107 series, 107-0 series, Formation
The two-car 107-0 series trainsets, N1 to N8, were formed as follows with one motored car.


107 series, 107-0 series, Fleet history
The build details and fleet histories for the eight 107-0 series sets are as follows.


107 series, 107-100 series
Nineteen 2-car sets (R1 to R19) were delivered to Takasaki Depot between November 1988 and February 1991 for use on Ryomo Line, Agatsuma Line, Joetsu Line, and Shinetsu Line local services. The livery is all-over cream with green and pink lining. Sets from R6 onwards have no door pocket windows.


107 series, 107-100 series
107-100 series set R2 at Yokokawa Station in April 2007


107 series, 107-100 series
107-100 series set R10 (with no door pocket windows) at Kuroiso Station in August 2009


107 series, 107-100 series, Formation
The two-car 107-100 series trainsets, R1 to R19, are formed as follows with one motored car.


107 series, 107-100 series, Fleet history
The build details and fleet histories for the 19 107-100 series sets are as follows.


107 series, Withdrawal and resale, 107-0 series
The Nikko Line 107-0 series fleet was withdrawn and replaced by four refurbished four-car 205 series EMUs from the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2013.


107 series, Withdrawal and resale, 107-100 series
The 107-100 series trainsets were gradually replaced by reformed four-car 211 series EMUs from 2016, and from the start of the 4 March 2017 timetable revision, were removed from use on the Joetsu Line (except for between Takasaki and Shin-Maebashi), Shinetsu main Line, andAgatsuma Line, with one pair of sets remaining in use on the Ryomo Line. By 1 July 2017, eight sets remained on the books, with just two of these, R7 and R8, actually operational. The last remaining sets were withdrawn from service in late September 2017, with a few special runs in early October held to mark their withdrawal; following this, the 107 series was officially withdrawn.


107 series, Withdrawal and resale, Resale
Six two-car sets were scheduled to be resold to the Joshin Electric Railway in Gunma Prefecture.


107 series, Withdrawal and resale, Resale
12 vehicles were transferred to the Joshin Electric Railway; the first two-car train entered service on 10 March 2019.


107% rule
The 107% rule is a sporting regulation affecting Formula One racing qualifying sessions. During the first phase of qualifying, if the circuit is dry, any driver who is eliminated in the first qualifying session and fails to set a lap within 107 percent of the fastest time in that session will not be allowed to start the race without permission from the race stewards. For example, if the fastest Q1 lap time was 60 seconds, each driver who is eliminated in the session must complete at least one lap within 64.2 seconds to guarantee a race start. The 107% rule was introduced for the 1996 season and remained in force until 2002. It was reintroduced for the 2011 season with minor modifications due to the knock-out qualifying format.


107% rule, History
Unless the track was declared wet by the race director, any driver eliminated during Q1 whose best qualifying lap exceeds 107% of the fastest time set during that session, or who fails to set a time, will not be allowed to take part in the race. Under exceptional circumstances however, which may include setting a suitable lap time in a free practice session, the stewards may permit the car to start the race.


107% rule, History
Any driver accepted in this manner will be placed at the back of the starting grid after anyother penalties have been applied.


107% rule, History
Should there be more than one driver accepted in this manner they will be arranged on thegrid in the order they were classified in P3.


107% rule, History
- Article 35.1 of the 2018 Formula One Sporting Regulations


107% rule, History, Introduction
The governing body of F1, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), introduced the 107% rule at a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council in June 1995, immediately prior to the French Grand Prix. This followed a recommendation from the Formula One Commission, a working group of F1 representatives, to introduce such a measure. Over the previous few years, the number of entries per season had dropped to 26, the maximum threshold for race starters, allowing every entrant to qualify for the race regardless of speed.


107% rule, History, Introduction
For 1995, new technical regulations spaced out the field, whilst numerous teams with comparatively small budgets and slow cars, such as Forti, Pacific, and Simtek, were competing in the sport. The regulation was originally planned to come into effect from the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix, but this required unanimous support amongst the teams, and was vetoed by Forti and Pacific. Nevertheless, the fact that it was supported by the majority of the teams allowed the 107% rule's introduction from the start of the 1996 season. The mid 1990s also brought a number of pay drivers to the sport whose speeds would not have allowed one to race, such as Giovanni Lavaggi and Jean-Denis Délétraz.


107% rule, History, Introduction
Commenting on the introduction of the 107% rule, FIA President Max Mosley said that "any small team which is properly organised will be able to get within the 107 per cent margin". The sport's commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, agreed with this sentiment, saying in an interview that "Formula 1 is the best. And we don't need anything in it that isn't the best."


107% rule, History, Introduction
He also accused some of the smaller teams of having a "startline special" mentality, in that they were solely concerned with entering the race to gain television coverage for their sponsors, and were not too occupied with actual performance given that all the entrants were guaranteed to make the race. On the other hand, the smaller teams were concerned at the prospect of having to lap within a maximum time in order to qualify, which they saw as exacerbating the inequalities already existent within the sport.


107% rule, History, Introduction
Pacific's commercial manager, Mark Gallagher, said: "We have to say the 107% rule gives rise to concern among teams without works engines. It's got more to do with engines than chassis, and that's an area outside our direct capability. Closing the gap to Minardi is quite feasible, but the sudden arrival of the rule is worrying. If you have three years to plan whether or not to do something, that's very different from having the goalposts moved while you are playing the game."


107% rule, History, Application
The 107% rule was thus introduced at the 1996 Australian Grand Prix. It was breached immediately, as Forti drivers Luca Badoer and Andrea Montermini failed to lap within 107% of Jacques Villeneuve's pole position time. This had been an expected outcome, as the team was using an upgraded version of the previous year's Forti FG01 chassis, which had only qualified within 107% of pole position on one of thirty-four occasions beforehand. Both drivers also failed to qualify for the European Grand Prix, the fourth round of the championship.


107% rule, History, Application
At the following race, the San Marino Grand Prix, Badoer drove the more competitive FG03 chassis for the first time, whilst Montermini failed to make the 107% cut in the older car. Both then failed to qualify for the Spanish Grand Prix two races later. By the tenth round of the championship, the British Grand Prix, the team was running out of money and made only a token attempt to qualify after not taking part in the preceding free practice sessions, neither car making the time limit.


107% rule, History, Application
Following the next race, in which the team did not complete any laps at all, Forti withdrew from Formula One. In the latter half of the season, the Minardi team replaced regular driver Giancarlo Fisichella with the paying Giovanni Lavaggi, who failed to make the 107% cut at the German, Belgian, and Japanese Grands Prix.


107% rule, History, Application
In 1997, the 107% rule was only invoked at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Villeneuve again set pole position with a time over a second faster than his nearest rival, resulting in a well-spaced field. As a result, Pedro Diniz, Vincenzo Sospiri, and Ricardo Rosset all failed to make the 107% mark. Diniz was allowed to race at the discretion of the race stewards, who judged him capable of lapping within the limit, as he had indeed done so during the free practice session prior to qualifying.


107% rule, History, Application
The FIA cited "exceptional circumstances" as the reason for his failure to do so during the qualifying session itself. Sospiri and Rosset, driving for the new MasterCard Lola team, were, however, five and six seconds off Diniz's time respectively, and well outside the qualification limit. Neither driver was allowed to start the race, and the team folded before the next Grand Prix.


107% rule, History, Application
During the 1998 season, Rosset—now driving for the Tyrrell team—failed to qualify on five occasions. He lapped outside the 107% time during qualifying sessions for the Spanish, Monaco, Hungarian, and Japanese Grands Prix. He also failed to qualify for the German Grand Prix, but this was due to him not completing any laps at all after injuring his right elbow as a result of a heavy crash during free practice.


107% rule, History, Application
The 107% rule was invoked on two occasions in 1999. At the first round of the championship—the Australian Grand Prix—Marc Gené failed to lap within the required percentage of the pole position time in his Minardi. As with Diniz two years earlier, he was given dispensation to race after lapping within the limit during the free practice sessions. At the French Grand Prix later in the season, a qualifying session marked by a varying intensity of rainfall saw five drivers—Damon Hill, Gené, Luca Badoer, Pedro de la Rosa, and Toranosuke Takagi—miss the cut-off, but all were allowed to start the race.


