
Saturday, 7 June 2025
Property Advert of the Week: Eastlakes Home Units Ad (1966)

Monday, 2 June 2025
NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Reschs Brewery Redevelopment Scheme (1983)
The former site of the Reschs Brewery at East Redfern is home to the Moore Park Gardens estate, a residential development comprising 575 apartments in 11 buildings. the brewery was closed in 1983 and the residential development was completed in 1996.
Source: Johnston, M. 1983. "Homes for 600 at old Resch's brewery". The Daily Telegraph, August 20: 7.
Below is the original 1983 proposal to redevelop the former brewery. This coincided with Tooths being taken over by Carlton & United Breweries (CUB). Production of Reschs then shifted to the CUB Brewery at Broadway (now home to Central Park, Sydney). CUB no longer brews beer in New South Wales, either brewed in Melbourne or at Yatala in Queensland.
Six office buildings (up to 18 storeys tall) were proposed as part of the redevelopment along with town houses and apartments to house around 600 people. Nine of the former brewery buildings would be incorporated into the redevelopment, and a public park would also be provided.
Source: Coultan, M. 1983. "$250m plan for brewery site". The Sydney Morning Herald, August 20: 4.
The development was planned in a way that the office buildings would create a buffer zone that separated the residential component from the nearby industrial area.
Source: Anonymous. 1983. "Draughting a new village". The Daily Telegraph, August 27: page unknown.
It was anticipated that construction would be completed in stages over seven years, meaning full completion by 1990. By 1990, the site was empty and still undeveloped.Saturday, 31 May 2025
Property Advert of the Week: 108/1 Missenden Road, Camperdown (1998)
Below is a 1998 newspaper advertisement for an apartment for sale at 1 Missenden Road, Camperdown. The apartment was listed through Richardson & Wrench, Glebe. No price is listed for the two-bedroom apartment.
Source: Richardson & Wrench Glebe. 1998. "Luxury Living at an affordable price". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2: 35RE (Real Estate).
Monday, 26 May 2025
NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: AML & F Redevelopment Proposal (1989)
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Full Citation Below |
In 2023, I posted an entry on the fire that destroyed the Australian Mercantile Land & Finance Co. Building at Ultimo in 1992.
At the time of the fire, the site was facing redevelopment. In 1989, Essington Developments Lrd. (owned by Kerry Packer) proposed a plan to convert the building into a hotel and apartment building. There would be 150 apartments along with a four star hotel. A small office building along with retail would also be provided. The redevelopment was projected to cost $200 million.
Source: Dixon, A. 1989. "New life for a grand old building" . The Sydney Morning Herald, March 29: 2.
The restoration of the former woolstore would have been similar to the Goldsborough Mort Woolstore located further up Harris Street. However had this had gone ahead and there was no fire to the woolstore itself, it have meant that those in Ultimo would not have the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre which occupies part of the present site. The Harry Seidler-designed building is a local landmark in itself.
Related Entry
1992: Ultimo's Australian Mercantile Land and Finance Co. Building destroyed by fireSaturday, 24 May 2025
Property Advert of the Week: Campbelltown Land Release (1969)
Below is a 1969 newspaper commercial promoting a land release at Campbelltown. It doesn't specify where in Campbelltown exactly, but it would have to be in a suburb within the Local Government area. There is a rail track featured in the map where Campbelltown Road crosses over as a bridge, and that points most likely to be in Leumeah, as the road does cross over the Southern Rail Line there.
The Southern Line had been electrified to Campbelltown the previous year (1968), which meant commuters could travel directly from the region to the city in around one hour. Their key selling point was the commute time. It does take an hour for a commuter from Cronulla to travel to the city by train,n for instance, and Cronulla is closer to the city than Campbelltown is.
Monday, 19 May 2025
NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Centennial Place Towers (1980)
In this entry in the latest instalment of Never Built Sydney, I look at one of the never-built proposals for what is now the site of the Centennial Plaza complex in Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills (Opposite Central Station). The site comprises three office towers—16, 13, and 10 levels, respectively—a public square, and ground-floor retail.
The site was originally home to the Tooheys Brewery, which opened in 1875
In 1976, Tooheys shifted its brewing operations to its present site Lidcombe. They sought to redevelop the site, blending in the old with the new. This included two 16-storey office buildings and the retention of historical buildings fronting Mary Street. 84-86 Mary Street (separate site) would also be preserved and eventually was converted into office space.
Source: Jones, J. 1980. "Tooheys plans to spend $35m on old brewery". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 11: 19.
What makes this proposal stand out from the eventual complex is the incorporation of heritage into the development. It may have limited the space for the office buildings and clustered them closer to each other, but it would have been more friendly to the streetscape and sympathetic to Surry Hills itself.
One downside is that the buildings would appear aged today but could potentially be ripe for redevelopment in Sydney of 2025.
Saturday, 17 May 2025
Property Advert of the Week: "Mintcol" by Claron Homes (1973)
Below is a 1973 newspaper advertisement for "Mintcol". It was a model home that was located at 176A Old Northern Road, Castle Hill. The home is still standing there today.

Monday, 12 May 2025
NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Governor Phillip Tower 1982 Scheme (1982)
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Full Citation Below |
Saturday, 10 May 2025
Property Advert of the Week: HomeWorld (2002)
Newspaper advertisements for HomeWorld in our weekly property adverts are regular, and they're good for comparison and understanding how their marketing has evolved.
Below is an advertisement published in The Daily Telegraph in 2002. This focuses on the "New for Old" (a new home built on an existing block) and the financial gain one could get if they knocked their house down and built a new one from scratch.

