1998: Olympic Boulevard opens

This week marks 25 years since Olympic Boulevard was open to pedestrians (and vehicles) on 30 November 1998. Costing $33 million, this was to be the main artery for pedestrians accessing venues at Sydney Olympic Park as part of the 2000 Olympic Games.

When no events are held, one can drive their car down the boulevard as a local road.

 

Source: McDougall, B. 1998. "The road to glory". The Daily Telegraph, December 1: 17. 

Property Advertisement of the Week: Horizon Towers, Hornsby (1998)

Below is a 1998 newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale in the Horizon Towers in Hornsby.

 

Source: Meriton Premier Apartments. "Horizon Towers" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2: 14RE (Real Estate Liftout).

1973: North Sydney's booming skyline

Source: Donaldson, J. 1973. "$800 million building boom". The Daily Telegraph, April 26: 9. 

Above is a newspaper article that was published in The Daily Telegraph in 1973 reporting on the skyscraper boom that was being experienced in North Sydney. It was claimed that the value of commercial properties in the North Sydney CBD had doubled in just six months to $800 million (equivalent to $8.5 billion in today's money according to the RBA Inflation Calculator). 

The photograph of the skyline was labelled with buildings either under construction or recently completed.

Recently, I decided to grab a photo of the skyline from Neutral Bay (Where the original photo was taken) as close as I could to where the original photograph was taken to provide a comparison photo to show the change over the past half-century. The "tall" buildings of 1973 are now dwarfed or even blocked while Northside Gardens (right) is currently being redeveloped into a luxury apartment complex.

Photo taken by the Author (2023).

Property Advert of the Week: Domus Designs Model Homes (1966)

Below is a 1966 newspaper advertisement promoting model homes by Domus Designs. The model homes could be inspected at Carlingford and Northmead.

Source: Domus Designs. 1966. "Are you an individualist?" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 8: 27. 

1999: Why Bankstown lost the Olympic Road Cycling Races

In the 2000 Olympic Games, Bankstown hosted track cycling events at the Dunc Gray Velodrome in Bass Hill, which was built specifically for the Olympics. It is currently the only indoor cycling venue in New South Wales.

Did you know that Bankstown Council was to host Olympic road cycling events until The Sydney Morning Herald stepped in?

Why Bankstown?

The Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) had initially been selected for the Eastern Suburbs. The Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox Studios did not want the course running through its "front door".

In response, SOCOG moved the road cycling events to Bankstown because of lower operating costs and "fewer roundabouts". Track Cycling events were being hosted at Bankstown (Bass Hill), and their onsite media centre could be utilised by media agencies covering the road events. 

The Sydney Morning Herald adds its two cents

On May 28 1999, The Sydney Morning Herald published a report on Page 1 written by Olympics Editor Matthew Moore. Two leading cyclists - Brett Dutton and Stephen Hodge, tested the course around Bankstown.

It was deemed "too flat" and would not attract leading international cyclists while praising the course running through the Eastern Suburbs. 

SOCOG backflips

Days after the article was published, SOCOG withdrew plans to undertake the road cycling events in Bankstown on the grounds of traffic congestion on local roads. This decision was not welcomed by Bankstown locals, including Bankstown Council. A modified course for the Eastern Suburbs was prepared and ultimately was the route used during the Olympic Games. 

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Source: Trute, P. 1999. "A suburb betrayed". The Daily Telegraph, June 3: 9. 

I can understand why Bankstown locals were unhappy, and it comes down to equity and the east vs. west rivalry that is so common in Sydney. Bankstown is real suburbia and would have given the locals an opportunity to experience the Olympic Games in their own neighbourhood without having to pay for the privilege or travel to the eastern suburbs to watch the race. 

Property Advert of the Week: Hawkesbury Waterfonts (1966)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from 1966 promoting the sale of 22 lots on the Hawkesbury River. Based on the map and Google Maps, I believe the lots featured in the advertisement are in Holmes Drive, Cumberland Reach

The lots themselves do not reach the waterfront, as there is a section of sealed road that runs at the rear of the properties, which can be accessed by the public, while an unsealed dirt road goes behind the remaining properties. 

Source: "N & K Developments Pty. Ltd. "Hawkesbury Waterfronts" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, March 5: 52.  

1985: Saving the Brooklyn Hotel from demolition

The Brooklyn Hotel on the northwest corner of the intersection of Grosvenor, George and Bridge Streets was built in 1912 and was heritage-listed in 1980. The hotel also incorporates the Johnson Corner Buildings. 

In the 1980s, the Grosvenor Place development was approved. One condition of its development was that the Brooklyn Hotel, along with the neighbouring Royal Australian Naval House and Federation Hotel, be preserved and incorporated into the development, which included the 44-level/180-metre Grosvenor Place tower. 

On September 8 1985, fire swept through the building.

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Source: Anon. 1985. "Arson probe at historic sites". The Daily Telegraph: September 9: 3. 

Architect Harry Seidler and developers Kern Corporation submitted plans to demolish the buildings, citing fire damage and questions over its structural integrity. While this was withdrawn, the Minister for Planning and Environment Bob Carr, had to remind them that the restoration of the building was a condition of the approval of the Grosvenor Place development

 

Source: Glascott, J. 1985. "Seidler halts demolition on Grosvenor site". The Sydney Morning Herald, September 19: 5. 

In 1987, a second attempt to demolish the building was proposed for a public square. Carr had to remind them again that demolition was not permitted, and the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority also ruled that demolition was not allowed. That attempt failed.

Source: Hawkes, H. 1987. "Row over historic buildings". The Daily Mirror, February 16: 17.

The following year, it was announced that the buildings would be formally restored at a cost of $10 million. This was undertaken in 1989. 

Source: Bita, N. 1988. "$10m rescue for historic city buildings". The Daily Telegraph, September 15: page unknown.

Property Advert of the Week: "The Charlotte", Ultimo (1995)

Below is a newspaper advertisement dating from 1995 for "The Charlotte" at Ultimo. Apartments were on sale from $ 179,500. 

 

Source: Colliers Jardine & Charles & Stuart. 1995. "Take a look at - The Charlotte" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 24: 87.