107% rule, History, Application
After a 2000 season in which no driver transgressed the 107% rule, it was enforced on three occasions in 2001. At the opening race in Australia, Tarso Marques failed to lap within the required time for Minardi. He was given permission to race under the reason of "exceptional circumstances", but this was despite the fact that he had not managed to set a time within the 107% mark in any session all weekend.


107% rule, History, Application
It was rumoured that Marques was allowed to race because the team had been bought prior to the start of the season by Australian Paul Stoddart, who wanted both cars to compete in Minardi's new "home" Grand Prix. At the British Grand Prix, Marques again fell foul of the regulation, but was not allowed to start on this occasion. The Belgian Grand Prix also witnessed a wet qualifying session in which the track steadily dried, resulting in the four slowest qualifiers—Jos Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Enrique Bernoldi, and Marques—failing to lap within 107% of pole position. As in the similar case of the French Grand Prix two years previously, all were allowed to start the race.


107% rule, History, Application
The 107% rule also came into effect during the 2002 season. At the first round of the championship, the Australian Grand Prix, Takuma Sato crashed heavily during free practice and had to use the Jordan team's spare car for qualifying, only for the replacement to stop with a gearbox problem without setting a time. By the time his teammate, Fisichella, did his first run and handed over his own chassis, it had begun to rain, leaving Sato with no chance of making the required time.


107% rule, History, Application
However, he was allowed to start the race as in the case of previous cases affected by changeable weather conditions. Minardi driver Alex Yoong failed to qualify for the San Marino, British, and German Grands Prix under the conditions of the rule, a turn of events which led to his replacement by Anthony Davidson for two races.


107% rule, History, Application
At the French Grand Prix, the Arrows team was running out of money and made a token appearance during the qualifying session to avoid FIA-imposed fines for missing rounds of the championship; drivers Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Bernoldi failed to lap within the required time. Frentzen subsequently left the circuit with ten minutes of the session still remaining, making the team's ploy obvious. Fisichella also failed to set a time during this session, although this was the result of his withdrawal from the event following a heavy crash during free practice.


107% rule, History, Application
In total, there were 37 cases in which the 107% rule was broken during the period in which it was a Formula One Sporting Regulation. Of these, 13 drivers were allowed to start the relevant race due to "exceptional circumstances". The rule affected 23 out of the 116 Grands Prix in which it applied.


107% rule, History, Abolition
The qualifying system changed for the 2003 season with the introduction of two ordered single-lap sessions to replace the previous free hour-long session in which drivers were allowed to complete twelve laps. Drivers also had to qualify with the race fuel on board their cars. Due to the scope for greater time disparities throughout the field that could occur as a result, the 107% rule was not mentioned when the FIA finalised the format prior to the beginning of the season, despite an earlier assurance that the rule would still apply. The governing body subsequently proposed the formal cancellation of the rule, which ceased to apply with effect from the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix.


107% rule, History, Abolition
Following the 2003 season, the timing of the two single-lap sessions was altered for them to occur on the same day, within 15 minutes of each other. This proved unpopular with the smaller teams, who were liable to make their runs at the end of the first session (as this was run in championship order) and at the beginning of the second session (which was run in reverse order of the results of the first session), and with TV spectators, who had to watch a longer programme as a result.


107% rule, History, Abolition
During the 2004 season, the system's flaws were exposed, and proposed changes to the qualifying system made midway through the championship at one point seemed to suggest that the 107% rule would return as part of a new format. In the end, however, only minor changes relating to the timing of the existing sessions were made. Minardi team owner Paul Stoddart was particularly opposed to the reintroduction of the rule.


107% rule, History, Reintroduction
At the start of the 2010 season, new FIA President Jean Todt said that he was in favour of re-introducing the 107% rule, as the qualifying system has changed again so that all of the sessions are carried out with low fuel levels.


107% rule, History, Reintroduction
On 23 June, a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council determined that the 107% rule would be reintroduced for the 2011 season. The rule applies only to the first of the three qualifying sessions for each race.


107% rule, History, Reintroduction
Since its re-introduction and till the end of the 2015 season, the 107% rule has been broken a further 16 times at 11 different races, exclusively by HRT, Caterham, and Virgin/Marussia drivers. Unlike the rule's first period of application, where infringing drivers were very rarely allowed to compete, only four of these occurrences of the rule violation resulted in the drivers being barred from the race. These were Vitantonio Liuzzi and Narain Karthikeyan at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix, and Pedro de la Rosa and Karthikeyan at the 2012 Australian Grand Prix – all of whom drove for HRT.


107% rule, History, Reintroduction
At the 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix, 11 cars failed to reach the 107% limit as the session was stopped for inclement weather and subsequent incidents, but all were permitted to compete. Beginning with the 2018 season, the regulations were amended so that the 107% rule would not be enforced if the track was declared wet by the race director during qualifying.


107% rule, Use in other racing series
The 107% rule, or variations thereof, has also been used in other motorsport series.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, Formula E
Formula E applies an alternative 110% rule in qualifying. Race stewards have discretion to allow drivers who broke the rule to partake in the race, usually by looking at the times posted in free practice sessions. The rule is most commonly broken when a driver fails to enter his qualifying lap in time or has had his qualifying lap invalidated (therefore only his entry lap is recorded). The car breaking down or a crash during the session could also lead to a violation of this rule. There has been no occasion where a driver was not allowed to compete in the race so far.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, GP2 and F2 Series
It is currently in operation in the GP2 Series as well as its successor Formula 2, where it has been applied on four occasions. Marcos Martínez failed to qualify for his debut race meeting at the Hungaroring in 2007 after failing to set a lap time due to engine problems, despite lapping within 107% of the fastest time in free practice. At the Monaco round of the 2009 season, Ricardo Teixeira failed to lap within 107% of the pole position time and was not allowed to take part in the races.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, GP2 and F2 Series
During qualifying for the round of the championship held at the Hungaroring later that year, Romain Grosjean and Franck Perera collided before either had set a representative lap time: Perera was judged guilty of impeding and was barred from taking part in the first race, but allowed to start from the back of the grid in the second; Grosjean was given dispensation to start both races. Perera also failed to qualify for the Spa-Francorchamps races under the 107% criteria.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, GP2 and F2 Series
Alessio Deledda became the latest driver in this racing category to fall victim to the 107% rule. He qualified 6.341 seconds off from the fastest time set by Robert Shwartzman in his group during qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix round in 2021. As he was 7.314 seconds off the fastest time set by Shwartzman during the practice session, he would not be allowed to take part in all three races in the weekend. He however was given permission to start by the stewards, after it was later revealed after the weekend that Deledda's car had mechanical problems and that he was within the 107% time during the previous round at Bahrain.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, GP3 Series
The 107% rule is also used in the GP3 Series. So far, the rule has only been in effect on one occasion. In the 2012 Silverstone round, Carmen Jordá failed to set a lap time within 107% of the pole time. As she was also outside 107% of the fastest time in the practice session, she was not allowed to start the race.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, Indycar
The Indycar Series uses a similar rule for race competition, where cars must be within 105% of the lap times of the fastest car.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, NASCAR
NASCAR uses a similar rule for race competition, where cars must be within 115% of the fastest lap set in the final practice.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, Super GT
In Super GT series, a slightly different 107% rule is being used. The base time is calculated by the mean time of top three cars within a class rather than the fastest lap time in that class. All drivers in the non-seeded team must finish within this time in order to qualify for the race. However, teams which could not qualify in official qualifying sessions, may still be allowed to retry in following day's practice session, providing reasons such as accidents.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, Super GT
In this case, the 107% of top three cars in practice session's will be used instead, in return, teams will start at the back of the grid. In races using the knockout format, a separated qualifying will be launched prior the knockout qualifying to decide teams which are allowed to take part in the race.


