Christmas Snapshot: 1998

Merry Christmas, everyone.

For the first time since 2017, Christmas Day falls on a Monday and its perfect timing for our Christmas Snapshot, focusing on how Sydneysiders marked Christmas 25 years ago.

The year of focus is 1998.

Christmas Services

The Daily Telegraph provided its readers with an overview of what would open and what would be closed on Christmas Day, and generally, there has been little change over the past 25 years.

 

On December 26, The Daily Telegraph provided a summary of how the city marked Christmas Day. Ashfield Uniting Church hosted 2500 people for Christmas Lunch, led by Rev. Bill Crews. Sydney Lord Mayor Frank Sartor acted as Santa while former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and wife Blanche d'Alpuget waited on attendees

Their work has expanded over the years. Apart from Christmas Lunch at Ashfield, the Bill Crews Foundation will have delivered hampers to thousands of homes in the lead-up to today.

10,000 people, mainly backpackers, converged on Bondi Beach for their traditional Christmas Day gathering. The weather played its part, providing attendees with perfect skies. 

Carols in the Domain was on 19 December 1998 and was compered by Hugh Jackman.

Boxing Day Sales on Boxing Day

 

Source: Ryan, R. 1998. "City stores don Boxing Day gloves". The Daily Telegraph, December 26: 7.  

In 1998, Sydney CBD retailers traded on Boxing Day for the first time, which gave Sydneysiders an opportunity to obtain bargains on Boxing Day without having to leave the Sydney Metropolitan area. However, suburban retailers were still prohibited from trading. Under the legislation, the Sydney CBD was deemed to be a tourist area, alongside centres in NSW that were also designated as tourist centres for the purposes of retail trading on Boxing Day. This had been allowed for years, but retailers refused on their own accord to do so.

One retailer that did not participate in Boxing Day trading in central Sydney was David Jones. 

This arrangement continued until 2003. In 2004, Sydney CBD retailers were not permitted to trade on Boxing Day as it fell on a Sunday, and a public holiday in lieu was given (27 December 2004). 

Sydneysiders voted with their feet, with 100,000 shoppers travelling into the city to take advantage of the bargains on offer, led by department stores Grace Bros and David Jones. 

Source: McCabe, K. "Shoppers create a retail heaven". The Sunday Telegraph, December 27: 7. 

1999: Mark Latham and Badgerys Creek Airport - Feature

In 1999, the Federal Government announced that a second Sydney Airport would be located at Badgerys Creek. This did not imply that approval to build the airport was given. It gave certainty that if a second Sydney Airport was built, it would be at Badgerys Creek. It was not until 2014 that the Federal Government under Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that construction would go ahead, leading to the new airport due to open in 2026. 

Mark Latham (ALP, Werriwa) may have sat on opposition benches at the time but agreed that Sydney needed the second airport at Badgerys Creek, not to mention that those in his electorate of Werriwa were set to benefit. Latham was also mayor of Liverpool from 1991 to 1994 and identified the benefits that it would bring to it.

Source: Latham, L. 1999. "Get ready for take-off from Badgerys Creek". The Daily Telegraph, June 11: 11. 

1998: Variable Speed Limit Signs is introduced

This year is 25 years since Sydneysiders were introduced to variable speed signage signs. 

There were speed advisory signs on the F6 Motorway (now known as Princes Motorway) when it opened in 1975, but they were primarily used to alert drivers of hazardous road conditions and recommend that they slow down.

The variable speed limit signs, which are now standard on Sydney motorways, were introduced first on the M4 Motorway in 1998. Below is a newspaper advertisement that was used to educate drivers on the new signs. 

 

Source: Roads and Traffic Authority. 1998. "Coming to the M4". The Daily Telegraph, December 14:14.

Property Advert of the Week: Century Tower (1997)

This week is the last of our Property Advert of the Week entries for 2023. Below is a 1997 newspaper advertisement for Century Tower. Two bedroom apartments were on sale from $378 600.

Source: Sunlord. 1997. "Century Tower" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, July 5: 13RE (Real Estate Liftout).

Property Advert of the Week will return on the first Saturday in February 2024.

1965: Idle Peak Hour Trains

In 1965, The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader published a feature by Tom Mead rebutting claims by NSW Transport Minister John McMahon (ALP) that all available electric carriages were in service during peak hours. As evidence, a photograph of trains stationed on sidings at East Hills during the evening peak period. 

It is typical in Sydney to argue that trains are overcrowded, whether it was in the 1960s or now. The question the article raised was why couldn't additional services be provided to reduce the overcrowding. The East Hills Line was the focus, arguing that the idle trains could have made one return trip each from East Hills to the City. 

Mead would be elected as a State MP for Hurstville two months later, holding onto the seat until 1976. 

Source: Mead, T. 1965. "Electric trains idle as people fight for hold". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, March 3: 1.

Property Advert of the Week: 20 Crows Nest Road, Waverton (1970)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from 1970 for 20 Crows Nest Road, Waverton. Note that it is advertised as Wollstonecraft. One bedroom apartments were on sale for $16 000, two bedroom for $23 600 and three bedroom apartments from $28 600. 

Source: Gilbert, Kemp Pty. Ltd. 1970. "Wollstonecraft No. 20 Crow's Nest Rd." (Advertisement). The Sun, June 12: 52.