Railway Square, Sydney
Encyclopedia
The area is not a true square but is a confluence of Broadway, Lee Street, Pitt Street
and George Street
. The University of Technology
, Central railway station
and the now closed Kent Brewery are adjacent to Railway Square.
department stores were located in a number of buildings at Central Square. The Parcel Post Office in Lee Street was built in 1913, having been designed by George McRae
, the government architect. It was later restored and converted to the Medina Hotel.
The area was previously a busy nexus for the electric tramways
of Sydney until the system's closure in the late 1950s.
Until the 1990s, Railway Square had a three-platform bus terminal in its centre. The platforms were connected to one another, as well as the opposite sides of Lee Street and Broadway, by an extension of the Devonshire Street tunnel. The tunnel was accessible by escalator.
The site was redeveloped in 1999 to incorporate two platforms, lifts, a cafe and access to the University of Technology, Sydney
. The site was fitted with public artwork created by Merilyn Fairskye, including murals, illuminated wall panels and three towers with coloured steel ribbons inside. Railway Square is dominated by the rising glass bus terminal structure, and by three sculpture light towers. The area is now an interchange for the city's 300 series, 400 series and 501 bus routes.
.
Pitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...
and George Street
George Street, Sydney
George Street is one of Sydney's most notable city streets. There are more high rise buildings and more ASX 100 companies located here than anywhere else in Australia, and is well known for being busy around-the-clock...
. The University of Technology
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
, Central railway station
Central railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
and the now closed Kent Brewery are adjacent to Railway Square.
History
Railway Square was originally known as Central Square. In the 19th century and early 20th century, Central Square was the heart of the city's modern retail district, enhanced by the presence of Central railway station and its adjacent hotels, erected to serve country visitors arriving in Sydney by train. The Marcus ClarkMarcus Clark & Co.
Marcus Clark & Co., was an Australian department store chain, founded by Henry Marcus Clark in 1883. -History:The store started in the Sydney suburb of Newtown and soon opened new stores in Marrickville and Bondi Junction. In 1896 a store closer to the city was opened on Broadway on the corner of...
department stores were located in a number of buildings at Central Square. The Parcel Post Office in Lee Street was built in 1913, having been designed by George McRae
George McRae
George McRae was a Scottish architect who migrated to Australia and pursued his career in Sydney, where he became Government Architect of New South Wales.-Life and career:...
, the government architect. It was later restored and converted to the Medina Hotel.
The area was previously a busy nexus for the electric tramways
Trams in Sydney
The Sydney tramway network once served Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales, Australia. In its heyday, it was the largest in Australia, the second largest in the Commonwealth , and one of the largest in the world. It was extremely intensively worked, with about 1,600 cars in service at any...
of Sydney until the system's closure in the late 1950s.
Until the 1990s, Railway Square had a three-platform bus terminal in its centre. The platforms were connected to one another, as well as the opposite sides of Lee Street and Broadway, by an extension of the Devonshire Street tunnel. The tunnel was accessible by escalator.
The site was redeveloped in 1999 to incorporate two platforms, lifts, a cafe and access to the University of Technology, Sydney
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
. The site was fitted with public artwork created by Merilyn Fairskye, including murals, illuminated wall panels and three towers with coloured steel ribbons inside. Railway Square is dominated by the rising glass bus terminal structure, and by three sculpture light towers. The area is now an interchange for the city's 300 series, 400 series and 501 bus routes.
Rail tunnel
Railway Square is not only traversed underneath by the extension of the Devonshire Street pedestrian tunnel, but also by a railway tunnel that runs underneath at the southern end of the square. The tunnel was part of the Metropolitan Goods line linking the main lines south from Central with Darling Harbour. This tunnel is the oldest railway tunnel in New South Wales and is now only used as a service line to the Powerhouse MuseumPowerhouse Museum
The Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, the other being the historic Sydney Observatory...
.