powerpole

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71386904/5334571 - a cropped version of this pic appeared in the Australian Town & Country Journal on 21st July, 1900 (see pic on 4th page of link, bottom rhs)...the T&CJ have photoshopped out some of the advertising signs... trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13595372 - SMH, 15th August, 1885...description of the plan of Norwich Chambers (NW cnr Bligh/Hunter Sts)...which was then under construction. The description of the dome (towards bottom of article) matches what we see here... trove.nla.gov.au/work/12290907 - just for interest...the building with the witch's hat spire which we catch a glimpse of on the NE cnr of Bligh/Hunter Sts was the City Mutual Life Assurance Building...per various digitised newspaper hits, it appears to have been built in 1892-94 (completed 1894) and was demolished in late 1934-early 1935... trove.nla.gov.au/work/189920912 - just for interest...Norwich Chambers was demolished in the early 1920s...and replaced with the Metropolitan Building (Australian Metropolitan Life Assurance Co Building) which we see under construction in this NLA Fairfax pic taken in ca. early 1923...this NLA Fairfax pic also shows the construction Queensland National Bank Building, which was evidently a rebuild of the Empire Hotel...the tower and cupola were casualties... Also see www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2697490952/in/pho...

This appears to have been taken from White Horse Point on what is now Elkington Park. A current view from a similar location is here. A photo taken from Cockatoo Island looking back to White Horse Point from around the same time as this photo can be found here.

what are the frame boxes around the trees/shrubs for?

Probably to protect them from the local wildlife.

The street looks narrow. I think that building on the far left is still there, but I don't recognise the others. Probably torn down and the street widened.

@ Japester68 - these old telephone poles are very helpful in dating old photos. The style changed often to cope with rapidly changing technology and increased demand. See www.telephonecollecting.org/lightpoles.htm . I reckon these were pre-1900.

Google Street view - maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&...

The WH Paling Music store at 356 George St. was demolished about 1891, see www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/3863063363/ So this photo is about 1890 (like a lot of the Henry King collection).

There is an almost identical Henry King photo taken five minutes later - www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=31273 .

Bourbong Street Many grand and historical buildings have been built in Bundaberg since it was founded in 1867. - The Commercial Hotel was built. Later, in 1885, a new two-storeyed building renamed ‘The Grand’ was built on the same site (corner of Targo and Bourbon streets). - The original School of Arts was also built in 1871, but the current building was constructed in 1889. It is Bundaberg’s oldest public building still standing in its original form - Adam’s Hotel was built on the corner of Barolin and Bourbon streets. It was renamed Metropolitan and demolished in 1885. - 1887 Bourbon Street was developed as the main business area of Bundaberg. - 1888 The first substantial council headquarters were built in Bourbon Street (west side of the Post Office). - 1913 Bourbong Street is being described a being two chains wide with many ornate business premises and weeping fig trees. - 1915 Electric light poles are seen down the sides of Bourbong Street, with a single street light in the middle of intersections. Source: bundabergtoday.com.au/news/2022/01/31/grand-buildings-of-...