pittstreet

Read All About It ! ... trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15691831

Unless I am mistaken this is the corner of Bridge and Pitt Streets (the photographer is standing in the middle of Bridge Street). The exchange hotel on the right was opposite the Royal Exchange just to be seen on the left. At this stage trams had not been re-introduced to Pitt Street - that was 1903 (I think)

John Cowper You're not mistaken, this is indeed Pitt Street looking south from the intersection with Bridge Street. The same stretch was also lavishly decorated the year before for the Federation celebrations.

pellethepoet Thanks! There must have been quite an industry in street dressing in those days, every opportunity was taken to put up an arch or an array. There seemed to have so much more civic pride in the early part of the 20th Century. Maybe they had more time ...

John Cowper pellethepoet Thanks, we'll change our caption. As you know, many of these GPO prints were 'identified' prior to transfer to State Records (many years ago). We appreciate that public forums like Flickr allow for images to be correctly identified! AB

I find this photo interesting, because of the reference of the woodblocked street surface. I worked for the Sydney City Council for many years. Back in the 1970's when working as maintenance fitter at their Bitumen and concrete plant (now gone), located in Wattle street Ultimo, opposite Wentworth Park. The council decided to strip a street or two back to their base, after many years of laying bitumen over bitumen. (I don't know which streets they were but). I remember truck loads of old wood blocks, covered in bitumen being dumped in the Wattle Street yard. This was the first time I found out, that this was how the the steerts were paved in the earlier days. In winter, while working in the open, we use to burn these wooden blocks in open drums. One of the workmates took some home, and paved his driveway with them. I wish now, I would have done the same. (Part of Sydney's Heritage, I suppose) The rest of the pile were most likely sent to the dump.

I have been trying to puzzle this one out for months - now successful ! Photo taken from on top of a Gas Holder (hence the great height) at the corner of Pitt Street and what was then Gipps St West and Garden Road, looking SE across the Old Cemeteries towards Surry Hills. The whole area was resumed and flattened to make Central Station in the early 1900s. Eddy Avenue roughly follows Garden Road. Easier to understand when looking at this interactive 1895 map of Sydney, which shows the tram route and depot - www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview?pi=nla.map-rm3443-sd&rgn=0... . The picture could be as early as 1880 - the original steam tram was built between Sydney Terminus and Circular Quay to take people to the Exhibition at the Garden Palace from 1879.

Looking at the photograph with your well researched notes I can see where Eddy Ave would be and where Central Station now is situated.

There's just one problem - the 1870 Exhibition Building in Alfred Park ( www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/3793508243/ ) should be visible in the distance. I cannot see it at this resolution; maybe it is just lost in the overexposure?

Hi beachcomberaustralia, I have replaced this image with a larger version, if that helps you.

Thanks State Records NSW, the large size is brilliant. I found the Exhibition Building (see note). What looks like a series of bridges underneath, is possibly a railway shed under construction an avenue of trees around Prince Alfred Park.