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Friday, July 17, 2026

Eastern Coastline – New South Wales

Sydney’s eastern shoreline once presented a chain of mansions, toll roads, bayside villages and harbour defences stretching from Potts Point and Double Bay out to Watsons Bay and South Head. Nineteenth-century photographers recorded these streets, foreshores and civic buildings as the city’s eastern suburbs took shape. This post gathers historic views along that New South Wales eastern coastline.

Bomerah, Grantham and other Potts Point mansions from Lady Macquarie’s Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Clipper ship Kingsbridge at Campbell’s Wharf, Sydney Harbour — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Cranbrook and lodge at the corner of Victoria Road and Bellevue Hill — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute, Sydney — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Double Bay foreshore and settlement, New South Wales — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Edgecliff Preparatory School for Boys — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Gun emplacement overlooking Camp Cove and Watsons Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Hotel and houses at Watsons Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Houses at Watsons Bay, looking along the settlement — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Longboat and boatshed at Watsons Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Mansions Fairlight and Fernbank, Point Piper — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Foreshore mansions Heathfield, Ewenton and Shannon Grove — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Mansions on Ocean and Greenoakes Avenue, Edgecliff — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Spectators watching horse-drawn omnibuses at Randwick Racecourse — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

New South Head Road through Double Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Ocean Street North (later Ocean Avenue), Double Bay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Residence possibly Colebrook, corner of New South Head Road and Bellevue Hill Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Rowing boats and boatsheds near the La Perouse monument — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Slab hut on Village Point — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

St John’s Church of England, Glebe — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Toll road at Bayswater and New South Head Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Toll road on New South Head Road, looking west toward Darlinghurst — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Watsons Bay from Old South Head Road — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Clipper ship and Mort’s Building at Circular Quay — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Looking along Alison Road toward Randwick Racecourse — historic eastern-Sydney / harbour coastline view.

Photographs 1879–1892

Between 1879 and 1892 photographers documented Sydney’s harbour and streets, the Blue Mountains and coastal Illawarra, northern rivers and the artesian bores of the Moree district. The resulting plates form a broad visual survey of late-colonial New South Wales. This post presents that sequence of photographs spanning harbour landmarks, civic buildings, bush scenery and inland works.

 

PHOTOS - 1879 - 1892

Hornby (South Head) Lighthouse, Sydney Harbour — c.1879–1892.


South Head Lighthouse

Mosman Bay — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Mosman Bay 

Double Bay — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Double Bay 


naval Depot Garden Island — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Naval Depot - Garden Island 

Farm Cove — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Farm Cove 


Circular Quay From Customs House — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Circular Quay From Customs House 


Circular Quay — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Circular Quay 

Colonial Sugar Refining works, Pyrmont — c.1879–1892.

Colonial Sugar Refining - Pyrmont 

Government House — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Government House 


Statue of Queen Victoria — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Statue Of Queen Victoria 


Statue of Prince Albert, Royal Consort — Sydney, c.1879–1892.

Statue Of Prince Albert - Royal Consort To Her Majesty Queen Victoria

Captain Cook Statue — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Statue Of Captain Cook - Hyde Park 

Woolloomooloo From the Domain — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Woolloomooloo From The Domain 

Bent St Entrance To Outer Domain — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Bent St Entrance To Outer Domain

Sydney Harbour From Top of Library — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Sydney Harbour From the Top Of The Library 

Garden Palace Grounds — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Garden Palace Grounds 


Botanical Gardens — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Botanical Gardens 


Botanical Gardens — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Botanical Gardens 

Chancery Square - Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Chancery Square - Sydney 


Chief Secretarys office — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Chief Secretary's Office 


Free public library — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Free Public Library 


Sydney Hospital — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Sydney Hospital 


Lands Office — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Lands Office


Customs House — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Customs House - Circular Quay 



Supreme Court — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Supreme Court 


General Post Office GPO — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

General Post Office - martin Place 


Museum - Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Australian Museum - College Street 


Government Printing Office — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Government Printing Office 


Town Hall - Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Sydney Town Hall 


Interior of Centennial Hall, Sydney Town Hall — c.1879–1892.

Interior of Centennial Hall 


St Andrews Cathedral — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

St Andrews Cathedral 


St Marys From the Domain — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

st mary's Cathedral From The Domain


The Exchange — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

The Royal Exchange 


Technological Museum and college buildings, Sydney — c.1879–1892.

Technological Museum & College 


university of Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

University Of Sydney 


St Pauls College - Uni Of Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

St pauls College - University Of Sydney 



St Andrews College - Uni Of Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

St Andrews College - University of Sydney 


St Johns College - Uni Of Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

St Johns College - University of Sydney 


Prince Alfred hospital — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Prince Alfred Hospital 


Deaf Dumb & Blind Institute — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Deaf Dumb & Blind Institute


Redfern Railway Station — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Redfern Railway Station 


Sydney Station — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Sydney Station 


Australian Joint Stock Bank — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Austrlian Joint Stock Bank 


Victoria Arcade - Sydney — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Victoria Arcade - Sydney 


Royal Arcade, Sydney, 1892 (view including Quong Tart’s premises per filename).

The Royal Arcade - 1892 - includes Quong


George St Looking South From Bathurst St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

George Street Looking South From Bathurst St


York St - Looking South From Barrack St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

York Street - looking South From Barrack Street 


Bridge St Looking East From George St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Bridge Street Looking East From George Street 


Phillip St Looking East From Bridge St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Phillip Street Looking East From Bridge Street 


O'Connell St Looking East From Bent St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

O'Connell Street Looking East  From Bent Street


Loftus St Looking South From Circular Quay — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Loftus Street Lookiing South From Circular Quay 


Pitt St Looking South From Bridge St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Pitt Street Looking South From Bridge Street 


Castlereagh St Looking North From King St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Castlereagh Street Looking North From King Street 


Elizabeth St Looking South From hunter St — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Elizabeth Street Looking South From Hunter Street 


Head Of Freshwater River - National Park — Royal National Park area, c.1879–1892.

