The Sydney Mint - Macqaurie Street - Sydney - New South Wales

The Sydney Mint 

Macquarie Street 

How many McQuarrie‘s critics never cease to winning out that he had virtually paid in rum for Sydneys second general hospital.

Looking back, it seems a brilliant street by the government to have acquired a huge public building for nothing, whatever that means employed.

The first General Hospital was in what is now lower George Street. By McQuarrie‘s time it was a filthy house of death. The governor then let the contract for a new one in McQuarrie Street to 3 men who had never built anything-

 

The governor then let the contract for a new one in McQuarrie Street to 3 men who had never built anything-

Darcy went Worth

-random black cell

– Alexander Riley

In return they were permitted to import 45,000 gallons of rum in three years.

This was almost a monopoly, but the three speculators do not seem to have made much profit on it.

The hospital, the first part of which was opened in 1916, was in three sections.

The present Sydney hospital stands on the side of the large central block, which was pulled down in 1879. To the north and the south of the main block with separate -surgeons quarters. The wing in the north still stands, as Parliament house.

It is a quite a mess of additions, tacked on to save space to cramped legislators. It’s twin the Southern building, which first housed the assistant surgeons, has escaped uglification. It stands at the top of Macquarie Street, it’s pillared facade admired as a fine relic of colonial design.

From 1885 to 1926 a branch of the Royal Mint worked there, producing the first New South Wales sovereign Beloved by collectors.

It now houses government departments, including ironically, the state housing commission.

The Mint in Sydney, also known as the Sydney Mint or the Rum Hospital, has a fascinating history deeply intertwined with the city's colonial past, economic development, and architectural heritage. Here's an overview of its history:

Background and Construction:

• The Mint was originally established in response to the need for a reliable currency in the early colony of New South Wales, which suffered from a shortage of official coinage.
• The building that would become the Mint was originally intended to be the Rum Hospital, constructed using funds generated from the importation of rum.

Architectural Significance:

• The Rum Hospital (future Mint) was designed by convict architect Francis Greenway, who was renowned for his neoclassical designs.
• The building's design was influenced by the classical architectural principles of symmetry, proportion, and grandeur.

Conversion to the Mint:

• The Rum Hospital was not used as a medical facility for long. In the 1850s, it was repurposed as the Sydney Mint to address the shortage of local coinage.
• The Mint was equipped with machinery to produce gold sovereigns and silver coins. It played a crucial role in providing a stable and official currency for the colony.

Coin Production:

• From 1855 to 1926, the Sydney Mint produced gold sovereigns, half-sovereigns, and other denominations of silver coins.
• The coins minted here had a significant impact on the local economy and trade, as well as contributing to the establishment of the Australian currency system.

Architectural Features:

• The building features a distinctive colonnaded facade with Doric columns and ornate detailing.
• The exterior of the building reflects the neoclassical style that Greenway favored in his designs.

Modern Uses:

• The Mint ceased its coin production operations in 1926, and the building went through various uses and renovations.
• In the 21st century, the Mint has been repurposed as a museum, showcasing its historical significance, the history of coin production, and the economic development of Australia.

Heritage Status:

• The Sydney Mint is a heritage-listed building, recognized for its architectural and historical significance.

The Sydney Mint's history reflects the evolution of colonial Sydney, from its early struggles for currency to its establishment as a reliable mint and its subsequent transformation into a museum that preserves the legacy of coin production and its impact on Australian society and economy.

Burdekin House - Macquarie Street - Western Side In Front Of StStephens Church

Burdekin House 
Macquarie Street  - Western Side - In Front Of St Stephens Church 

Here, Until 1933 Stood Burdekin House, &. Was Built In 1841 & Was Long Known as The “Most Handsome House In Sydney"

It's Owner, Thomas Burdekin, Was An Ironware Monger Merchant From England. He Died In 1844, After Which His Widow & Son, Sydney Burdekin (Mayor Of Sydney In 1890), Cared For The Home. 

