Editing Woolloomooloo (section)

===European settlement===
[[File:Woolloomooloo 1866 SLNSW FL1104967.jpg|thumb|Woolloomooloo Bay, Sydney, 1866]]
After the [[First Fleet]]'s arrival in Sydney, the area was initially recognised as Garden Cove or Garden Island Cove after the nearby small wooded [[Garden Island, New South Wales|Garden Island]], off the shore. The first land grant was given to John Palmer in 1793 to allow him to run cattle for the fledgling colony.

An 1832 map by [[Thomas Mitchell (explorer)|Thomas Mitchell]] shows "Woolloomooloo Estate" <!-- sic, one 'l' --> extending from the road "To South Head" northwards to Woolloomooloo Bay. To the east lies a hill with windmills and a "New Prison", and land grants on the peninsula that is now the suburbs of [[Potts Point]] and [[Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales|Elizabeth Bay]].<ref>{{cite map |last1=Mitchell |first1=Thomas Livingstone |title=Sketch of the coast from Darling Harbour to Elizabeth Bay: showing the grants to Mr McLeay and six other gentlemen. |url=https://dictionaryofsydney.org/media/5514 |publisher=House of Commons |date=16 July 1832}} The map shows the original shore-line of Woolloomooloo Bay, Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay. The land to the northwest around Farm Cove is designated "Government Domain".</ref>

In the 1840s, the farm land was subdivided into what is now Woolloomooloo, [[Darlinghurst]] and parts of [[Surry Hills]]. Originally the area saw affluent residents building grand houses, many with spectacular gardens, attracted by the bay and close proximity to the city and [[Government House, Sydney|Government House]].<ref name="history">{{cite web |url=http://www.warrenfahey.com/articles/woolloomooloo.html |title=Australian Folklore Unit |access-date=31 December 2006 |last=Fahey |first=Warren}}</ref>

The area slowly started to change after expensive houses were built in [[Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales|Elizabeth Bay]] and further east and a road was needed from Sydney. It was for this reason that [[William Street, Sydney|William Street]] was built, dividing the land for the first time.

Woolloomooloo Bay was used extensively as a port. As recently as October 1971, the [[Maritime Services Board]] opened a 200 metre berth on the western side of the bay.<ref>Materials handling ''[[Freight & Container Transportation]]'' October 1971 page 53</ref>