Fab Sydney Flashbacks

Saturday, 16 November 2024

Property Advert of the Week: Landcom Ad (1994)

Below is a 1994 newspaper advertisement from Landcom. Homesites were on offer at St Helens Park, Currans Hill, Mount Annan, Ambarvale, Eagle Vale, Narellan Vale, Cecil Hills, Casula, Cabramatta, Menai, Bangor, Parklea, Hassall Grove, Cranebrook, Castle Hill, Glenhaven, Beacon Hill and Oatlands.

Source: Landcom. 1994. " "First choice for homebuyers" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph Mirror, June 4: 65.

Monday, 11 November 2024

1997: Rydalmere as Sydney's Geographic Centre

The question will arise from time to time - Where is the geographic centre of Sydney?

The geographic centre of a city does not refer to the Central Business District (CBD) but refers to the centre point of a city based on its urban sprawl - Where can one be where the midpoint between two locations is consistently the longest based on the perimeter of the metropolitan area.

In 1997, the Geographic centre of Sydney was identified as Rydalmere. The Sunday Telegraph identified the residence where the centre was located (in the backyard). The home was located at the corner of Fallon and John Streets.

Source: Stuart, S. 1997. "Heart of the city". The Sunday Telegraph, October 5: 5.

Sydney's Geographic Centre was most recently identified in 2018. Between 1997 and 2018, it had shifted north in a northwesterly direction, remaining within Rydalmere. At one point, it crossed to the northern side of Victoria Road as urban sprawl gravitated towards the Hills and Blacktown LGAs before it started to shift southwards in 2005. By 2018, it had settled in Dorothy Street.

Given that urban sprawl in Sydney shifted towards the southwest after 2000, the Geographic Centre of Sydney is projected to move to the southern shores of the Parramatta River.

Additional Reading

Pike, B. 2018. "Dorothy St, Rydalmere now the heart of Sydney’s population shift" The Daily Telegraph, December 13, https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/dorothy-st-rydalmere-now-the-heart-of-sydneys-population-shift/news-story/8718dc8b4f9349dcaea1c89b460d80ac.

Saturday, 9 November 2024

Property Advert of the Week: Hitter Homes Advertisement (1966)

Below is a 1966 newspaper advertisement promoting new estates at Panania, Fairfield West, Merrylands, and Cabramatta. Three-bedroom homes were on offer from £4300 ($8600). According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, that would be equivalent to spending $134,000 in 2024.

Source: Hitter Homes. 1966. Untitled (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 15: 27.

Note: Advertising goods and services in pounds, shillings and pence was permitted for a two-year period following the introduction of decimal currency on 14 February 1966.

Monday, 4 November 2024

East Circular Quay Redevelopment: Opera Residences (2021)

Sydney CBD-2024-10-10 October-JPEG (176)

Above: Opera Residences as viewed from the Royal Botanic Gardens. Photo by the Author (2024).

This is the final entry in the series on the redevelopment of East Circular Quay. Last week's entry focused on the completion of the development of the four building Bennelong Apartments complex (Colonial Mutual Limited) and Quay Grand (Mirvac) in 1999.

With both developments complete, the southernmost building on the block, Coca-Cola Amatil Building (71 Macquarie Street), became the sole office building.

Coca Coca vacates 71 Macquarie Street

In 2010, Coca-Cola vacated the building at 71 Macquarie Street to relocate to North Sydney. They were the original tenants in the 15-level building, which was completed in 1966.

Following its departure, property owner AMP sought to redevelop the site into luxury apartments and partnered with Mirvac to redevelop the site.

A concept plan was placed on exhibition in 2012.

In 2014, a Development Application was lodged with the Central Sydney Planning Committee for a 19-level apartment building containing 109 apartments (later revised to 104 apartments).

Crone Architects, Tzannes and Make were the architects.

The building was demolished in 2017. Construction commenced in 2019 and was completed in 2021. The final construction costs were approximately $140 million.

Below are a few photos that I took of its demolition and construction

This was a photo of demolition in July 2017 taken from Circular Quay near Wharf 4. At this stage, the entire building was draped in scaffolding.

January 2020 - Construction at street level

November 2020

Nearing completion in March 2021

Final Remarks

I have reached the end of this series showcasing the redevelopment of East Circular Quay. It has encompassed more four decades, focusing on various plans to redevelop the site, whether on one site or the entire precinct, the role of planning authorities, Local, State, and even the Federal Government, the public backlash over its redevelopment in the 1990s, and its construction and completion.

I will leave it up to you to decide whether the redevelopment of East Circular Quay has been positive or negative.

