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110-749: The Powerhouse Museum , formerly known as the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences ( MAAS ), is a collection of museums in Sydney , and owned by the Government of New South Wales . Its main centre is in Ultimo, New South Wales (Powerhouse Ultimo), the others being the historic Sydney Observatory at Observatory Hill , and the newer Powerhouse Castle Hill (previously known as the Museums Discovery Centre) at Castle Hill . Powerhouse Parramatta
220-718: A southerly buster , a powerful southerly that brings gale winds and a rapid fall in temperature. Since Sydney is downwind of the Great Dividing Range , it occasionally experiences dry, westerly foehn winds typically in winter and early spring (which are the reason for its warm maximum temperatures). Westerly winds are intense when the Roaring Forties (or the Southern Annular Mode ) shift towards southeastern Australia, where they may damage homes and affect flights , in addition to making
330-409: A 7 1⁄2-inch Merz Telescope that was manufactured in 1860–1861. The EcoLogic exhibition focuses on the challenges facing the environment, human impact, and ways and technologies to stop this effect. There is a house setup called Ecohouse where people toggle light variables to see the outcome as well as other energy use simulators and a 'ecological footprint' game. The exhibition includes a section of
440-642: A Ransom and Jeffries agricultural engine and the Broken Hill Fire Brigade's horse-drawn pump-engine. The museum owns a collection of mechanical musical instruments, of which the fairground barrel organ is located in the steam exhibition, where it is powered by a small fairground engine. The most popular exhibit is arguably the museum's model of the Strasbourg astronomical clock in Strasbourg Cathedral (which at that time
550-416: A cafeteria, as well as some offices. Workshops, library, storage and additional office space is located in the annexed tram sheds (still known in-house as "Stage One"). The size and continually expanding nature of the museum's collection means that offsite storage facilities are also maintained. The new Powerhouse made it possible to rehabilitate hundreds of treasures stored at Alexandria and "exhibit them for
660-482: A celebration included items from the collection at her ancestral home, Althorp , including her wedding gown, family jewellery and film of Diana as a child. Harry Potter: The Exhibition in 2011–2012 was another popular exhibition, showcasing real costumes and sets from the eight Harry Potter films including the golden snitch, Nimbus 2000 and the Firebolt broomsticks, and various artefacts associated with all of
770-519: A feature of Sydney's topography. After Phillip's departure in December 1792, the colony's military officers began acquiring land and importing consumer goods from visiting ships. Former convicts engaged in trade and opened small businesses. Soldiers and former convicts built houses on Crown land, with or without official permission, in what was now commonly called Sydney town. Governor William Bligh (1806–08) imposed restrictions on commerce and ordered
880-696: A few areas of wet sclerophyll forests in the wetter, elevated areas in the north and northeast . These forests are defined by straight, tall tree canopies with a moist understory of soft-leaved shrubs, tree ferns and herbs. The predominant vegetation community in Sydney is the Cumberland Plain Woodland in Western Sydney ( Cumberland Plain ), followed by the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest in
990-511: A fresh water supply and a safe harbour, which Philip described as "the finest Harbour in the World ... Here a Thousand Sail of the Line may ride in the most perfect Security". The settlement was planned to be a self-sufficient penal colony based on subsistence agriculture. Trade and shipbuilding were banned in order to keep the convicts isolated. However, the soil around the settlement proved poor and
1100-635: A number of large temporary exhibitions, including ones based on popular cinema franchises such as Star Trek , The Lord of the Rings , and the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibition, showing models, props and costumes from all six Star Wars films, together with recent advances in technology that are turning fantasy into reality. About 95 percent of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences collection
1210-607: A pattern of resistance that was to be repeated as the colonial frontier expanded . A military garrison was established on the Hawkesbury in 1795. The death toll from 1794 to 1800 was 26 settlers and up to 200 Darug. Conflict again erupted from 1814 to 1816 with the expansion of the colony into Dharawal country in the Nepean region south-west of Sydney. Following the deaths of several settlers, Governor Macquarie dispatched three military detachments into Dharawal lands, culminating in
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#17327660702841320-486: A planner to design the street layout of Sydney and commissioned the construction of roads, wharves, churches, and public buildings. Parramatta Road , linking Sydney and Parramatta, was opened in 1811, and a road across the Blue Mountains was completed in 1815, opening the way for large-scale farming and grazing west of the Great Dividing Range . Following the departure of Macquarie, official policy encouraged
1430-423: A rich ceremonial life, part of a belief system centring on ancestral, totemic and supernatural beings. People from different clans and language groups came together to participate in initiation and other ceremonies. These occasions fostered trade, marriages and clan alliances. The earliest British settlers recorded the word ' Eora ' as an Aboriginal term meaning either 'people' or 'from this place'. The clans of
1540-561: A severe dust storm towards the city . The Greater Sydney Commission divides Sydney into three "cities" and five "districts" based on the 33 LGAs in the metropolitan area. The "metropolis of three cities" comprises Eastern Harbour City , Central River City and Western Parkland City . The Australian Bureau of Statistics also includes City of Central Coast (the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire) as part of Greater Sydney for population counts, adding 330,000 people. The CBD extends about 3 km (1.9 mi) south from Sydney Cove . It
