1971: Kingsgate Hotel Opens

This week, I share with you an advertisement for the former Kingsgate Hotel at Kings Cross which opened as a "motor inn" in 1971.

You might remember my entry from some time ago where I mentioned an alternate scheme from 1969. A globe was proposed in place of an antenna and the complex would have included a three-screen cinema complex.

The Kingsgate just before conversion to apartments in 2003.
Photo by the Author.

It did trade for a number of years as a Hyatt Hotel then in its final years was the Millennium Hotel. In 2003, it was converted into the Zenith Apartment Tower. It was one of many well known Kings Cross Hotels that closed in that time following the 2000 Olympic Games and subsequent "oversupply" of hotel rooms.

Zenith Apartment Tower (2009)
The photo was taken by the Author.

 The only thing that hasn't changed is the Coke sign, still reigning supreme.

Property Advert of the Week: Woronora Home Sites (1970)

This week, we head to Woronora, where in 1970, those seeking the great Australian Dream could build their home atop a hill close to the Woronora River. Sutherland Council were the vendors for the seventeen home sites on offer.

 

Source: Sutherland Shire Council. 1970. "Land Auction Sale" (Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader,  February 4: Page Unknown.

1966: The Lady Class Ferries are conceived

Sydney's Lady Class Ferries have been serving Sydney Harbour since 1968. Here is an article from The Daily Telegraph from 1966, when they announced tenders for the new ferries which were to serve on the North Shore routes. It did promise that the first ferry would be in operation by the following year. However, it was not until 1968 that the Lady Cutler went into service. Five ferries would join her over the next decade: Lady Woodward, Lady McKell, Lady Wakehurst, Lady Northcott and Lady Herron.

Source: Anonymous. (1966). "Airy, Spacious & Commodious". The Daily Telegraph, October 26: 12.

The Lady Northcott and Lady Wakehurst were modified (with higher bows) to operate on Manly Services when introduced in the mid-1970s.

The Lady Cutler no longer operates but is based in Melbourne's Docklands along with Lady McKell. Lady Northcott and Lady Herron are the only two ladies from this era still in operation.

The Lady Cutler and Lady McKell at Melbourne's Docklands in 2011. The photo was taken by the Author.

Property Advert of the Week: Banksia Land Sale (1962)

This week's property advert sends us into the Rockdale area where in 1962 blocks of land in Chestnut Drive, Oak Place, Tamarix Cresent and Shaaron Court.

Source: J. K. Callinan Estate Agent & Tome Bros Estate Agents. (1962). Land Auction Sale: Rockdale" (Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, November 28: page unknown.

1972: The area with no name becomes Monterey

For eighteen years, I was raised in the suburb of Monterey (approximately 13km south of the city). Even in 2015, many Sydneysiders wouldn't have a clue of where it is nor its existence. The development of the area dates back to around a century ago when the area was subdivided into what it is today. My childhood home in Robinson Street (no 22) I believe dates back to this time. But for this area, there was the question to be asked, where did they belong?

For decades people were giving their address as either Brighton-Le-Sands, Kogarah or Ramsgate. The first edition of the Gregorys Street Directory in 1934 would list streets like Robinson (Annie Street as it was known) as being in Rockdale.

But there were signs of a possible name - Monterey. A section of the suburb when subdivided was referred to as the Monterey Estate. The streets within the estate had Californian names like Pasadena Street. A small shopping centre developed in Chuter Avenue between Scarborough and Monterey Street. This included a post office (now a Pizza Cafe) which was known as the Monterey Post Office
So Rockdale Council in 1972 had to put the matter to rest. It surveyed people in what would become Monterey but also Ramsgate. 250 submissions were made from residents and Rockdale Council at a meeting in February settled on what is now the current boundaries. There were proposals to include parts of Kogarah and Ramsgate.

   

Source: Anonymous. 1972. "Monterey Name for New Suburb of Rockdale".  The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, February 23: 15.

 In November, it was officially gazetted by the Geographical Names Board.

Source: Anonymous. 1972. "Area of No Name Will Now Become Monterey". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, November 8: 42. 

Monterey to this day still remains a quiet suburb, even as Sydney changes around it. Many of the older homes have been knocked down and replaced with large modern homes. Just this year, it attained a median house price of $1 000 000. It certainly has won favour with people, especially families and easy access to local shops, services, Sydney Airport, City and Botany Bay.

The suburb did achieve some fame in 1987 when Mental as Anything filmed the video clip He's Just No Good for You in Scarborough Street, in which the residents were invited to all take part.

 

Plus Solander Street is home to the first villa complex built in NSW back in 1967, even before the suburb got its name. 

Property Advert of the Week: The Southern Cross on Harbour (1997)

This week's property advertisement is for The Southern Cross on Harbour Complex at Haymarket dating from July, 1997.

Source: Accord Pacific. 1997. "The Smart Money is Under the Southern Cross". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 5: 14 (Real Estate Liftout).

1965: Flats could save Sydney's dying uptown (Article)

Sydney's southern CBD has proven to be popular in the past two decades for those who want to live in the heart of Australia's largest city and there are hundreds if not thousands of more apartments on the way.

One article that may be of interest is from 1965 when The Daily Telegraph tried to ask the question of whether or not unit development might revive the southern part of the city but also help bring activity to the financial heart of the city.

At that time, it was deemed unsafe for women to walk those streets at night and the buildings were "bad". It also mentioned the large landholdings that the State and Federal Governments had, which might be used to revitalise the area.

During the mid-1960s there were a number of unit projects that sought to begin the process like the Park Regis Towers, but it was not until the 1980s and 1990's that a major attempt took place to encourage apartment living in the city.

And we move forward to the present, and it seems like everyone wants to live downtown. Many want to escape the long commutes from the suburbs, be in easy reach of the city's attractions, services and be close to work.

 

Source: Anonymous. 1965. "Flats could save Sydney's dying uptown". The Daily Telegraph, April 2: 26-27. 

As for the future, the only way is up and possible developments like this one I found on the Skyscrapercity forums this week could be the benchmark in bringing the area to life.

Property Advert of the Week: Tara at Pyrmont (1997)

This week's real estate advertisement is from 1997 where apartments for sale in "Tara" in Quarry Master Drive, Pyrmont were on the market from $215 000.

UPR Reality. 1997. "Tara" (Real Estate Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, July 5: 14 (Real Estate Liftout).

1971: The first ever City to Surf

This Sunday (August 9) will be the 45th instalment of The City to Surf fun run. What began with just 2 000 participants in 1971, has grown into one of the great fun runs of the world with around 75 000 now taking part each year. While the route has been the same, the start line originally was at the Sydney Town Hall with runners running the full length of Park Street. The photo below shows the sea of runners making their way down Park Street. In those days, one could still park their car on the street on the day of the race and if you needed to cross Park Street, tough luck. You had to wait for all runners to run.

Source: Anonymous. 1971. "Here to Stay". The Sun, September 6: 3.

Property Advert of the Week: Land Release at Castle Hill (1967)

Last week, it was reported that 21 homeowners in Castle Hill have banded together to sell their homes to a single developer who could build apartments on the combined land.  Here is an ad for blocks of land for just 1695 pounds or about $3400 that were for sale in that area in 1967. Imagine the return had any of them bought in back then.

For our regular readers, in 1967, businesses still could advertise in pounds and pence as there was a two year transition period for pricing of goods and services following the introduction of the Australian Dollar in 1966.

 

Source: Parkes Developments Pty. Ltd. 1967. "Castle Hill: Sydney's Executive Address (Advertisement)". The Daily Telegraph, April 1: 41.