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In 1828 Governor Ralph Darling ordered the subdivision of Woolloomooloo Hill (Darlinghurst) into suitable 'town allotments' for large residences and extensive gardens. The allotments were then granted to selected citizens, ensuring that the Colony's growing professional middle-class should live in an area not too distant from the town.

Of the 17 garden villas that were built on the allotments ,today only five of the villas still stand, although the legacy of the original villas remains in street names around Potts Point, Darlinghurst and Kings Cross.

for land to be developed

many people and services are required

first land has to be cleared of trees/bush/scrub & rocks

-stone quarried -sometimes on site

-foundations laid

for the house -bricks need to be imported & laid

-timber needs to be dressed

-roofs installed

-plumbing finalised

-windows & doors fitted

 -gardens that need to be planted & tendered

-stables with grooms & stable hands

 then there is the staffing requirements of the house itself

Craigend

designed & built by Thomas Livingston Mitchell surveyor general of new south wales in 1829

perched atop a small plateau at the high point of the ridge separating the woolloomooloo farm from the barcom glen, craigend commanded a spectacular view both toward the city and along the spine to the north across the harbour to the north shore and out through the heads to the east and south to botany bay

there are many fine examples of paintings done from this vantage point high above the suroundings in the mitchell library

this spot was thought to be ideal for a windmill and one was quickly built on the flat area to the south of the house (The area to the south east of  nimrod street & covering the area of caldwell street leading to beares stairs)

above looking north

above looking toward the town to the west

the house

survived

the picture above shows the northern side

the gates to craigend were on upper william street (what was to become kingscross road)

the carriageway up to the front of the house, note statue on the right

looking from the front west side to the croquette lawn to the north east

looking from the croquette lawn towards the gardens along the drive note as a point of comparison the tree, the swing & the small statue beneath the tree and compare with the picture below

looking to the east showing the house carriageway croquette lawn having been taken beneath the tree mentioned above showing statue middle foreground  & swing far right

taken looking from the west toward the house and carriage drive with the swing at the right  & the statue middle distance