1650-558: A tree with a time line marked on its rings, dating back to the 17th century. The 'Interface: people, machines, design' explores how humans have been impacted by technology. A gallery of computing technology from the typewriter to the Tamagotchi. It explores successful and not-so successful design approaches made in the computing technology world. "Experimentations" is a science exhibition and contains interactive displays demonstrating aspects of magnetism, light, electricity, motion and
1760-739: A year have temperatures at or above 30 °C (86 °F) in the central business district (CBD). In contrast, the metropolitan area averages between 35 and 65 days, depending on the suburb. The hottest day in the metropolitan area occurred in Penrith on 4 January 2020, where a high of 48.9 °C (120.0 °F) was recorded. The average annual temperature of the sea ranges from 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in September to 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) in February. Sydney has an average of 7.2 hours of sunshine per day and 109.5 clear days annually. Due to
1870-559: Is a historical Victorian-style shopping arcade . Opened on 1 April 1892, its shop fronts are an exact replica of the original internal shopping facades. Westfield Sydney , located beneath the Sydney Tower , is the largest shopping centre by area in Sydney. Harris Street Harris Street is the main thoroughfare in the Inner West suburbs of Pyrmont and Ultimo in Sydney , New South Wales, Australia. It runs from
1980-632: Is a well-known and popular Sydney tourist destination. The Federation-style building is listed on the New South Wales Government's State Heritage Register. The Ultimo building, designed by Lionel Glendenning for the Australian Bicentenary in 1988, won the Sir John Sulman Medal for architecture. It includes a specially installed reticulated steam system, run from the old boiler house, to drive
2090-467: Is arguably "The Strasburg Clock Model", built in 1887 by a 25-year-old Sydney watchmaker named Richard Smith. It is a working model of the famous Strasbourg astronomical clock in Strasbourg Cathedral (which at that time was called Strassburg or Strasburg). Smith had never actually seen the original when he built it but worked from a pamphlet which described its timekeeping and astronomical functions. The Catalina Flying Boat Frigate Bird II on display in
2200-540: Is bordered by Farm Cove within the Royal Botanic Garden to the east and Darling Harbour to the west. Suburbs surrounding the CBD include Woolloomooloo and Potts Point to the east, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst to the south, Pyrmont and Ultimo to the west, and Millers Point and The Rocks to the north. Most of these suburbs measure less than 1 km (0.4 sq mi) in area. The Sydney CBD
2310-451: Is characterised by narrow streets and thoroughfares, created in its convict beginnings. Several localities, distinct from suburbs, exist throughout Sydney's inner reaches. Central and Circular Quay are transport hubs with ferry, rail, and bus interchanges. Chinatown , Darling Harbour, and Kings Cross are important locations for culture, tourism, and recreation. The Strand Arcade , located between Pitt Street Mall and George Street ,
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#17327660702842420-610: Is due to open in 2025. In December 2023, Arts Minister John Graham announced that the Ultimo site would be closed from early February for up to three years, to allow for significant upgrades and redevelopment. A new public square is planned, and the entrance will be moved so that it faces The Goods Line walkway from Central Station . On 5 February 2024, Powerhouse Ultimo began a period of temporary closure until 2027 for major redevelopment. Community consultations were due to run until 25 February 2024. The statement of significance for
2530-554: Is due to open in 2025. The Ultimo site was scheduled to be closed for three years from February 2024 for redevelopment. Although often described as a science museum , the Powerhouse has a diverse collection encompassing all sorts of technology including decorative arts , science , communication , transport , costume , furniture , media , computer technology , space technology and steam engines . The museum has existed in various guises for over 125 years, previously named
2640-409: Is maintained in storage at any one time. From late 2004, 60 percent of this was moved to a new 3 hectares (7.4 acres) site in the northwestern Sydney suburb of Castle Hill . Built at a cost of A$ 12 million , this facility consists of seven huge sheds, including one the size of an aircraft hangar , within which are housed artefacts as a section of the mast of HMS Victory , Nelson 's flagship at
2750-592: Is one of only a handful remaining that was built by Boulton and Watt and was acquired from Whitbread 's London Brewery in 1888. This engine was named a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1986. Another important exhibit is Locomotive No. 1 , the first steam locomotive to haul a passenger train in New South Wales , built by Robert Stephenson & Company in 1854. The most popular exhibit
2860-460: Is remarkable in that nearly all of the engines on display are fully operational and are regularly demonstrated working on steam power. Together with the Boulton and Watt engine, and the museum's locomotives, steam truck and traction engines, they are a unique working collection tracing the development of steam power from the 1770s to the 1930s. Engines on display include an 1830s Maudslay engine,
2970-523: The Appin massacre (April 1816) in which at least 14 Aboriginal people were killed. The New South Wales Legislative Council became a semi-elected body in 1842. Sydney was declared a city the same year, and a governing council established, elected on a restrictive property franchise. The discovery of gold in New South Wales and Victoria in 1851 initially caused economic disruption as men moved to
