History

Located to the south of Sydney, approximately 35 minutes drive from the CVD is a small, rocky island. Connecting to the mainland with an old wooden build, this island was once the main defensive deterrent against possible invasion. In 1885 concerned British members of society thought an invasion by Russia was imminent. To ease their…

With Christmas not too far away, there can be pressure on some to find that one of a kind present. This is something very unique that you cannot find in an every day gift shop. Located in Sydney’s oldest neighborhood is the “Bottom of The Harbour Antiques” who specialize in Nautical Antiques. This store was…

When completed in 1950, Rose Seidler House was ‘the most talked about house in Sydney’. Designed by the young Harry Seidler for his parents Rose and Max, the house overturned almost every convention of suburban home design. It was in fact the promise of designing a house for his mother that brought Harry to Australia,…

Sitting majestically upon the headland of the lower north shore of Sydney is Innisfallen Castle, the landmark gothic-style mansion after which Castle Cove was named. The extensive grounds and sweeping harbour views make this one of  Sydney’s premier properties but also, one of its most secret. This is the vast 8300-square-metre estate with the heritage-listed…

Money boxes were designed to encourage children to save, and to experience the growth of coins into sums of money. The Commonwealth Bank money box originated in 1921. The previous year the Bank had taken over the Queensland Government Savings Bank, and its existing stocks of money boxes were relabeled with images of the Commonwealth…

The Corso is the best-known thoroughfare on Sydney’s northern beaches and hosts largest and most significant war memorial on the peninsula. Like most streets in Manly, The Corso gave some of its young men to what was supposed to be the war to end all wars, but sadly it wasn’t. As was the case with…

The Female Orphan School was first set built in 1801 on the corner of George and Bridge streets in Sydney. This establishment was driven by the zeal of Reverend Samuel Marsden, who wanted to replace the informal boarding out system to deal with orphaned and abandoned children in the colony. Marsden’s family would go on…

Busby’s Bore, which runs under Sydney’s streets between Centennial Park and Hyde Park remains as one of the most impressive pieces of convict-built infrastructure in Sydney. In the mid-1820s, Sydney was in the midst of a water crisis.  In the space of 30 years, the European settlers had managed to make their main fresh water…

Did you know that Sydney is home to the largest cemetery in the southern hemisphere? It is the final resting place to over 1 million former Sydneysiders, including my ancestors.  Rookwood Necropolis, in Sydney’s western suburbs, was first opened in 1867 and is still an active cemetery today. The term necropolis refers to its enormous…

If you venture into the centre of Sydney today, you’ll find the extravagant Strand Arcade linking George and Pitt streets. It is Sydney’s only remaining Victorian shopping arcade dating back to the late 19th century. It was once one of six shopping arcades built in the city centre between 1881 and 1892, concentrated in the area…