VISIONS OF SYDNEY: Sydney Cove Redevelopment Scheme (1963)

Source: Anonymous. 1963. "A look into the future".  The Sydney Morning Herald, June 17: 15.

Over the years, I have come across a few clippings relating to proposals to redevelop the blocks adjacent to Circular Quay Railway Station.

In 1963, the Sydney Cove Area Development Committee unveiled a proposal to redevelop the blocks immediately to the South of Circular Quay Railway Station. This included the construction of skyscrapers around the height of the AMP Building in the blocks adjacent to Circular Quay Railway Station, i.e., north of Bridge Street. Customs House would have been preserved as part of any redevelopment of the area. 

The model was displayed for two weeks in the vestibule at the Sydney Town Hall.

Sourced From: Anonymous. 1963. "A look into the future".  The Sydney Morning Herald, June 17: 15.

2006: The end of Gowings

Source: Gowings. 2006. "Closing Down Sale" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, January 16: 6. 

This year (2026) marks 20 years since Department Store Gowings closed after 138 years of trading, leaving Sydney with just two major department stores: David Jones & Myer.

It may have been a distant third behind the two majors in Sydney Department store chains, but it wanted to keep competing and also offered Sydney shoppers something different. 

Also, Gowings had outlasted many larger chains that either collapsed or were absorbed by competitors. 

But what saw its end?

Back in 2000, the department store arm was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) as Gowings Retail. In 2005, it was renamed as G Retail

In the years leading to its demise, it sought to expand into the suburbs for the first time, opening stores in Wynyard, Darlinghurst, Parramatta, Sydney Airport, and Hornsby. It was even planned to open stores interstate and turn it into a national chain.

The suburban expansion was unsuccessful, with the stores operating at a loss. Parramatta was of most concern, with millions lost and failing to accommodate the demographics of western Sydney.

In November 2005, an administrator was appointed to G Retail following reported losses of $13 million. The menswear chain Lowes had expressed serious interest in acquiring Gowings, but talks fell through. By December, administrators at Deloitte had decided to wind up the company, as no buyer could be found. On December 16, 2005, employees were notified that the stores would cease trading by the end of January 2006. The remaining stores were progressively closed, with the Market Street store closing on Sunday, January 29, 2006.190 employees lost their jobs as a consequence of the closure

Source: Brown, M. 2006. "Gone to Gowings no more". The Sydney Morning Herald, January 30: 3.

Following the store's closure, Gowing Bros sold the building to Amalgamated Holdings for $68.6 million.

Source: Stevens, J. 2006. "End of an era in store". The Daily Telegraph, January 28: 6.

Two decades later, the makeup chain Mecca occupies the space formerly occupied by the store. British fashion chain Topshop Topman replaced Gowings until its Australian stores stopped trading in 2020. Like Gowings, the Sydney CBD store was the last one to close. The rest of the building, along with the adjoining State Theatre, was converted for hotel use and now houses the QT Sydney hotel. 

While the Department Store no longer exists, Gowing Bros (the company that ran the store) still operates as a fund investment company, and the famous Gowings signage along its George Street side remains and is heritage-listed.

On January 27 2006, I managed to take these pictures of Gowings in its final days. They may not have liked me taking the pictures, but they do make a historical record of what it was in its final days.

Michael Evans wrote the following feature on the demise of Gowings, which was published in The Sydney Morning Herald on January 23, 2006.

Source: Evans, M. 2006. "This time next week it really will be gone". The Sydney Morning Herald, January 23: 17 & 18.

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. 

1992: Vacant Sydney CBD Office Space

Source: McDougall, B. 1992. "Rooms at the top". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, March 9: 10 & 11.

One of the biggest impacts of the 1990-1991 economic recession in Sydney was the increase in vacant space in city office buildings. 

In 1992, the recession had finished but was still making its presence felt. Unemployment in Australia would peak at 11.2 % of the labour force by the end of that year.

Also, building projects that were conceived during the boom years of the Australian economy during the 1980s were still under construction as developers hoped that strong economic times would continue and that businesses would lease space in office buildings in central Sydney and the suburbs. In early 1992, thre were 14 office buildings that were identified by The Daily Telegraph Mirror as under construction including Chifley Tower, Governor Phillip Tower and Governor Macquarie Tower. 

At the time, office vacancy rates in central Sydney ranged around 15%, but Chatswood was recording a vacancy rate of 30%. Around half a million square meters of office space was dormant.

There were some projects that did not go ahead e.g. 2 Park Street, Angel Place, Village Cinema Centre redevelopment. World Square was a major victim. A dispute between the developer, construction workers and unions saw the project grind to a halt in 1990 as it had raised concerns over the economic vialability of the project. Even in the early 1990s there was optimism that construction would recommence but built in stages over an extended period of time

Vacancy rates in central Sydney is currently at 13.7%, reflecting the reduced demand for office space associated with the appeal of work from home arrangements for workers which has seen a reduction in demand for office space. This is up from 5% in the period prior to COVID. 

Property Advert of the Week: The Savoy, Sydney CBD (1981)

Below is a 1981 newspaper advertisement for "The Savoy" apartment tower at the corner of King and Kent Street in central Sydney. It was among a number of apartment towers built in central Sydney during the 1980s

One-bedroom apartments were on offer from $126 000 which is equivalent to spending $606 000 today (RBA Inflation Calculator) 

 

Source: City Living. 1981. "The Savoy" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, August 1: 13.

VISIONS OF SYDNEY: Widening George Street Footpaths (1986)

Source: Nicholson, L. & Mulligan, M. 1986. "City to open up for pedestrian network" (1986). The Daily Telegraph, December 9: 3.

