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102-748: Pyrmont Power Station was an electricity generating plant located in the Sydney suburb of Pyrmont, New South Wales . The power station was built by the Electric Lighting Department of the Municipal Council of Sydney , and began operations in 1904 as the Sydney Electric Lighting Station. The original equipment included three Ferranti cross compound reciprocating steam engines, one of 500 horsepower (hp) and two of 1,000 hp, each of which drove
204-718: 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
306-482: A turboprop design developed at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) under the direction of Hayne Constant . It is somewhat ironic that BTH, its erstwhile partners, were at the same time working with Frank Whittle on his pioneering jet designs. In mid-1938, MV was awarded a contract to build Avro Manchester twin-engined heavy bombers under licence from A.V. Roe . As this type of work
408-572: A capacity of 2 MW. Steam was supplied by 4 Stirling boilers whose smoke exhausted to the original chimney. This plant remained in service until 1920, when the two turbo-generators were relocated at Ultimo PS as No3+4 and the four boilers were demolished to make room for the high-pressure plant. In 1909 No 2 engine house was built to the southern side of the original engine house and provided room for more turbines. 2 Willans & Robinson 4 MW reaction turbines were added in 1910(Nos8+9). Another Willans & Robinson 4 MW reaction turbo-alternator
510-519: 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
612-696: 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
714-511: 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
816-605: A hindrance to gaining government contracts during the First World War . In 1917 a holding company was formed to try to find financing to buy the company's properties. In May 1917, control of the holding company was obtained jointly by the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and Finance Company , of Birmingham , chaired by Dudley Docker , and Vickers Limited , of Barrow-in-Furness . On 15 March 1919, Docker agreed terms with Vickers, for Vickers to purchase all
918-750: A massive expansion of electrical distribution, installations, and appliance purchases. Sales shot up, and 1927 marked the company's best year to date. On 15 November 1922 the BBC was registered and the BBC's Manchester station, 2ZY , was officially opened on 375 metres transmitting from the Metropolitan Vickers Electricity works in Old Trafford. In 1921, they bought a 9-acre (3.6 ha) site at Attercliffe Common in Sheffield , which
1020-522: A new body, known as the Sydney County Council (SCC), which was formed in 1935. The Sydney County Council would be responsible for the supply of electricity to numerous constituent municipalities in the greater Sydney region. The constituent municipal councils elected and controlled the new body. This arrangement continued until 1952, when the SCC's generation responsibilities were transferred to
1122-590: A number of turbines built by the company in and for the Soviet Union proved to be faulty. The British government intervened; the engineers were released and trade with Russia was resumed after a brief embargo. During the 1930s Metropolitan Vickers produced two dozen very large diameter (3m/10 ft) three-phase AC traction motors for the Hungarian railway's V40 and V60 electric locomotives. The 1640 kW rated power machinery, designed by Kálmán Kandó ,
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#17327865706551224-607: 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
1326-472: A peak loader or on stand by. From 1936 to 1952, Pyrmont was run by the Sydney County Council (SCC), which had assumed control of the Municipal Council of Sydney's generating assets. The Electricity Commission of New South Wales , formed in 1950, took control of Pyrmont on 1 January 1952, becoming its third and final operator. After remaining derelict for almost a decade, the power station site
1428-486: 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
1530-406: A post- Second World War backlog, the first 50 MW turbo-alternator arrived from England in 1948, but the new building designed to house it, construction of which commenced in 1947, was not ready. The first of the 50 MW units was not commissioned until 1952, five years behind schedule, and the fourth unit was in service by 1955. When completed in 1955, Pyrmont 'B' was rated at 200 megawatts, making it
1632-423: 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
1734-561: 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
1836-644: A three-phase alternator from Dick, Kerr & Co. for a total output of approximately 1,500 kilovolt-amperes (kVA). In 1905, two additional triple expansion 1,000 hp engines coupled to Dick Kerr 600 kW alternators were commissioned, increasing total capacity to approximately 2,700 KW. Steam was supplied by 5 Babcock & Wilcox WIF chain grate boilers, each 10,000 lb/hr at 160 psi. The five reciprocating engines were relegated to emergency use from 1911 and retired in 1916. Low-pressure plant: two Willans & Robinson / Dick, Kerr & Co. turbo-alternators were commissioned in 1907 (Nos 6+7), each with
1938-739: 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
2040-469: 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. Metropolitan-Vickers Metropolitan-Vickers , Metrovick , or Metrovicks , was a British heavy electrical engineering company of
2142-540: 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
