Widening the streets

In the early years of European settlement, many of Sydney’s streets developed organically following the bullock tracks, or natural contours and weaving around rock outcrops. In the inner city, many streets were narrow and congested by the end of the nineteenth century. In 1905 the City Council gained the power to resume properties in order to knock them down to widen the streets. Whole lines of houses and shops disappeared as Park Street, Elizabeth Street, Oxford Street and William Street became wider. The west side of George Street West was flattened and the new widened street renamed ‘Broadway’. In older residential areas like Ultimo and Chippendale whole precincts were demolished and completely new street grids created. Ironically houses were demolished to make way for factories. Now the City is encouraging people to come back into the city to live.

This section focuses upon the widening of one particular street: Oxford Street.

The widening of Oxford Street was discussed during the Royal Commission on the Improvement of Sydney (1908-9). Even before the Commission had tabled its final report, the City Council was considering the benefits. In May 1909 Council resolved to widen Oxford Street from 66ft to 100ft by resuming the entire north side of the street between Liverpool and Bourke Streets. The project was carried out in five stages between 1910 and 1914. The result was a new boulevard and the creation of a 'federation' streetscape which remains today largely intact. The Oxford Street widening is an example of Sydney Municipal Council dabbling in urban planning, inspired by the City Beautiful movement. It also serves as an example of what happened to many Sydney streets in the early twentieth century.