Designing Sydney 1879-1891: visions of an antipodean South Kensington

When the first international exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere was held in Sydney in 1879, the natural beauty of the harbour setting was much admired. The city itself, however, was widely criticised for its narrow, crooked streets, pavements in a 'disgraceful state' strewn with rubbish, inadequate sewerage, an uncertain water supply, poor lighting, 'uncoordinated building designs', inadequate public amenities and lack of the cultural institutions that mark a civilised society. The Sydney International Exhibition placed a new emphasis on the city. It fostered civic pride and inspired a desire for future development that would include an art gallery, a new public library, a technical college and a technological museum.