1965: The end of Bebarfalds City Store

On August 31 1965, Bebarfalds closed its city store (at the corner of Park and George Streets, directly opposite Sydney Town Hall), which was located in what is now the Woolworths Building, home to Australia's busiest Woolworths Supermarket and a small-format BigW store. The closure was due to losses at its city store and the decision to concentrate on its profitable suburban and regional stores.

Source: Anonymous. 1965. "Bebarfalds Ltd. to close city store on August 31". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 24: 4.  

The reason for its closure was increasing losses at the city store. Suburban stores traded under the Bebarfelds name until 1973, when they became part of Macy's Emporium Pty. Ltd. 

The current tenant (Woolworths) would lease the space shortly following Bebarfalds closure Woolworths would open its Town Hall store the following year. 2026 is sixty years of Woolworths at its present city location. 

Source: Anonymous. 1965. "Mr Theo Kelly at Lovers' Corner". The Sydney Morning Herald, September 3: 11.

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. 

1965 - First Direct Flight from the United States to Sydney

Source: Anon. 1965. "End of the big hop". The Daily Telegraph, March 9: 17. 

Did you know that this month is sixty years since the first non-stop flight by a commercial jet from the United States to Australia? It was now possible for Australians to fly from Australia to the United States and vice versa without having to stop en route in either direction. It wold mark a significant milestone for Australian aviation

The first non-stop flight did not carry passengers. It was a delivery flight for Qantas who were accepting delivery of a Boeing 707 jet, named the City of Townsville.

To save petrol, the jet was towed to the runway at San Francisco International Airport, where it departed on March 6 1965. Due to crossing the international dateline (adding one day heading west), it landed at Sydney Airport on March 8 1965.

Flight time was 14 hours and 32 minutes, impressive when compared with the 13 hours and 20 minutes used by more prominent and more advanced jets. 

In 2025, flight times (non-stop) to American Cities flying from Sydney Airport are as follows.

Sydney - San Francisco:              13h, 20 min

Sydney - Los Angeles:                 13 h, 40 min

Sydney - Dallas:                           15 hours

Sydney - Houston:                        15 h, 35 min

Qantas introduced non-stop flights from Sydney to Los Angeles in 1984. when Boeing 747 jets could carry a full load of passengers across the Pacific without stopping. They had to use a smaller variant (747SP) which was designed to cover greater distances than other 747 jets operating at the time. 

 

Source: Anon. 1965. "First Flight Non-stop Over Pacific". The Sydney Morning Herald, March 10: 8.

Property Advert of the Week: Northern Beaches Land Releases (1965)

Below is a 1965 newspaper advertisement promoting land releases at Beacon Hill and Belrose dating from 1965 from John Walsh & Co.

Source: John Walsh & Co. Pty. Ltd. 1965. "Follow the "John Walsh" Signs" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 4: 44. 

Property Advert of the Week: Winston Hills Estate (1965)

Below is a 1965 newspaper advertisement for Winston Hills. L. J. Hooker developed the suburb. The advertisement promoted what was then a new suburb in the city's north-west. 2, 200 dwellings were to be built in three neighbourhoods. 

 

Source: Hooker-Rex Pty. Ltd. 1965. "Winston Hills Estate" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 29:10.

Property Advert of the Week: Bentley & Co. New Line Contemporary Style Bungalow (1965)

Below is a model home that was on offer by Bentley & CO. in 1965. The New Line Contemporary Style Bungalow was available either in a three or five bedroom configuration. 

 

Source: Bentley & Co. 1965. "Untitled" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 16: 24.

The model home (37 Castle Hill Road, West Pennant Hills) has been replaced by a more modern home. 

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.

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Anthony Horderns Brickfield Hill Redevelopment (1964)

Above: A render of the proposed 42-level tower as part of the redevelopment of the Anthony Horderns site at Brickfield Hill (World Square).Full Citation Below.

Welcome to a new series of Never Built Sydney focusing on the buildings and developments that were proposed for Sydney but never went ahead or alternate schemes for existing developments.

In 2016, I posted an entry on a mid 1960's proposal from Anthony Hordern & Sons to redevelop their existing store at Brickfield Hill (now World Square). Since then, I found more clippings about the proposed tower and can share more information.

At the time of the original posting, I mentioned that the plans were dated from 1965, when they were unveiled in 1964. 

The redevelopment proposal was conceived in response to the decline in trade at the Brickfield Hill store associated with the increased appeal of suburban shopping malls appearing across the Sydney metropolitan region. The company was operating at a financial loss. 

 

Source: Anon. 1964. "Anthony Hordern Plans a £9m Building on City Site". The Sydney Morning Herald, October 31: 1. 

In addition, there was a push by local and state governments to revive the southern end of the Sydney CBD, and this project was seen as a catalyst for future development in that section of the city. Given concerns about lost trade, increased commercial and residential development within that area would in turn attract more customers. 