107% rule, Use in other racing series, Super GT
Another major difference of the 107% rule in Super GT is that there is a protection system called "seeded teams", which is awarded to each class's team which participated in all races and finished within top 12 in the previous season. "Seeded teams", provided they meet other entrance requirements, are allowed to participate in all races even when they fail to meet the qualifying time in official qualifying sessions. The right will be forfeited when the team switches class or withdraws from the series, and the void caused by this will not be filled by other teams.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney
107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney is a heritage-listed former bank building and now KFC fast food restaurant located at 107-109 Bathurst Street in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History
The following historical outline provides and analysis of the development of the site on the corner of George and Bathurst Streets, Sydney (485 George and 107-109 Bathurst Streets). The thematic framework of this development relates to its associations with the growth of Sydney to an international commercial and banking centre, the context of its location in Sydney's civic precinct, and more recent associations with the cinema entertainment strip in George Street. An analysis of the development of the fabric of the former bank building is provided to assist the historical understanding of the place.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History
The historical outline relies on research at Westpac Historical Services, the Land Titles Office, the Mitchell Library, the University of NSW architecture Library, a 1989 Conservation Management Plan, and a 1996 archaeological report.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Aboriginal communities of Sydney
The name "Eora people" was given to the coastal Indigenous community around Sydney, and the central Sydney area is now referred to as "Eora Country". The traditional owners of the Sydney City area are the Cadigal band. Their land south of Port Jackson stretches from South Head to Petersham. Following the 1788 European occupation of Sydney, the Cadigal were alienated from their lands, and many died in smallpox epidemics in the early years of European settlement. However, descendants of the Cadigal continue to live in Sydney.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Aboriginal communities of Sydney
There appears to be no pictorial or written records of the Cadigal in the vicinity of the site, and it is unclear whether any archaeological evidence of pre-contact occupation remains either under the road system or in the Sydney Square precinct. The adjoining building allotments have been excavated to bedrock, as has much of the city block. However, the 1996 Higginbotham report does identify potential archaeological localities nearby on Kent Street. There are no known land claims over the site.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s
Early buildings site immediately to the south of the Sydney's Old Burial Ground, were remote from the early settlement at Sydney Cove, when Governor Bligh assumed control of the colony in 1806, only five sites were leased south of the Burial Ground. In addition to this there were several unauthorized cottages along George Street in this area. During the 1820s the town of Sydney extended southwards, with commercial activities along the shores of Darling Harbour. Bathurst Street became an access route to this area from the wharves.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s
The St Andrew's Cathedral site was consolidated by closing York Street at Druitt Street. Kent Street was extended to Liverpool Street, forming the current city block bounded by George, Bathurst, Kent and Liverpool Streets. By the 1830s evidence of permanent settlement on allotments in the area extended along George Street to Broadway, and on Bathurst Street from Darling Harbour to the Hyde Park area. Construction of the St Andrew's Cathedral building on the opposite corner of George and Bathurst Streets recommenced in 1837, and street frontages were developed with a mix of residential, retail, commercial and entertainment uses.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s
The building booms of the 1860s, 1870s and 1880s in Sydney followed the discovery of gold, the expansion of rural export industries, advancements in industrial and communications technology, and continuing immigration into Sydney. Sydney's CBD and suburbs rebuilt and expanded, and by the 1890s rural recession, commercial expansion of the CBD had displaced most other activities. The economic recovery of the late 1890s saw a further expansion of commercial activities in the CBD until World War I from 1914–1918.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s
The 1901 to 1920s saw another boom in activity, to become the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Second World War in the 1940s. It was not until the economic recovery of the 1950s that global trade recovered and another wave of industrialization occurred to fuel the long economic boom from the mid 1950s to the lat 1970s.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s
Relaxed investment controls fuelled the corporate rebuilding of the Sydney CBD in the 1960s to 1970s, transforming Sydney into a major financial centre where technology-led business practices reduced the need for face-to-face transactions. A 1970s Bank of New South Wales expansion program saw new head office and chief offices in all States. The introduction of electronic banking in the early 1980s and the rapid transformation of the banking and finance sectors saw the amalgamation of the Bank of NSW and the Commercial Bank of Australia in 1982 to form Westpac.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s, The development of the city block and Sydney Square precinct
The Sydney Square precinct comprising the Sydney Town Hall and St Andrew's Cathedral, occupies the land bounded by George, Druitt, Kent and Bathurst Streets. The civic precinct was located on the highest point of George Street at the southern end of Sydney Town, with the first foundation stone of St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral laid in 1819, and the establishment of an adjoining cemetery at the same time, to be known later as the Old Burial Ground.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s, The development of the city block and Sydney Square precinct
During Governor Macquarie's administration, the official plan of 1822 indicates that the town block immediately south of the St Andrew's Cathedral site had been divided into allotments and some dwellings had been built along George and Liverpool Streets. Kent Street came to an end at the Bathurst Street southwards is reflected in a shift in the north–south town grid at this point. By the time St Andrew's Cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1868, the Old Burial Ground had been acquired by government for the permanent site of the Sydney Town Hall. The Town Hall was erected in the 1870s and the completion of both buildings established the civic core of the Sydney Square precinct.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s, The development of the city block and Sydney Square precinct
The boom periods of the 1850s-1860s and the 1970s-1880s saw the infilling of all street frontages in the area with retail and commercial buildings, services infrastructure including water and sewerage and gas, and paving to roads and footpaths. The form of Sydney's civic precinct did not significantly alter after this period, but the city block bounded by George St, Bathurst St, Kent St and Liverpool St saw continual alteration as the commercial importance of this area grew and allotments were redeveloped from the 1870s.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s, The development of the city block and Sydney Square precinct
With the completion of the new bank building in 1895, Sydney Square was now complete with fine civic buildings: at its southern edge of the square by the Bank of NSW building, and at the northern end by the 1894-1897 stylistically similar but much larger Romanesque Revival-styled Queen Victoria Markets building. The significance of this setting is recognised by its listing in the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate as a whole precinct group of buildings.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s, The development of the city block and Sydney Square precinct
Amalgamation of internal sites of the city block in the 1920s following the closure of the timberyard of Goodlet & Smith, saw the construction of the Regent Theatre adjoining the former Bank building, and the Trocadero Hall with frontages to George Street. However, the onset of the 1930s Depression and World War II meant that little physical change occurred until the 1950s.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Overview of the development of Sydney and the site, 1788 to the 1980s, The development of the city block and Sydney Square precinct
The following timeline gives an overview of the site chronology:


