Sydney central business district

Sydney central business district New South Wales
Sydney central business district
Sydney central business district
Coordinates	33°52′5″S 151°12′44″E / 33.86806°S 151.21222°E / -33.86806; 151.21222Coordinates: 33°52′5″S 151°12′44″E / 33.86806°S 151.21222°E / -33.86806; 151.21222
Population	14,308 (2011)[1]
Postcode(s)	2000
LGA(s)	City of Sydney
State electorate(s)	Sydney
Federal Division(s)	Sydney
Suburbs around Sydney central business district: Barangaroo Millers Point The Rocks Port Jackson Pyrmont Sydney central business district Woolloomooloo Darlinghurst Ultimo Haymarket Ultimo Surry Hills

The Sydney central business district (also Sydney CBD, and popularly referred to as "town" or "the City") is a suburb and the main commercial centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It extends southwards for about 3 km (2 mi) from Sydney Cove, the point of first European settlement in which the Sydney region was initially established. Due to its pivotal role in Australia's early history, it is one of the oldest established areas in the country.

Geographically, its north–south axis runs from Circular Quay in the north to Central railway station in the south. Its east–west axis runs from a chain of parkland that includes Hyde Park, The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens and Farm Cove on Sydney Harbour in the east; to Darling Harbour and the Western Distributor in the west. At the 2011 Australian Census, the suburb recorded a population of 14,308.^[1] The Sydney central business district is also sometimes used loosely to encompass the surrounding inner city suburbs such as Pyrmont, Haymarket, Ultimo and Woolloomooloo.

The Sydney CBD is Australia's main financial and economic centre, as well as a leading hub of economic activity for the Asia-Pacific region. The city centre employs approximately 13% of the Sydney region's workforce. It produced $64.1 billion worth of goods and services in 2011–12.^[2] Culturally, the city centre is Sydney's focal point for nightlife and entertainment. It is also home to some of the city's most significant buildings and structures.

Geography

Panoramic view of the Sydney Town Hall

The Sydney CBD is an area of very densely concentrated skyscrapers and other buildings, interspersed by several parks such as Hyde Park, The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens and Wynyard Park. George Street is the Sydney CBD's main north-south thoroughfare. The streets run on a slightly warped grid pattern in the southern CBD, but in the older northern CBD the streets form several intersecting grids, reflecting their placement in relation to the prevailing breeze and orientation to Circular Quay in early settlement.

The CBD runs along two ridge lines below Macquarie Street and York Streets. Between these ridges is Pitt Street, running close to the course of the original Tank Stream (now tunnelled). Bridge Street, took its name from the bridge running east-west that once crossed this stream. Pitt Street is the retail heart of the city which includes the Pitt Street Mall and the Sydney Tower. Macquarie Street is a historic precinct that houses such buildings as the State Parliament House and the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Governance

Administratively, the Sydney CBD falls under the authority of the local government area of the City of Sydney.^[3] The New South Wales state government also has authority over some aspects of the CBD, in particular through the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.

Commercial area

The CBD from Sydney Tower

The Sydney CBD contains many of Australia’s tallest skyscrapers, including Governor Phillip Tower, MLC Centre and World Tower, the latter consisting predominantly of apartments. The tallest structure is Centrepoint Tower at 309 m (1,014 ft), however planning restrictions limit future developments to a height of 235 m (771 ft) due to council restrictions.^[4]

The Sydney CBD is home to some of the largest Australian companies, as well as serving as an Asia-Pacific headquarters for many large international companies. The financial services industry in particular occupies much of the available office space, with companies such as the Westpac, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Macquarie Bank, AMP Limited, Insurance Australia Group, AON, Marsh, Allianz, HSBC, AXA, ABN Amro, and Bloomsbury Publishing all having offices.^[5]

Transport

George Street, the main CBD thoroughfare

Sydney's CBD is serviced by light rail, buses and ferry transport. An underground rapid transit system known as the Sydney Metro is in development stages.

Culture

Scots Presbyterian Church, York Street

Sydney's culture is compacted within its central business district and inner city ring, due to its nightlife, pedestrian traffic and centrality of notable attractions. There is a large concentration of cultural institutions within the CBD including: the Museum of Sydney, the State Library of New South Wales, the Customs House branch of the City of Sydney Library, the Theatre Royal, the City Recital Hall and the Japan Foundation. There are a total of 19 churches located in the Sydney city centre.^[6]

Many other cultural institutions are located at the surrounds of the CBD, such as: the Sydney Opera House and the Museum of Contemporary Art to the north, the Australian Museum and the Art Gallery of New South Wales to the east, the Powerhouse Museum to the west, White Rabbit Gallery and the Haymarket branch of the City of Sydney Library to the south.

Every January during the summer, the city celebrates with the Sydney Festival. There are art, music and dance exhibitions at indoor and outdoor venues. Australian and International theatre during the month is also featured, including Aboriginal, and Contemporary. Many of these events are free.

The Sydney Film Festival is an international event organised every year in June at various venues across the CBD. The festival opened on 11 June 1954 and was held over four days, with screenings at Sydney University. Attendance was at full capacity with 1,200 tickets sold at one guinea each.^[7]

Sydney boasts a lively cafe culture, as well as a club and bar scene distributed throughout the CBD and concentrated in a couple of locations such as Darling Harbour.^[4] Although Kings Cross is not technically located within the Sydney CBD, it is accessible via William Street, which runs through Hyde Park. It is part of the inner-city region.

Architecture

Sydney's CBD features a juxtaposition of old and new architecture. The old architecture dates back to Sydney's earliest days as a colony, down to the more grandiose Victorian architecture from the Gold rush era. Modern architectures take form as high rises and skyscrapers, which are prolific among all of Sydney's city streets. The earliest skyscraper constructed in Sydney was Culwulla Chambers, which stands at a height of 50 m (164 ft) and was completed in 1912. Designed by Spain, Cosh and Minnett, the building consisted of 14 floors and cost £100,000 to build, equivalent of approximately $1 million in today's money.^[8]

Gallery

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  Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge

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  York Street

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  State Library of New South Wales

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  Queen Victoria Building

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  Sydney Conservatorium of Music

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  Terraced buildings, now mostly demolished, looking towards the Royal Botanic Gardens and Bennelong Point, 1920s

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  View towards Circular Quay, from the North Shore, c. 1930

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  The central business district features heritage conservation for historic buildings, such as the former Burns Philp Building on Bridge Street.

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  19th century York Street apartment building

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  The QVB at night

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  The CBD skyline illuminated at dusk from Cremorne Point

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Sydney
• Geography of Sydney
• List of suburbs in Sydney

References

External links

Media related to Central Business District, Sydney at Wikimedia Commons