Monday, 5 May 2025
NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: 40 Park Street (1988)
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Full Citation Below |
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Above: Parkline Place as viewed from Park Street at Hyde Park. Photo taken by the Author (2025). |
Saturday, 3 May 2025
Property Advert of the Week: Penrith Land Release (1969)
Below is a 1969 newspaper advertisement for a house and land package on offer at Penrith. The area is currently in South Penrith and would encompass the neighbourhood that is home to the Jamison Hotel and close to Jamison Park.
The package included a 3-bedroom brick veneer home on a block of land. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this was equivalent to spending $155,000 in today's money, which is very good value for money.

Monday, 28 April 2025
NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Harrah's Sydney Casino Proposal (1986)
Sourced from: Dale, D. & Shanahan, D. 1986. "Sydney Casino: FBI checks US partner". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 2: 1.
For the first time in two years, Never Built Sydney is back for another series, as I look at more of the "never builts" that were proposed for Sydney.
As part of the redevelopment of Darling Harbour in the 1980s, the Wran and Unsworth Governments sought to develop the eastern side of Cockle Bay into a Casino and Hotel complex. This was also a solution to rid the city of illegal gambling houses.
The site in question is currently the site of the Darling Park complex, comprising three office towers and the Cockle Bay Wharf dining precinct.
Sourced from: Holland, M. & Ringrose, D. 1986. "Casino deal 'cannot be scrapped'". The Daily Telegraph, August 12: 1 & 2.
In 1985, the Wran Government put the site up for tender. American casino operator Harrah's (owned by hotel chain Holiday Inn) in conjunction with Hooker Corporation was awarded the contract on June 24, 1986. Their proposal for the Casino Resort would comprise two buildings: one rising atop the Western Distributor and fronting Cockle Bay to around 11/12 storeys tall, which would feature the casino, while a 45-level hotel tower would be built towards the corner of Druitt and Sussex Street.
Sourced from: Ringrose, D. 1986. "Hooker vows: We'll fight for casino". The Daily Telegraph, August 13: 1 & 2.
Why did it not proceed?
Source: Dale, D. & Shanahan, D. 1986. "Sydney Casino: FBI checks US partner". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 2: 1.
The process required tenders (and individuals involved) to pass an "integrity check, " equivalent to a police check on an individual who may be considered for employment within a company. The Sydney Morning Herald in July 1986 revealed that Harrah's was under investigation by the FBI in the United States and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement over a claim that "it used organised crime figures to arrange deals with a union". This had not been uncovered during the initial integrity checks.
Source: Dale, D. 1986. "Questions Atlantic City wasn't asked". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 2: 1 & 4.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement responded that the NSW Government had not approached them.
Source: Holland, M. & Ringrose, D. 1986. "Casino deal 'cannot be scrapped'". The Daily Telegraph, August 12: 1 & 2.
The revelation led to the State Government cancelling the contract on August 12 1986. Harrah's and Hooker took the government to the NSW Supreme Court claiming that the government were obligated to comply with the agreement. It would be settled out of court in 1989 with the NSW Government paying the consortium $33 million in compensation plus $5 million in court costs, a fraction of the $700 million initially demanded.
Source: Ringrose, D. 1986. "Hooker vows: We'll fight for casino". The Daily Telegraph, August 13: 1 & 2.
New tenders were sought later that year and continued into 1987, but integrity checks saw all tenders rejected. Harrah's and Hooker tried again, but were unsuccessful. By the end of 1987, the Unsworth Government attempted a third round of tenders.
In 1988, the Unsworth Government was replaced by a Coalition Government under Nick Greiner. With $500 million still owing on the cost of the Darling Harbour Redevelopment, the NSW Government shifted in 1989 towards a mixed-use development of the site with a hotel, offices, and retail buildings to be built. In 1991, Darling Park was conceived, with towers built in three stages—1992, 1999, and 2005—with Cockle Bay Wharf constructed in 1998. The proposed hotel tower did not proceed.
Saturday, 26 April 2025
Property Advert of the Week: South Windsor Homesites (1982)
Below is a 1982 newspaper advertisement from the Crown Lands Office promoting the sale of homesites at South Windsor. The homesites ranged in price from $16,000 to $24,500.
According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this was the equivalent of spending approximately $69,000 to $106,000 in today's money.
Source: Crown Lands Office. 1982. "Fully serviced homesites South Windsor". The Daily Telegraph, December 3: 25.
Monday, 21 April 2025
1989: Food and Drink banned on Sydney Buses
Saturday, 19 April 2025
Property Advert of the Week: Kings Bay, Five Dock (2000)
Monday, 14 April 2025
Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part II)
- 1,059,760 attended
- 883,500 travelled to the show by public transport. 623,320 travelled by rail and 260,180 by bus
- More than 620 children were recorded as lost.
- Approximately 10,000 animals were on exhibition
- 950,000 bottles or servings of water and soft drink were sold
- 500,000 coffees were sold
- 275,000 hot dogs and Dagwood dogs were sold




Saturday, 12 April 2025
Property Advert of the Week: "Cowper Hall", Randwick (1986)
Below is a 1986 newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale in the "Cowper Hall" complex at 55 Cowper Street in Randwick. One-bedroom apartments were on offer for $110, 000 and two-bedroom units were on offer from $136,000. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this would equate to around spending $ 356,000 today (One bedroom) and $ 441,000 (two bedrooms)

Monday, 7 April 2025
Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part I)
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The cover of the preview magazine was published in The Sun Herald on April 9, 2000. |
This week, I will focus on key facts and the showbags.
Date: April 14-29, 2000
The Easter Show ran for 16 days as in 1997-1999 and it will run for 12 days in 2025.
Theme: The Great Australian Muster
Admission
Show Only entry ticket prices remained unchanged from 1999Tertiary Students - $13
Tertiary Students - $15.50
Early bird tickets are available with discounts.
Related Entry