To attract trade, a forty-two-level tower comprising office space and apartments was planned for the rear of the existing building (Liverpool Street side) facing Swan Street. It was projected to rise 527 feet (161 metres) from the George Street end of the tower. Swan Street itself would be redeveloped into a pedestrian "concourse" linking George and Pitt Streets. 

In 1965, it was reported that the tower would be complete by 1968 at the earliest. 

 

Source: Johnson, B. 1965. "They'll live it up on top of the town". The Sun Herald, September 26: 45. 

The estimated cost of construction was $20 million. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator this would be equivalent to around $295 million today. 

There was an advertising campaign in 1966 to promote the redevelopment, but nothing was mentioned about it after that date. 

This advertisement (below) was published in The Sunday Telegraph on 31 July 1966.

The Sydney Morning Herald published a two-page spread on 1 August 1966. 

 

Anthony Hordern & Sons continued to struggle. In 1969, the Brickfield Hill site was closed and the company itself was taken over by Waltons Ltd. in 1970 (Click here to view my entry on the end of Anthony Horderns). The takeover did not include the purchase of the site at Brickfield Hill which was sold separately. 

This tower was one of several "Never Builts" for what is now the site of World Square. You may find the following entries of interest. 

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: The original World Square Scheme (1973)

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: Kenzo Tange's Original Scheme (1983)

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: Kenzo Tange turns World Square into a Lotus Flower (1985)

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: The abandoned site (1991)

Remember This? Surfing at Ramsgate (1965)

Lady Robinsons Beach (Brighton Beach, as the locals like to call it) runs along the western shore of Botany Bay from Kyeemagh down to Sans Souci.

It is a beach that is not normally associated with surfing but in 1965, during a winter storm, the waves pounding the beach were high enough for surfers to take advantage of it.

Tbe stretch of beach at Ramsgate had become eroded due to the extensions of the north-south runway into Botany Bay and is believed to have been the reason behind the big waves. It was one of several storms that would erode the beachfront during the 1960's.

 

Source: Anon. 1965. "Waikiki Day at Botany". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. August 4: 1.

Property Advert of the Week: The Comenarra, Turramurra (1965)

Back in 2014, I posted a newspaper advertisement dated from 1964 for The Comenarra estate at Turramurra on the North Shore. One year later (1965), 22 new lots were on offer for a £185 ($370) deposit.

Source: Lend Lease Homes. 1965. "Land at Turramurra" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 30: 35. 

1965: How the Wentworth Hotel got its name

Source: Anon. 1965. "New hotel is Wentworth". The Sydney Morning Herald, August 26:14. 

The Wentworth Hotel in Phillip Street is one of Sydney's most prestige hotels and has been operating since 1965. Originally developed by Qantas, the hotel is currently part of the Sofitel group of hotels. 

I found an article from The Sydney Morning Herald that was published on August 26, 1965 that explains how the hotel got its name. 

The public were asked to provide submissions - Qantas Hotel was suggested, but was dismissed as Qantas would not own the hotel. Matilda and Waltzing Matilda were also other names suggested. 

In the end it was named the Wentworth Hotel for the following reasons:

• Continue the name and tradition of the original Wentworth Hotel in George Street which Qantas was due to close and demolish for the Qantas Centre (Suncorp Centre).
• Tribute to William Charles Wentworth who has been recognised as the founder of constitutional government in NSW.

1965: Construction of Australia Square Tower

Below is a photograph that was published in The Sydney Morning Herald on September 7 1965 (Page 17 for reference) showing the Australia Square Tower under construction in George Street. Construction was now above ground level.

   

It was anticipated that the 46 level tower would be completed in 1968, but was completed in 1967. Upon completion it was the tallest skyscraper in Australia at 170 metres tall. It was also the tallest lightweight concrete building built. 

1965: Sylvania Waters Feature

Above: Sylvania Waters as photographed in 1965. Full citation below. 

The Daily Telegraph published in 1965, a feature on Sylvania Waters, which was being promoted as Sydney's "first marine suburb". It focused on the planning and design approach towards the suburb. Over 200 acres of land was being reclaimed from Gwawley Bay, formerly home to mangroves and oyster leases.

While much of the land had been reclaimed from Gwawley Bay, sand from the Kurnell Sandhills was mixed in sections. The curved shorelines were designed to ensure that water could circulate with the rise and fall in tides.  The roads also reflect the curved nature of the shoreline. This aerial sourced from Google Earth depicts the suburb today with the street layout.

 

For the developers - Sylvania Waters Pty. Ltd. (now known as Sylvania Waters Ltd.), it was estimated that the 800 homesites would have a combined value of 10 million pounds (or $20 million) when the development was completed by 1968. This did not eventuate they were still selling vacant housing sites into the 1970's. 

The full article appears below.

   

Source: Anon. 1965. "Marine estate from swamp". The Daily Telegraph, January 25, 20. 

