History

Located within Centennial Park is a sundial among the flower beds and green lawns. Many a local has walked past this small marker without knowing the touching story behind it. This story comes form the Centennial Park Blog. The story behind the origins of the sundial was told to one of the park rangers by…

Many would say, “no,” and, “what was that?”. In 1983, a project began in the cliff tops of Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains. The Orphan Rocker was designed to be Australia’s scariest and most advanced roller coaster, with enough pin-point turns and sudden drops to make your hair turn white from fright. But despite being…

We have all driven along Oxford Street on many occasions, never once giving a thought to the building and surrounding fence.  Hidden beneath the green is a significant piece of Sydney history. Its 9 metres high, 98 metres wide and a massive 158 metres long. It played an important role in the growth of the…

Located at the picturesque Bedlam Point in Gladesville on the Parramatta River you’ll find a small, unassuming stone wall that has a much more significant past. This small wharf structure was part of the Great North Road. It was the first established road connecting Sydney to the Hunter Valley. It was built by over 600…

Australians get into the festive spirit in a variety of ways, but there are some staples of an Aussie Christmas: a non-stop food fest, possibly an outdoor activity and a necessary kip in the afternoon. One senior historian says this style of Christmas has its roots in the mid-1800s, when early settlers longed for home…

This is known as the most haunted hotel room in Australia, said to be inhabited by the ghost of a sailor murdered by a prostitute. The ghost supposedly only appears to women sleeping alone, recreating the circumstances of his death. Employees have said they felt like they were walking through a cobweb, like they were…

In 1964 The Beatles traveled to Australia for their first and only tour. At the time, all the best and brightest stars in the entertainment galaxy stayed at one hotel, The Chevron Hilton Hotel in Kings Cross. This was Sydney’s only first Five Star international hotel. The “Silver Spade” dining room, was on the first…

Before large cemeteries were created throughout Sydney, the local parishes buried their dead within their own grounds.  Sydney’s first official cemetery was located where Sydney Town Hall now stands. Dating back to the 1790s, the site is commonly called the Old Sydney Burial Ground. The site, on the outskirts of town, was chosen by Governor…

Sydney Harbour may be the city’s sparkling centre piece but its sandy bottom reveals its darker side. The city’s coast and harbour have claimed more than 140 ships and hundreds of lives since the First Fleet arrived in 1788. For example, when you sail over the Middle Head stretch of Sydney Harbour, you may not…

Ex-convict Michael Gannon was a carpenter, and given how profitable death was in The Rocks in those days, he focused especially on coffins. This led to him beginning work as an undertaker (a natural career progression, of course) in the rear of the property. Today the building houses the Gannon House Gallery, which showcases incredible…