Glebe (from the Latin glaeba, meaning a clod of earth) is a piece of land which has been given to the church.

In 1789, Governor Arthur Phillip granted 400 acres (162 hectares) to the Anglican Church for the new colony’s chaplain, the Rev Richard Johnson. The Glebe Point area became fashionable in the 19th century, while the southern part of Glebe became a working class district.

Glebe fell into decline in the early 20th century, but by the 1960s there was a renewed appreciation of its charms. Glebe became one of the first suburbs in Australia to experience “gentrification”, as its architectural heritage, combined with proximity to the city and Sydney University, made it fashionable again. This tour will explore a district which has not only a fascinating built environment but a long history of bohemian lifestyle, activism and intellectual pursuits.