On The 2nd April 1845 The German Explorer  Ludwig Leichardt, Overlandimg From Moreton Bay (Now Brisbane) To Port Essington, Noted In His Journal - 

"I Have Reached The Junction Of The Suttor With The New River Which I Called The Burdekin, In Appreciation Of The Assistance From Mrs Thomas Burdekin, In The Outfit Of My Expedition.” 

About This Time, An English Globe trotter Named J.C. Byrne Visited Sydney, Scooping Up Gossip To Be Used In His "Twelve Years Wandering The British Colonies" 

Said Byrne - 

“A Person Named Burdekin... Had Amassed By His Trade & Private Discounting..... A Vast Fortune. Whether True Or False, No Man In Sydney Was Both So Disliked On Account Of The Usurious Interest, As It Was Asserted, He Exacted From those Who Were So Unfortunate As To Fall Into His Hands, And So Much Feared On Account Of The Power Of His Wealth..... This Mr Burdekin Took It Into His Head To Purchase An Extensive Piece Of Ground.... In The Immediate vicinity Of The Club House New South Wales Aristocracy, Many Of The Members Which Had Particular Reasons For Not Being Attached To Then Discount Gentlemen.

The Land Once Purchased, The Erection Of A Pile Of Costly Magnificence WasProceeded  With...." 

Byrne's Story Ends With The Arrival Of A Stranger From England, Who Actually

held The Original Title Deeds That Burdekin Had Buult His Mansion On, Valued at £16,000. 

Legal Proceedings Followed & Burdekin Found That This Strangers Title Was Base. In

order To Make Best Of A Bad Situation Burdekin Agreed To Pay The Stranger The Sum Of £600 A Year For Life.

The Australain On 11th July 1840 Advertised "A Land Grant Ten Perches, Allotment No. 9 Of Section No. 41, Bounded On The East By Macquarie Street. This Allotment Was Advertised On The 16th October 1839, In The Name Of Christopher Crane, Who

now Requests The Deeds In Favour Of Mr Burdekin" 

The 1828 Census Lists "Chrostopher Crane, Age 27. Came Free In 1815, Shoemaker & Laundress Street.


Christopher Crane became licensee of the leather bottle in Castlereagh Street on 5 August 1831 and was still leasee in 1840 when he seated his block number 9 to Burdekin Street" 

Christopher Crane Became Licensee Of The Leather Bottle Inn In Castlereagh Street On 5th August 1831 & Was Still Lessee In 1840, When He Ended His Block No. 9 To Burdekin

On 17th September 1899 Sydney Burdekin, Son Of Thomas, Died at Rooty Jill, New Sputj Wales, Leaving An Estate Balued at £252,525 

IT WAS A CRIME THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME WAS DEMOLISHED IN ITS 99TH YEAR, JUST Before Turning 100 In The 1920’s 
Burdekin House Had Stood The Test Of Time With All The Scandals & Legal Fights Over Who Owned The Land. 

One Could Say That Old Sydney Town Had Been Raped and Pillaged By The 1960’s. Just About Every Grand, Architectural Wonder Of Sydney Had Been Destroyed. 

Unfortunately Most Of The Beautiful Buildings In Macquarie Street Have Been Demolished For Less CHEAP, BESSA BLOCK, CONCRETE & GLASS. 

I Found This Story About Thomas Burdekon And Christopher  Crane Really

interesting. I Have never Heard of Anything Like It Before. 

I found out That this Stranger By The Name Of Christopher Crane From England with the Original Title

Deed Had Been In The Colony In The Very Early Days & Had Been Given A Land Grant. He Went Back To England. SydneyTown Was Just A Small Penal Colony But When he Returned It Had really Changed Totally. 

So Thomas Burdekin Thought He Had Bought & owned The Land He Built His Mansion On. It Went To Court And It Was Found that Christopher Crane Was The Real Title Owner. 

They Struck A Deal And Burdekin Has To Pay Him 600 Pounds A Year For The Rest Of His Life. 

