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 |