Visions of Sydney is back for the next five weeks, as I explore some of the visions that never quite became a reality in Sydney, or were an early scheme or proposal for an eventual project or scheme. This focuses on transport and public spaces, as Never Built Sydney encompasses buildings and architecture.

In this entry are two newspaper clippings from December 1986, when the NSW State Government proposed widening footpaths on George Street by removing one lane in each direction from use by vehicular traffic. It was even considered to convert George Street to one-way traffic.

Three decades later, the construction of the Sydney CBD Light Rail project would see the street converted into a pedestrian boulevard, initially from Bathurst Street to Hunter Street, before being extended to cover George Street from Rawson Square to Bridge Street.

Pedestrians would eventually claim control of George Street; however, if the original scheme had been implemented and nothing else had changed, it would have paved the way for George Street as it exists today. The outcome we see would still have eventuated.

Source: Glascott, J. 1986. "Unsworth promises pedestrians a fair go in new city plan." The Sydney Morning Herald, December 9: 6.

Property Advert of the Week: Oakford, Sydney CBD (1997)

Below is a 1997 newspaper advertisement for the Oakford complex at 252-258 Sussex Street (right at the corner of Sussex and Druitt Street), opposite the Darling Park Complex. It is presently the YEHS Hotel - Sydney Harbour Suites. This was geared towards investors as opposed to home occupiers, given that they are being managed as serviced apartments. 

Source: Metroland Development Pty. Ltd., Premier Realty Pty.Ltd & PRD Realty. 1997. "Invest in the Best" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 24: 17RE (Real Estate Liftout).

1999: Customs House Square extension

Source: Ryan, R. 1999. "Quay to the city". The Daily Telegraph, February 15:16.

In 1999, Alfred Street at Circular Quay was closed to all vehicles between Young Street and Loftus Street. This enabled Customs House Square to be extended and therefore connect the square directly to Circular Quay Station. 

The closure commenced on the evening of 14 February 1999. This meant that vehicles could no longer use Alfred Street, particularly buses, taxis, and coaches, to cross the city in either an easterly or westerly direction. It meant that they had to use Bridge Street.

Alfred Street between Loftus and George Street became one way for westbound traffic only, while two-way traffic remained in the section between Young Street and Phillip Street.

Sourced from: Ryan, R. 1999. "Quay to the city". The Daily Telegraph, February 15:16.

A consequence meant that bus services commencing or terminating in Alfred Street had to be shifted to new bus stops.

In 2015, Alfred Street was closed to all vehicles between Loftus and George Streets to enable the construction of the terminus for light rail services operating in the Sydney CBD, which opened in December 2019. In effect, it extended the square further. 

Below are some photos I recently took. It was interesting to note that the kerbs on Alfred Street at Customs House Square were retained.

This photo shows how the kerbs for Alfred Street were retained despite being integrated in Customs House Square.

 

1999: Relocation of the Sir William Dobell Memorial Sculpture

Photo taken by the Author (2025)

The Sir William Dobell Memorial Sculpture was installed in Martin Place in 1979. In 1996, as part of upgrades of Martin Place, the 19-metre-tall sculpture was dismantled and stored at the Sydney City Council depot in Harris Street, Ultimo.

In May 1999, Sydney City Council voted to reassemble the statue as part of a traffic island to be built at the corner of Pitt and Spring Street. It was recommissioned in October 1999. 

In 2021, Sydney City Council approved the permanent closure of Spring Street for traffic entering from Pitt Street, creating a small plaza or square. However, no work has been undertaken to level the footpath.

Source: Skelsey, M. 1999. "Shish kebab to rise again". The Daily Telegraph, May 17: 16.

Remember This? Robert Baudin Sydney Aerial (1969)

Below is an aerial photograph of Sydney that was published in The Sunday Telegraph in 1969. It was taken by Robert Baudin, an American photographer who was a known counterfeiter and conman. The photo was taken prior to him being sentenced to five and a half years for counterfeiting.

Source: Baudin, R. 1969. "A new bird's eye view of Sydney"(Photograph). The Sunday Telegraph, February 9: 7.

1989: Gateway Tower as Sydney's "last" glass building

The Sydney Morning Herald predicted in 1989 that the Gateway Tower would be the last glass building built in Central Sydney based around a review of planning across the Central Business District.

Source: Quddington, P. "Why this may be Sydney's last glass tower". The Sydney Morning Herald, March 8: 1.

Three decades later, if standing at Kirribilli or on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, turn your eyes to the right of the Gateway Tower and one will notice an even taller tower rising and it has a glass facade. Crown Sydney. 

Property Advert of the Week: The Peak, Haymarket (1997)

Our Property Advertisement of the week is for apartments at The Peak in Haymarket in 1997. The tower itself had been completed just the year before. Penthouses were going for $2 million.

 

Source: Colliers Jardine. 1997. "See the Amazing Horizon Apartments from The Peak" (Advertisement).  The Sydney Morning Herald, July 15: 14RE (Real Estate Liftout).

1965: Marcus Clark's Shopping Centre Advertisement

This month, it will be fifty years since Marcus Clarks Department Store closed at Railway Square, after serving the people of Sydney for 82 years. It had been bought out by rival chain Waltons after rising debts.

Just months before closing, it made the decision to reinvent itself as a shopping centre, promising everything under one roof plus one hour of free parking if you showed your docket.

It had become a victim of the rise of suburban shopping centres, which had impacted on retailers in the southern sections of the central business district.

Here is an advertisement that I found from March 1965, as published in The Sunday Telegraph. 

Source: Marcus Clark's. 1965. "Marcus Clark's shopping centre... Uptown Railway Square (Advertisement)". The Sunday Telegraph, March 7: 39.