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.

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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, SydneyState Library NSW
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 constructionState Library NSW
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, SydneyState Library NSW
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 [SydneyState Library NSW
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, SydneyState Library NSW
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, SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897
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 [SydneyState Library NSW
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 HallState Library NSW
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, SydneyState Library NSW
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 HallRobinson, Francis W.
Album leaf from "Views of Old Sydney": Garden Palace, Middle Head guns and a harbour landing — photograph, from Sydney CBD, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Album leaf from "Views of Old Sydney": Garden Palace, Middle Head guns and a harbour landing

Views of Old SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Sydney harbour with warehouses and sailing ships, 1870s–1890s — photograph, from Sydney CBD, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Sydney harbour with warehouses and sailing ships, 1870s–1890s

Views of Old SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Sailing ships moored along a Sydney harbour foreshore — photograph, from Sydney CBD, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Sailing ships moored along a Sydney harbour foreshore

Views of Old SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 [SydneyState Library NSW
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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; 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 SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)
Wesleyan Centenary Chapel, Sydney — photograph, from Sydney CBD, circa 1870
photograph·1870·Sydney CBD

Wesleyan Centenary Chapel, Sydney

Views of Old SydneyBayliss, Charles, 1850-1897; Freeman Brothers; John Rae (original drawings)