3080-685: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation call Harris Street home. Until the late 1950s electric trams ran down the length of Harris Street, when they were replaced by bus services. As part of the Western Distributor , in May 1980 Harris Street was converted to one way in a northerly direction from Fig Street to Union Street; it returned to a two-way street in 1995 after the Western Distributor
3190-461: The Australian raven , Australian magpie , crested pigeon , noisy miner and the pied currawong . Introduced bird species ubiquitously found in Sydney are the common myna , common starling , house sparrow and the spotted dove . Reptile species are also numerous and predominantly include skinks . Sydney has a few mammal and spider species, such as the grey-headed flying fox and
3300-542: The Battle of Trafalgar , and the spare wheel from Bluebird-Proteus CN7 , the car Donald Campbell drove to break the world land speed record on Lake Eyre in the 1960s. Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia . Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from
3410-462: The Catalina flying boat and a Queenair Scout, the first Flying Doctor Service plane. Among the cars is a 1913 Sheffield Simplex, one of only 8 in the world. A four-minute film shows old footage of public transport. The Powerhouse Museum also has Sydney trams C11 (1898), O805 (1909), R1738 (1938. 1st of its type), steam tram motor 28A, hearse car 27s and Manly horse car 292. This exhibition
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3520-465: The Cooks River into Botany Bay. There is no single definition of the boundaries of Sydney. The Australian Statistical Geography Standard definition of Greater Sydney covers 12,369 km (4,776 sq mi) and includes the local government areas of Central Coast in the north, Hawkesbury in the north-west, Blue Mountains in the west, Sutherland Shire in the south, and Wollondilly in
3630-496: The Garden Island Tunnel System , the only tunnel warfare complex in Sydney, and the heritage-listed military fortification systems Bradleys Head Fortification Complex and Middle Head Fortifications , which were part of a total defence system for Sydney Harbour . A post-war immigration and baby boom saw a rapid increase in Sydney's population and the spread of low-density housing in suburbs throughout
3740-659: The Middle East and Africa becoming major sources. By 2021, the population of Sydney was over 5.2 million, with 40% of the population born overseas. China and India overtook England as the largest source countries for overseas-born residents. Sydney is a coastal basin with the Tasman Sea to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north, and the Woronora Plateau to
3850-795: The Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 km (50 mi) from the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west. Greater Sydney consists of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are colloquially known as "Sydneysiders". The estimated population in June 2023
3960-662: The Smithsonian museums in the United States, multiple centres would display the institution's collections. While Government Ministers argued the decision would be a "win-win" for Sydney and Parramatta, critics argued it would be a "lose-lose", with both cities losing important heritage. On 29 July 2020, the NSW government announced it had abandoned plans to relocate three of the Powerhouse Museum's biggest exhibits –
4070-610: The Sydney funnel-web , respectively, and has a huge diversity of marine species inhabiting its harbour and beaches. Under the Köppen–Geiger classification , Sydney has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) with "warm, sometimes hot" summers and "generally mild", to "cool" winters. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation , the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern Annular Mode play an important role in determining Sydney's weather patterns: drought and bushfire on
4180-591: The Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales (1879–1882) and the Technological Museum (August 1893 – March 1988). As of 2022, the collection contains over 500,000 objects collected over the last 135 years, many of which are displayed or housed at the site it has occupied since 1988, and for which it is named – a converted electric tram power station in the Inner West suburb of Ultimo , originally constructed in 1902 and
4290-645: The University of New South Wales are ranked 18th and 19th in the world respectively. Sydney has hosted major international sporting events such as the 2000 Summer Olympics , the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final , and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final . The city is among the top fifteen most-visited, with millions of tourists coming each year to see the city's landmarks. The city has over 1,000,000 ha (2,500,000 acres) of nature reserves and parks , and its notable natural features include Sydney Harbour and Royal National Park . The Sydney Harbour Bridge and
4400-624: The University of Sydney (1854–61), the Australian Museum (1858–66), the Town Hall (1868–88), and the General Post Office (1866–92). Elaborate coffee palaces and hotels were erected. Daylight bathing at Sydney's beaches was banned, but segregated bathing at designated ocean baths was popular. Drought, the winding down of public works and a financial crisis led to economic depression in Sydney throughout most of
4510-463: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and cultural heritage sector made planning extremely difficult. The proposed closure and move attracted wide-ranging criticism from museum experts, architectural heritage and urban design experts, cultural and business leaders, and the public on a number of grounds, including loss of cultural heritage, risk and cost. The main concerns expressed about
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4620-544: The "Aborigines of Australia" declared 26 January "A Day of Mourning " for "the whiteman's seizure of our country." With the outbreak of Second World War in 1939, Sydney experienced a surge in industrial development. Unemployment virtually disappeared and women moved into jobs previously typically reserved for males. Sydney was attacked by Japanese submarines in May and June 1942 with 21 killed. Households built air raid shelters and performed drills. Military establishments in response to World War II in Australia included