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Early occupation of the site, 1820-1877
The two-hundred-and-fifty-nine-square-metre (two-thousand-seven-hundred-and-ninety-square-foot) site on the corner of George and Bathurst Streets was leased in 1823 to Mary Cleever, who subsequently purchased the land in 1831. The property was sold in 1844 to Ann Norton and Peter Coyle, and again in 1855 to James and David Dickson. The Kangaroo Hotel was established around 1860 on the corner site and operated by Elizabeth Love until 1863. The Sands Directory identifies the corner address as 471 George Street until a renumbering in 1880. In 1864 James Collins was identified as the hotel's operator, transferring the licence to Charles Reynolds from 1865–1867. In 1868 Alexander Yeend took over operations as publican until sale of the property to the Bank of NSW in 1877.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Early occupation of the site, 1820-1877
Although earlier plans show smaller detached buildings on the George/Bathurst Streets corner site and along George Street, the 1865 Trigonometrical Survey of the City of Sydney clearly indicates a row of 6 two-storey shops with rear outbuildings extending along George Street from the corner, and with right-of-way access from Bathurst Street. The right-of-way also provided access to properties at 103 and 107 Bathurst Street and to the Metropolitan Fire Brigade building at 105 Bathurst Street.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Early development of the site by the Bank of NSW, prior to the existing building, 1877-1894
In 1877, the Bank of NSW purchased 485 and 487 George Street from David Dickson for £7,000 and operated from the two-storey building a year later. William C. Hill was the first resident Manager of the Bank of NSW Bathurst Street branch, from 1878 until 1887. The Bank's strategic acquisition of the Kangaroo Hotel on the south-west corner of George and Bathurst Streets in 1877, was a response to the increasing trading and commercial activities in the mid-city, a claim to civic prominence, and a demonstration of the role that banks played as a cornerstone of Victorian society. In 1883-4 the whole building was extended and re-clad to a design by architects Backhouse and Lough. In 1887 R. N. Sheridan took over as resident Manager until 1919. The original bank building was demolished in 1894 to provide for larger premises over both lots.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The current building was constructed in 1894-5 for the Bank of NSW to the design by Varney Parkes of Parkes and Alderson, architects. The design was a strongly-modelled three-storey building with basement in the "commercial Romanesque Revival" style popularized by the influential American architect HH Richardson. The contract was won by building J. A. Eaton on 7 August 1894 and built at a cost of £8,150. In 1910 the bank building was extended along Bathurst Street from five to six bays, updating and expanding staff and residential accommodation and public areas.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The Bank's architects, Robertson & Marks, reproduced the 1895 building style to seamlessly incorporate the new extension into the old building. Comparison of the basement plans of the 1895 layout with the 1883 building plans suggests that the entire pre-1878 basement was demolished and further excavated to provide additional headroom and basement strong-rooms. It is probable that the perimeter basement walls to Bathurst and George Streets were rebuilt, as the location of basement airways to the footpath (since sealed), correspond to the window bays of the 1895 building over.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The centre of the 1895 basement was the masonry strong-room with 750-millimetre (30 in) thick walls, directly accessing the ground floor banking chamber via iron spiral stairs behind the counter. The basement area was the central secure location of the Bank's strong-rooms, where gold, currency and valuable items were stored. The strong-room walls were 600-millimetre (24 in) thick masonry, supporting the internal structural columns of the buildings. A separate dogleg stairwell to the south led to the rear of the ground floor banking chamber and allowed access to the basement stores. The stores area was secured by a large iron gate and grille. Basement urinals were located at the southern stair for staff use. Under the Bathurst Street entrance a stair led down to another storage room.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The original basement has seen continuous modifications since 1910, reflecting alterations to the ground floor access, and bank security requirements. Since then there have been a series of internal changes, with major changes in 1935 and 1952–64. These changes were required to meet the bank's changing requirements such as; increased banking business, changes in banking functions and technology, as well as improvements to staff amenities and access.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The basement strong-room was left unchanged but the two stairs from the banking chamber were removed and replaced by a single two-flight stair on the southern wall. The addition of new extensions to the rear of the building saw the Bathurst Street entrance relocated. and the demolition of the 1895 staircase to a second basement store.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The construction of the city railway tunnel under the George Street facade of the building in the late 1920s saw a new basement wall built in 1931 to stabilise the building. A 230-millimetre (9.1 in) brick wall was constructed in the basement parallel with the rail tunnel to support the ground floor above. The Metropolitan Rail Corporation erected the wall.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
In 1935 internal alterations including a lift, changes in stair access, rooftop accommodation and air conditioning were carried out, sympathetically designed by Peddle Thorpe & Walker architects. A statement by the Bank Building Inspector reflecting the Bank's accommodation requirements, record "the premises are undergoing extensive repairs ... and there will be no excuse for the staff not getting through their work in a reasonable time".


