Wednesday 31 March 2010

Circular Quay, Bennelong Apartments

A water taxi zooms past the Bennelong Apartments, located on Bennelong Point at East Circular Quay. The apartments were completed in 2003 and earned the nicknamed 'The Toaster' during construction due to their uninspiring design, likened to a kitchen appliance. The site was once home to wool and bond stores which were replaced by office buildings in the 1950s. The current apartment development was surrounded by a lot of controversy during planning and construction. Firstly because Sydneysiders preferred the views of Royal Botanic Gardens created when the office buildings were demolished and secondly because the new development blocked views of the Opera House from the ferry wharves and railway station at the quay. Some of the controversy has somewhat dissipated in recent years with the opening of the boutiques, shops, cinema, bars, indoor and outdoor restaurants, the colonnade and broad walkway along the shore from the quay to the opera house.
Linked to: Watery Wednesday

25 comments:

  1. Makes me long to be on that boat instead of behind a desk. Oh well, the pic will do! Keep shooting and sharing!

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  2. This is a fantastic shot! Very postcard like!

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  3. I would like to be on that boat too but it would be lovely to have an apartment in those buildings for the incredible view they must have. Great shot!

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  4. Great shot .... makes me want to go down to the sea, instead of sitting here in the cabin in the mountains, where it's snowing again!

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  5. Those apts have million dollar view.

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  6. ewok1993, they certainly do have million dollar views which are only enjoyed by the few that can afford them.

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  7. My father got his cars serviced there, in Woolgar's Garage, unbelievable but true. We are talking 1950s.It was a grubby looking little workshop, but it worked.

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  8. Bruce, it's amazing how we look back at some aspects of yesteryear and think how terrible things actually were. I really liked that shot of you as a child at Circular Quay that you posted on your blog yesterday. It really showed me how much things can change over the decades.

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  9. I like them and I wish I lived there,,sometimes. I seem to remember there was a big fuss and whohar before they were built.

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  10. Dreaming about summer with this photo.. great:-)

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  11. Nice shot. Beautiful location for the apartments.

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  12. Wow, it's a perfect one :)
    JBar, thanks for dropping by...

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  13. which of those apartment is yours?

    Bet you sit in your balcony and have all you meals there. LOL

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  14. The people looking out of the windows in the buildings have a beautiful view of the river.

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  15. I can see why they were nicknamed 'toster', I remember the kerfuffle about them when they built them but now I think they somehow fit into the landscape. I guess you can call it progress.

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  16. Thanks for dropping by JBar! Great shot and info on the history of the development of Circular Quay.

    ~ Tracy

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  17. Nice shot. What a clear and beautiful day that must have been.

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  18. I think the apartments looks quite nice, especially clustered together like that and I'm sure the owners have fabulous views. Waterfront property like that is pretty controversial anytime it gets developed. Thanks for sharing.

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  19. wow, great post i really like it.
    keep posting stuff like this.

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