I have enlarged the aerial photograph at the top of the entry to highlight progress at the time of publication. Murray Island (towards the bottom of image or northern end of the suburb) was completed (1964). James Cook and Barcoo islands were under construction. 

Normally, I would reserve real estate advertisements for Saturday's but the advertisement complements the article and hence have included it in this entry. The attached map does exclude streets and cul-de-sacs that were built either to the west or south of Belgrave Esplanade. 

Remember this? North Shore "snow" event (1965)

Snow events in Sydney are rare. On June 28 1836, it was reported that one inch of snow (2.5cm) fell in some parts of the city. The minimum temperature recorded on that date was 38 degrees Fahrenheit or three degrees Celsius. 

However some doubt given Sydney's climate that the snow could have been mistaken for hail. 

In Sydney's history, reports of snow have emerged especially in suburbs at higher elevations e.g. North Shore or suburbs in the Sutherland Shire such as Engadine or Heathcote. Many of these have been dismissed as meteorologists determined that the precipitation was hail. Graupel is light hail and is often confused with snow.

One such "snow" event was on July 18 1965 when heavy snow was reported to have fallen on the North Shore. Sydney's minimum temperature was reported at forty degrees farenheit (4.5 degrees), before peaking at 54 degrees farenheit (12 degrees celsius). The Daily Telegraph reported that one inch (2.5cm) of snow fell at Killara. Below is the newspaper feature that also reported on the snowfall plus the wild weather that affected the rest of the Sydney region dating from July 19 1965.

Property Advert of the Week: Land Bargains by John L. Nichols & Co in "The Daily Telegraph" (1965)

Below is a 1965 newspaper advertisement by John L. Nichols & Co that promoted land releases in suburbs across Sydney.

Source: John L. Nichols & Co. Pty. Ltd. 1965. "A page of bargains!!" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 16: 51. 

Source: John L. Nichols & Co. Pty Ltd. 1965

1965: North Sydney's "Dance of Death"

Fortunately, pedestrians at North Sydney do not have to fear for their safety as if they are crossing from the North Sydney CBD into the residential neighbourhoods to the east of the Warringah Freeway. 

In 1965, the Warringah Expressway was not built, but to access the same neighbourhood, it involved making an eighty yard crossing of the Pacific Highway.

Source: Spooner, P. 1965. "Daily 'Dance of Death' on Busy Road". The Sun Herald, May 30: 17. 

Property Advert of the Week: Archer Homes Advertisement (1965)

Below is a newspaper advertisement featuring model homes on offer from Archer Homes dating from 1965. 

 

Source: Archer Homes Pty. Ltd. 1965. "See the value and build with Archer" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, April 10:22. 

 The homes featured in the advertisement were:

"Camden" (Pendle Hill)

"Sylvan" (Sylvania Heights)

"Pacific" (Villawood)

More than fifty five years later, the "Camden" is still standing at 568 Great Western Highway, Pendle Hill, along with the "Sylvan" at 378 Princes Highway, Sylvania Heights. 

Property Advert of the Week: Eastlakes (1965)

I have posted two entries featuring advertisements for homes and apartments at Eastlakes, but recently unearthed this one from 1965.

Source: Parkes Developments Pty. Ltd. 1965. "New Home Units Open for Inspection" The Sun Herald, December 19: 23.

1965: Possible Combined Terminal at Sydney Airport

I recently located a newspaper report relating to a proposal for a combined International-Domestic Terminal at Sydney Airport along those seen today at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne and Adelaide Airport.

It appears that the northwestern section of the airport had been selected as the site for the new terminal, where the new International Terminal would be built and opened in 1970.

Below is the article from The Daily Telegraph dated June 8 1965.

On the same page, there were also concerns over the development of the modern facilities at Sydney Airport and that Melbourne's new Tullarmarine Airport would be completed before Sydney Airport. Sydney Airport did open ahead of Tullarmarine airport in 1970.

It would have been interesting had the Federal Government gone for the combined terminal option, especially if extensions had to occur in the years ahead. The space where the International Terminal is located is tight as it is today. Imagine sharing it with the Domestic Terminal.

We could have ended up even with separate terminals for separate airlines as seen in numerous airports. Sydney Airport's layout would have made this challenging.

Interesting to note in the article of a possible rail link to where the Domestic Terminals are located today, which was to be linked to a future eastern suburbs railway line. The Airport Line (2000) would eventually see a station built there along with the international terminal. It linked the city, but instead of serving the eastern suburbs, it serves the western suburbs through a direct connection to the East Hills Railway Line.

And a need for two parallel runways. Only one of them became reality as reflected in the third runway (1994).

Property Advert of the Week: The Tor, Kings Cross (1965)

Below is an advertisement for "The Tor" at Kings Cross dating from 1965.

Source: Parkes Developments Pty. Ltd. 1965. "Home Units in the Heart of Kings Cross/Elizabeth Bay/Potts Point.  The Daily Telegraph, April 10: 22.