Item Type: Series

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This item is no longer under copyright in Australia and is in the public domain. It may be used freely. When using or sharing this item attribution should be given to the City of Sydney Archives.

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Royal Commission on Sydney Improvement

Description

Unique IDAS-1259Start dateBetween 1st January 1908 and 1st January 1909Start date qualifiercircaEnd dateBetween 1st January 1908 and 31st December 1909FormatMapShort descriptionThis series consists of the report of the Royal Commission on Sydney Improvement, 1909 and sketches, plans and maps drawn by GD McDuff of proposed and recommended schemes.DescriptionThis series consists of the report of the Royal Commission on Sydney Improvement, 1909 and items drawn by GD McDuff, an Engineer and Lithographic Draftsman, which were photolithographed by the Government Printer. The items consist of sketches and maps (called plans) of proposed and recommended schemes submitted to the Royal Commission on Sydney Improvement. The schemes include treatment of Sydney City, Belmore Park, Circular Quay, railways and tunnels. The series was compiled by City Surveyors Department (AG-0087).

The Royal Commission

The Royal Commission was an initiative of the Lord Mayor, Thomas Hughes, a businessman, Lord Mayor of Sydney and a Member of the Legislative Council. In January 1909, Hughes recommended Council invite the government to appoint a Royal Commission to enquire into the subject of improvements to Sydney, consider competing infrastructure proposals in light of existing projects and future needs and submit a scheme and recommendations for implementation. The Premier agreed. The Lord Mayor Thomas Hughes was appointed head of the eleven-member Commission.

The Commissioners held 90 meetings, carried out site inspections, collected 40 witness statements and collated reports from other cities.

The final report was released on 25 June 1909. 40 recommendations were made, the majority relating to road and transport improvements such as an underground electric railway, recommendations for street changes and extensions. The report recommended a new Building Act and enhanced municipal town planning and conservation controls.

Reference
Some of this text is drawn from notes by Robert Freestone, University of New South Wales, 2009.
Relationship summaryRELATED TO: Membership of external committees AY-0090 (01/01/1908 to 01/01/1909)
RELATED TO: Planning for public spaces AY-0031 (01/01/1908 to 01/01/1909)
RELATED TO: Strategic town planning AY-0030 (01/01/1908 to 01/01/1909) LanguageEnglish (eng)

Access

Public access statusRestricted original (digital copy available)

Identification and Arrangement

Source system ID534System of arrangementSingle number

Digitisation

Digitisation statusFully digitised

Data Quality

Authenticity & integrityThese plans formed part of the Royal Commission report. The records have been held in the Council’s custody and have a high level of authenticity.

Relationships

Creating agenciesCity Surveyor's DepartmentRelated activitiesStrategic town planningPlanning for public spacesMembership of external committees

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Royal Commission on Sydney Improvement