The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

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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.…

Arthur K Syer, Capturing everyday life on Sydney streets

Chinese labourers c1885-90 By Syer, Arthur K. From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales, a844023 / PXA 394/23, 1885 - 1890 Photography is an amazing medium. In certain frames it can give us a candid glimpse of…

Circus in Sydney

James Ashton, Ashton's Amphitheatre, 1855. From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales, TN115, Illustrated Sydney News, 2 June 1855 With the Sydney Festival kicking off today I’m sure there are plenty of revellers looking forward to the…