Bellevue Hill

Bellevue Hill is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located 5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the Municipality of Woollahra.

Bellevue Hill is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located 5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the Municipality of Woollahra.The suburb is located within the Division of Wentworth electorate.

The are of contemporary Bellevue Hill was originally part of the lands of the Cadigal people. Their livelihood was composed of fishing and shellfish collecting.In the early 19th century, Irish-Australian immigrants referred to the area as Vinegar Hill, after the Battle of Vinegar Hill, an engagement during the 1798 uprising of the United Irishmen in south-east Ireland. Governor Lachlan Macquarie took great exception to this and decided to name the suburb Bellevue Hill, the belle vue meaning beautiful view.The area became part of Daniel Cooper's estate, who passed most of iton his death in 1853 to his nephew, Sir Daniel Cooper. From the mid-19th century, land along the ridges was released, leading to the construction of the first houses, such as Ginahgulla (owned by the Fairfax family responsible for establishing the Fairfax Media empire) and Cranbrook. The lack of public transport but preponderance of scenic views led to the area being aimed at those without the need for the former but with the appreciation for the latter.Further land was released along the heights and the western side of the hill overlooking Double Bay in the early 20th century. Th extension of the tram line began mass suburban development, with most housing ending up owner-occupied and built between 1910 and 1930, with later waves of redevelopment especially in the 1990s.

The line to Bellevue Hill opened in 1909. Services operated from Circular Quay via Elizabeth Street and Park Street. Trams heading south from Circular Quay down Elizabeth Street swung left into Park Street, via a right turn into Yurong Street, a left turn into Stanley Street, a right turn into Bourke Street, then a left turn into Burton Street.

A feature was the tram only viaduct over Barcom Ave and Boundary Street in Darlinghurst as the line headed into MacDonald Street. This viaduct is now a road bridge. The line then twisted down Glenmore, Gurner and Hargreave Streets in Paddington, then Moncur and Queen Streets in Woollahra. Here, a connection to Oxford Street allowed access to the Waverley Depot. The line then travelled down Edgecliff and Victoria Roads, then wound along Birriga Road in Bellevue Hill, finally running down Curlewis Street in Bondi to join the Bondi Beach via Bondi Junction line on Campbell Parade, to the North Bondi terminus. The line was double track throughout with numerous points to allow short working.

The line was cut back to Ocean Street, Woollahra in 1955; the remainder closed on 27 June 1959.

The line followed approximately the current route of bus 389 between the city and Woollahra and route X84 between Woollahra and Bondi Beach.