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Martin Place, 2003

A horse cab parked in the middle of Martin Place is waiting for a fare. The footpaths are crowded with pedestrians. The clocktower of the General Post Office is clearly visible. Beyond the GPO, the Commercial Banking Company’s building at 343 George Street is shrouded in scaffolding.

The same view from Castlereagh Street in 2003 presents a recognisable vista. The Commercial Banking Company at the end of Martin Place has been joined by the Bank of New South Wales (built 1932). Together they form a harmonious termination to the vista. The GPO is still a dominant landmark. But the cabs and cars have gone. Martin Place was converted into a pedestrian plaza in 1969 and upgraded in 1999 with grey granite paving. Modern buildings join the stately sandstone and granite edifices. The distinctive white MLC Centre can be seen on the left. Designed by Harry Seidler, it opened in 1978 replacing the glamorous Hotel Australia.

(“Then” image: City of Sydney Archives, SRC 15; “Now” image: City of Sydney)