This Was Apparently One Of The Grandest Houses In The Colony. All The Stress, Distress, Humiliation And Everything Else Ended Up Killing Thomas Burdekin Shortly Afterwards. 

It Stayed In The Family But Then

Sold & Bought By The Presbyterian church And They Demolished It & Built a Church. The House Was Already Over 100 Years Old By That Stage. 

Apparently All The Items In The House Were Truly Amazing & It Was Decked Out in Louis XIII Style. 

There Was Even A Great Exhibition Called "Burdekin House"  on the Lower Ground Was The Oak Furniture. ON the Ground Floor Was Walnut Furniture And Early Lacquer

In The Double Drawing Room There Were French Items And Richly Decorated Upholstered Silk. 

The Main Bedrooms On The 1st Floor  Was Mahogany Of The Period 1750-1800. 

Chippendale, Sheraton And Hepplewhite Antiques Drew Large Crowds. 

WOW. So There You Go. Another HISTORIC BUILDING THAT REALLY SHOULD'VE BEEN PRESERVED. 

And That Was In 1933

Moore Park Trust Legislation

THE CENTENNIAL PARK AND MOORE PARK TRUST 1983

The Orginial Deed Was Written And Given To The People Of New South Wales, On November 13th 1813, By  None Other Than Governor Lachlan Macquarie. 

In That Original Deed Governor Macquarie Set Out The Second SYDNEY COMMON. 

Later Sir Henry Parkes Put A The Centennial Celebrations Act 1887 To The New South Wales Legislative Council in Honour Of The Silver Jubilee Of Queen Victoria In1888.  Which Cemented The 2nd Sydney Common For The People Of New South Wales. 

There Were 3 MountAins Which Surrounded The Common Before It Was Officially Called Moore Park After Sir Charles Moore, Who Was The Head BotAnist Of The Royal BotAnic Gardens. 

Sir Charles Moore propagated up To 4,500 of The Sydney Fig Trees That We All Take for Granted Today,  To Make Tree Lined Avenues Starting From Government House,

PART 2 

SECTION 10

Subject to Section 20(2) The Trust Shall Not Sell, Mortgage Or Demise Or Otherwise Dispose of Any Of The Original Land As Set Out By Governor Macqaurie In The Original Trust Deed For The 2nd "SYDNEY COMMON".

PART 5 - MISCEALANEOUS

SECTION 1 

RESUMPTION OF ORIGINAL LAND REQUIRES AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT

SUBSECTION 1 (19)

(2) NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING CONTAINED IN ANY OTHER ACT, AND SUBJECT TO THIS ACT, THE ORIGINAL LAND SHALL NOT BE APPROPRIATED OR RESUMED BY GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE ENTERPRISE EXCEPT THROUGH AN OFFICIAL ACT OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT. 

THEREFORE THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT AND THE COMPANY WHO OWNS THE

The Old Toll Gate - Cnr George And Pitt Sts Railway Square

The Old Toll Gate
 - Cnr George And Pitt Sts Railway Square

  Toll roads and toll bridges are public roadways and thoroughfares which drivers must pay to use. They are believed to have existed in a variety of forms for around 2700 years, with the earliest known toll road thought to be the highway connecting Susa and Babylon. Toll roads and bridges continued to be used through the Middle Ages, in the Holy Roman Empire, as well as across Asia.  

As continents were colonised, the practice of implementing toll roads continued. When Governor Lachlan Macquarie arrived in New South Wales in 1810, he upheld high standards for the development of New South Wales from penal colony to free settlement, including improved infrastructure. Macquarie ordered the construction of roads, bridges, wharves, churches and public buildings and introduced a building code. Funds for road construction were to come from Government funds, public subscription and the establishment of toll roads. Private operators were permitted to construct roads and maintain them for ten years, under the colony's new, strict standards; in return, they collected the tolls to pay for their own costs. 

