History

In a suburb known for its high concentration of Groodles, Cavoodles, Labradoodles and Schnoodles, there once lived an old, ugly, battle-scarred mongrel dog with arthritis in all four legs who was almost totally deaf. His name was Billy. For 17 of his 19 years, the fox-terrier walked the streets of Mosman behind his loving master…

For decades, Sydney locals would plunge the depths into Wynyard Station by using the wooden escalators in York Street. Terribly nostalgic with a rhymical rattling sound, over time these would become more of a problem than they were worth. With great sadness they would be replaced. So, what to do with the four tracks of…

Located in the Parramatta River off Henley Point is a broken marble column. Many locals have no idea that this was not the result of an accident, but the column was designed this way for a very good reason. This point is the finish line of the course on which Australian sculling champion Henry Searle…

Possibly the only one of Australia’s “big things” to actually be smaller than the original, Sydney’s second harbour bridge is like a sapling growing far from the tree it sprung from. The bridge marks the entrance to the Peter Warren automotive empire. Sydney’s longest running auto “mall”, the Peter Warren compound occupies a lot the…

Throughout the later part of the 19th century and into the 20th century the Hordern Family dominated the Sydney retail trade. Beginning with ‘Mrs Hordern’s’ drapery shop in 1823, Anthony Hordern and Sons soon became the largest department store in Sydney, with businesses in Europe, America and China. By the end of the 19th century…

The Australian Monument to the Great Irish Famine (Great Hunger) is located on the southern wall of the Hyde Park Barracks, on the site of the former convict-era kitchen and mess halls The monument was inspired by the 1995 call of Irish President Mary Robinson to remember the famine of 1845–52 and those who died…

This major artwork located in Hyde Park South honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who served in our nation’s military and their families. Sydney-based artist Tony Albert created the work, inspired by the story of his grandfather Eddie Albert’s narrow wartime escape. The work is also based on research by family historian Trisha Albert. The artwork YININMADYEMI Thou didst let fall depicts four standing bullets…

Sydney Park, Sydney. This Park is located in St Peters and borders Alexandria in the south of the city. It is well known by its high brick chimneys. A large 40-hectare site with hills, grasslands, wetlands with an extensive cycling path. Sydney Park is bounded by the Princes Highway and Euston, Campbell, Barwon Park and…

Nutcote, located in North Sydney, was the home and studio of May Gibbs, Australia’s first woman cartoonist who is well remembered for her children’s stories and illustrations. He books have enchanted Australian and international children for over 100 years and the inspiration for incredible characters came from the gardens of Nutcote, The Blue Mountains and…

Today’s Australia has been shaped by migration. We’ve come from all the lands on earth to build this great country. The National Maritime Museum collects the stories of migrants to Australia, and the National Monument is one of our most important and visible ways of recognising the people behind these stories. Over 30,000 names already…