Some positives of redeveloping East Circular Quay include:

Removal of the roadway
More space for pedestrians
Development of a retail and dining precinct
Provision of entertainment space - Cinema Complex
Development of a residential precinct in Central Sydney

Negatives include:

Views of Sydney Opera House from Circular Quay are obscured
High cost of apartments - Unaffordable to most Sydneysiders
Views to the Royal Botanic Gardens are blocked - lost opportunity to open the views.
Height, bulk and design of the buildings
Disrespects the location - close to the Sydney Opera House

The end

Entries in this series

Saturday, 2 November 2024

Property Advert of the Week: Kingsberry Homes Exhibition Village, Baulkham Hills (1969)

Below is a 1969 newspaper advertisement by Kingsberry Homes to promote their new exhibition village at Baulkham Hills.

It was located at the intersection of Baulkham Hills Road and Mulheron Avenue, Baulkham Hills. Click here to view the location as it is today.

Kingsberry Homes Ad August 9 1969 daily telegraph 23

Source: Kingsberry Homes. 1969. "$10,000 is the absolute limit". The Daily Telegraph, August 9: 23.

Monday, 28 October 2024

East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Completion (1999)

East Circular Quay September 7 2000 SMH Domain 22 enlarged

From: Blok, M. 2000. "Ferry nice". The Sydney Morning Herald, September 7: 22 (Domain Liftout).

The end is in sight for this series on East Circular Quay as the focus shifts to the completion of the redevelopment.

1999 saw the completion of the main residential development, comprising Bennelong Apartments, 3,5 and 7 Macquarie Street, and Mirvac's Quay Grand project. Two decades later, the separate redevelopment of the Coca-Cola Amatil building would complete the transformation of the area.

Either love it or hate it

The original twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York were never architecturally impressive. When they officially opened in 1973, they struggled to attract tenants. What ultimately made the Twin Towers successful was what they offered inside the building, such as open floor plans without columns, which catered to the needs of corporate firms. In the 1990s, it became one of the most prestigious addresses to base a company in New York City.

This development may not have been architecturally attractive, but it succeeded based on what was inside the building. As residential buildings, they are amongst the best located in Sydney. It was as close to the Sydney Opera House as one could get and had spectacular views of the city, harbour, and its icons and luxurious living. Shops, restaurants and a cinema were available at ground level and a short walk to buses, trains and ferries. Had a city office? You could walk to it.

Those with big wallets were prepared to pay for a slice of the action.

East Circular Quay April 18 1999 Sun Herald 25

Source: Mitchell, A. 1999. "$14m for slice of Toaster". The Sun Herald, April 18:25.

Retail & dining restrictions

For retail and dining tenants at the base of the buildings, restrictions were placed on their operations, such as trading hours, the type of furniture and fit-outs. Nightclubs were not permitted, and a 2am curfew. This would be enforced by the Strata Corporations in the buildings.

East Circular Quay April 15 1999 daily telegraph 15

Source: Skelsey, M. 1999. "Toaster's pub with no cheers". The Daily Telegraph, April 15: 15.

Rules for residents

Residents were expected to be on their "best behaviour." Swearing, walking around naked, and hanging laundry to dry on balconies were not permitted.

East Circular Quay April 9 1999 daily telegraph 15

Source: Skelsey, M. 1999. "How to behave in a toaster". The Daily Telegraph, April 9: 15.

Upgrades to the footpath outside the buildings were undertaken to create the colonnade that we see today.

Next week, I will post the final entry in the series, focusing on the Opera Residences development, which involved converting the former Coca-Cola Amatil Building from an office complex into a residential tower.

Entries in this series

Saturday, 26 October 2024

Property Advert of the Week: Huxley Homes (1984)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from 1984 by Huxley Homes. Five model homes were on display, which could be built on one's own block of land or combined with a house and land package. The display village was located on Epson Road, Chipping Norton.

Huxley Homes Ad May 12 1984 daily telegraph 10

Source: Huxley Homes. 1984. Untitled (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, May 12: 10.

Monday, 21 October 2024

East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The protests continue (1998)

In my series on the redevelopment of East Circular Quay, I continue to focus on 1998. So far, I have looked at the completion of the Bennelong Apartments and last week shared clippings in which Sydney Opera House architect Jorn Utzon expressed his concerns over the redevelopment.

While one building was completed and others were still under construction, critics continued to lobby to halt the redevelopment and demolish the buildings.

