Railway House (under consideration to amend a listing)

Item details

Name of item: Railway House (under consideration to amend a listing)
Other name/s: Railway House; Greenhouse; Wynyard SRA Offices, Wynyard Walk; Department of Railways Offices
Type of item: Built
Group/Collection: Government and Administration
Category: Office building
Location: Lat: -33.8656288404 Long: 151.2054892150
Primary address: 17-31 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Parish: St Philip
County: Cumberland
Local govt. area: Sydney
Local Aboriginal Land Council: Metropolitan
Property description
Lot/Volume CodeLot/Volume NumberSection NumberPlan/Folio CodePlan/Folio Number
LOT1 DP1003146
PART LOT100 DP1015076
All addresses
Street AddressSuburb/townLGAParishCountyType
17-31 York StreetSydneySydneySt PhilipCumberlandPrimary Address
11-17 York StreetSydneySydneySt PhilipCumberlandAlternate Address
19 York StreetSydneySydneySt PhilipCumberlandAlternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation NameOwner CategoryDate Ownership Updated
Memo Corporation Australia Pty LtdPrivate 
Transport Asset Managers TAMState Government 

Description

Designer/Maker: H.E. Budden & Mackey; NSW Department of Railways
Construction years: 1934-1936
Date condition updated:20 Nov 25
Current use: Offices
Former use: Aboriginal land; George Street Barracks (1792- 1848); residential lots; Department of Transport Offices

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)New South Wales themeLocal theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Changing the environment-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services Office use-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services Developing real estate-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements Building the railway network-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities. Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages 20th century Suburban Developments-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages Creating landmark structures and places in urban settings-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages Role of transport in settlement-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Utilities-Activities associated with the provision of services, especially on a communal basis Public Transport - suburban railway lines-
7. Governing-Governing Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities. State government-
7. Governing-Governing Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities. Developing roles for government - building and administering rail networks-
7. Governing-Governing Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities. Developing roles for government - providing rail transport-

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of actDescriptionTitleCommentsAction date
57(2)Exemption to allow workStandard Exemptions HERITAGE ACT 1977

ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL

I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977:

revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and

grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A.

This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette.

Dated this 29th day of October 2025
The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC
Minister for Heritage

For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.
Nov 7 2025

PDF Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage ListingListing TitleListing NumberGazette DateGazette NumberGazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage RegisterTransport House0127102 Apr 99 271546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage registerWynyard Railway Station 18 Mar 10   
Local Environmental PlanFormer Railway House (part of Transport House) incI197514 Dec 12   
National Trust of Australia register  653422 Jul 85   
Royal Australian Institute of Architects registerRailways House / Transport House (Former)4700675   
Art Deco Society registerRailway House 01 Dec 94   
Register of the National EstateNSW Government Railway Administrative Building235121 Mar 78   

Study details

TitleYearNumberAuthorInspected byGuidelines used
Draft Conservation Plan for Railway and Transport House, 11-31 York Street, Sydney1999Job No. 97-339Allman Johnston Associatesorrn No

References, internet links & images

TypeAuthorYearTitleInternet Links
WrittenAllom Lovell & Associates2005Manchester Unity Building: Conservation Managemet Plan View detail
WrittenAndrew Metcalf1997Architecture in Transition: The Sulman Award 1932-1996
ElectronicAnne-Maree Whitaker2008Wynyard Park View detail
WrittenArtefact Heritage2021Sydney Metro West - Major civil construction work between The Bays and Sydney CBD, Technical Paper 3: Non-Aboriginal Heritage (October) View detail
ElectronicAstralian Dictionary of Biography2006Edward Buckley Wynyard (1788-1864) View detail
ElectronicBrent Balinski2021How John Bradfield shaped Sydney - and Australian engineering View detail
ElectronicDeakin University 'A versatile medium', Fusion: Deakin Exhibits Online View detail
ElectronicErika Dicker2008Terracotta roof tile, 1916-1950 View detail
ElectronicG.P. Walsh2006Ernest Julius Wunderlich (1859-1945) View detail
WrittenGraham Jahn1997Sydney Architecture
ElectronicMark Dunn2008Transport House building View detail
ElectronicMel Flyte2020John Bradfield View detail
ElectronicMiles Lewis 'Tiles & decoative terra cotta', Australian Building: A Cultural Investigation View detail
ElectronicNeil Radford2016Victoria Barracks View detail
ElectronicPeter Spearritt2006John Job Crew Bradfield (1867-1943) View detail
ElectronicSydney Trains History of the NSW railways View detail
ElectronicVanessa Berry Underground albums View detail
ElectronicWunderlich Limited1939Wunderlich ceramic veneer: a new economical terra cotta facing for commercial buildings View detail
ElectronicWunderlich Limited1938Wunderlich terra cotta and faience View detail

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source

The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name: Heritage NSW
Database number: 5044984
File number: S91/02291/11; EF14/5674


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