Property Advert of the Week: Calendon, Ryde (1971)

This week, I'm sharing with you an advertisement for the launch of Calendon Apartment Block at 7 Hatton Street, Ryde from 1971 (The "road" is an actual error). Two bedroom apartments were on sale from $14 950. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this is the equivalent of $149 140 today.

Hopefully, the views of the city are still around for those up at the top.

Source: K.G. Hurst. 1971. "Calendon" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 16: 40.

1997: Star City Opens

Wednesday (November 26) will be 17 years to the day since Sydney's first permanent casino opened. Star City (rebranded The Star back in 2011) opened its doors to the masses. It replaced the temporary Sydney Harbour Casino which had opened in September 1995, built at a cost of $876 million.

There was a glitzy advertisement which I remember quite well. It was no Crown Casino but they were trying at least and at the same time obviously showcase its harbour setting.

The opening itself was glitzy with a free public concert featuring Diana Ross, Human Nature and Richard Clapton fireworks display and light show. Inside there was an invite only opening party involving Sydney's A-List with Tom Jones and Michael Crawford joining the celebrations alongside those performing for the public. In the first night 24 hours of trading, around 45 000 people visited the casino according to The Daily Telegraph (November 28 1997).

The Daily Telegraph marked the opening by selling their November 28 editions for just ten cents. A special wrap around was produced featuring Diana Ross with the casino in the background.

Two pages of coverage from the November 27, 1997 edition of The Daily Telegraph.

Property Advert of the Week: Crown Land Auction Sales (1970)

In February 1970, the State Government had housing lots for sale in East St Ives and Forestville, on land that was being offloaded by the state. The lots were to be auctioned with reserves starting from $8 700 at Forestville and $14 000 at St Ives.

Sources:

NSW Department of Lands. 1970. "Crown Land Auction Sale at East St Ives." The Daily Telegraph, February 14: 50.

NSW Department of Lands. 1970. "Crown Land Auction Sale at Forestville." The Daily Telegraph, February 14: 50.

MILESTONE: The Sunday Telegraph turns 75

On this day in 1939, Sir Frank Packer launched The Sunday Telegraph as the sister paper to The Daily Telegraph. In 1939, it was a broadsheet and cost threepenny (2 cents). The media baron wanted to take on the Sunday market and got his wish.

Page One of the first edition on November 19, 1939.

Three years later (1942), it was converted to a tabloid to overcome rationing of newsprint. 

Packer reigned supreme over the paper until he made a decision to sell the paper and The Daily Telegraph to Rupert Murdoch and News Limited. it has been in his hands ever since. 

I recently managed to get a scan of the cover of its 50th Anniversary Edition in 1989, which happened to be November 19, 1989. 

From its beginning, in 1939 the paper has grown to be the biggest selling newspaper in Australia. As of mid-2014, approximately 488 500 copies are printed each week with a readership of 1.3 million people. 

While it is a Sydney newspaper, the paper itself is widely available on Sundays in the ACT, Victoria and Queensland. I believe that it stemmed from the merger of the paper with The Sunday Australian in 1972. 

1969: The THREE UTS Towers

Lets start off the entry with a simple photo of the the main tower at the University of Technology in Broadway.

Photo was taken by the Author

Many of us think there was simply the one tower that was built and that is it.

I've emphasised "three" in capitals for a reason because there were plans to have another two buildings built alongside it.

In 1969, the University of Technology (UTS) was simply known as the Institute of Technology and were set to embark on a major expansion of their Ultimo Site. During December 1969, they had announced a contract for Stage One which was the middle tower or simply the one we have today.

One of the three towers was to be built for the State Government itself to house government departments and public servants.

The current UTS Tower was the tallest of the three towers proposed for Broadway. which is the building in the middle. 

Source: Anonymous. 1969. "$17 million project: 400-ft tower on Broadway." The Daily Telegraph, December 16: 42. 

Sadly Stage One was not completed by 1973, but rather 1977.

The towers' design may not be a personal favourite; in fact, I think it is the worst buildings to be built in Sydney despite it being seen as innovative. In the current expansion and upgrades to UTS, you'd notice this with the recently completed Engineering Building, Science Building and soon to be opened Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.

UTS Science Building
Photo taken by the Author. 

UTS Engineering Building
Photo taken by the Author.

Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, designed by Frank Gehry

Source: Worssam, A. 2014. Untitled, accessed november 12  2014, http://www.vogue.com.au/vogue+living/design/gehrys+chau+chak+wing+building+uts+has+been+completed,34173

Personally, UTS will still hold the worst building in Sydney. It is merely being handed over from the main UTS Tower to Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building. To me the building reflects Sydney in a negative manner; that we don't care about what we do and how we build and organise our city. Instead of celebrating the good features of Sydney, the building is paying tribute to the negatives. However the interior of the building deserves acclaim.

Property Advert of the Week: Valley View Estate, Hornsby Heights (1968)

This week's property advert is from 1968. Parkes Developments were selling 20 lots of land at Hornsby Heights for just $3000 as part of the Valley View Estate. The blocks were for sale in Kiah Close which is located just off Galston Road. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, those blocks would cost you about $34 000 each in today's money.

 

Source: Parkes Developments Pty. Ltd. 1968 " Valley View Estate: Hornsby Heights (Advertisement)." The Daily Mirror, April 5: 31. 

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Bondi of the Future Exhibition (1968)

In 1968, Grace Bros at Bondi Junction held an exhibition where architecture students at the University of NSW were asked to create models of what they thought Bondi would be like in the year 2000.

Thank goodness Ben Buckler is still what it is. I prefer the older and smaller unit blocks.

Source: Anonymous. 1968. "Skyline 32 Years Ahead," The Daily Telegraph, November 19: 15.

Property Advert of the Week: The Regency, Chatswood (1998)

This week, our property advert takes us to Chatswood, where an apartment in the heart of Chatswood would set you back just $240 000 in 1998. A 3 bedroom apartment cost just $625 000. The area was undergoing its first major high rise apartment boom. 

 

Source: Walker Corporation. 1998. "Regency Chatswood (Advertisement)." The Northern Herald, March 26: 36.

1997: Sydney's Syrang

Sydney's North and South Head both form a wonderful natural gateway to Sydney Harbour, but Malcolm Goldfinch in early 1997 proposed a large boomerang be built at Pigs Reef off Middle Head to act as Sydney's equivalent of New York's Statute of Liberty. Good idea or bad idea?

 

Source: Skelsey, M. 1997. "Boomerang of Liberty a non-flier." The Daily Telegraph, January 6: 8.

I for one feel that there was no need for a structure to welcome people to the harbour. Let nature be the gateway. What do you think?

Property Advert of the Week: The Elan, Kings Cross (1997)

This weeks advertisement is for The Elan at Kings Cross dating from 1997.

Source: Rushcutters Properties Limited. 1997. "The Elan (Advertisement). " The Sunday Telegraph, October 19: 10.