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#17327865706552244-451: 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 ,
2346-671: 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 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
2448-523: 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
2550-461: 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
2652-653: The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units . In the 1950s, the company built a large power transformer works at Wythenshawe , Manchester. The factory opened in 1957, and was closed by GEC in 1971, after which it was sold to the American compressor manufacturer Ingersoll Rand . In 1961, the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was invited to the company's factory at Trafford Park as part of his tour of Manchester. The rivalry between Metrovick and BTH
2754-465: 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
2856-518: The Electricity Commission of New South Wales . By the late 1930s, the first turbo-alternators were nearing the end of their useful lives, and it was decided to redevelop the power station in 1938. In 1942, the SCC accepted the tender of Australian General Electric to supply a single 50-megawatt (MW), 50 Hz turbo-alternator manufactured by Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company Limited of Trafford Park , Manchester , England ;
2958-609: 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, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and the Philippines. Despite being one of
3060-496: 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
3162-615: 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 the eastern coast of Australia, making landfall at Botany Bay . In 1788,
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3264-515: The Metrovick F.2 and eventually flew in 1943 on a Gloster Meteor . Considered to be too complex to bother with, Metrovick then re-engineered the design once again to produce roughly double the power, while at the same time starting work on a much larger design, the Metrovick F.9 Sapphire . Although the F.9 proved to be a winner, the Ministry of Supply nevertheless forced the company to sell
3366-659: 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
3468-610: 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
3570-645: 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
3672-624: 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
3774-654: The Western Australian Government Railways X class 2-Do-2 locomotive and in 1958 the type 2 Co-Bo, later re-classified under the TOPS system as the British Rail Class 28 . This diesel-electric locomotive was unusual on two counts; its Co-Bo wheel arrangement and its Crossley 2-Stroke diesel engine (evolved from a World War II marine engine). Intended as part the British Railways Modernisation Plan ,
3876-618: The electrification of the Woodhead Line in the early 1950s. Larger but broadly similar locomotives were also supplied to the New South Wales Government Railways as its 46 class . The company also designed the British Rail Class 82 , 25 kV AC locomotives built by Beyer, Peacock & Company in Manchester using Metrovick electrical equipment. The company also supplied electrical equipment for
3978-706: The shares of the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and Finance Company for almost £13 million. On 8 September 1919, Vickers changed the name of the British Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company to Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company . The immediate post-war era was marked by low investment and continued labour unrest. Fortunes changed in 1926 with the formation of the Central Electricity Board which standardized electrical supply and led to
4080-593: 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
4182-627: 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
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4284-569: 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
4386-481: 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
4488-846: 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
4590-593: 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
4692-442: 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
4794-627: 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
4896-571: 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
4998-481: 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
5100-568: 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
5202-422: 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
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#17327865706555304-532: 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
5406-546: 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
5508-401: The early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse . Highly diversified, it was particularly well known for its industrial electrical equipment such as generators , steam turbines , switchgear , transformers , electronics and railway traction equipment. Metrovick holds a place in history as the builders of the first commercial transistor computer , the Metrovick 950 , and
5610-463: 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
5712-407: The firm went on to complete 43 examples. With the design of the much improved four-engined derivative, the Avro Lancaster , MV switched production to that famous type, supplied with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines from the Ford Trafford Park shadow factory . Three hangars were erected on the southside of Manchester's Ringway Airport for assembly and testing of its Lancasters, before a policy switch