4730-627: The 1890s. Meanwhile, the Sydney-based premier of New South Wales, George Reid , became a key figure in the process of federation. When the six colonies federated on 1 January 1901, Sydney became the capital of the State of New South Wales. The spread of bubonic plague in 1900 prompted the state government to modernise the wharves and demolish inner-city slums. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 saw more Sydney males volunteer for
4840-736: The 1980s. Arts oriented temporary exhibitions have included the Fabergé exhibition, the Treasures of Palestine exhibition, the Strictly Mardi Gras exhibition, the Christian Dior exhibition, the Audrey Hepburn exhibition, Kylie: an exhibition – a tribute to Kylie Minogue and her contribution to music, stage and screen, featuring many of her costumes. An exhibition about Diana, Princess of Wales , called Diana:
4950-718: The Boulton and Watt steam engine, the Locomotive No. 1, and the Catalina flying boat. The planned three centres of Sydney's Powerhouse Museum were the existing building at Ultimo, the Parramatta riverside, Museum Discovery Centre at Castle Hill and the Sydney Observatory. The decision to keep Ultimo site was made in the context of increasing public awareness of the cultural damage that would be done by closing
5060-569: The CBD. In the warm season black nor'easters are usually the cause of heavy rain events, though other forms of low-pressure areas , including remnants of ex-cyclones , may also bring heavy deluge and afternoon thunderstorms. 'Snow' was last alleged in 1836, more than likely a fall of graupel , or soft hail; and in July 2008 the Upper North Shore saw a fall of graupel that was mistaken by many for 'snow'. In 2009, dry conditions brought
5170-481: The Cumberland Plain. Immigrants—mostly from Britain and continental Europe—and their children accounted for over three-quarters of Sydney's population growth between 1947 and 1971. The newly created Cumberland County Council oversaw low-density residential developments, the largest at Green Valley and Mount Druitt . Older residential centres such as Parramatta, Bankstown and Liverpool became suburbs of
5280-661: The Federation building says the Powerhouse played a "major part in the 20th-century development of the Ultimo/Pyrmont area and in the wider heritage conservation movement in NSW." and it was part of the Darling Harbour Bicentennial citywide adaptation project, incorporated into "the transition of a major industrial location to a cultural, educational and tourism precinct". In January 2019, Lisa Havilah , former director of Carriageworks , took up
5390-846: The Inner West and Northern Sydney , the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub in the coastline and the Blue Gum High Forest scantily present in the North Shore – all of which are critically endangered. The city also includes the Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland found in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park on the Hornsby Plateau to the north. Sydney is home to dozens of bird species, which commonly include
5500-418: The Powerhouse, along with the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and cultural heritage . The design of the Parramatta venue was subsequently amended by reducing the proposed presentation floor space and researcher apartments, along with a greater setback to the river. In March 2021, during heavy rains, the proposed area flooded for the second time in two years, and even with increased setback from
5610-420: The Sydney area occupied land with traditional boundaries. There is debate, however, about which group or nation these clans belonged to, and the extent of differences in language and rites. The major groups were the coastal Eora people, the Dharug (Darug) occupying the inland area from Parramatta to the Blue Mountains, and the Dharawal people south of Botany Bay. Darginung and Gundungurra languages were spoken on
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#17327660702845720-442: The Sydney region are grassy woodlands (i.e. savannas ) and some pockets of dry sclerophyll forests, which consist of eucalyptus trees, casuarinas , melaleucas , corymbias and angophoras , with shrubs (typically wattles , callistemons , grevilleas and banksias ), and a semi-continuous grass in the understory . The plants in this community tend to have rough, spiky leaves due to low soil fertility . Sydney also features
5830-568: The Union Jack 165 years earlier, commencing her Australian Royal Tour . It was the first time a reigning monarch stepped onto Australian soil. Increasing high-rise development in Sydney and the expansion of suburbs beyond the "green belt" envisaged by the planners of the 1950s resulted in community protests. In the early 1970s, trade unions and resident action groups imposed green bans on development projects in historic areas such as The Rocks. Federal, State and local governments introduced heritage and environmental legislation. The Sydney Opera House
5940-536: The United Kingdom, Vietnam and the Philippines. Despite being one of the most expensive cities in the world, Sydney frequently ranks in the top ten most liveable cities . It is classified as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world. Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity, Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in education, finance, manufacturing and tourism . The University of Sydney and
6050-409: The World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House are major tourist attractions. Central Station is the hub of Sydney's suburban train, metro and light rail networks and longer-distance services. The main passenger airport serving the city is Kingsford Smith Airport , one of the world's oldest continually operating airports. In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip , the first governor of New South Wales, named
