Glebe Island

The site

• Glebe Island is a 20-hectare site on Sydney Harbour Foreshore.
• The site is bounded by White Bay to the west, the waters of White Bay to the north and the waters of Johnstons Bay to the east and south.
• Glebe Island is owned by Sydney Ports Corporation.

Its history

• Historically, one of the most famous uses of Glebe Island was for the Glebe Island Abattoir. The abattoir relocated to the site in the 1830s as it was thought to be too noxious to be located in Sydney town.
• The abattoirs attracted other industries, including candle and soap manufacturing, to Glebe Island.
• In the 1870s, local protests forced the relocation of the abattoirs to Homebush and land reclamation at Glebe Island commenced.
• The construction of the Glebe Island Bridge in 1901 connected the site to Pyrmont and Darling Harbour, allowing it to exploit its deepwater access for the import of grains and timber.
• During the Second World War, Glebe Island was used as a US Army Depot.
• With the growth in containerisation, many industries moved out of Glebe Island during the 1960s.
• For many years Glebe Island was home to car imports destined for the Sydney market. This use ceased in November 2008 when car imports were relocated to Port Kembla.

Short to medium term uses

• Glebe Island remains home to industries that require a land/water interface including gypsum, sugar and cement imports.
• Large amounts of Glebe Island are now vacant, although it services temporary uses that require deepwater access.
• A small amount of land will be used for construction of the Sydney Metro at the western end of Glebe Island. For more information visit the Sydney Metro homepage.