5814-423: The first British axial-flow jet engine , the Metropolitan-Vickers F.2 . Its factory in Trafford Park , Manchester , was for most of the 20th century one of the biggest and most important heavy engineering facilities in Britain and the world. Metrovick started as a way to separate the existing British Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company factories from United States control, which had proven to be
5916-480: 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
6018-412: 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
6120-700: 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
6222-505: 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
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#17327865706556324-480: The jet division to Armstrong Siddeley in 1947 to reduce the number of companies in the business. In addition to building aircraft, other wartime work included the manufacture of both Dowty and Messier undercarriages, automatic pilot units, searchlights and radar equipment. They also produced electric vans and lorries . The post-war era led to massive demand for electrical systems, leading to additional rivalries between Metrovick and BTH as each attempted to one-up
6426-459: The largest of the five power stations which existed in the inner Sydney area. Bunnerong Power Station , also formerly operated by the SCC, was much larger, but outside the inner city area. Pyrmont became an emergency generator from the 1970s onwards, as newer power stations were brought into use. 'B' Station was decommissioned in 1983 (along with White Bay Power Station ). The station had little more than twenty years in regular use, and ten years as
6528-505: 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
6630-430: The merger was marked by poor communication and intense rivalry, and the two companies generally worked at cross purposes. The next year the combined company was purchased by the Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) holding group, who also owned Edison Swan (Ediswan); and Ferguson, Pailin & Co , manufacturers of electrical switchgear in Openshaw, Manchester. The rivalry between Metrovick and BTH continued, and AEI
6732-407: 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
6834-463: 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
6936-408: 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
7038-405: 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
7140-440: 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
7242-399: 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 was 5,450,496, which is about 66% of the state's population. The city's nicknames include the Emerald City and
7344-441: The north of the original building. 'A' Station capacity had increased to 75 MW by 1924 (excluding the decommissioned reciprocating engine-driven plant). The 1904–1924 installation became known as Pyrmont 'A' Station as the site was expanded. This plant was retired in 1956 when Pyrmont "B" was put into commercial production. Dynamotors were provided at Town Hall and Lang Park to supply direct current to customers. Alternating current
7446-641: 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
7548-569: 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
7650-444: The order was confirmed in 1944. This order was doubled in 1945, then doubled again in 1947, to a total of four 50 MW Range-units. These units generated current at 33 kV, which was also the transmission voltage, as there was no room for step-up transformers. Steam was supplied by 4 International Combustion Limited 'Lopulco' Pulverised fuel boilers each producing 430,000 lbs of steam per hour at 1250 psi and 950 °F. Delayed by
7752-426: The other in delivering ever-larger turbogenerator contracts. Metrovick also expanded its appliance division during this time, becoming a well known supplier of refrigerators and stoves. The design and manufacture of sophisticated scientific instruments, such as electron microscopes , and mass spectrometers , became an important area of scientific research for the company. In 1947, a Metrovick G.1 Gatric gas turbine
7854-463: The pollution(black smoke) from the stations' three chimneys was very bad. Total station capacity was increased to 14.7 MW including the reciprocating engines. In 1915 two Babcock+Wilcox cross drum forced draft boilers each with an output of 40,000 lb/hr and a 5 MW AEG generator(No11) were added. The low pressure plant remained in service until 1937 when other power stations (Bunnerong) came on line. High-pressure plant: in 1919, engine house No 1
7956-604: 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
8058-519: 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
8160-607: 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
8262-442: 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
8364-533: 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
8466-439: 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
8568-509: 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
8670-546: The twenty-strong fleet saw service between Scotland and England before being deemed unsuccessful and withdrawn in the late 1960s. Metrovick also produced the CIE 001 Class (originally 'A' Class) from 1955, the first production mainline diesels in Ireland . Metropolitan Vickers also produced electrical equipment for the British Rail Class 76 (EM1), and British Rail Class 77 (EM2), 1.5 kV DC locomotives, built at Gorton Works for