6160-469: The ages, from horse-drawn carts through steam engines, cars and planes to the latest hybrid technology. On display is Steam Locomotive No. 1243 , which served for 87 years, oldest contractor built locomotive in Australia. It stands beside a mock-up of a railway platform, on the other side of which is the Governor of New South Wales 's railway carriage, of the 1880s. Also in this exhibition is the original Central railway station destination board , relocated to
6270-400: The air-sea rescue squadron, the museum's specimen flew from the Rose Bay flying boat base across the Pacific Ocean on the first uncharted air route between Sydney and Valparaiso , Chile. The use of Catalina flying boats by Qantas Empire Airways after World War II was significant in the development of Australia's commercial air services. The transport exhibition looks at transport through
6380-420: The armed forces than the Commonwealth authorities could process, and helped reduce unemployment. Those returning from the war in 1918 were promised "homes fit for heroes" in new suburbs such as Daceyville and Matraville. "Garden suburbs" and mixed industrial and residential developments also grew along the rail and tram corridors. The population reached one million in 1926, after Sydney had regained its position as
6490-513: The arrival of the British, there were 4,000 to 8,000 Aboriginal people in the greater Sydney region. The inhabitants subsisted on fishing, hunting, and gathering plants and shellfish. The diet of the coastal clans was more reliant on seafood whereas hinterland clans ate more forest animals and plants. The clans had distinctive equipment and weapons mostly made of stone, wood, plant materials, bone and shell. They also differed in their body decorations, hairstyles, songs and dances. Aboriginal clans had
6600-417: The blaze despite a 5-storey plunge. Maiden commenced rebuilding the collection, but for the subsequent decade the new museum found itself housed in a large tin shed in The Domain , a facility it shared with the Sydney Hospital morgue . The ever-present stench of decaying corpses was not the best advertisement for an institution dedicated to the promotion of sanitation. Eventually – after intense lobbying –
6710-418: The clock displays the position of the planets, the days of the month, solar time , lunar phases and analog time . The Space exhibition looks at space and discoveries relating to it. It includes a life size model space-shuttle cockpit. It has a feature on Australian satellites and joins the Transport exhibit through an underground temporary exhibit walkway and two side entrances. The Powerhouse Museum has
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#17327660702846820-422: The coastal region. The rising sea level between 18,000 and 6,000 years ago flooded the rias to form estuaries and deep harbours. Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is one such ria . Sydney features two major soil types: sandy soils (which originate from the Hawkesbury sandstone) and clay (which are from shales and volcanic rocks ), though some soils may be a mixture of the two. Directly overlying
6930-442: The conclusion of the exhibition, the Australian Museum (Sydney's museum of natural history) appointed a committee to select the best exhibits with the intention of exhibiting them permanently in a new museum to be sited within the Garden Palace. The new museum was to be called The Technological, Industrial, and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales; its purpose was to exhibit the latest industrial, construction and design innovations with
7040-473: The cove where the first British settlement was established Sydney Cove after Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney . The cove was called Warrane by the Aboriginal inhabitants. Phillip considered naming the settlement Albion , but this name was never officially used. By 1790 Phillip and other officials were regularly calling the township Sydney. Sydney was declared a city in 1842. The Gadigal (Cadigal) clan, whose territory stretches along
7150-455: The decrepit Ultimo Power Station , several hundred metres north of the Harris Street site had been earmarked as the museum's new permanent home along with the adjoining former Ultimo Tram Depot . The museum spent an interim period exhibiting as the Powerhouse Museum – Stage One in the nearby tram sheds before re-opening as the Powerhouse Museum at the new site on 10 March 1988. The main museum building contains five levels, three courtyards and
7260-412: The demolition of buildings erected on Crown land, including some owned by past and serving military officers. The resulting conflict culminated in the Rum Rebellion of 1808, in which Bligh was deposed by the New South Wales Corps . Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1810–1821) played a leading role in the development of Sydney and New South Wales, establishing a bank, a currency and a hospital. He employed
7370-427: The eastern coast of Australia, making landfall at Botany Bay . In 1788, the First Fleet of convicts , led by Arthur Phillip , founded Sydney as a British penal colony , the first European settlement in Australia. After World War II, Sydney experienced mass migration and by 2021 over 40 per cent of the population was born overseas. Foreign countries of birth with the greatest representation are mainland China, India,
7480-525: The electric current through the glowing gas inside it, and changes when touched. The museum holds an extensive and significant collection of Doulton ware and other ceramics, as well as industrial equipment and industrial design, such as furniture. Various exhibitions have paid tribute to Australian popular culture. Some of these have included On the box: great moments in Australian television 1956–2006 tribute to 50 years of Australian television and The 80s are back which looks back at life in Australia in
7590-463: The emigration of free British settlers to New South Wales. Immigration to the colony increased from 900 free settlers in 1826–30 to 29,000 in 1836–40, many of whom settled in Sydney. By the 1840s Sydney exhibited a geographic divide between poor and working-class residents living west of the Tank Stream in areas such as The Rocks , and the more affluent residents living to its east. Free settlers, free-born residents and former convicts now represented
