During the early 20th century, Sydney was humming with promise. The city was home to more than a million people and its streets were abuzz with commuters, horse-drawn wagons and trams.
The inner-city was a bustling trade hub that spilled into an expanding network of suburbs linked by a series of tramways, railways and ferry routes.
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| Sydney's street scenes in the early 1900s |
It was a time of rapid growth; the nation was transitioning from the days of steam power into the electric era and Sydney – Australia's oldest city – was moving in step.
An amazing photo collection from Powerhouse Museum will show you the image of Sydney in the early 1900s.
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| Approach to Central Railway |
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| Argyle Cut, Sydney |
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| Art Gallery of New South Wales |
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| Barrack Street |
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| Bathurst Street from George Street |
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| Bayswater Road, Darlinghurst |
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| Belmore Markets |
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| Brickfield Hill |
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| Bridge Street at Exchange |
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| Bridge Street from George Street |
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| Bridge Street, from Government House gates |
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| Bridge Street |
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| Church Hill from Pettys Hotel |
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| Circular Quay at Orient Wharf |
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| Colonial Sugar Co. offices |
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| Druitt Street |
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| Electric Tram, George Street, David Jones Corner |
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| Electric trams, Brickfield Hill |
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| Electric trams, George Street, David Jones corner |
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| Elizabeth Street showing Jewish Synagogue |
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| Elizabeth Street |
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| Elizabeth Street and Supreme Court |
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| Elizabeth Street from Hyde Park |
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| Erskine Street |
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| Exchange Corner, Bridge Street |
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| Exchange corner, Pitt Street, Sydney |
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| Fire Station, Castlereagh Street |
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| Free Public Library |
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| General Post Office, Sydney |
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| General Post Office |
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| George Street, by Town Hall |
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| George Street and GPO |
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| George Street at GPO |
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| George Street at Haymarket |
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| George Street at Hunter Street |
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| George Street at Town Hall |
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| George Street at Town Hall |
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| George Street by Church Hill |
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| George Street by Market Street |
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| George Street by Victoria Markets |
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| George Street from Market Street |
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| George Street looking south |
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| George Street looking south |
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| George Street near Hunter Street |
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| George Street, Haymarket |
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| George Street, looking north from GPO |
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| George Street, looking south from Hunter Street |
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| George Street, Sydney |
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| Herald Office |
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| Hotel Australia |
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| Hunter Street from George Street |
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| Hunter Street |
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| Hyde Park, Sydney |
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| King Street East |
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| King Street looking east from George Street |
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| King Street looking east |
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| King Street looking west |
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| King Street |
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| King Street |
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| King Street |
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| King Street |
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| Livepool Street at College Street |
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| Liverpool Street |
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| Macquarie Street, near Hospital |
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| Macquarie Street |
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| Market Street |
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| Martin Place |
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| Martin Place |
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| Martin Place |
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| Martin Place |
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| Mutual Life Assurance Office |
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| NSW Parliament House |
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| Ocean Wave Hotel |
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| Petty's Hotel |
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| Phillip Street at Hunter Street |
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| Pitt Street looking south |
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| Pitt Street from King Street |
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| Pitt Street, near Spring Street |
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| Pitt Street |
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| Pyrmont Bridge |
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| Queen Victorian Markets (now Queen Victoria Building), Sydney |
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| Queens Place, Sydney |
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| Queens Statue, entrance to Hyde Park |
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| Railway Square, Kerry and Co, Sydney |
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| Spring Street and Lands Office |
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| Spring Street |
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| St Andrew's Cathedral and Town Hall |
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| St Andrew's Cathedral |
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| St Andrew's Cathedral |
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| St Mary's Cathedral and entrance to Domain |
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| St Mary's Cathedral from Hyde Park |
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| St Mary's Cathedral |
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| Sussex Street at Grafton Wharf |
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| Sussex Street at Market Street |
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| Sussex Street |
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| Sydney GPO building |
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| Sydney Harbour from Australian Club |
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| Sydney Markets, York Street |
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| Sydney Observatory |
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| Sydney, looking east, from GPO Tower |
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| Sydney, looking south-east, from Australian Hotel |
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| The Bandstand, Hyde Park |
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| The Treasury, Sydney |
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| Town Hall, Sydney |
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| Town Hall, Sydney |
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| Trams, King Street, Sydney |
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| Victoria Markets |
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| William Street |
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| Wool Stores, Circular Quay |
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| York Street by Victoria Markets |
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| York Street from Margaret Street |
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| York Street |
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| York Street |