‘BAD, KXQ’: The new names coming to Sydney under multimillion dollar revamp

Sydney is about to undergo a major revamp which will see more attractions, ‘precincts’ and areas completely renamed.

A major shake-up coming to Sydney’s night scene will give the city a new lease on life, with more than 20 suburbs set to receive a $200,000 cash injection under a new NSW government scheme.

The Uptown Grant Program will see 21 suburbs across eight local government areas revamped in a bid to encourage more domestic and international tourists to the CBD and surrounding areas.

NSW Music and Night-time Economy Minister John Graham said each suburb under the scheme would undergo a major rebrand, which could see some areas with new names and more attractions.

Music and Night-time Minister John Graham (left) has announced a new scheme for Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“This is an exciting opportunity for groups of businesses and creatives in areas across Sydney who’ve laid out their visions to create well-known precincts with unique offerings for locals and visitors to enjoy,” Mr Graham said.

Such visions include transforming Blacktown in the state’s west to a vibrant youth, arts and music precinct titled The Gathering, which aims to bring “hundreds of events (and) artists to the area”.

Also in the west, Harris Park will be renamed Little India after its mostly-Indian community, while up north, Brookvale will receive $198,450 to go “BAD” with its planned Brookvale Arts District (BAD).

Darlinghurst will be renamed ‘Rainbow Precinct’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

Closer to the city centre, Darlinghurst will be coined the Rainbow Precinct in honour of its queer community and the Mardi Gras parade.

Kings Cross, soon to be known as KXQ – which stands for Kings Cross Quarter – is also on track for a shake-up, with the government hoping to entice tourists and locals to visit the area after dark.

The scheme will see Balmain and Rozelle become a collective, with $200,000 allocated to the areas to “put Balmain Rozelle back on the map”.

Harris Park will become ‘Little India’. Picture: Daily Telegraph / Monique Harmer

Other suburbs bound to receive a major cash boost in the CBD and inner city suburbs include Chippendale, Eddy Ave, Green Square, Haymarket, Surry Hills, Paddington and North Darlinghurst.

Pyrmont and Ultimo will also be revamped, along with Walsh Bay, Hornsby and Eastwood, and several famous laneways and waterfronts in the Sydney CBD.

The program follows last year’s Uptown Accelerator scheme, which saw two dozen district teams brainstorm and visualise ideas for the suburbs in workshops.

Kings Cross will be coined ‘KXQ’ or Kings Cross Quarter. Picture: Christian Gilles

Michael Rodrigues, the NSW 24-hour Economy Commissioner, said the funding from the Minns government would help give life to such ideas.

“With an Uptown Grant, districts can bring their visions to life and deliver brilliant experiences that celebrate what’s best about their community,” he said.

“The Uptown Program is a key element of our 24-Hour Economy Strategy, encouraging place-based collaboration, branding and storytelling within districts, and providing a platform for them to innovate with reduced risk and ultimately become self-sustainable in the future.”

More details on the changes coming to the 21 suburbs included in the scheme are available on the Investment NSW website.

Originally published as ‘BAD, KXQ’: The new names coming to Sydney under multimillion dollar revamp