7700-480: The first crops failed, leading to several years of hunger and strict rationing. The food crisis was relieved with the arrival of the Second Fleet in mid-1790 and the Third Fleet in 1791. Former convicts received small grants of land, and government and private farms spread to the more fertile lands around Parramatta , Windsor and Camden on the Cumberland Plain . By 1804, the colony was self-sufficient in food. A smallpox epidemic in April 1789 killed about half
7810-402: The first time in almost a century". In 1982, the museum incorporated the Sydney Observatory . The museum moved to 500 Harris Street in March 1988, and took its new name from the new location. Following its closure as a working observatory in 1982, Sydney Observatory was incorporated into the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, as the museum was still formally known, though from 1988 this name
7920-466: The fringes of the Sydney area. The first meeting between Aboriginals and British explorers occurred on 29 April 1770 when Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay (Kamay ) and encountered the Gweagal clan. Two Gweagal men opposed the landing party and one was shot and wounded. Cook and his crew stayed at Botany Bay for a week, collecting water, timber, fodder and botanical specimens and exploring
8030-700: The goldfields. Melbourne soon overtook Sydney as Australia's largest city, leading to an enduring rivalry between the two. However, increased immigration from overseas and wealth from gold exports increased demand for housing, consumer goods, services and urban amenities. The New South Wales government also stimulated growth by investing heavily in railways, trams, roads, ports, telegraph, schools and urban services. The population of Sydney and its suburbs grew from 95,600 in 1861 to 386,900 in 1891. The city developed many of its characteristic features. The growing population packed into rows of terrace houses in narrow streets. New public buildings of sandstone abounded, including at
8140-505: The inland location, frost is recorded early in the morning in Western Sydney a few times in winter. Autumn and spring are the transitional seasons, with spring showing a larger temperature variation than autumn. Sydney experiences an urban heat island effect. This makes certain parts of the city more vulnerable to extreme heat, including coastal suburbs. In late spring and summer, temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F) are not uncommon, though hot, dry conditions are usually ended by
8250-509: The intention of showing how improvements in the living standards and health of the population might be brought about. In September 1882, before the new museum could be opened a fire completely destroyed the Garden Palace, leaving the museum's first curator, Joseph Henry Maiden with a collection consisting of only the most durable artefacts including a Ceylonese statue of an elephant carved in graphite that had miraculously survived
8360-713: The large, rare steam machines in its collection. The Powerhouse Museum has its origins in a recommendation of the trustees of the Australian Museum in 1878 and the Sydney International Exhibition of 1879 and Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880 . The Sydney International Exhibition was held in the Garden Palace , a purpose-built exhibition building located in the grounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens . At
8470-556: The main body of insurgents were routed by about 100 troops and volunteers at Rouse Hill . At least 39 convicts were killed in the uprising and subsequent executions. As the colony spread to the more fertile lands around the Hawkesbury River , north-west of Sydney, conflict between the settlers and the Darug people intensified, reaching a peak from 1794 to 1810. Bands of Darug people, led by Pemulwuy and later by his son Tedbury , burned crops, killed livestock and raided settler stores in
8580-408: The main characters. In 2011, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Wiggles , the Powerhouse mounted The Wiggles Exhibition , which exhibited memorabilia from the group as well as from The Cockroaches , since two of the group were previously members of The Cockroaches . Due to its popularity, the exhibition was kept as one of the museum's permanent exhibitions. Since 1988, the Powerhouse hosted
8690-462: The metropolis. Manufacturing, protected by high tariffs, employed over a third of the workforce from 1945 to the 1960s. However, as the long post-war economic boom progressed, retail and other service industries became the main source of new jobs. An estimated one million onlookers, most of the city's population, watched Queen Elizabeth II land in 1954 at Farm Cove where Captain Phillip had raised
8800-531: The most famous. The Nepean River wraps around the western edge of the city and becomes the Hawkesbury River before reaching Broken Bay . Most of Sydney's water storages can be found on tributaries of the Nepean River. The Parramatta River is mostly industrial and drains a large area of Sydney's western suburbs into Port Jackson. The southern parts of the city are drained by the Georges River and
8910-544: The most populous city in Australia. The government created jobs with massive public projects such as the electrification of the Sydney rail network and building the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sydney was more severely affected by the Great Depression of the 1930s than regional New South Wales or Melbourne. New building almost came to a standstill, and by 1933 the unemployment rate for male workers
9020-522: The museum in the 1980s when the station was refurbished. Powerhouse Museum restored the locomotives 3830 , restored to operational order in 1997 and 3265 , restored in 2009 after 40 years off the rails. Sydney's last Hansom Cab was donated to the museum by its driver, who left it at the gates of the Harris Street building. There is also a horse-drawn bus and collection of motorbikes. Suspended aeroplanes, which can be viewed from balconies, include