Australia’s first toll road was a newly constructed turnpike road from Sydney to Parramatta. It opened on 10 April 1811, with one toll bar positioned in George St, Haymarket and the other at the Boundary Road end in Parramatta. This was a successful arrangement, as a profit of $930 was made in 1815 alone from the tolls on the Sydney to Parramatta road

A Toll Gate Was Erected On This Spot By Governor Macquarie In 1811 And 1819 & An Elaborate Gothic Toll House  Was Erected Nearby To The Design Of Francis Greenway. Proceeds From The Toll Was Going To Pay For The Maintenance Of This 14 Mile Dirt Road To Parramatta. 

On The 6th October 1810 Governor Lachlan Macqaurie Proclaimed It Expedient

"To Give Regular & Permanant Names To All The Streets & Ways Leading Through  Town.... & To Order Posts & Finger Boards.... With The Names Of The Streets Painted On Them

To Ne Erected In Conspicuous Parts. 

For Instance - "The Principal Street In Town, & Leading Through The Middle Of It From Dawes Point To The Place Near The Brickfields, Being Upwards Of A Mile In Length, & Hitherto Known Alternately By The Names Of High Street, Spring Row, & Sergeant Majors Row Is Now Named George Street , In Honour Of  Our Revered & Gracious Sovereign" 

The First Toll Gates Were Opened On The 10th April 1811, & The Road From There To Parramatta, Fourteen Miles From Sydney, Qas Financed By A Levy Of 3 Shillings.

Monsieur Peron, The French Explorer Who Visited Sydney In 1802, After Travelling Over the Parramatta Highway Remarked........

  "This Grand Road Appears At A Distance like An Immense Avenue Of Foilage & Verdure. A Charming Freshness & An Agreeable Shade Always Prevail In This Continuous Bower, The Silence Of Which Is Interrupted Only By The Singing & Chirping Of The a richly Plumed Paroquets & Other Birds Which Inhabit It"

If Peron Could Return To Parramatta Road Again Today, He’d Get A Severe Shock

The Toll Gate Remained Until 1819, When It Was Replaced By A Greenway Designed Barricade. 

Commissioner Bigge Arrived In Sydney In September 1819 & He Described Francis Greenway’s Toll Bar As An

“Expensive Trifle, An Attempt At The Imitation Of Gothic:  Defective In Design & Execution. Whilst It Must Excite The Derision Of Everyone Acquainted With The Style In Architecture It Must Also Raise In Responsible Breasts A Strong Emotion Of Regret At The avast Disbursement On This Inelegant & Fugacoous Toy.”

MATTHEW FLINDERS..........

Famed Adventurer Died A Pauper After Years At Sea.........

  Explorer Matthew Flinders Paid The Ultimate Price For His Historic Voyages.......

In Constant Pain From Kidney Stones And Bladder Inflammation, Probably AS  A Consequence Of Constant Repeated Dehydration &Scurvy During His Years At Sea, Matthew Flinders Was Also Plagued By Financial As He Proofed Complex Navigation Charts For Books Chronicling His Voyages Around Terra Australis. 

Nine Days Before His Death, The Invalid Explorer Made His Final Diary Entry, Noting He Did Not Rise Before Two. Weeks Earlier His a wife Ann Wrote  to Friends That "So Dreadfully Was He Altered, He Looked Cull 70 Years Of Age & Was Worn To A Skeleton."

The Navigator, Hydrographer And Scientist Died On July 19, 1814, At His Rented Home At 14 London Street, Fitzroy Square In London, Where He Settled With His Wife & Two Year Ild Daughter Ann Five Months Earlier, Weeks Before His 40th Bitthday. 

Despite His Success As A Navigator And Cartographer, Established In Charting Tasmania, The NSW Coat And Circumnavigating Australia, Flinders Reaped Limited Financial Reward.

He Was Born At Donnington In Lincolnshire On March 16, 1774, The Eldest Som Of Surgeon Matthew Flinders, And His Wife Sussanah, Who Doed In 1783 After The Birth Of Their Youngest Son Sanuel. Educated at A Free Parosh School &From 12 As A Grammar School Boarder, Flinders Resisted His Fathers Plans For Him To Train As A Surgeon. 

