Once known as The Native Rose Hotel, The Rose stands on the land of the Gadigal people. Before settlement, the site was a rich and fertile area surrounded by creeks which ran into Blackwattle Swamp. Today, The Rose is surrounded by Pine, Myrtle, Rose and Wattle Streets, a reminder of the natural history of the area.
In the mid-1800s, Chippendale transformed from an area of natural beauty, with a large nursery owned by Thomas Shepherd on the site of The Rose, to an area of industry. With a supply of fresh water, the land was developed to include Cooper's Brisbane Distillery, Tooth's Kent Brewery, a flour mill on Abercrombie Street, and a soap and candle factory on Parramatta Road. Chippendale became an industrial and residential suburb with pubs on every corner.