9130-432: The museum is the one that Sir Patrick Gordon Taylor flew on the first flight from Australia to South America, in which he brought home 29 soldiers from New Guinea in 1945. It is the largest suspended plane in any museum in the world, and an example of the most successful flying boat ever introduced and one that was important in connecting Australia by air with the rest of the world after World War II . After involvement in
9240-664: The museum was relocated to a three-storey building; a temporary home at the Agricultural Hall in the Domain, a new, purpose-built premises in Harris Street , Ultimo and was given a new name: the "Technological Museum". The new location placed the museum adjacent to the Sydney Technical College , and as such it was intended to provide material inspiration to the students. As time passed, its name
9350-617: The navy. The First Fleet of 11 ships under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. It comprised more than a thousand settlers, including 736 convicts. The fleet soon moved to the more suitable Port Jackson where a settlement was established at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. The colony of New South Wales was formally proclaimed by Governor Phillip on 7 February 1788. Sydney Cove offered
9460-405: The new facility to international standards and engineered to present larger objects from the collection including the Catalina flying boat and Locomotive No.1 but proposals for lending the large items to different organisations across the state were in train since 2019, and concern persisted about risks, logistics and decontextualisation of exhibits. The insecurity, the "deluge of controversy" and
9570-611: The northern tip of the Pyrmont peninsula to Broadway in the central business district . Harris Street was formerly lined by industrial sites such as the Ultimo Power Station , Ultimo Tram Depot and the Government Printing Office. However, redevelopment of Pyrmont from a largely industrial suburb to a more residential and commercial precinct has seen the University of Technology, Sydney and
9680-641: The older Hawkesbury sandstone is the Wianamatta shale , a geological feature found in western Sydney that was deposited in connection with a large river delta during the Middle Triassic . The Wianamatta shale generally comprises fine grained sedimentary rocks such as shales, mudstones , ironstones , siltstones and laminites , with less common sandstone units. The Wianamatta Group is made up of Bringelly Shale , Minchinbury Sandstone and Ashfield Shale . The most prevalent plant communities in
9790-569: The one hand, and storms and flooding on the other, associated with the opposite phases of the oscillation in Australia . The weather is moderated by proximity to the ocean, and more extreme temperatures are recorded in the inland western suburbs because Sydney CBD is more affected by the oceanic climate drivers than the western suburbs. At Sydney's primary weather station at Observatory Hill , extreme temperatures have ranged from 45.8 °C (114.4 °F) on 18 January 2013 to 2.1 °C (35.8 °F) on 22 June 1932. An average of 14.9 days
9900-587: The plan was revisited and the move was confirmed with a decision made to close the Ultimo site between June 2020, and early 2021. The final design for a new venue was unveiled in December 2019. The former site was to become a Broadway style theatre and fashion museum. In July 2020, the decision to close the site and relocate the collections was reversed. The proposed new venue was larger than the old Powerhouse site in Ultimo, containing of 30,000 square metres, with about half (18,000 square metres) slated for exhibition and public space. The NSW Government promised to develop
10010-505: The position of CEO of MAAS. She became the fourth head of MAAS in 5 1 ⁄ 2 years. As of December 2023 she is still in the role. The museum hosts a number of permanent exhibitions, including many concerning different modes of transport and communication. The Powerhouse Museum houses a number of unique exhibits including the oldest operational rotative steam engine in the world, the Whitbread Engine . Dating from 1785, it
10120-412: The proposed move included: On 4 July 2020, it was decided to keep and renovate the Ultimo building instead of demolishing it and relocating its collections, and build an additional venue in Parramatta. The NSW Premier said this would allow for "an outstanding visitor experience in the areas of technology, science, engineering and design at two major locations", and that like other large collections such as
10230-604: The region's Indigenous population. In November 1790 Bennelong led a group of survivors of the Sydney clans into the settlement, establishing a continuous presence of Aboriginal Australians in settled Sydney. Phillip had been given no instructions for urban development, but in July 1788 submitted a plan for the new town at Sydney Cove . It included a wide central avenue, a permanent Government House, law courts, hospital and other public buildings, but no provision for warehouses, shops, or other commercial buildings. Phillip promptly ignored his own plan, and unplanned development became
10340-497: The river, experts were concerned about irreparable damage from increased humidity to items in the collection, especially delicate ones made of paper, textile and wood. In November 2020, revised plans to move Willow Grove "brick by brick" also created further controversy, with the National Trust advising that dismantling a building of such fragile materials would be an expensive and "catastrophic" failure. Powerhouse Parramatta
10450-401: The senses. These include a machine that explains how chocolate is made and lets one taste four 'stages' of chocolate. There is a full-sized model of the front of a firetruck that measures the pedal-power used to sound its horn and lights, and a hand-powered model railway using a magnetic system to provide electric current to the track. One of the most popular features is a plasma ball that shows
10560-519: The south-west. The local government area of the City of Sydney covers about 26 square kilometres from Garden island in the east to Bicentennial Park in the west, and south to the suburbs of Alexandria and Rosebery . Sydney is made up of mostly Triassic rock with some recent igneous dykes and volcanic necks (typically found in the Prospect dolerite intrusion , west of Sydney). The Sydney Basin
