I've been selling real estate in the fantastic Redfern and Surry Hills areas for over 20 years and I've heard so many stories that I feel we need to preserve about characters, legends and buildings in this area. I also feel a responsibility for broadcasting important issues today in our area. The Touma Talks series is my attempt to keep the stories and history alive of this amazingly eclectic part of Sydney.
Touma Talks is a series of Stories about the Surry Hills and Redfern communities.
Charles Touma is the #1 Real Estate Agent in Surry Hills & Redfern and is passionate
about his local community.
You can reach Charles on 0425 305 455 or at charles.touma@raywhite.com
You can see the recent properties Charles has Sold as well as his current listings here
To see examples of the Touma Group Property Marketing videos click here
To see why Charles is the #1 Agent in his area, watch his presentations here
She sat at her sewing machine with a gun at her side, looking out of her window onto Terry Street in Surry Hills. Charles relates the amazing story of May Smith.
201 Albion Street in the Magnificent Surry Hills has quite a story attached, not least of all that it was originally built by a guy who from the age of 10 earnt a living as a cattle farmer.
In the 1800s, Uther Street, Surry Hills was a short passage between Hercules and Waterloo. Yet, the subdivision of the Uther Estate meant that a lot changed with the large block of land owned by Reuben Uther, a famous hat maker situated on Pitt Street, Sydney.
Now an apartment complex known as The Watertower in Redfern, a building once know as the Mcmurtrie Shoe Factory until the late 1970s when architect Peter Mulroney began the project of turning the factory into one of Sydney’s first warehouse apartment conversions.
Do you know which brand licenses lollies like Jaffas and Minities that were once made on Sweetacres Park in Rosebery over 104 years ago?
Brumby Street in Surry Hills has some interesting tales attached to it, including the guy who found the world’s largest gold nugget, all 290kg of it!
Charles relates the story of how Brumby Street has evolved.
Did you know that Shannon Reserve on Crown Street between Foveaux and Collins in Surry Hills was used as a WW2 air raid shelter or that there used to be a car wrecking business on the corner of the reserve several decades before it became the home of the Surry Hills Market? Charles talks about how this much loved local institution has evolved.
Did you know the oldest Department store brand in Australia was once based on Marlborough Street in Surry Hills?
Charles talks about how this national institution and the 2nd oldest brand in the world, thrived from their Surry Hills HQ.
Did you know the first aeroplane factory in the Southern Hemisphere was built in Brumby St, Surry Hills and that it’s owner was one of the main driving forces behind the birth of the aviation industry in Australia? Watch Charles tell the story of the Surry Hills ✈️ aeroplane factory ✈️.
➥the weekly horse and cart deliveries of fish and rabbits to this area
➥the horse stables between Samuel Street and Campbell Street that used to raid local tracks
➥how this area was once part of Roberts Farm
➥how Dr William Redfern’s 100
acre parcel established Redfern
➥the incredible history of Fitzroy Terrace
Today I’m on the corner of Elizabeth & Albion Streets in Surry Hills to talk about the evolution of a major local landmark including
➥ the convict entrepreneur that established it
➥ the iconic Australian name that developed here
➥ Terry Lane becoming O’Loughlin Street
This week I’m on Lansdowne Street to complete the story of the “worst woman in Sydney” including
➥her operations on Lansdowne Street, Pearl Street & Devonshire Street
➥the day her husband was shot right here
➥the massive crowd that turned up to see her off on Devonshire Street
Today I’m on Riley Street where the worst woman in Sydney used to live, to tell her story including:
➥ The Riley Street Gang’s most famous heist
➥ The disaster that caused multiple arrests
➥ The TV series depicting her on Channel 9
➥ the inclusion to celebrate the history of Aboriginal Redfern
Local Historian John Walter Ross has written a fantastic book about the history of this property, which you can read here: http://shazbeige.com/pdf/Cleveland_House_History.pdf
The house has it’s own website which you can see here: https://clevelandhouse.com.au/
Today I’m on Raper Street in Surry Hills to talk about one of Australia’s greatest artists who was once based here including:
➥ the day he and Bob Dylan went viral
➥ how his work became Dire Straits’ most famous album cover
➥ one of his paintings being allegedly worth $15 million.
➥ The eventual legalisation and corporatisation of this underworld.
I’m on the corner of Arthur and Alexander Streets in Surry Hills to talk about the amazing history of this building including:
➥ The pub that never opened.
➥ The horse drawn bus empire that initially financed this building.
➥ Why it was originally called the Pembroke Castle Hotel.
I’m at 422 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills to talk about the amazing history of the property including
➥ The day AC/DC took over and Bon Scott broke his ankle
➥ The extraordinary Madame Lash
➥ The 1975 Radio hit recorded here
about the history of cinemas in Sydney including the Crown Star Picture Theatre called “Jaffas in the Suburbs”, which you can read here:
http://shazbeige.com/pdf/Jaffas_in_the_suburbs.pdf
➥ the stunning terraced house I sold recently for a record $4 million
Mel Gibson and in “Water Rats”
➥ The potential for a rooftop beer garden on the site.
were going to demolish the street
➥how Australian Cricket was massively influenced by a McElhone
You can find part one of Charles’s McElhone Place story here:
https://facebook.com/teamtouma/videos/554326542225610/
Local Historian John Ross put together a fantastic publication on the history of McElhone Place which you can find here: http://shazbeige.com/pdf/McElhone_Place_History.pdf
cottages built by Terence in the 1840s
➥ John McElhone’s unorthodox debating tactics
would cheat on the adjacent Athletics track
➥ the evolution of it becoming the home of the NSW Wrestling championships.
Local Historian John Ross has written a fantastic publication tracing the full history of the Carrington Hotel, which you can read here:
http://shazbeige.com/pdf/Carrington_Hotel_History.pdf
Belvoir and Clisdell Streets was cleared.
➥ The day Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip came to Strawberry Hills
(now Reservoir Street), Arthur Street, Foveaux Street, Collins Street and Short Street were established
Charles is onsite at the exciting new Surry Hills Village development, where he talks about
➥ the beautiful laneway planned
➥ the word on the street regarding the best penthouse
➥ various recent sales in the vicinity of the development
➥ the current wild real estate market