Head Of Freshwater River - National Park 


On The Freshwater River, Near Lady Carrington — Royal National Park area, c.1879–1892.

On The Freshwater River - Near Lady Carrington - Royal National Park



General View Of Audley - National Park — Royal National Park area, c.1879–1892.

General View Of Audley - The Royal National Park 


View On Freshwater River - National Park — Royal National Park area, c.1879–1892.

View Of The Freshwater River  - Royal National Park 


View Of upper Causeway - National Park — Royal National Park area, c.1879–1892.

View Of The Upper Causeway  - The Royal National Park


View From Bushrangers Hill - Looking South — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

View From Bushranger's Hill - Looking South 


Ku-ring-gai Chase - near head Of McCarrs Creek — Ku-ring-gai Chase / Pittwater, c.1879–1892.

Kuringai Chase - Head Of McCarrs Creek 


Bush Scene — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.


A Bush Scnene


Ku-ring-gai Chase - pittwater - lovett's Bay Fresh Water Head — Ku-ring-gai Chase / Pittwater, c.1879–1892.

Kuringai Chase - Pittwater - Lovett's Bay - Fresh Water Head


Ku-ring-gai Chase - pittwater - Looking Down Jerusalem Bay — Ku-ring-gai Chase / Pittwater, c.1879–1892.

Kuringai Chase - Pittwater - Looking Down - Jerusalem Bay 


Ku-ring-gai Chase - Topham - Yeomans Bay NE — Ku-ring-gai Chase / Pittwater, c.1879–1892.

Kuringai Chase - Topham - Yeomans Bay - North East


The Weeping Rock - Wentworth Falls - Blue mountains — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

The Weeping Rock - Wentworth Falls - Blue Mountains


The Cascade - Katoomba — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

The Cascade Falls - Blue Mountains


Fitzroy Falls - Near Moss Vale — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Fitzroy Falls - Near Moss Vale - NSW


Katoomba Falls - NSW — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

Katoomba Falls - Blue Mountains 


Kangaroo Valley — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Kangaroo Valley 


View Of Katoomba — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

View Of Katoomba


Kangaroo Valley - NSW — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Kangaroo Valley - NSW


Nepean River — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Nepean River - NSW 


Nepean River — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Neapean River - NSW


govetts Leap Falls - Blue Mountains — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

Govetts Leap Falls - Blue Mountains 


The Zig Zag - Lithgow Valley — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

he Zig Zag Railway - Lithgow Valley - NSW


The Sisters - Katoomba — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

The Sisters - Katoomba - The Blue Mountains - NSW


Govetts Leap - NSW — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

Govett's Leap - Blue Mountains 


Explorer Tree - Near Katoomba — Blue Mountains region, c.1879–1892.

The Explorer Treet - Near Katoomba - Blue Mountains 


Saddle Cutting - Near Bargo Lagoons — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Saddle Cutting - Near Bargo Lagoons 


Newcastle East - Showing Nobby's — Newcastle, NSW, c.1879–1892.

Newcastle East  - Showing Nobby's Head 


Newcastle West - From Customs — Newcastle, NSW, c.1879–1892.

Newcastle West  - From Customs 


Albury Railway Station — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Albury Railway  Station 


A Miners hut - lithgow Valley — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

A Miner';s hut - Lithgow Valley - NSW


Coast Scene From Otford Tunnel - Illawarra District — Illawarra coast, NSW, c.1879–1892.

Coast Scene From Otford Tunnell - Illawarra - NSW


Coast Scene At Clifton - Illawarra District — Illawarra coast, NSW, c.1879–1892.

Coast Scene At Clifton - Illawarra - NSW


Coast Scene Pulpit Rock At Bombo Illawarra District — Illawarra coast, NSW, c.1879–1892.

Coast Scene - Pulpit Rock At Bombo - Illawarra District - NSW


Shoalhaven River Near Coolangatta — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Shoalhaven River - Near Coolangatta - NSW


Shoalhaven From Back Forest — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Shoalhaven From Back Forest 


Tree Ferns - Cambewarra Mountain — New South Wales, c.1879–1892.

Tree Ferns - Camberwarra Mountains - New South Wales


Clarence River At Moleville NSW — Clarence River district, NSW, c.1879–1892.

Clarence River At Moleville - New South Wales


Clarence River At Maclean NSW — Clarence River district, NSW, c.1879–1892.
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Clarence River At Maclean - New South Wales 


Smiths Falls On The Clarence River at Copmanhurst — Clarence River district, NSW, c.1879–1892.

Smiths Falls - On the Clarence River At Companhurst


On the Orara River NSW — Clarence River district, NSW, c.1879–1892.

On The Orara River - New South Wales 


Dolgelly Bore - moree District — Moree district artesian bore, c.1879–1892.

Dolgel;ly Bore - Moree District - New South Wales 


Wallon Bore - Moree District — Moree district artesian bore, c.1879–1892.

Wallon Bore - Moree District - New South Wales 


Moree Bore — Moree district artesian bore, c.1879–1892.

Moree Bore - New South Wales 


Woolabra Bore - Moree District — Moree district artesian bore, c.1879–1892.

Woolabrah Bore - Moree Dstrict - New South Wales 


Gil Gil Bore - Moree District — Moree district artesian bore, c.1879–1892.

Gil Gil Bore - Moree District - New South Wales 




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