HERITAGE INTERPRETATION PLAN QUEEN VICTORIA BUILDING: 455 GEORGE STREET, SYDNEY SH1371 PREPARED FOR CITY OF SYDNEY COUNCIL URBIS STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPORT WERE: Director, Heritage Jonathan Bryant, B Sc Arch (Hons), B Arch Hons, M Herit Cons, M. ICOMOS Senior Consultant, Historian Léonie Masson, B Arts (Lib Sc), Grad Dip (Loc App His) Heritage Consultant Alida Eisermann, B Anc Hist, M Museum and Heritage Studies Heritage Assistant Kate Long, B LibArts Job Code SH1371 Report Number 01 50% Progress draft 5 July 2018 02 100% Report issue 28 May 2019 03 100% Report issue 8 August 2019 © Urbis Pty Ltd ABN 50 105 256 228 All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced without prior permission. You must read the important disclaimer appearing within the body of this report. urbis.com.au CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................. i 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Site Location ......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3. Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3.1. Heritage Guidelines and the Burra Charter .......................................................................................... 2 1.4. Author Identification & Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... 3 1.5. Limitations ............................................................................................................................................. 4 2. Site Description ..................................................................................................................................... 5 3. Historical Overview ............................................................................................................................... 6 3.1. Historical Overview ............................................................................................................................... 6 3.1.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1.2. Brief Development of Retailing in Sydney ............................................................................................ 6 3.1.3. Arcade and Emporium Development 1880-1915 ................................................................................. 6 3.1.4. Brief History of Market Trading in Sydney ............................................................................................ 7 3.1.5. George McRae City Architect ............................................................................................................. 14 3.1.6. Design of New City Markets ............................................................................................................... 15 3.1.7. William McIntosh ................................................................................................................................. 18 3.1.8. Construction of New City Markets ...................................................................................................... 19 3.1.9. Opening of the Queen Victoria Market Building 1898 ........................................................................ 24 3.1.10. Early tenants of the QVB .................................................................................................................... 24 3.2. Major Alterations, 1918 ....................................................................................................................... 26 3.3. Second Major Alterations, 1934 .......................................................................................................... 32 3.4. Proposed Demolition........................................................................................................................... 35 3.5. Major Growth in the City ..................................................................................................................... 36 3.6. Battle for Conservation ....................................................................................................................... 36 3.7. Reconstruction and Restoration ......................................................................................................... 38 3.8. Bicentennial Plaza .............................................................................................................................. 46 3.8.1. Statue of Queen Victoria ..................................................................................................................... 47 3.8.2. Statue of Islay ..................................................................................................................................... 48 3.9. Continuing evolution of the QVB, 1986-2005 ..................................................................................... 48 3.10. Conservation and Refurbishment, 2006-2009 .................................................................................... 52 3.11. Ongoing refurbishment and upgrades, 2010-present ......................................................................... 54 4. Heritage Significance .......................................................................................................................... 55 4.1. What is Heritage Significance? ........................................................................................................... 55 4.2. Heritage Listing ................................................................................................................................... 55 4.3. Statement of Significance ................................................................................................................... 57 5. Interpretation Plan and Opportunities ................................................................................................. 59 5.1. Audience Profile .................................................................................................................................. 59 5.2. Interpretation Themes and Narratives ................................................................................................ 59 6. Interpretation Opportunities ................................................................................................................ 61 6.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 61 6.2. Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 61 6.3. Interpretation media ............................................................................................................................ 61 6.4. In the setting ....................................................................................................................................... 61 6.5. Publications, publicity and souvenirs .................................................................................................. 61 URBIS SH1371_HIP_QUEEN_VICTORIA_PLAN 6.6. Events and access .............................................................................................................................. 61 7. Proposed Interpretation Stategy ......................................................................................................... 62 7.1. Existing Interpretation ......................................................................................................................... 62 7.2. Proposed interpretation Media ............................................................................................................ 67 7.2.1. Interpretive Plaques ............................................................................................................................ 67 7.2.2. Printed and Digital Media .................................................................................................................... 67 7.2.3. Guided Tours ...................................................................................................................................... 69 8. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 71 9. Bibliography and References .............................................................................................................. 72 9.1. Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 72 9.2. References .......................................................................................................................................... 72 Disclaimer .......................................................................................................................................................