Tuesday 25 August 2015

WORKING BEE - SUNDAY 30 AUGUST 2015 AT 3PM

Join us for a working bee this Sunday at 3pm.  Come along and meet some of the locals.  Bring your tools (or we can provide them for you), and make our laneway beautiful. 


Afternoon tea at 4pm!


For more information please email wilfordlanegarden@gmail.com or contact Wilford L.A.N.E. President Ros on 0403 506 741

Monday 30 July 2012

The Wilford Lane is a Sustainable Street!

The Marrickville Council made a mention on the history and development of our little Wilford L.A.N.E. lane under "Sustainable Streets", check it out here.

The garden looks more and more wonderful every week, thank you everyone that has pitched in with a plant, with their time and of course with their generous donations.

If you would like to get involved, contact us!




Saturday 7 July 2012

The Wilford Lane is now open!

On Sunday June 24th the Mayor of Marrickville, Morris Hanna, joined the friends and neighbors of Wilford L.A.N.E Project to inaugurate our new green lane.

In this photo you see Mayor Morris Hanna and our committee president Zoe Jenkins cutting the ribbon:


And a few of the neighbors got their 15 minutes of fame in planting the first tree!




The lane is already starting to look greener:


A big thank you to Marrickville council, to the Wilford L.A.N.E Project and everyone involved!

If you would like to join our movement, help with gardening or funding, we want to hear from you! Please contact us at wilfordlaneproject@gmail.com 

For more pictures from the day, please visit our picasa web album.

Sunday 20 November 2011

The Wilford L.A.N.E. Project

What is the Wilford L.A.N.E. Project?

A beautiful garden to be created from a left over piece of road reserve.
We’ll make a living L.A.N.E. – Living, Accessible, Natural, Environment.

How did Wilford L.A.N.E. Project start?

A new apartment building went up in our back lane, uncovering a left over strip of land long ago set aside for road widening. This small island of land was going nowhere fast, destined to be used for car parking unless we came up with a better idea. With the support of Marrickville Council, the money set aside to reinstate asphalt on the lane was redirected into a porous road surface, stormwater bioretention trenches and a community garden.
  Where is Wilford L.A.N.E. Project?

In Newtown, Sydney, Australia - a lane behind Enmore Road. It’s currently just like any other rear lane, neglected and unfriendly.

Who are Wilford L.A.N.E. Project Incorporated?

A group of local residents and businesses who’ve joined together to form a not-for-profit organization dedicated to transforming our lane into a living L.A.N.E. – Living, Accessible, Natural, Environment.

What will be achieved by Wilford L.A.N.E. Project?

A beautiful garden where there could have been a bitumen road reserve.
A rainwater tank to harvest roof water for gardening.
Improved infiltration of stormwater into the soil.
Reduced flooding in heavy rain.
Greater biodiversity in our inner city environment.

Who can become a member of Wilford L.A.N.E. Project?

We are currently looking for members for our exciting project.

If you live in the block surrounding Wilford Lane, or run a business here, and are interested in gardening with your neighbours, please contact us. We’d love to hear from you. A small joining fee does apply, just to cover the costs of registering the association and insurances.

Send us an email on wilfordlaneproject AT gmail DOT com

How can I support Wilford L.A.N.E. Project?

We are actively looking for sponsors eager to support our project. If you think your business would fit with our goals and would like to offer money or support in kind, please email us on  wilfordlaneproject AT gmail DOT com

Current supporters for the Wilford L.A.N.E. Project?

Marrickville Council

When is work to begin on Wilford L.A.N.E. Project?

Marrickville Council will be undertaking road works early in 2012 and we intend to start digging very soon afterwards.

Saturday 6 August 2011

A history of Wilford Street

(Courtesy of Marrickville Council for the meeting on 24 February 2011)

Wilford Street is on the land  of the Cadigal band of the Eora people who ranged across a large area extending from Sydney Harbour to Botany Bay in the south and Petersham in the west. It is believed that the area had extensive grasslands which were ideal breeding grounds for kangaroos (City of Sydney, 2002).

In 1796, James Codd received a grant of 8.1 hectares (20 acres) known as Hartle Pitts, where Wilford Street is now located.

Map of the Bourough of Newtown circa 1885 (Source)
Wilford Street and Wilford Lane are located on what was the estate of Thurnby Lodge built in the early 1850's. Thurnby faced Phillip Street and the grounds extended to Station Street. On the plan of Thurnby, Wilford Street is located on a large paddock. Thurnby was most likely built on the site of the original Halfway House Inn which, due to it proximity to a fresh water stream, was able to cater to bullock teams travelling along Enmore Road on their Journey South.

Wilford Street and Wilford Lane in Enmore were formed in 1869 (Sydney Archives, 2009), but there is some confusion over how the Street got its name. According to the Sydney Archives (2009), Wilford Street was named after Jude Henry Wilford who may have been the first owner of Thurnby Lodge. According to Cashman and Meader (1997), Wilford Street was named after George Wilford who owned Thurnby from 1894.

There is also some confusion about the ownership of Thurnby Lodge. sydney Archives (2009) suggest that it was built in the early 1850's for Judge Wilford and bought by Thomas Chaplin Breillat in 1854. However, Cashman and Meader (1997) suggest that it was more likely built in the early 1850's for Thomas Breillat (1804-1873), who had an illustrious career as a merchant, was the founder of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, manager of the Sydney Flour Company and founding director of the Australian Joint Stock Bank. In the 1880's, Thurnby was bought by Judge William John Foster, who lived there until he retired from the Supreme Court in 1894. Thurnby was the bought by George Wilford, after whom Wilford Street was most likely named.

Thurnby was one of the grand Villa Estates of Enmore, buit in the colonial Regency style. The house was surrounded by extensive pleasure gardens with a small entrance lodge and numerous stables and outhouses. The property was well supplied with creeks and a waterhole.

By 1876, development in the area was well underway, and the Thurnby Estate was being encroached upon.

Notice in the map of Newtown circa 1885 above, Wilford Street is shown but Thurnby does not appear. The property was the last of the large estates to be subdivided when it was sold in December 1910. The house was demolished soon after (Sharpe, 1999).

The Sans Directory was a business and residential directory published from 1858 to 1932. Entries for Wilford Street first appear in 1883. It is interesting to note that many of the Wilford Street properties show tenant names changing on an almost annual basis. The full listings can be found here.