Sydney and The Blue Mountains
The Sydney we visited in January 1950 was a lot different to the Sydney of today (2013).
The population of the city was estimated at almost 1.7 million, compared with today's estimated population of about 4.6 million.
The growth of Sydney is graphically shown by the three photos below.
All were taken from the Sydney Zoo, looking towards the Harbour Bridge and City centre.
The population of the city was estimated at almost 1.7 million, compared with today's estimated population of about 4.6 million.
The growth of Sydney is graphically shown by the three photos below.
All were taken from the Sydney Zoo, looking towards the Harbour Bridge and City centre.
SS South Steyne
Above : The S.S. South Steyne, the world's largest operational steam ferry, and probably the most famous of the Manly ferries on Sydney Harbour.
This photo shows the vessel leaving Manly on one of its 100,000 crossings between 1938 and 1974 .
In its 36 years of ferry service it carried more than 92 million passengers across the harbour between Circular Quay and Manly.
A fire on 25 August 1974 ,while berthed at Balmain, put an end to the ship’s life as a ferry.
But after restoration the South Steyne has served as a floating restaurant in Melbourne, Newcastle, and Sydney .
This photo shows the vessel leaving Manly on one of its 100,000 crossings between 1938 and 1974 .
In its 36 years of ferry service it carried more than 92 million passengers across the harbour between Circular Quay and Manly.
A fire on 25 August 1974 ,while berthed at Balmain, put an end to the ship’s life as a ferry.
But after restoration the South Steyne has served as a floating restaurant in Melbourne, Newcastle, and Sydney .
Vaucluse House
Vaucluse House is an historic estate beside Sydney Harbour which has given the surrounding suburb its name.
The house was built in stages between 1805 and the early 1860s.
The major development of the property followed its purchase in 1827 by famed explorer, journalist, barrister, politician and entrepreneur,
William Charles Wentworth.
He and his family moved into their new home in 1828.
Major building and ground work continued for the next quarter century.
The former Colonial Architect George Cookney played and important role in designing extensions to the house , as well as designing the stables, a coach-house and other outbuildings in 1829.
The house was built in stages between 1805 and the early 1860s.
The major development of the property followed its purchase in 1827 by famed explorer, journalist, barrister, politician and entrepreneur,
William Charles Wentworth.
He and his family moved into their new home in 1828.
Major building and ground work continued for the next quarter century.
The former Colonial Architect George Cookney played and important role in designing extensions to the house , as well as designing the stables, a coach-house and other outbuildings in 1829.
Trains
The Blue Mountains
The photo below were taken during a day trip to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney on Friday 20 January 1950.
The Blue Mountains mainly consists of a sandstone plateau, that is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres (2,490 ft) deep.
The region borders on Sydney's metropolitan area, its foothills starting about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of the CBD.
The many attractions viewed on the day included Wentworth Falls, Echo Point, The Three Sisters,the Scenic Railway and Katoomba Falls.
The Blue Mountains mainly consists of a sandstone plateau, that is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres (2,490 ft) deep.
The region borders on Sydney's metropolitan area, its foothills starting about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of the CBD.
The many attractions viewed on the day included Wentworth Falls, Echo Point, The Three Sisters,the Scenic Railway and Katoomba Falls.
Sublime Point Lookout - Bulli Tops
New South Wales South Coast
Kiama Blowhole
Kiama Blowhole is a blowhole in the NSW South Coast town of Kiama and is the town's major tourist attraction. Under certain sea conditions, the blowhole can spray water up to 25 metres (82 ft) in the air.
Kiama Council claims it’s the biggest natural Blowhole in the world!
While Australia’s original people would have known of the blowhole possibly for thousands of years, the first European to discover it was the early explorer George Bass who came upon it on 6 December 1797.
Kiama Council claims it’s the biggest natural Blowhole in the world!
While Australia’s original people would have known of the blowhole possibly for thousands of years, the first European to discover it was the early explorer George Bass who came upon it on 6 December 1797.
Batemans Bay
Boydtown
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The photograph above shows some of the ruins of Boydtown on Twofold Bay on the Far South Coast of New South Wales.
They are the remains of Boyd’s Tower and a church.
Boydtown was founded in 1843 by Benjamin Boyd a wealthy London stockbroker who came to Australia to seek his fortune. Boyd had a scheme to enter into shipping and pastoral enterprises, and he envisaged the town as a service centre for his extensive rural properties on the Monaro plains.
The tower,built from Pyrmont sandstone shipped from Sydney,was planned as a whaling lookout and a lighthouse.
Boydtown’s church was constructed and roofed , but was never furnished due to the subsequent bankruptcy of Boyd. The Church lost its roof in a bushfire in 1926 .
When Boyd's finances collapsed, he left the colony for the Californian goldfields, and the town was abandoned for almost a century from the 1840s.
A Sydney Morning Herald website has detailed information about William Boyd and Boydtown . You can reach the site by clicking here.
They are the remains of Boyd’s Tower and a church.
Boydtown was founded in 1843 by Benjamin Boyd a wealthy London stockbroker who came to Australia to seek his fortune. Boyd had a scheme to enter into shipping and pastoral enterprises, and he envisaged the town as a service centre for his extensive rural properties on the Monaro plains.
The tower,built from Pyrmont sandstone shipped from Sydney,was planned as a whaling lookout and a lighthouse.
Boydtown’s church was constructed and roofed , but was never furnished due to the subsequent bankruptcy of Boyd. The Church lost its roof in a bushfire in 1926 .
When Boyd's finances collapsed, he left the colony for the Californian goldfields, and the town was abandoned for almost a century from the 1840s.
A Sydney Morning Herald website has detailed information about William Boyd and Boydtown . You can reach the site by clicking here.
The Princes Highway
Above :Austin A40 on the Princes Highway in East Gippsland on 23 January, 1950.
The photo shows the still unsealed highway in Eastern Victoria.
Back over the border, the highway was also still unsealed for much of its length on the Far South Coast.
New South Wales had begun a major reconstruction and sealing plan on the Highway in 1925.
But the work was was halted in 1941 due to the onset of war in the pacific, with funds and manpower being transferred to major defence routes.
During 1950, the highway was sealed from Batemans Bay to Moruya.
The bitumen finally reached the Victorian Border in 1965.
The following year, 1966, sealing of the highway in Victoria was completed.
Motorists were then able to travel on a sealed Princes Highway between Sydney and Melbourne.
The photo shows the still unsealed highway in Eastern Victoria.
Back over the border, the highway was also still unsealed for much of its length on the Far South Coast.
New South Wales had begun a major reconstruction and sealing plan on the Highway in 1925.
But the work was was halted in 1941 due to the onset of war in the pacific, with funds and manpower being transferred to major defence routes.
During 1950, the highway was sealed from Batemans Bay to Moruya.
The bitumen finally reached the Victorian Border in 1965.
The following year, 1966, sealing of the highway in Victoria was completed.
Motorists were then able to travel on a sealed Princes Highway between Sydney and Melbourne.