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The two-flight 1910 stairs was widened and reversed in 1935 to extend to the first floor and a rear passage was created through the previous Incineration Chamber, and associated air vents connected to the centre of the basement. Another air vent was formed to ventilate a dead end to the basement area to the rear western lane. Additional security grilles were installed to control access through the basement area. The work included the installation of lift well under the rear entrance hall with a shaft to the roof level.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
An electric bullion lift was installed to the basement on the south wall to replace a manual lift.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
Major changes occurred in the basement to accommodate the needs of a restaurant including, food preparation and storage areas, staff toilets, new mechanical, hydraulic and electrical services and the demolition of walls to form new openings in the central strong rooms area. A new stair was built in the redundant 1891 stairwell to Bathurst Street to provide kitchen access and emergency egress to the street level and floors above.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The 1910/1935 southern stair to the ground floor was removed and a new stair was inserted in the centre of the basement through the strong-room, linking the basement kitchen to the ground floor/mezzanine/first floor dining areas. The 1931 structural masonry wall was demolished in 1981 to improve space usage, presumably after advice from a structural engineer. Health regulations required the installation of false ceilings to the basement area, concealing service pipes and ventilation ducts, and tiling of floor areas with waste outlets to allow cleaning. All masonry wall surfaces were rendered and painted, and fluorescent light fittings were fitted.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The basement level was replanned with a new layout to suit the needs of the KFC business. These include new partition layouts, new staff ablution areas, new coolrooms, services and lighting. The major basement change was the relocation of the food preparation areas to the ground floor to meet the KFC fast food model, and replacement with food storage areas. The 1981 stairs to the ground floor have been infilled with particleboard flooring.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The first floor was altered from residential to office use over time to cope with the expanding bank business, so that by the early 1960s the Branch Manager had moved out, and upper floors were devoted to branch use. However, by the early 1970s a decline in Branch activities saw upper floors leased for short-term commercial and institutional use by Church-related organisations, until the property was sold in 1980.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
As part of the frenetic redevelopment of the city in the late 1960s and 1970s, a development consent was obtained for a 12-storey commercial building on the former Bank site in 1969 as part of an intended sale of the site, and in the same year a 44-storey development was proposed for the adjoining Regent Theatre site isolating the bank building on the corner.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
In 1978 the Bank building was listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate, and a Permanent Conservation Order was placed on the building in 1981. The building continued to provide customer services, but its listing saw reduced bank use, as automatic teller machines could now not be incorporated into building facades, and the introduction of electronic banking reduced clerical positions.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The Bank of NSW scaled down services in the branch during the 1970s. It was clear that the Bathurst Street branch would be closed and disposed of during the rationalization of Bank assets in preparation for global electronic competition, and bank expansion by amalgamation. The Bank of NSW's 104-year holding was to cease with the 1980 sale to Tileska Pty Ltd, two years earlier than the 1982 Bank's amalgamation with the Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd to form Westpac.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The original ground floor layout formed a 8.5-metre (28 ft) deep banking chamber along George Street. Recessed panelled entrance lobbies from George and Bathurst Streets incorporated swing doors into the public area. The L-shaped counter formed a public space some 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) deep along George Street with a splayed corner of the counter to a short return along Bathurst Street. Three cast iron columns in the banking chamber supported steel ceiling beams and the masonry walls of floors above. At the rear of the 1895 banking chamber, 450-millimetre (18 in) thick masonry walls enclosed the two stairs to the basement and separated the utility spaces behind. The central spiral stair directly connected to the basement strongroom, and the other stair to the main basement store.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
Behind the bank proper, the private Bathurst Street entrance connected the ground floor manager's Office and the first and second floors. The rear quarters included a ground floor kitchen, washhouse, lavatory and rear yard. Banks were staffed by males at this time, as no female toilet facilities are evident in plans. A small kitchen food hoist is shown connecting the ground floor kitchen with upper floor accommodation, and Tobin ventilators are shown in a measured plan that may have supplied air to the basement or banking chambers.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The 1910 alterations saw the expansion of the ground floor banking chambers by some 95 square metres with demolition of 50% of the existing rear walls, the removal of the central stair to the basement strongroom, and the relocation of the kitchen, the separate Manager's office and internal stairs. The extension of the bank building allowed the private Bathurst Street entrance and the connecting stairwell to the upper floors to be relocated.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
An additional column and ceiling beams were added to the banking chamber to support upper floors and walls, and two existing iron columns were removed, replaced by deeper steel beams. The public space was expanded and counters were lengthened. To the rear of the banking chambers, the washhouse was converted to the men's lavatory and a women's lavatory was added to the rear western wall. Partitioned offices for the accountant and for securities were provided with access from the public area, as well as access to the Manager's office.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
Alterations carried out in 1935 on the ground floor saw the installation of a lift in the 1910 private Bathurst Street entrance stairwell to the floors above. The lift installation required the rebuilding of the staircase, and it appears that part of the 1910 staircase was reused to fit the new location. A new southern staff stair to the floor allowed use of the first floor for banking staff use. The removal of all staff facilities and non-banking areas from the ground floor level freed up space for additional offices and partitioning. The rear kitchen hearth and flue was converted to an incinerator flue form the basement. The ground floor public space was enlarged to accommodate more customers. and tellers on the enlarged main counter were provided with booths.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
By 1952 the Bank branch was expanding upwards with the Manager's office and waiting area relocated to the first floor. some 24 work spaces, the accountant and sub-accountant's offices, and five tellers booths, were now crowded together on the ground floor, with a public area. No structural changes were undertaken on the ground floor level other than that required for air-conditioning ductwork and services and revolving doors at the two bank chamber entrances replacing the earlier entrance lobbies and doors. The installation of an electric bullion lift from the basement to the ground and first floors reduced staff movement to the strong-rooms.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
Alterations were made to the public area with an extended counter and open enquiry counter areas to meet changing consumer operations, the removal of the 1952 revolving doors at the bank entries and replacement by glazed hinged doors. Staff were relocated to upper floors following the departure of the resident Manager.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The sale and conversion to a restaurant, "Pancakes at the Movies", saw a major change to ground floor functions and fabric. The major intervention was the removal of all non-structural bank fabric on the ground floor, and the installation of a steel-framed mezzanine and stair in the 5.5m high banking chamber space.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
A new stair was installed from the basement to the ground floor level with access into the private Bathurst Street entrance. Another stair led from the Mezzanine to the first floor dining area. The mezzanine provided an extended landing with some seating.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The transfer of the property to the KFC Group saw further changes to the ground floor as the spaces were adapted to meet the specialised KFC brief for fast food outlets. KFC installed a large kitchen on the ground floor with an exhaust duct system to the roof through the southern stairwell skylight area (demolished). The ground floor kitchen areas were remodelled with new equipment and services, a servery counter was installed and floors were ceramic-tiled throughout.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The 1981 mezzanine and stair were demolished, and a new steel-framed mezzanine and stair from the public area was erected, leading to the first floor dining area. New false columns were installed to support the mezzanine structure, and floor cut-outs across external windows attempted to reduce the visual and fabric impacts of the mezzanine structure on the facade. Public areas extended from a triangular queuing space at the counter with perimeter seating, and the new steel stair to the new mezzanine.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The servery counter set diagonally across the floor allows visual contact to the majority of ground floor windows, with a screen behind that conceals the kitchen areas. Both the screen and the mezzanine effectively closes off the generous banking chamber space. The mezzanine occupies some 30 per cent of the ground floor public area of the building, providing some seating and tables overlooking the ground floor area. The public access stair continues to the first floor eating spaces where additional seating and customer toilet areas are provided. The mezzanine has a low ceiling height and stainless steel handrails to the perimeter of the mezzanine dominate the space. The mezzanine and stairs are also ceramic-tiles.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
The first floor uses have altered from residential to office uses during bank ownership, but as the first floor was not part of the public bank spaces, much of the internal wall fabric was retained. The majority of alterations involved new doors cut through existing walls, the installation of wet areas, and introduction of vertical communications such as new stairs and lifts.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development of the site by the Bank of NSW, 1895-1980
After the bank's sale, the 1981 and 1991 conversions to public restaurant spaces saw additional penetrations to open up the first floor rooms and provide a stair link to the mezzanine.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
The 1895 layout provided a two-level department for the Bank Manager, with drawing, dining and sitting rooms on the first floor and bedrooms on the floor above. Servant quarters on the first floor overlooked the rear lane and rear yard. A small lightwell in the centre of the building provided ventilation and a little light to the water closets and pantry. A rear entrance stairwell leading to Bathurst Street connected all floors in the building.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Alterations in 1910 provided additional spaces for the new rear entrance stairwell that linked to the original 1895 staircase, a larger lightwell and pantry and a new bathroom. The formal rooms overlooking George and Bathurst Streets remained unchanged as part of the Bank Manager's residence.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Undated plans show the first floor adapted to banking accommodation c. 1920-1930, with staff facilities, and make and female ablution areas. The formal rooms along the George Street frontage are labelled as spare rooms. The first floor lightwell has been roofed and provided with a skylight, illuminating a stair gallery extending the southern ground floor stairs to the first floor for staff access. The internal pantry areas are shown converted to a ladies lavatory, ventilating though internal highlight windows over the skylight roof. Rear windows to the laneway are shown significantly enlarged, although there is no evidence that this work was carried out.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
The 1935 drawings show the new lift and lift lobby, and alterations to the stairs to the first floor to connect with the older Hall 3 stairwell to the upper floors. The ablutions areas have been rearranged and the formal rooms fronting George and Bathurst Streets are identified as offices. Terracotta partitions were used on timber floors to alter part of the original Dining Room for the men's lavatory, and the remainder as the women's changeroom. The southern skylight is shown enlarged. The change of use of the previous Dining Room also saw the infilling of the fireplace to the southern wall.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Few alterations to the fabric occurred on the first floor level, although the functions of rooms appear to have been changed. The Manager's and Sub-Manager's offices and the Securities and bills operations moved from the ground floor and the corridor outside the Manager's office was used for visitor seating. Notes indicate that fire upgrading was required with the installation of fire doors and the sealing of areas forming part of emergency egress.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
In 1964 minor alterations accommodated a swap of the men's and women's toilet areas and relocation of a cleaners room. In 1966 further minor alterations were made including two further openings between rooms.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
The conversion to restaurant use saw existing openings on the first floor expanded to visually link the original formal rooms, and provide for additional restaurant seating. The first floor was linked to the mezzanine below by a new stair cut through the floor. The southern staff stair was demolished and flooring was introduced to form a new public female toilet area. The 1966 staff lunchroom on the western wall was converted to a public male toilet area, allowing the 1935 ablutions area to be demolished and the Dining Room space to be reinstated.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Floors to the first floor have been ceramic tiled to provide easily maintained surfaces. Banquette seating, fixed tables and chairs are installed to these areas and stainless steel handrails are installed to the mezzanine staircase. Two original fireplaces to the formal rooms have been retained, however one of these fireplaces has been isolated by the staircase penetration and associated handrails that are located some 20 cm from the fireplace. A suspended plasterboard ceiling and bulkheads were introduced throughout the floor to conceal new air-conditioning ducts. lighting and other services. Sprinkles were introduced throughout. New openings were made good, rendered and painted.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
The KFC operator introduced a new staircase down from the first floor level in the north-eastern corner of the building. A large part of the original Drawing Room floor was removed and the openings between the formal rooms were further enlarged. The Drawing Room fireplace was left on the wall as the flooring around it was removed to allow for the new mezzanine stair. The suspended ceiling appears to have been replaced and false walls and heads over openings were introduced, probably following the upgrading of air-conditioning services. Cornice mouldings were used to simulate older ceiling details.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
For many years Bank policy required the Bank Manager to reside on the premises. From 1896 the upper two floors were used as residential accommodation for the Branch Manager and family for many years. The 1895 second floor accommodated the three bedrooms, bathroom and wc of the two-level Branch Manager's apartment, while the first floor provided the living areas.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Bank records of the second floor and roof space are not comprehensive, but from available information it appears that by 1935 staff growth at the Branch had displaced the Manager's living areas on the first floor to the second floor. Terracotta partitions subdivided larger room overlooking George Street into two bedrooms and changing social customs saw the original first floor drawing/sitting room reduced to a lounge room on the north-eastern corner room of the second floor.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
There is some evidence that the first and second floors may have been occupied at different periods by commercial firms using the private Bathurst Street entrance, but the second floor would have had longer continuous use as a residence.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Plans indicate in 1952 and 1954 that proposed alterations to the second floor and roof areas for bank uses were being considered. Alterations on the roof level maids quarters were made to accommodate the Bank's Advertising Department and staff facilities.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Following sale of the building in 1978, the new owner leased the second floor and roof areas for continuing residential uses. Partitioning was installed to form smaller rooms on the second floor, and the roof accommodation was extended to form a glazed pavilion enclosing a spa, with stepped terrace levels on the roof to landscape the external area. Metal handrails were provided to increase parapet heights to accessible areas.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
The Bathurst Street entry stairwell allowed access from the second floor to the flat paved roof above, providing outdoor space for the laundry, children and other family activities. Maids quarters were located on the roof during the 1935 alterations, and the roof terrace was divided by a low brick wall to separate the maids activities from the family area.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
The roof areas were modified in 1981 and again in 1991 to provide air-conditioning plant and exhausts, and steel stair access to plant areas.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
For many years Bank policy require the Bank Manager to reside on the premises. The 1895 second floor accommodated the three bedrooms, bathroom and wc of the two-level Branch Manager's apartment, while the first floor provided the living areas.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
Changes were made to the upper floor after 1978 to form smaller rooms and a pavilion built on the flat roof area as a spa facility and associated bathroom for an aerial view of the roof extensions, which can be distinguished by the steel roof sheeting. It appears that the upper floor and roof spaces may have been used as short term accommodation, with access by lift from the Bathurst Street entrance of the building.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Upper level floor changes
The roof is generally accessible and has artificial turf laid on the membrane surface. The southern area of the building reveals earlier structures and a roof-light to a first floor stairwell, now removed. The southern and western facades are utilitarian, in rendered brickwork with inset steel-framed windows and service pipes and designed to abut adjoining buildings.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
Following the sale of the property by the Bank of NSW, to Tileska Pty Ltd, in 1980, the lower levels of the building were adaptively reused for restaurant food uses. The change of use from bank to restaurant was approved by the Heritage Council of NSW in 1981. Pancakes Australia operated the restaurant as Pancakes at the Movies for seven years from mid-1981 to 1987. This use responded to the transformation of this strip of George Street as a movie precinct. The use of heritage buildings by the Pancakes organisation was an early example of late 20th century corporate image-making in Australia.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
When the building was converted to a three level restaurant, in the early 1980s, a mezzanine level was introduced into the ground floor banking hall, as well as alterations to the basement, ground and first floor levels to provide food preparation, sales and storage areas, public and staff facilities, seating and services including air-conditioning, mechanical ventilation and sprinklers.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
The second floor was retained for residential use, and the basement level was fitted out to service the restaurant above. Additional facilities were built on the roof including a spa, extra rooms and roof terrace landscaping. External alterations included the removal of the Bank of NSW signage and new signage for the restaurant, and awnings and modified entrance doors.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
In 1987 the restaurant spaces in the building were leased to another operator, Cassidy's Restaurant, who continued to operate the premises as a restaurant for the next two years. By 1989 the premises had become vacant.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
In 1989, a Conservation Plan was prepared for the new owner Tileska Pty Ltd who considered changes of use for the building to fund the maintenance of the heritage fabric and improve the economic viability of the building. The Plan was prepared to support an application for transfer of heritage floor space to the adjoining site, a commercial use on the top two floors, and more internal alterations to suite new lessees. In 1991 the lower floors were leased as a KFC fast food outlet. A new lease was signed which runs to 2008 with an option for another four years till 2012.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
In the last twenty years there have been a number of internal changes to the building, including fire-stair amendments, as well as new bathrooms and kitchens throughout the building on different levels. The current use of the lower three levels of the building, since 1991 is as a KFC fast food restaurant. This saw the rebuilding of the mezzanine and stair access and further internal alterations to public areas.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
In relation to recent surrounding development, the adjoining Regent Theatre site was excavated in 1997/1998 for a high-rise office tower, but the site has remained vacant until 2005. Excavations in sandstone some 10 metres dep on the property was taken to the external walls of the former Bank building. Fortunately, the structure of the bank building has remained undamaged during this time.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
In December 2003, the City of Sydney Council approved a Stage 2 Development Application for the podium level of a pair of proposed high-rise residential towers, which is to include a 42-level and 30-level residential towers on a 3-storey commercial podium. In July 2005, this podium is almost complete up to the parapet level of the former Bank building. The podium will be on both sides of the former Bank building facing two streets and has been scaled to relate to the Bank building facades.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, History, Development after the bank was sold and use as a restaurant, from 1980
To conclude the second storey of the former Bank building is currently vacant, after being briefly occupied in 2004 as a site office for the proposed office tower development on the adjacent site. The roof level areas are also vacant, except for roof plant etc.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
The building is located on the south-west corner of George and Bathurst Streets completing the southern edge of Sydney Square along Bathurst Street. The former Bank building is an important part of the George Street streetscape and Sydney Square. It is located on a prominent corner location, is of modest scale, with delicately-carved external stonework, and as a remnant of an earlier Sydney streetscape.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
The existing former Bank building covers the whole of the small corner site, which is 259 square metres. It is adjacent to a building site that was a large hole and vacant for a number of years. Recently, the site has been developed as part of a podium for an approved high-rise residential development, and this will reinstate the former Bank building as part of an established streetscape.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
The current use of the former Bank building as a KFC outlet reflects the current trend in the Central Business District to recycle former commercial buildings for hospitality uses. Other examples of this type of development are seen at the other end of the block on the corner of George and Liverpool Streets where the former ANZ Bank has been recycled as the Three Monkeys Hotel. The current KFC fast food restaurant attracts a wide cross-section of customers and supports the role of the George Street cinema strip between Bathurst and Liverpool Streets as an entertainment precinct.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
Within the Bank building's extended setting and visual catchment, two specific zones have been defined and graded according to their heritage significance. The first setting of the Sydney Square precinct is widely recognised and identified in the Register of the National Estate. The second zone is that of the more transformation of the George Street cinema entertainment strip in the 1980s.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
Setting 1 is noted in the building's Statement of Significance on the Register of the National Estate 1978 listing as follows:


