Last week I visited a friend who was staying on the 6th floor of the Medina Apartments in Railway Square (formerly a huge Post Office). Here's the view from the balcony. We're looking north into the heart of the Central Business District (CBD). To the left, out of shot, is Chinatown. You can see that the London plane trees in the middle distance are just starting to acquire an autumnal yellowish tinge.
This part of Sydney is "backpacker central". The huge Youth Hostels of Australia (YHA) hostel is the red-brown building behind the elegant brick one at the intersection. It's another hostel, called Wake Up! There's another YHA hostel incorporating the buildings along Platform 1 of Central Station. Also in the area, numerous small hostels of varying reputation, and hotels. It continues the tradition of travellers' hotels clustering around major rail terminals (see final picture below).
The road just out of shot in the top photo, to the left is George St, one of the city's main thoroughfares. Follow it all the way along, through Chinatown, the cinema district to the shopping area and past several office towers, and 3.2 kilometres later, you'll end up at the harbour at Circular Quay.
George St begins here, as an extension of Broadway. The other leg of the V-intersection is the beginning of Pitt St - it's the tree-lined one. Both roads are seen in the pic below.
George St was named in 1810 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie for King George III, then King of the United Kingdom, and of course the colony in Australia. Until then it had been known as High St. Interesting, because it was in 1810 that George had the final relapse of his mental illness (possibly caused by porphyria) and his eldest son was installed as the Prince Regent. Pitt St was named after Prime Minister William Pitt (the Younger), whom George III installed as PM. Pitt's appointment proved that as King he was able to appoint Prime Ministers on the basis of his own interpretation of the public mood without having to follow the choice of the current majority in the House of Commons. Throughout Pitt's ministry, George supported many of Pitt's political aims and created new peers at an unprecedented rate to increase the number of Pitt's supporters in the House of Lords.
Below: Railway (then Central) Square about 1908, when this part of Sydney was the centre of the retail trade. Note the Crystal Palace Hotel on the left.
I like the 1st photograph because it's excellent and shows off the city. I like the 2nd two because I just adore comparisons of old and new. Superb post, Sally.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots from a good vantage point.
ReplyDeleteImpressive! How did you get hold of the older photo of the Railway Square?
ReplyDeleteFantastic! I should have visit here more often...
ReplyDeleteHah! On Tuesday evening on the way to meet Eric, I stood on that very corner but faced up Broadway to take a shot for my similar series. I am down at CQ for a few days first. That is a great old photo. I can see Christ Churcvh St Laurence poking out. That is a fascinating church: the inside is full of paintings and very different from most other churches I have seen.
ReplyDeleteThat building reminds me of the Flatiron building in here in NYC on 23rd St ..
ReplyDelete'Thanks for showing me Sydney with your eyes. I was in sydney last week. I love this city.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Germany
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ReplyDeleteNice! I've never seen an old photo of Sydney.
ReplyDeleteI get a little pinch in my heart seeing your pictures of the city, missing it. My kids just arrived in Israel for a 5 week stay. So now I realize it is not just them that I missed, but Australia per se.
Thanks for all your good views.
Great shots. Fascinating to see the building then and now. Wonder if the crystal palace was named after the famous one in south London that burned down?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour. I'm impressed with the number of hostels. And, I do so love the "wedge" building!!
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