Last week, I posted this clipping (below) and focused on Jorn Utzon delivering his message to opponents of the project that had gathered at a meeting in June 1998. Utzon did not attend in person but had sent a written message that was presented to the one thousand that gathered inside Sydney Town Hall.

Source: Totaro, P. "Utzon tells Opera House protestors: I'm a with you". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 21:2.

A month earlier, Utzon had told The Daily Telegraph that the land should be purchased and the redevelopment stopped.

While Lord Mayor Frank Sartor could not attend, he was happy to provide the town hall for free. The protest wanted one outcome - that the site be purchased by either the State or Federal Government and the buildings demolished.

Three months earlier, the Save East Circular Quay Committee resumed its fight to lobby the State Government to stop the redevelopment. In addition, it was seeking intervention at the Commonwealth level.

Source: Susskind, A. & Riley, M. 1998. "Quay building opponents ready to resume the fight". The Sydney Morning Herald, March 11: 5.

In the same month, another protest took place in the vicinity of the redevelopment, though it did not receive the coverage that protests in the previous year did.

East Circular Quay March 28 1998 daily telegraph 18

Source: Anon. 1998. "Plea for $1bn to teardown Quay project". The Daily Telegraph, March 28: 18.

Over 100,000 signatures were collected for a petition in opposition to the redevelopment. The campaign also involved over 400 prominent Australians and international personalities.

Source: Totaro, P. 1998. "Thousands join fight to save East Circular Quay". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 16: 8.

The Royal Australian Institute of Architects, which represented Architects, called for the Federal and State Governments, along with Sydney City Council, to meet to discuss the demolition of the buildings.

East Circular Quay May 23 1998 daily telegraph 7

Source: Skelsey, M. 1998. "Pull the plug: Architects demand toaster showdown". The Daily Telegraph, May 23: 7.

Protestors and critics' quest to seek Federal Government intervention failed, and the State Government indicated that it would not allocate any funding to purchase the site. The buildings would be finished and allowed to remain.

Source: Skelsey, M. & E. Symons. 1998. "No bread for the Toaster". The Daily Telegraph, June 11: page unknown.

Next week, I will look at completion of the redevelopment and in the following week, the conversion of the Coca Cola Amatil Building into a luxury apartment complex which would complete the redevelopment of East Circular Quay.

Entries in this Series

Saturday, 19 October 2024

Real Estate Advert of the Week: Narellan Gardens Estate, Narellan Vale (1993)

Below is a 1993 newspaper advertisement promoting the Narellan Gardens Estate at Narellan Vale. Blocks of land were available from $57,500.

Source: Monarch Investments Group of Companies. 1993. "New Land Release" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph Mirror, May 1: 53.

Monday, 14 October 2024

East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Jorn Utzon's perspective (1998)

I have returned from my August break from posting entries. Before the break, I continued a series on the redevelopment of East Circular Quay. I had begun to focus on 1998 and the completion of Bennelong Apartments, which had become known as "The Toaster."

This entry will also focus on 1998.

During the year, the Sydney Opera House celebrated its silver jubilee, opening 25 years earlier in 1973.

Jorn Utzon, the architect of the Opera House, had been made aware of the redevelopment. In June, he expressed his support for those opposing it. A message prepared by Utzon was presented at a rally of 1200 people in the Sydney Town Hall. Like the protestors, he wanted the buildings demolished.

Source: Totaro, P. "Utzon tells Opera House protestors: I'm a with you". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 21:2.

A month earlier, Utzon had told The Daily Telegraph that the land should be purchased and the redevelopment stopped.

Jorn Utzon comments on East Circular Quay April 20 1998 daily telegraph 7

Source: Anon. 1998. "Utzon wants Circular Quay building stopped". The Daily Telegraph, April 20: 7.

A month later, Utzon elaborated on those concerns—he wanted a better connection between the Royal Botanic Gardens and Circular Quay and to avoid blocking views of the Opera House.

Utzon East Circular Quay scheme May 22 1998 SMH 2

Source: Totaro, P. 1998. "Utzon: flats ruin Opera House site". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 22: 2.

East Circular Quay July 19 1998 Sun Herald 30-31 utzon enlarged

East Circular Quay July 19 1998 Sun Herald 30-31

Source: O'Rourke, J. 1998. "Utzon's plan for Toaster pops up". The Sun Herald, July 19: 31.

The Sun Herald (July 19, 1998) published an artist's impression drawn by Utzon in 1962, which was available in the Mitchell Library at the State Library of NSW. At the time, he advocated a "wall of buildings" at East Circular Quay.

Next week, I will focus on the protests from 1998.

Entries in this Series