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
Well-proportioned and sited corner bank building. Complements St. Andrew Cathedral precinct. Provides important visualstop to open vista from the Queen Victoria building looking south. Helps to grade the scale between the Cathedral and largerbuildings further south. Part of Town Hall group.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
Setting 1 is demarcated by the visual catchments of the eastern edge of the Sydney Square, the George Street vista southwards and the bulk of St Andrews Cathedral along the Bathurst Street edge.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
Setting 2 of the building is the George Street cinema entertainment strip between Liverpool and Bathurst Streets, where the redevelopment of the Trocadero site and nearby lots in the 1980s saw the construction of three major cinema complexes, restaurant and food outlets and pinball parlours. The resultant 24 hour street activity throughout the week saw the new owners of the Bank building adaptively reuse the building in 1981 for restaurant use and later for a fast food outlet.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
The former Bank acts as a transition from the formal, large scale, precinct of Town Hall Square with its large spaces and buildings to the more personal scale of the commercial streetscape along George Street and its entertainment strip.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, The urban context and curtilage
In regard to future development for the building, as residential redevelopment in the George Street precinct proceeds there may be an opportunity to reinstate previous spaces and details that refer back to its original use as a commercial bank. However, due to the fact that the existing tenant currently has a lease for the next four years, with an option for another four any major changes to the building apart from maintenance are unlikely in the near future.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, Stages of development
The following is a summary of alterations and additions undertaken to the 1895 Bank of NSW building, and as illustrated in the following plans. There is some uncertainty regarding dates of some early alteration work, as joinery elements may have been reused.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, Facades of the building
The latest major changes was in 1989, when the building was refurbished. The plans from this intervention are included in Section 2.9, which describes the changes and development of the "Internal Fabric" of the former Bank building.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The former Bank building is a three storied brick building with a basement and roof terrace area. It fronts onto two streets, Bathurst and George, and these facades have decorative stone work detailing. The former laneway on the west and the southern wall are built with common bricks and are basic secondary walls.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The external fabric of the street facades of the Bank of NSW building is little changed from the original 1895 and later 1910 additions. The city Council's 2000 Central Sydney Heritage Inventory Statement of Significance states:


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The building should be retained intact in its present overall form. A conservation plan should be prepared to guide the future use and maintenance of the place.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The George and Bathurst Street elevation and detail should be preserved without alteration. Later signage and small-scale intrusions to the original building fabric should be remedied. Ongoing conservation work should be carried out to the facade elements to ensure long-term life.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The exterior fabric of the building of load-bearing brickwork and partial stone cladding provides a vigorous interpretation of Romanesque Revival style with stone elements such as the plinth, table course at sill level, a delicately carved deep stone entablature supporting the upper two floors of stone and brickwork, carved stone window surrounds, stone panels and cornices. Distinctive arched windows and a rendered parapet complete the street facades. The ironwork over the main entrance doors appears in good condition.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The 1910 extension to the Bathurst Street facade adding an additional window bay matches the 1895 facade and brickwork, and is unobtrusively identified by a minimal vertical joint through brickwork. The roof has had a number of structures built since 1910 to provide servants accommodation, a lift motor room with lift overrun, a small flat, as well as a spa. Earlier structures sit behind the parapet and are sympathetically assembled to match the original 1894/1895 building in both materials and style. Smaller structures on the roof built in 1981 provide an enclosure for a spa and other facilities.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The current KFC restaurant owner has installed some relatively small and low-key neon signage on the first floor stone entablature, and fabric awnings over the George and Bathurst Street entrances.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, External detailing and building fabric
The 1910 external panelled timber door to the lower Bathurst Street entrance, and all external windows to the street facades, have been retained in situ. However, both Bathurst and George Street customer entrances to KF public areas have been replaced with automatic sliding glass doors.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, Basement
The original basement area was the central secure location of the former Bank's strong-rooms, where gold, currency and valuable items were stored. The strong-room walls were 600mm thick masonry, supporting the internal structural columns of the building. Since 1910, the basement has seen continuous modifications reflecting alterations to the ground floor access, and bank security requirements. Since 1981 the basement has been modified to provide staff facilities, food storage areas (including refrigerated storage), new services and new staff egress routes.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Description, Ground floor/former banking chamber
The ground floor banking chamber area was the focus of the former Bank's activities, with public areas and teller's counters, and offices. The ground floor areas were where most of the alterations to the building fabric were made to meet changes in banking practices from the 1890s to the 1950s. Since 1981, when the building was recycled for restaurant use, most of the earlier evidence of the Bank use has been removed.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The former Bank of New South Wales Building, known as 485 George Street, Sydney, is a rare example of a late 19th century Romanesque style commercial bank building, with Manager's accommodation above. It is an important landmark building in the centre of Sydney's CBD and is an integral component of the late 19th century Town Hall precinct. The precinct includes; Sydney Town Hall, the Queen Victoria Building and St Andrew's Cathedral.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
In the 1860s the site was occupied by the Kangaroo Hotel. In 1877, the site was purchased by the Bank of New South Wales, who converted the existing three-storey building into a bank. In the mid-1880s the original building was upgraded. This building was demolished in 1894. It was replaced in 1895 with a prestigious three storey commercial bank building, including a residence for the Manager on the top two floors.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The new bank was constructed with red face bricks and sandstone carved decorative trimmings and is an exceptional example of the late Victorian Commercial Romanesque Style architecture, and a balance for the Queen Victoria building at the northern end of the precinct which is in a similar style. The building was designed by the architect Varney Parkes, son of the famous politician Sir Henry Parkes.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The building has been altered and extended over the years. In 1910 an extra bay was added on the west side in Bathurst Street and the facade was increased from five to six bays. This extension was designed by the well known firm of architects Robertson & Marks. In 1935, there were a number of internal alterations, including a new stairwell and installation of a lift, which were designed by the architects Peddle Thorp & Walker. The most dramatic change to the building was after the Bank closed in 1980 and the premises recycled for use as a restaurant. In 1980/81 a new mezzanine was added to the original banking chamber. The new design was by architects, McConnel Smith & Johnson, with interior design by Devine Erby Mazlin.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
In conclusion, 485 George Street, is probably the finest small bank building (externally) surviving in the city area, and has an historic significance with its use as a bank from 1877 to 1980; over 120 years. It has social significance as a landmark building in the centre of the city, and is both rare and representative for its intact exterior demonstration the design and quality of bank buildings, particularly noting its major construction phase at the end of the 1890s depression.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
Since the 1980s the building has been used for a string of restaurant uses that service the community who frequent the cinema entertainment area of George Street South. In relation to archaeological significance the site was assessed in 1996 as having no archaeological potential because the building covers the whole site and rests upon a solid sandstone foundation.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
Bank of NSW was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The former Bank building prominently represents the contribution of commerce and the banking industry to the economic wellbeing of NSW in the lat 19th and early 20th Century. The strategic location of the former bank building on the southern edge of Sydney Square, along with the Cathedral and Town Hall contributes to the symbolic and iconic qualities of the civic centre of the city as a "pillar of society". The Bank of NSW recognised the visibility and significance of the item to the community by the selection of a prominent establishment architect and the construction of the Branch in a well-proportioned and restrained Romanesque Revival stylistic language.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The building has a special association with the Bank of NSW, at the time of construction the oldest established bank in the colony. The building has a close association with the architect Varney Parkes, son of Sir Henry Parkes, Premier of NSW for five terms from 1872 and known as "The Father of Federation". Varney Parkes was also a politician in his own right.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The former Bank building demonstrates a high degree of aesthetic excellence, demonstrated by its restrained Commercial Romanesque Revival style, massing, materials, ornamentation, and detailing with connotations of institutional vigour, strength and robustness. The 1895 building displays a strong civic presence through its form, scale and prominent location, contributing to the setting of St Andrews Cathedral and Sydney Square. The Bank of NSW's purchase of the site a decade after the completion of the imposing St Andrew's Cathedral, and the construction of a new bank building was intended as a symbolic contribution to Sydney's civic space, and as a highly visible contribution to the national wealth.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The former Bank building is strongly associated with the commercial and maritime trading community of Sydney particularly that around Darling Harbour and the extension of commercial activities to the southern part of the city in the later 19th century. The Bank of NSW had strong associations with the Church of England as indicated by the provision of subsidised rental accommodation at the Branch in the 1960s/1970s. The item has nostalgic associations with the cinema-going community in Sydney since 1981 as Pancakes at the Movies, and as part of the development of the George Street cinema and entertainment area in the 1980s.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The loss of the rear curtilage of the former Bank building following the demolition of the Regent Theatre and the full excavation of the site, has removed any archaeological potential to provide additional understanding of the local area.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The former Bank building has rare significance as an prominent and externally intact 19th century bank building in Sydney's CBD, balancing the similarly-styled Commercial Romanesque Revival Queen Victoria Markets building at the northern end of Sydney Square. The 19th century civic ensemble of the town Hall, St Andrew's Cathedral, the QVB and the former Bank building has survived and remained unaltered throughout the redevelopment booms of the later 20th century.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, Heritage listing
The ground floor banking chamber interior retains the potential to demonstrate the principal characteristics of a bank building of the late 19th century/early 20th century. The current uses have obscured the main bank spaces but have not significantly damaged distinctive elements of the ground floor interior. The former bank building exterior retains the principal characteristics of bank branches in the late 19th century.


