Yirranma Place: Stories of a Darlinghurst corner

Gadigal country. Woolloomooloo Farm. Riley Estate. Burdekin’s paddock. Burlington Picture Palace. First Church of Christ Scientist. Party mansion. Yirranma Place. 

The many transformations of 262 Liverpool Street, lying at the corner of Forbes Street in Darlinghurst, reflect the long and layered history of Sydney. Now named Yirranma Place, it’s a place that has been constantly recreated. And today it’s a philanthropic precinct as headquarters of the Paul Ramsay Foundation. 

Historian Alana Piper takes episodes from the history of Yirranma Place and its surrounds to provide a window into Sydney’s past, particularly the city’s experiences of power and hardship. Part heritage study, part local history, this visually rich exploration of a corner in Darlinghurst combines deep research with revealing stories.

About the author

Alana Piper is a lecturer and research fellow at the Australian Centre for Public History at the University of Technology Sydney. Alana has researched widely across Australian social and cultural history, with a particular focus on issues of crime, gender and poverty. With Ana Stevenson, she edited Gender Violence in Australia: Historical perspectives.

Alana Piper
Published December 2024
Paperback
264 pages
100 illustrations
280mm x 210mm
ISBN 9781742238036