Growing Up Near The English Channel, Flinders Witnessed Ships Arrive And Depart From The Napoleonic Wars And America, And Enjoyed Stories Told By Cousin John Franklin, A Royal Navy Midshipman. Flinder's  Later Explanation Was "Induced To Go To Sea Against The Awuahes  Of Frends From Reading Robinson Cruesoe."

On The  Advice Of His Cousin, Flinder's Studied Geometry, Trigonometry & Navigation To Improve His Pospects For Promotion In The Navy. franklin Also Had Him Illegally Recruited As An Officer's Servant On The HMAS Alert, Then In The West Indies, In October 1789, Although Finder's Did not Board A Ship Until May 1790. 

He Sailed On The HMAS Scipio As A MidShipMan Under a the Command Of A Family Acquaintance Thomas Pasley, Soon Moving With Pasley As An Able Bodied Seaman Patrolling Seas Around England K. HMAS Bellerophon.

The Centennial Park Eel

The Centennial Park Eel 

THE CENTENNIAL PARK EEL

In the Ponds Of Centennial Park Lives The Eastern (???? ) Eel. And To The Normal Park Goer They Look Like An Ugly Animal Swimming Around In The Murky Waters Of The Parklands. 

But The Centennial Park Eels Hold A Remarkable Story For Those In The Know. 

Male Eels Mature Around 10- 30 years and Female Eels Mature Around 8 Years. When They Reach Adult Stage & Feel The Need Spawn & AmazingThing Happens.

The eels Hop From Pond To Pond and then crawl Through a drain Underneath Alison Road and into Randwick Racecourse. They then follow the Natural Watercourse Through To The Moore Park Golf Course and then Follow it Through To Botany Bay Coming Out Where The Third Sydney Runway Comes Out at Kingsford Smith Airport.  

While Making This Journey some Amazing Changes Happen To Their Bodies...... 

- their Dorsal Fin Becomes bigger  So They Are Able To Swim Better In Ocean Currents. 

- their  stomach shrinks

- Their Eyes Also Change SizeThat They Can See In The Seawater

- their anus Restricts and Any Orifice To Reduce Water Loss

- Their Gills 

 From Freshwater To Saltwater. They Can Also Out In Fresh Air, And If There Is No Watercourse For Them To Make It To Botany Bay They Can travel Across Land for short distances. 

The Eels Then Make A 3,500 Mile Journey through The Ocean To Somewhere Near New Caledonia, where They Spawn Their Young & Die. 

These Young Eels Then Male Their Way The 3,500 Miles Back To Centennial Park Where They Live In The Ponds Until They Mature 

Queen Victoria Building - George Street, York Street, Market Street

The Queen Victoria Building 

The Queen Victoria Building Was Designed By City Architect George McRae, As Sydney's Central Markets, & Was Constructed Between 1893 And 1898. Being Planned &
erected At The Height Of The Reign Of Queen Victoria and It Was Named In Her Honour & In Celebration If Her Golden Jubilee In 1887 & Diamond Jubilee In 1897
The Site Is Bound By George Street, Market, York & Druitt Streets


The Plan Of The Building Was Direct & Simple; A Long Rectangle at a Which An Entry Was Provided At Each End & At The Centre  Of Each Long Side. The Markets Occupied The Basement & Were Serviced By Stairs & A Hydraulic Lift. There Were Shops & Apartments On The Ground & a First Floors, Warehouses, Showrooms & An Art Gallery On The Second, & Further Apartments & A Photo Gallery on
The Third Floor. 
At The Northern End Of The Building, Extending Through Several Storeys, Was A Large Hall Used For Concerts & Balls. 