107-109 Bathurst Street, Sydney, References, Attribution
This Wikipedia article was originally based on , entry number 80 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2018 under  , accessed on 13 October 2018.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks
107–109 George Street, The Rocks is a heritage-listed restaurant and former retail building, residence and bakery located at 107–109 George Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1860. It is also known as Rockpool Restaurant (former); and William Blue Dining. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
The subject site was part of the first hospital grounds from 1788; by 1790 a new prefabricated hospital replaced the earlier tent hospital. By 1800 there were three structures in use for the hospital and it appears the subject site lay between the most northerly hospital building and the assistant surgeon's house which stood on the south-west corner of Argyle and George streets. The hospital store building may have extended over this the subject site. By 1812 some small, single-storey buildings occupied the site; these could have been the store houses for the hospital. In 1816 the new Rum Hospital opened in Macquarie Street, the original hospital on George St was demolished and the site became a government stone quarry.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
The site was later granted to Mr Broughton, who appears to have given it to his wife, Elizabeth, as it is her name that is notated on later maps. The Broughtons did not build on the land until 1832 or 33 when they erected a dwelling and a shop. In November 1841 the land was subdivided and offered for sale, it was divided into four Lots, Lot 1 is the present 109 George Str, Lot 2 is 107 George Street.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
The plan for the auction shows that there was a shoe shop on Lot 1 and a structure marked as Mr Bradley house and shop on part of Lot 1 and along the street frontage of Lot 2. This single storey two roomed shop had wooden walls and a roof of timber shingles. Broughton sold Lot 2 (no. 107) to John Donohoe in 1842 who immediately erected a single storey wooden bakehouse timber shingled roof. It appears that Donohoe purchased both Lots as he is indicated as the owner in 1845 on the rates records, the first year they were collected.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
In 1854 Patrick Freehill purchased Lot 2 in 1854 and Lot 1 in 1856. Freehill erected a bakehouse and store to the rear of his two properties during 1857. The stone store with timber shingles was three storeys and contained ovens and stables. The lower sections of walls still remain. In 1860 P. Freehill erected a four-storey (inc. basement) buildings to on both Lots. The southern half of this building was described in Sydney Municipal Rate Books of 1863 as a public house constructed of stone walls and slate roof.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
Freehill retained the rear store and bakehouse of Lot 1 but conveyed the public house known as "The Shipwrights Arms" to Reverend P. Young in 1868. Freehill mortgaged his property to the Bank of New South Wales in 1874 and in 1876 the "Official Insolvency Assignee Alfred Sandeman" conveyed the property to the Bank. The premises remained a hotel called "The Shipwrights Arms" until 1900 when the name changed to the "Chicago Hotel" and Margaret Riley licensee.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
Nos. 107 and 109 George St were resumed by the Government in 1901, these buildings survived the demolitions that occurred around the area because of their substantial nature and relatively young age. Around 1910 the Hotel on 109 George Street became a fish shop and later a café. 107 George Street was a clothes shop between 1900 and the early 1920s, initially run by Mrs K. Symonds and then W. H. Kent and Co. After that it became a hairdresser. By the 1960s, 107 George Street contained a laundry and a museum with residential apartments in the upper levels and 109 was a restaurant known as The Rocks Push.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
The building has undergone extensive remodelling during the last half of the 20th century, in 1978 the Rocks Push Restaurant expanded into 107 George Street requiring extensive renovations including the removal of the party wall between the two properties. In the same year the central section of the top floor sandstone George Street façade was reconstructed due to structural failure. In 1980 the shopfront of 107 George Street which was remodelled in the 1920s was reconstructed to match the existing original at 109 which was also restored. After 1985 the original residential entrance doors were removed from both buildings and replaced with fixed glazing and the paint was also removed from the sandstone façade.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, History
The building were again extensively remodelled on the ground floor for the opening of the Rockpool restaurant by Neil Perry, Rockpool opened in February 1989. In 2009 the building underwent internal and external conservation works and a replica sandstone carved pediment was reinstated onto the roof. As of January 2019 the tenant was William Blue Dining, a 60-seat student-run restaurant that provides vocational students from the William Blue College of Hospitality Management with the opportunity to learn up-market food and beverage service skills in a live environment.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Description
Construction at 107–109 George Street commenced in 1861 on the three-storey, plus basement and attic, masonry buildings. These buildings are constructed of sandstone on the George Street façade and unrendered brick at the rear. The north façade of 107 and south façade of 109 have a smooth ashlar-jointed rendered brick finish. The party wall between the two buildings is of brick construction. There is a hipped roof over each property with two rendered brick chimney stacks, each with six pots, straddling the common wall.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Description
A single-storey section at the rear of both buildings incorporates some earlier, 1857, sandstone walls with a new rendered brickwork parapet wall above. The roof structure of this section was built as part of the 1988 interior design for the Rockpool restaurant.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Description
In 1988 the architectural firm, D4 Design undertook the refurbishment of the ground and first floors of 107–109 George Street for Neil Perry, Chef, of the Rockpool restaurant.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Description
Style: Renaissance Revival; Storeys: 3 + Basement; Roof Cladding: Iron; Floor Frame: Timber.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Description, Condition
As at 27 April 2001, Archaeology Assessment Condition: Partly disturbed. Assessment Basis: Floors at or above George Street level, but below level of Nurses Walk. Potential archaeological resource.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
As at 31 March 2011, the Rockpool Restaurant and site are of State heritage significance for their aesthetic, historical and scientific cultural values. The site and building are also of State heritage significance for their contribution to The Rocks area which is of State Heritage significance in its own right.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings at 107–109 George Street are an integral part of the fabric of The Rocks and associated with all key phases of its history, from the establishment of the colony. A particular association lies with the importance of the harbourside of Circular Quay to the commercial precinct of The Rocks in the mid 19th century. The building is a very fine representative example of commercial buildings designed in a mid-Victorian Regency style that also reflects a strong degree of confidence in this area at the time of its construction by its owner, Patrick Freehill.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The architectural design qualities of the buildings and their previous use as a combined shop and residence, for which evidence remains, provide rarity value for these buildings.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
They were built in 1861 by Patrick Freehill and have had a continual commercial use since they were built. The surviving fabric has the ability to yield information on early building techniques as well as the way of life for the inhabitants. The rear section of the property incorporates the ground floor sandstone wall of a former two-storey stables/bakehouse. The buildings use since the 1970s as a restaurant continue the commercial history of the site and also reflect the growth of The Rocks area as a tourist destination.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
It is also as an early example of the restoration work of the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority. The Rockpool restaurant is a long running iconic Sydney restaurant that contributes to the character of The Rocks as an international tourist destination. The site at 107–109 George Street is a place of high archaeological research potential. Should sub-surface archaeological resources remain intact, the site is likely to yield important evidence of material culture that contributes information about the development and occupation of The Rocks area that is unavailable from other sources.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
Shop, Rockpool Restaurant was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002 having satisfied the following criteria.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings at 107–109 George Street have historical significance for the site is reasons:


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
Nos. 107-109 George Street is located on a site that was integral in the early development of the colony, being associated with the first hospital and later an early quarry. 107–109 George St is representative of the nature of development of privately built and owned commercial properties found in The Rocks in the mid-19th century as part of the development of the northern end of George St as a commercial centre associated with the maritime activity of Circular Quay. Located within The Rocks business precinct these buildings are associated with a period of growing commercial confidence in New South Wales.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The building, with its fine sandstone construction and design, is a good representative example of this phase. The history of the site reflects The Rocks generally. Starting as part of the site of the Colony's first hospital, its early development reflects the first commercial developments on George St and in the Nurses Walk area before their consolidation and more intensive development in the middle part of the 19th century. The c. 1970 refurbishment of the building was one of the first undertaken by the then Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, a significant phase in The Rocks in the late 20th century.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The combined uses of commercial premises with residences over is a typical pattern for this mid 19th century period within The Rocks. Nos. 107–109 George Street is typical of the private waterfront properties resumed by the Sydney Harbour Trust in the early 20th century. The buildings have had a continuous commercial use since they were built in 1861. They have been predominately used as a hotel and bakery in the 19th century and as a barber and restaurant throughout the 20th century.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings at 107–109 George St are significant due to the following reasons:


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The site is located in the historic Rocks precinct, which is associated with the convict settlement of Australia as the earliest area of Sydney to be developed. The site on which 107–109 George St is located is associated with the first hospital in Australia. The site is located on George Street, the earliest and longest operating business precinct in Australia, with 107–109 operating as a commercial premises continuously since construction in 1861. The site is associated with early activities of the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority and was one for the first building restored by the Authority. The site is associated with significant restaurant establishments in Sydney, The Rocks Push restaurant in the 1970s and since 1988, Rockpool under head chef Neil Perry.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings at 107–109 George Street have aesthetic significance for the following reasons:


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings display a high quality architectural design typical of the Victorian Regency style, such as its symmetrical façade, decorative sandstone parapet and restrained classical detailing. 107–109 George Street has streetscape value as being located in a row of commercial premises between Argyle and Globe Streets, in the historic Business Precinct of The Rocks, with similar scale, detailing and alignment to the street. Except for the loss of the original verandah, the street façade of the buildings has remained relatively intact since it was constructed in 1861. Although the Rockpool restaurant interior design of 1988 obscures heritage fabric and spaces it is also of some aesthetic significance as representative of post-modern design influences on interior design and architecture.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings at 107–109 George Street have social significance for the following reasons:The Rocks area is an area of Sydney that is well visited by locals and tourists. It has been the subject of many planning schemes and when threatened with demolition, articles in the press, public meetings and representations demonstrated how highly regarded this area is to the locals, people of Sydney and visitors. Much has been written on the importance of The Rocks as an example of an accumulation of urban artefacts which together present the growth of the area. The Rockpool Restaurant has become an icon of Sydney dining with Neil Perry as Head Chef over the last two decades.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings at 107–109 George Street have Technical/ Research significance for the following reasons:The fabric, although modified has the ability to yield information on the configuration of early Victorian commercial residential buildings and aspects of the way of life of the people who inhabited them. The site has potential to contain subsurface archaeological deposits associated with occupation of the area from the early settlement period in The Rocks. The site may contain evidence of successive phases of use as a bakery from the mid nineteenth century.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
Archaeological deposits and features, particularly when considered in conjunction with documentary evidence, can provide evidence of material culture that yields information which may be unavailable from documentary sources alone. If present, remains of occupation from as early as the early 19th century on the site would comprise an archaeological resource which might contribute data that leads to a better understanding of the social, economic and cultural history of Sydney and The Rocks area in particular.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The buildings at 107–109 George Street have comparative rarity significance for the following reasons:The intact sandstone façade to George St is a very fine example of mid-Victorian Regency architecture and a rare example of this style applied to commercial buildings constructed by individual developers of this period. The buildings retain elements of a combined shop/residence, once commonly found in the business district, but now rare.


107-109 George Street, The Rocks, Heritage listing
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.