The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.
Search the blogs
Condemned and Demolished!
Bowden's Corner, Hunter and Castlereagh streets Sydney, c1907, City of Sydney Archives (094145). Notice the tree growing through the building! The large Norfolk Pine grew through the middle of it, which was used as a coat rack for the hotel…
Horse Drawn: John Rae and 'The Turning of the First Turf'
John Rae c1884, Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (ML MSS A807) John Rae is, perhaps, my favourite dead white male. On the surface, he’s really rather ordinary. An administrator who was meticulous and ambitious, he was a career public servant.…
Sprucing up Sydney Town Hall
Sydney Town Hall under construction c1875, Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW (SPF/334) You know, we often take Sydney Town Hall for granted. It's undeniably a city landmark - we sit on its steps and watch the world go by, use…
James Waugh's Stranger's Guide to Sydney
The Stranger's Guide to Sydney,, courtesy Mitchell Library, State LIbrary of NSW (DSM/981.1/W) We've all used a tourist guide when we've visited a new city. They can help us orientate ourselves, to find the landmarks we want to see, and understand…
Customs House
Custom House and Circular Quay 1845 by GE Peacock, courtesy Dixson Galleries, State Library of NSW (DG 35) The City of Sydney have just announced that they have acquired Customs House from the Commonwealth Government, so today I thought we'd take…
Eora fisherwomen
bara by Aboriginal artist Judy Watson, image courtesy of Judy Watson and UAP MEDIA Yesterday Governor David Hurley and Lord Mayor Clover Moore unveiled plans for a major new artwork overlooking Sydney Harbour on the Tarpeian Precinct Lawn above Dubbagullee (also…
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, 40 years on
It takes balls to be a fairy, Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras 1983, photograph by William Yang, courtesy National Library of Australia (nla.pic-vn3097593) This year is the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and it has…
Our City: 175 years in 175 objects
Young council employees c1905, probably employed as gully flushers Courtesy City of Sydney Archives (006011) This morning on 2SER, Lisa talked to Nic about the fantastic exhibition she's been working on which commemorates the City of Sydney Council's 175th anniversary . This…
On our way
House removal, Brown St & Missenden Rd, Camperdown, 10 April 1916 Courtesy City of Sydney Archives (NSCA CRS 51/659) Moving the Dictionary Over the last year we've been working on moving the Dictionary's content on to a new platform hosted by the State…
Letters of Complaint
2SER Breakfast listeners had a special treat today as Lisa talked about Letters of Complaint, just one of the projects she's been working on in her role as the City Historian at the City of Sydney. A cliff-face stair-way, Darlinghurst…