During the early 20th century, Sydney was humming with promise. The city was home to more than a million people and its streets were abuzz with commuters, horse-drawn wagons and trams.

The inner-city was a bustling trade hub that spilled into an expanding network of suburbs linked by a series of tramways, railways and ferry routes.

Sydney’s street scenes in the early 1900s

It was a time of rapid growth; the nation was transitioning from the days of steam power into the electric era and Sydney – Australia’s oldest city – was moving in step.

An amazing photo collection from Powerhouse Museum will show you the image of Sydney in the early 1900s.

Approach to Central Railway

Argyle Cut, Sydney

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Barrack Street

Bathurst Street from George Street

Bayswater Road, Darlinghurst

Belmore Markets

Brickfield Hill

Bridge Street at Exchange

Bridge Street from George Street

Bridge Street, from Government House gates

Bridge Street

Church Hill from Pettys Hotel

Circular Quay at Orient Wharf

Colonial Sugar Co. offices

Druitt Street

Electric Tram, George Street, David Jones Corner

Electric trams, Brickfield Hill

Electric trams, George Street, David Jones corner

Elizabeth Street showing Jewish Synagogue

Elizabeth Street

Elizabeth Street and Supreme Court

Elizabeth Street from Hyde Park

Erskine Street

Exchange Corner, Bridge Street

Exchange corner, Pitt Street, Sydney

Fire Station, Castlereagh Street

Free Public Library

General Post Office, Sydney

General Post Office

George Street, by Town Hall

George Street and GPO

George Street at GPO

George Street at Haymarket

George Street at Hunter Street

George Street at Town Hall

George Street at Town Hall

George Street by Church Hill

George Street by Market Street

George Street by Victoria Markets

George Street from Market Street

George Street looking south

George Street looking south

George Street near Hunter Street

George Street, Haymarket

George Street, looking north from GPO

George Street, looking south from Hunter Street

George Street, Sydney

Herald Office

Hotel Australia

Hunter Street from George Street

Hunter Street

Hyde Park, Sydney

King Street East

King Street looking east from George Street

King Street looking east

King Street looking west

King Street

King Street

King Street

King Street

Livepool Street at College Street

Liverpool Street

Macquarie Street, near Hospital

Macquarie Street

Market Street

Martin Place

Martin Place

Martin Place

Martin Place

Mutual Life Assurance Office

NSW Parliament House

Ocean Wave Hotel

Petty’s Hotel

Phillip Street at Hunter Street

Pitt Street  looking south

Pitt Street from King Street

Pitt Street, near Spring Street

Pitt Street

Pyrmont Bridge

Queen Victorian Markets (now Queen Victoria Building), Sydney

Queens Place, Sydney

Queens Statue, entrance to Hyde Park

Railway Square, Kerry and Co, Sydney

Spring Street and Lands Office

Spring Street

St Andrew’s Cathedral and Town Hall

St Andrew’s Cathedral

St Andrew’s Cathedral

St Mary’s Cathedral and entrance to Domain

St Mary’s Cathedral from Hyde Park

St Mary’s Cathedral

Sussex Street at Grafton Wharf

Sussex Street at Market Street

Sussex Street

Sydney GPO building

Sydney Harbour from Australian Club

Sydney Markets, York Street

Sydney Observatory

Sydney, looking east, from GPO Tower

Sydney, looking south-east, from Australian Hotel

The Bandstand, Hyde Park

The Treasury, Sydney

Town Hall, Sydney

Town Hall, Sydney

Trams, King Street, Sydney

Victoria Markets

William Street

Wool Stores, Circular Quay

York Street by Victoria Markets

York Street from Margaret Street

York Street

York Street