Surviving Gas Light in the Rocks Sydney

Here is a gas light still operational at the corner of Harrington Street and Mission Steps in the historic Rocks area of Sydney.

The Rocks was established shortly after the colony's formation in 1788. The original buildings were made mostly of local sandstone, thus the name. From the earliest history of the settlement, the area had a reputation as a slum, often frequented by visiting sailors and prostitutes.

In 1900, bubonic plague broke out, and the state government bought areas around The Rocks and Darling Harbour, with the intention of demolishing them and rebuilding them. These plans were brought to a halt due to the outbreak of World War I.

During the 1920s, several hundred buildings were demolished during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. However, the outbreak of World War II once again stalled many of the redevelopment plans.

In 1968, the state government gave control of The Rocks to the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, with the intention of demolishing all the original buildings, and re-developing them as high-density residential dwellings. In February 1971, a group of local residents formed the Rocks Residents Group to oppose the plans.

By 1973, the Building Workers Union had imposed the ban, and after discussions with the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, a 'People's Plan' was developed. The ban stayed in place until 1975, and was successful, as can be seen in the mixture of old and interesting buildings that survive today. Instead of demolishing The Rocks, renovations have transformed the area into a commercial and tourist area.