10670-534: The south. Sydney spans two geographic regions. The Cumberland Plain lies to the south and west of the Harbour and is relatively flat. The Hornsby Plateau is located to the north and is dissected by steep valleys. The flat areas of the south were the first to be developed; it was not until the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge that the northern reaches became more heavily populated. Seventy surf beaches can be found along its coastline, with Bondi Beach being
10780-497: The southern shore of Port Jackson from South Head to Darling Harbour , are the traditional owners of the land on which the British settlement was initially established, and call their territory Gadi ( Cadi ). Aboriginal clan names within the Sydney region were often formed by adding the suffix "-gal" to a word denoting the name for their territory, a specific place in their territory, a food source, or totem. Greater Sydney covers
10890-592: The surrounding area. Cook sought to establish relations with the Aboriginal population without success. Britain had been sending convicts to its American colonies for most of the eighteenth century, and the loss of these colonies in 1783 was the impetus to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay. Proponents of colonisation also pointed to the strategic importance of a new base in the Asia-Pacific region and its potential to provide much-needed timber and flax for
11000-439: The temperature seem colder than it actually is . Rainfall has a moderate to low variability and has historically been fairly uniform throughout the year, although in recent years it has been more summer-dominant and erratic. Precipitation is usually higher in summer through to autumn, and lower in late winter to early spring. In late autumn and winter, east coast lows may bring large amounts of rainfall, especially in
11110-509: The traditional lands of 28 known Aboriginal clans. The first people to inhabit the area now known as Sydney were Aboriginal Australians who had migrated from southeast Asia via northern Australia. Flaked pebbles found in Western Sydney's gravel sediments might indicate human occupation from 45,000 to 50,000 years ago, while radiocarbon dating has shown evidence of human activity in the region from around 30,000 years ago. Prior to
11220-480: The vast majority of the population of Sydney, leading to increasing public agitation for responsible government and an end to transportation. Transportation to New South Wales ceased in 1840. In 1804, Irish convicts led around 300 rebels in the Castle Hill Rebellion , an attempt to march on Sydney, commandeer a ship, and sail to freedom. Poorly armed, and with their leader Philip Cunningham captured,
11330-401: Was 28 per cent, but over 40 per cent in working class areas such as Alexandria and Redfern. Many families were evicted from their homes and shanty towns grew along coastal Sydney and Botany Bay, the largest being "Happy Valley" at La Perouse . The Depression also exacerbated political divisions. In March 1932, when populist Labor premier Jack Lang attempted to open the Sydney Harbour Bridge he
11440-665: Was 5,450,496, which is about 66% of the state's population. The city's nicknames include the Emerald City and the Harbour City . Aboriginal Australians have inhabited the Greater Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, and their engravings and cultural sites are common. The traditional custodians of the land on which modern Sydney stands are the clans of the Darug , Dharawal and Eora peoples. During his first Pacific voyage in 1770, James Cook charted
11550-411: Was also controversial for its cost and disputes between architect Jørn Utzon and government officials. However, soon after it opened in 1973 it became a major tourist attraction and symbol of the city. The progressive reduction in tariff protection from 1974 began the transformation of Sydney from a manufacturing centre to a "world city". From the 1980s, overseas immigration grew rapidly, with Asia ,
11660-408: Was called Strassburg or Strasburg). The reproduction is a working model built between 1887 and 1889 by a 25-year-old Sydney watchmaker named Richard Bartholomew Smith, who had never actually seen the original when he built it but worked from a pamphlet which described its timekeeping and astronomical functions. The museum acquired it in 1890. Made from carved and painted wood with gold painted detailing,
11770-459: Was changed to The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and it also established branches in some of New South Wales' main industrial and mining centres, including Broken Hill , Albury , Newcastle and Maitland . It also quickly outgrew the main Harris Street site and by 1978 the situation had become dire, with many exhibits literally stuffed into its attic, and left unexhibited for decades. On 23 August 1978, Premier Neville Wran announced that
11880-514: Was formed in the early Triassic period. The sand that was to become the sandstone of today was laid down between 360 and 200 million years ago. The sandstone has shale lenses and fossil riverbeds. The Sydney Basin bioregion includes coastal features of cliffs, beaches, and estuaries. Deep river valleys known as rias were carved during the Triassic period in the Hawkesbury sandstone of
11990-616: Was no longer used in marketing materials in favour of the Powerhouse Museum brand. In February 2015, the State Government controversially announced that the Powerhouse Museum would be relocated to Parramatta . However this plan was reviewed, and an announcement from the NSW government in April 2017, suggested that the museum would stay in its current location. A decision to remain was announced on 18 July 2017. In 2018,
12100-550: Was upstaged by Francis de Groot of the far-right New Guard , who slashed the ribbon with a sabre. In January 1938, Sydney celebrated the Empire Games and the sesquicentenary of European settlement in Australia. One journalist wrote, "Golden beaches. Sun tanned men and maidens...Red-roofed villas terraced above the blue waters of the harbour...Even Melbourne seems like some grey and stately city of Northern Europe compared with Sydney's sub-tropical splendours." A congress of
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