http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/AboutSydney/CityLocalities/GlebeForestLodgeandBroadway.asp Glebe, Forest Lodge & Broadway - City of Sydney<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

The start of Glebe Point Road has trendy cafés and restaurants. Further down the road are very fashionable and expensive terrace houses with city and harbour views that go for over a kilometre to the water's edge. From around the 1980s, the area has become [[gentrification|gentrified]], resulting in rising property and rental prices. This led to an increase in white-collar workers and a decrease in students, artists, writers and musicians. In 2009, professionals, administrative workers and sales staff made up 44 per cent of all residents (above the city average of 30 per cent).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.domain.com.au/Public/SuburbProfile.aspx?mode=buy&suburb=Glebe&postcode=2037 |title=Glebe 2037|website=Domain.com| series=Suburb profiles |access-date=21 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017225633/http://www.domain.com.au/Public/SuburbProfile.aspx?mode=buy&suburb=Glebe&postcode=2037 |archive-date=17 October 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

There is student accommodation at the heritage-listed [[University Hall and Cottages]], located on the junction of Glebe Point Road, [[Broadway, Sydney|Broadway]], and [[Parramatta Road]]. The cottages date from 1837 and the hall, originally the University Hotel, was built between 1889 and 1890.<ref name=nswshr-128>{{cite NSW SHR|5045292|University Hall & Cottages|hr=00128|fn=S90/2626; HC32257|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.glebesociety.org.au/buildings/university-hall/|title=University Hall|work=Glebe's Heritage Buildings|publisher=The Glebe Society|date=9 April 2013|access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref>

[[Transdev John Holland]] bus route 370 and [[Transit Systems NSW|Transit Systems]] bus routes 431 and 433 traverse Glebe Point Road.

==Points of interest==
===Gleebooks===
{{also|Gleebooks Prize for Critical Writing}}
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Gleebooks is an independent bookstore that has been operating on Glebe Point Road since 1975. Ray Jelfs and Tony Gallagher opened the store as a [[second-hand bookshop]] at 191 Glebe Point Road on 26 January 1975, which was formerly the site of Peacock's Hollywood Lending Library and Reading Room. [[Sydney University]] student Roger Mackell worked part-time at Gleebooks in the mid 1970s, and after Gallagher's sudden death in 1978, he and David Gaunt kept the shop going by creating a partnership. They expanded the business to include new books, and their reputation grew, especially among students and academics from the nearby Sydney University.<ref name=aboutgleebooks/>

In 1990 Gleebooks  moved to a larger location at 49 Glebe Point Road, the site of a boxing ring and gymnasium in the early twentieth century, and in 2008 opened a branch in [[Blackheath, New South Wales|Blackheath]] in the [[Blue Mountains (New South Wales)|Blue Mountains]].<ref name=aboutgleebooks/>

In 2023 the owners undertook a major renovation of the premises, temporarily relocating to the old Glebe Post Office building at 181a Glebe Point Road and reopening at no. 49 in February 2024.
{{as of|February 2024}} Roger Mackell and David Gaunt remain the owners.<ref name=aboutgleebooks>{{Cite web|title=About us |website= Gleebooks|url=https://www.gleebooks.com.au/about/|access-date=20 Feb 2024}}</ref>

The store hosts weekly discussions with public intellectuals and journalists, and has hosted launches and events with many literary luminaries, including [[Salman Rushdie]], [[Margaret Atwood]], [[Colm Toibin]], [[David Malouf]], and [[Annie Proulx]].<ref name=aboutgleebooks/>

==See also==
{{portal-inline|Australian Roads}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/inner-sydney/glebe Glebe] on Sydney.com
*[https://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/glebe.html Glebe] on PocketOz
* {{cite web | url = http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/bidura | title = Bidura | access-date = 2 October 2015 | author = Naomi Parry | date = 2015 | work=[[Dictionary of Sydney]]}} <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Creative Commons license|CC-By-SA]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 
* {{cite web | url = http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/royleston | title = Royleston | access-date = 16 October 2015 | author = Naomi Parry | date = 2015 | work = [[Dictionary of Sydney]] | publisher = Dictionary of Sydney Trust}} <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Creative Commons license|CC-By-SA]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 
{{Streets of Sydney Australia}}

[[Category:Streets in Sydney]]
[[Category:Glebe, New South Wales]]