Sydney Improvement Board, 1871-1896

Less than a hundred years after the First Fleet’s arrival, Sydney was a fast-growing metropolis. Following gold rushes that began in the 1850s, Sydney’s population swelled to more than 200,000. With the rapid growth came the need for oversight of the city’s structures. The Board of Improvements, established in 1879, was tasked with assessing the condition of buildings and making recommendations. This database is a collection of Improvement Board records, including individual appeals to the board to inspect properties and appeals by owners of properties under consideration. In addition to correspondence, there are minutes of meetings, photos of some buildings, and newspaper clippings. This collection is not searchable, but it can be browsed by record type and time frame.