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.

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.

Approach to Central Railway

 

Argyle Cut, Sydney

 

Art Gallery of New South Wales

 

Barrack Street

 

Bathurst Street from George Street

 

Bayswater Road, Darlinghurst

 

Belmore Markets

 

Brickfield Hill

 

Bridge Street at Exchange

 

Bridge Street from George Street

 

Bridge Street, from Government House gates

 

Bridge Street

 

Church Hill from Pettys Hotel

 

Circular Quay at Orient Wharf

 

Colonial Sugar Co. offices

 

Druitt Street

 

Electric Tram, George Street, David Jones Corner

 

Electric trams, Brickfield Hill

 

Electric trams, George Street, David Jones corner

 

Elizabeth Street showing Jewish Synagogue

 

Elizabeth Street

 

Elizabeth Street and Supreme Court

 

Elizabeth Street from Hyde Park

 

Erskine Street

 

Exchange Corner, Bridge Street

 

Exchange corner, Pitt Street, Sydney

 

Fire Station, Castlereagh Street

 

Free Public Library

 

General Post Office, Sydney

 

General Post Office

 

George Street, by Town Hall

 

George Street and GPO

 

George Street at GPO

 

George Street at Haymarket

 

George Street at Hunter Street

 

George Street at Town Hall

 

George Street at Town Hall

 

George Street by Church Hill

 

George Street by Market Street

 

George Street by Victoria Markets

 

George Street from Market Street

 

George Street looking south

 

George Street looking south

 

George Street near Hunter Street

 

George Street, Haymarket

 

George Street, looking north from GPO

 

George Street, looking south from Hunter Street

 

George Street, Sydney

 

Herald Office

 

Hotel Australia

 

Hunter Street from George Street

 

Hunter Street

 

Hyde Park, Sydney

 

King Street East

 

King Street looking east from George Street

 

King Street looking east

 

King Street looking west

 

King Street

 

King Street

 

King Street

 

King Street

 

Livepool Street at College Street

 

Liverpool Street

 

Macquarie Street, near Hospital

 

Macquarie Street

 

Market Street

 

Martin Place

 

Martin Place

 

Martin Place

 

Martin Place

 

Mutual Life Assurance Office

 

NSW Parliament House

 

Ocean Wave Hotel

 

Petty’s Hotel

 

Phillip Street at Hunter Street

 

Pitt Street  looking south

 

Pitt Street from King Street

 

Pitt Street, near Spring Street

 

Pitt Street

 

Pyrmont Bridge

 

Queen Victorian Markets (now Queen Victoria Building), Sydney

 

Queens Place, Sydney

 

Queens Statue, entrance to Hyde Park

 

Railway Square, Kerry and Co, Sydney

 

Spring Street and Lands Office

 

Spring Street

 

St Andrew’s Cathedral and Town Hall

 

St Andrew’s Cathedral

 

St Andrew’s Cathedral

 

St Mary’s Cathedral and entrance to Domain

 

St Mary’s Cathedral from Hyde Park

 

St Mary’s Cathedral

 

Sussex Street at Grafton Wharf

 

Sussex Street at Market Street

 

Sussex Street

 

Sydney GPO building

 

Sydney Harbour from Australian Club

 

Sydney Markets, York Street

 

Sydney Observatory

 

Sydney, looking east, from GPO Tower

 

Sydney, looking south-east, from Australian Hotel

 

The Bandstand, Hyde Park

 

The Treasury, Sydney

 

Town Hall, Sydney

 

Town Hall, Sydney

 

Trams, King Street, Sydney

 

Victoria Markets

 

William Street

 

Wool Stores, Circular Quay

 

York Street by Victoria Markets

 

York Street from Margaret Street

 

York Street

 

York Street