Sydney CBD · 1870 — 1879

Sydney CBD in the 1870s

The 1870s were the decade Sydney decided what it wanted to look like. The colony had money from wool and gold, a Colonial Architect in James Barnet who intended to spend it in sandstone, and a city centre still low enough that a single tower changed the skyline. The Town Hall's clock tower rose over George Street in the early part of the decade and was, briefly, the tallest thing in Sydney — though the clock itself did not arrive until Gillett & Bland supplied one in 1883–84, so in these photographs the tower often stands complete and faceless.

Macquarie Street was the street of institutions: Parliament House, the Mint and the Hyde Park Barracks in Greenway's converted convict buildings, the Colonial Treasury and the Colonial Secretary's Office at the Bridge Street corner. Barnet's General Post Office was going up at the same time, its projecting three-faced clock hanging over what was not yet Martin Place. Beyond them the Domain and the Botanic Gardens were where the city went to be photographed at leisure — and where, in 1879, the Garden Palace would be thrown up in eight months for the Sydney International Exhibition, only to burn to the ground in a single morning on 22 September 1882.

33 works
Steam ferry and rowing crews at the Woolloomooloo Regatta — photograph, from Woolloomooloo Bay, circa 1879
photograph·1879·Sydney CBD

Steam ferry and rowing crews at the Woolloomooloo Regatta

Mort family - Photographs of Sydney & N. S. Wales [ca. 1879-1889Charles Bayliss; Kerry & Jones
English, Scottish & Australian Bank, George and King Streets, Sydney — photograph, from King Street, circa 1873
photograph·1873·Sydney CBD

English, Scottish & Australian Bank, George and King Streets, Sydney

A collection of photographs of buildings and views in New South Wales [Sydney and Zig Zag Railway, Lithgow] ... / Thomas Richards, Government PrinterNew South Wales. Government Printing Office
O'Connell Street corner hotel with 'Bath Room' sign beyond, Sydney — photograph, from O'Connell Street, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

O'Connell Street corner hotel with 'Bath Room' sign beyond, Sydney

Construction of the Centennial Hall, Sydney Town HallAmerican & Australasian Photographic Company
Circular Quay shipping, Government House in the distance — photograph, from Sydney CBD, circa 1876
photograph·1876·Sydney CBD

Circular Quay shipping, Government House in the distance

Album of photographs of Sydney, [ca. 1875-1878John Paine
Railway goods yard and distant city skyline, Darling Harbour, 1878 — photograph, from Darling Harbour, circa 1878
photograph·1878·Sydney CBD

Railway goods yard and distant city skyline, Darling Harbour, 1878

Railway yards, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Darling Harbour wharves and the Sydney Gas Works, Port Jackson, 1878 — photograph, from Darling Harbour, circa 1878
photograph·1878·Sydney CBD

Darling Harbour wharves and the Sydney Gas Works, Port Jackson, 1878

View of Darling Harbour, Port Jackson / Anglo-Australasian Photo Company, N.J. Caire, PhotoN. J. Caire
Darling Harbour wharves and the Royal Standard Hotel, February 1871 — photograph, from Darling Harbour, circa 1871
photograph·1871·Sydney CBD

Darling Harbour wharves and the Royal Standard Hotel, February 1871

Darling Harbour, Feb 1871Charles Pickering
Circular Quay and The Rocks from Government House Tower, 1870 — photograph, from Sydney CBD, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Circular Quay and The Rocks from Government House Tower, 1870

Sydney, from Government House Tower (panoramic) / [attributed to Charles PickeringCharles Percy Pickering
Australian Mutual Provident Society building, 98 Pitt Street, Sydney — photograph, from Pitt Street, circa 1871
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Australian Mutual Provident Society building, 98 Pitt Street, Sydney

Construction of the Centennial Hall, Sydney Town HallAmerican & Australasian Photographic Company
Darling Harbour from Balmain, 1879 — illustration, from Darling Harbour, circa 1879
illustration·1882·Sydney CBD

Darling Harbour from Balmain, 1879

Sketches in New South Wales and Victoria, 1855-1882 / by J.B. HendersonJ. B. Henderson
First Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour — photograph, from Pyrmont Bridge, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

First Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour

Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Colonial Secretary's Office at Macquarie and Bridge Streets, Sydney — photograph, from Chief Secretary's Building, circa 1879
photograph·1879·Sydney CBD

Colonial Secretary's Office at Macquarie and Bridge Streets, Sydney

Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney
Sydney Town Hall under construction, clock tower complete — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1875
photograph·1875·Sydney CBD

Sydney Town Hall under construction, clock tower complete

Sydney Town Hall under construction
General Post Office, Sydney, with the projecting three-faced clock — photograph, from Sydney General Post Office, circa 1878
photograph·1878·Sydney CBD

General Post Office, Sydney, with the projecting three-faced clock

General Post Office, Sydney
Allan Cunningham monument, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney — photograph, from Royal Botanic Garden, circa 1875
photograph·1875·Sydney CBD

Allan Cunningham monument, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Botanic Gardens [Sydney
Interior of the Parliamentary Library, Parliament House, Sydney — photograph, from Parliament of New South Wales, circa 1871
photograph·1871·Sydney CBD

Interior of the Parliamentary Library, Parliament House, Sydney

Parliamentary Library, SydneyNew South Wales. Government Printing Office
The Domain, Sydney, with the corner of Victoria Lodge — photograph, from The Domain, circa 1877
photograph·1877·Sydney CBD

The Domain, Sydney, with the corner of Victoria Lodge

The Domain, Sydney
General Post Office, Sydney, by Charles Bayliss, c.1878 — photograph, from Sydney General Post Office, circa 1878
photograph·1878·Sydney CBD

General Post Office, Sydney, by Charles Bayliss, c.1878

General Post Office, Sydney] / C. Bayliss Photo, SydneyCharles Bayliss
Sydney Town Hall with completed clock tower — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1875
photograph·1875·Sydney CBD

Sydney Town Hall with completed clock tower

Town Hall [Sydney
Sydney Town Hall with its completed clock tower — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1875
photograph·1875·Sydney CBD

Sydney Town Hall with its completed clock tower

Sydney Town Hall
Sydney Grammar School, College Street, 1870 — photograph, from College Street, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Sydney Grammar School, College Street, 1870

Sydney Grammar School, College Street, Sydney
Sydney rooftops from the Town Hall clocktower, 1873 — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1873
photograph·1873·Sydney CBD

Sydney rooftops from the Town Hall clocktower, 1873

Panorama of Sydney taken from Sydney Town HallFrancis W. Robinson
Colonial Treasury, Macquarie and Bridge Streets, Sydney — photograph, from Macquarie Street, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Colonial Treasury, Macquarie and Bridge Streets, Sydney

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
George Street shopfronts, Sydney, February 1871 — photograph, from George Street, circa 1871
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

George Street shopfronts, Sydney, February 1871

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Garden Palace dome above a pond in Sydney's Botanic Gardens — photograph, from Royal Botanic Garden, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Garden Palace dome above a pond in Sydney's Botanic Gardens

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Carriageway and gate in the Botanic Gardens, Sydney — photograph, from Royal Botanic Garden, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Carriageway and gate in the Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Harbour and gardens from Government House, Sydney — photograph, from Government House, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Harbour and gardens from Government House, Sydney

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Sydney Town Hall with completed clock tower, before Centennial Hall — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1875
photograph·1875·Sydney CBD

Sydney Town Hall with completed clock tower, before Centennial Hall

Town Hall [Sydney
Macquarie Street terrace row, Sydney, March 1871 — photograph, from Macquarie Street, circa 1871
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Macquarie Street terrace row, Sydney, March 1871

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Coaching party at Government House, Sydney, in the 1870s — photograph, from Government House, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Coaching party at Government House, Sydney, in the 1870s

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Hyde Park Barracks and the Mint seen across the park, Sydney — photograph, from Queens Square, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Hyde Park Barracks and the Mint seen across the park, Sydney

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Inscribed rock at Mrs Macquarie's Road, Sydney Domain — photograph, from Mrs Macquarie's Chair, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Inscribed rock at Mrs Macquarie's Road, Sydney Domain

Mrs Macquarie's Chair, SydneyAmerican & Australasian Photographic Company
Parliament House, Macquarie Street, December 1870 — photograph, from Parliament of New South Wales, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Parliament House, Macquarie Street, December 1870

Views of Old SydneyCharles Bayliss; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)