Property Advert of the Week: Balmain Cove (1998)

Below is a 1998 newspaper advertisement for Balmain Cove at Rozelle. Terraces, townhouses, and

Apartments were priced from $ 495,000. 

 

Source: Balmain Cove. 1998. "This is living" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2: 33RE (Real Estate Liftout).

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Property Advert of the Week: Balmain Cove & Balmain Shores (2000)

Property Advert of the Week: Balmain Cove (1998)

1976: Farmers Rebranded as Myer

Source: Anon. 1976. "Farmers moving back to quality". The Sun Herald, May 9: 127. 

1976 saw the end of an era in Sydney retailing when Farmers stores were rebranded as Myer. It was the first of two rebrandings by Myer as they acquired Sydney department stores. The second was in 2004 when Grace Bros stores were rebranded as Myer following their takeover by Myer in 1983 and later incorporation into the Coles-Myer Group.

Below is a 1976 newspaper article from The Sun Herald announcing that by the end of that year, all Farmers stores would be rebranded as Myer, including its flagship city store (Current location of Myer post 2004 rebranding of Grace Bros & Westfield Sydney Central Plaza).

Farmers merged with Myer in 1961, and over the next fifteen years, Myer engaged in Myerisation of its stores, which meant removing the services and products that gave Farmers its unique identity. In effect, Farmers stores had evolved into Myer stores except in name only. 

At the time, Farmers had stores in central Sydney, Miranda, Carlingford, Burwood, Blacktown and Gordon.

Myer would trade under its name on the site until 1983, when it acquired Grace Bros and rebranded the store to Grace Bros, along with any stores branded as Myer in NSW. 

In 2004, all Grace Bros stores in NSW, including the city store, were rebranded as Myer, reintroducing the Myer name to what was once the home of Farmers. 

Property Advert of the Week: Miranda Land Release (1965)

Property Advert of the Week has returned for 2026. Our first one is from 1965, promoting a land release at Miranda in the Sutherland Shire. 35 lots were on offer in the vicinity of Forest Road and Alkaringa Road. Prices ranged from £1895 ($3590) to £2500 ($5000). According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this was equivalent to spending as little as $65 000 in today's money.

 

Source: Treloar Realty Pty. Ltd. 1964. "1st Sensational Release Miranda" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 2: 35. 

Sydney Tower Opening Advertisement (1981)

Sydney Tower opened to the public on September 25 1981. Below is an advertisement was published in The Sun Herald on September 6 1981.

Source: Sydney Tower. 1981. "Tickets to the Top Available Now" (Advertisement). The Sun Herald, September 6: 6. 

General admission was just $3.50, with pensioners and children paying just $1.50. Tickets to visit Sydney Tower can be purchased in advance at participating outlets, including Mitchell Bass and Grace Bros stores in the Sydney metropolitan area. 

Below is an advertisement from The Sun Herald, published on September 27 1981, just two days after opening. By this point, visitors and tourists could purchase directly at the door. 

Source: Sydney Tower. 1981. "Sydney Tower is now open...Come on up!" (Advertisement). The Sun Herald, September 27: 40.

Also, this is the first television commercial for Sydney Tower, which was screened in the 1980s. Video uploaded to YouTube by "Shadow Archive".

Remember This? Luna Park Unlimited Rides Ad (1987)

Back in 2019, I posted a 1986 newspaper advertisement for Luna Park offering $6.50 Unlimited Rides Passes for the May School Holiday Period (at the time, NSW had three terms in a school year instead of four). The following year, the same passes were on offer for $5 during the July School Holiday break. 

1987 was the first year that NSW Schools adopted a four-term year, with School Holidays of two weeks in Autumn, Winter and Spring, alongside the six-week summer break. Prior to that, there was no winter holiday period; school holidays fell in May and August.

According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, the unlimited rides pass would cost the equivalent of $15 today.

As of January 2026, Unlimited Rides passes cost $55 and can be purchased online. Like visiting more than three times a year, an annual pass will set one back $149.

  

Source: Luna Park. 1987. "Luna Park. Just For Fun, Just for $5!" (Advertisement). The Sun, July 2: 15.

Remember This? When The Beach Boys Rocked Narrabeen (1992)

During their 1992 tour of Australia, The Beach Boys did one concert in Sydney. Instead of opting for venues such as the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney Football Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground, they performed at North Narrabeen Reserve, North Narrabeen (home to Rat Park and Warringah Rugby Club).

The venue was within walking distance of Narrabeen Beach. Narrabeen is referenced in the Beach Boys’ 1963 hit “Surfin’ U.S.A.” as “Australia’s Narrabeen,” establishing a direct geographic connection between the 1992 concert site and the song’s roll call of surf locations.

20, 000 people attended the concert on Saturday, November 28 1992. Lead singer Brian Wilson did not perform, but John Stamos (Full House) was a guest drummer, as reported by The Sun Herald (November 29 1992), who was a "hit" with the "teenage girls". 

Source: Tubb, R. 1992. "Beach Boys Thrill Fans Again". The Sun Herald, November 29: 6

Remember This? Sydney Panorama from Olympic Park (2006)

In 2006, the Novotel at Sydney Olympic Park was the only high-rise building in the precinct, and for a small fee, one could visit the observation deck on level 18. It offered spectacular 360-degree views of the Sydney metropolitan area. 

I visited the observation deck that year and stitched a panorama of around 180 degrees, including Chatswood, St Leonards, North Sydney, the Sydney CBD, Burwood, and Strathfield.

Below is a close-up of the Sydney CBD with Sydney Tower perfectly positioned in the middle. 

Given the development at Sydney Olympic Park since, I am grateful that I was able to create the panorama as the views towards the city have been blocked by the high-rises. 

Remember This? Twin Cities Aerial (1973)

Remember This? is back for January. Below is a 1973 aerial of Sydney and North Sydney as captured by photographer Ern McQuillan. The aerial places the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the centre of the image while capturing what was referred to as the "twin cities". The photo was featured on Page 1 of the Wentworth Courier in its edition of July 4, 1973.