In 1910 The City Markets Were Transferred Southwards To An Area Still Referred As The Haymarket, & The Queen
Victoria Building Was Subjected To An Unfortunate Successions Of Alterations Which
drastically Changed Its Architectural Character. 
Major Transformation Of The Interior If The Building were Made Between 1917
And 1930. The Original Gallery Was Destroyed & The Building
was Robbed Of Its Splendid Interior. The Glass Roof, No Longer Used For Light, Was Replaced By Galvanised Iron. 
In The 1950's, The City Council Contemplated Demolishing It & There Was Little Evidence Of Public Opposition.

By  
The Architectural style Chosen By George McCrae For His
markets Building Became Known As American Romanesque
The design & Erection Of The Queen Victoria Building a Was A Major Architectural Achievement, The More So When Considered In relation To The Depressed State Of the Australian Economy. 





By Good Fortune The Queen Victoria Building is Grouped With Its  Victorian Fellows - The Sydney Town Hall - & St Andrews Cathedral.

Romanesque, Neo Classic And Gothic Styles Merge Under The Influence

Fine Craftsmanship In Stone, Has Rarely Been More Lavishly
employed In Australia for This Late Victorian Building


Another Example Of The Work George McCrae Is This Red Brick
Building  In Hay Street Sydney. 
A Third Building Built By
McCrae, The Eastern Market Stood In Forbes Street Woolloomooloo, But Has Since Been Demolished. 
Such a Multiplicity Of Copper Domes, The Green  their Patina Varying In Intensity With Changing Moisture Or Light. The Building Can Boast Some Twenty Domes. 

The External Surface Of The Sandstone Shell Is Elaborately Decorated. Despite The Variety Of Elements Which Make The Expansive Facades - Windows & Door Openings In A Great Range Of Sizes & Groupings, Intricate & Ornate Mouldings, Projecting Bays & Recesses, Curbed & Square Wall Surfaces - There Is Consistency Of a Decoration Which Contributes To Rather Than Detracts From The Visual
unity As A Whole

The Queen Victoria Building (QVB) is a majestic and historic shopping center located in the heart of Sydney, Australia. It stands as a testament to the city's rich architectural heritage and has a fascinating history. Here's an overview of the history of the Queen Victoria Building:

Construction and Purpose:

• The Queen Victoria Building was constructed in the late 19th century, between 1893 and 1898.
• It was designed by architect George McRae in the Romanesque Revival style, reflecting the architectural trends of the time.

Named in Honor of Queen Victoria:

• The building was named in honor of Queen Victoria, who ruled the British Empire for over six decades.
• Its design incorporated various elements and symbols associated with the Victorian era.

Market and Shops:

• The QVB was originally built as a market hall and housed a wide range of shops, vendors, and traders.
• The central dome area, known as the "Domes," was particularly grand and impressive, with a glass roof allowing natural light to illuminate the interior.

Transformation and Decline:

• In the early 20th century, the QVB underwent various changes and renovations, including modifications to the interior layout.
• Over time, the market's popularity declined, and the building faced challenges due to changing shopping trends and economic shifts.

Threat of Demolition:

• By the mid-20th century, the QVB was facing the possibility of demolition due to proposals for urban redevelopment.
• However, public outcry and preservation efforts led to the building being saved from destruction.

Restoration and Revival:

• In the 1980s, the QVB underwent a significant restoration effort that aimed to restore its original grandeur while adapting it to modern retail needs.
• The restoration work included repairs to the structure, refurbishing of decorative elements, and updates to ensure safety and accessibility.

Reopening as a Shopping Center:

• In 1986, the Queen Victoria Building reopened as a modern shopping center with a mix of high-end boutiques, specialty stores, cafes, and restaurants.
• It became a popular destination for both locals and tourists, offering a unique shopping experience within a historical setting.

Heritage Status and Recognition:

• The QVB is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register and holds significance as an architectural masterpiece and a reflection of Sydney's history.

Today, the Queen Victoria Building stands as a beautifully restored and thriving shopping center that seamlessly blends historical charm with contemporary retail offerings. It remains an iconic landmark in Sydney, embodying the city's cultural heritage and architectural excellence