Historical information

In 1878 Sydney Industrial Blind Institution was built on the corner of Boomerang and William Streets in Sydney. Designed by Edmund Blacket, it was intended to be a workshop, showroom for items produced there and accomodate 10-12 people to live on the premises. The three story building (and subsequent extensions) ended up being used up until 1971, when the need for more space and the limitations of city buildings necessitated the move to Enfield. As part of this transition, and due to the demolition of the old building, a stone archway was removed in 1971 and relocated to the new RBS offices in Mitchell Street. Almost half a century later, that site was sold however the archway could not be moved to the various commercial offices that now housed staff. City of Sydney council did not have a suitable location, as the original site was now a private housing complex, NSW Dept of Heritage did not preserve parts of buildings and it was not from a building originally located within the boundaries of the Burwood Council. The developers of the site recognised that it was part of the historic fabric of Sydney however, and placed it within the landscaped front entrance to the site.

Physical description

10 digital images of stone archway