8772-480: 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,
8874-401: 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
8976-550: Was added in 1912(No10). 1 AEG 5 MW impulse turbine was added in 1914(No11). This turbo alternator had a short life and was replaced. Steam was supplied by 6 Babcock & Wilcox coal-fired watertube boilers; each produced 24,000 lb per hour(1908) and in 1913 another 6 boilers each producing 27,000 lb/Hr at 160 psi in Boiler House No2. These boilers were natural draft and exhausted into two large chimneys. The resultant lack of efficient combustion meant that
9078-487: Was adopted as the new standard from 1930, although the first AC substation did not come into use until 1935. The AC system was not completed until c. 1958. No new DC customers were accepted after 1935, but the existing supply continued, albeit with mercury-arc rectifiers in later years, until 1985. In 1936, all functions of the Electricity Department of the Municipal Council of Sydney were transferred to
9180-411: 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 ,
9282-468: Was eventually ended in an unconvincing fashion when the AEI management eventually decided to rid themselves of both brands and be known as AEI universally, a change they made on 1 January 1960. This move was almost universally resented within both companies. Worse, the new brand name was utterly unknown to its customers, leading to a noticeable fall-off in sales and AEI's stock price. When AEI attempted to remove
9384-565: Was fitted to the Motor Gun Boat MGB 2009 , making it the world's first gas turbine powered naval vessel. A subsequent marine gas turbine engine was the G.2 of 4,500 shp fitted to the Royal Navy Bold-class fast patrol boats Bold Pioneer and Bold Pathfinder , which were built in 1953. The Bluebird K7 jet-propelled 3-point hydroplane in which Donald Campbell broke the 200 mph water speed barrier
9486-514: 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
9588-407: Was made to assembling them in a hangar at Avro's Woodford airfield. By the end of the war, MV had built 1,080 Lancasters. These were followed by 79 Avro Lincoln derivatives before remaining orders were cancelled and MV's aircraft production ceased in December 1945. In 1940 the turboprop effort was re-engineered as a pure jet engine after the successful run of Whittle's designs. The new design became
9690-635: Was never able to exert effective control over the two competing subsidiary companies. Problems worsened in 1929 with the start of the Great Depression , but Metrovick's overseas sales were able to pick up some of the slack, notably a major railway electrification project in Brazil . By 1933 world trade was growing again, but growth was nearly upset when six Metrovick engineers were arrested and found guilty of espionage and " wrecking " in Moscow after
9792-658: Was paid for by British government economic aid. In 1935 the company built a 105 MW steam turbogenerator , the largest in Europe at that time, for the Battersea Power Station . In 1936 Metrovick started work with the Air Ministry on automatic pilot systems, eventually branching out to gunlaying systems and building radars the next year. In 1938 they reached an agreement with the Ministry to build
9894-519: Was powered with a Metropolitan-Vickers Beryl jet engine producing 3,500 lbf (16 kN) of thrust. The K7 was unveiled in late 1954. Campbell succeeded on Ullswater on 23 July 1955, where he set a record of 202.15 mph (325.33 km/h), beating the previous record by some 24 mph (39 km/h) held by Stanley Sayres. Another major area of expansion was in the diesel locomotive market, where they combined their own generators and traction motors with third-party diesel engines to develop in 1950
9996-588: Was redeveloped as the Star City Casino (now "The Star"), which was opened in 1995 with a gala opening featuring an outdoor performance by Diana Ross . Part of the 'A' Station facade remains at the Star site, on Pyrmont Street near Jones Bay Road, but the much larger 'B' Station structure was completely demolished in 1993. 33°52.1′S 151°11.7′E / 33.8683°S 151.1950°E / -33.8683; 151.1950 Sydney Sydney
10098-581: Was stripped of the reciprocating plant to allow the installation of larger turbines. One Metro-Vickers 8 MW generator was added in 1921,(No15). Two Metro-Vickers 12 MW generators were added in 1922,(Nos 13+14). One Fraser+Chalmers 12 MW generator(No17) and 1 Thompson 17.5 MW machine (No16) were added in 1924. Steam was supplied by 8 Babcock & Wilcox balanced-draft cross-drum boilers, each producing 65,000 lb/hr at 250 psi and 630 °F (332 °C) in Boiler House No3, to
10200-550: 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
10302-411: Was used to manufacture traction motors. By 1923, it had its own engineering department, and was making complete locomotives and electric delivery vehicles . In 1928 Metrovick merged with the rival British Thomson-Houston (BTH), a company of similar size and product lineup. Combined, they would be one of the few companies able to compete with Marconi or English Electric on an equal footing. In fact
10404-501: Was very different from its traditional heavy engineering activities, a new factory was built on the western side of Mosley Road and this was completed in stages through 1940. There were significant problems producing this aircraft, not least being the unreliability of the Rolls-Royce Vulture engine and that the first 13 Manchesters were destroyed in a Luftwaffe bombing raid on Trafford Park on 23 December. Despite this
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