Metters Building

Item details


Name of item:	Metters Building
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Commercial
Category:	Commercial Office/Building
Location:	Lat: -33.8780354187 Long: 151.2097765700
Primary address:	154-158 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Parish:	St Lawrence
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Sydney
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Metropolitan

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
		CP/SP	22263
LOT	10	SP	22263
LOT	11	SP	22263
LOT	12	SP	22263
LOT	15	SP	22263
LOT	17	SP	22263
LOT	3	SP	22263
LOT	5	SP	22263
LOT	8	SP	22263
LOT	9	SP	22263
LOT	21	SP	35135
LOT	18	SP	35136
LOT	19	SP	35136
LOT	20	SP	35136
LOT	22	SP	35136
LOT	23	SP	35136
LOT	24	SP	37215
LOT	25	SP	37215
LOT	26	SP	41735
LOT	27	SP	41735
LOT	28	SP	41735
LOT	29	SP	41735
LOT	30	SP	51547
LOT	31	SP	51547
LOT	32	SP	51547

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
154-158 Elizabeth Street	Sydney	Sydney	St Lawrence	Cumberland	Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	The Metters' Building is part of a group of early twentieth-century commercial buildings that have retained a high degree of architectural integrity, sufficient to form a distinctive aesthetic precinct representing the period 1910-1914. The retention of Federation Free Style detailing above the ground floor is significant.
	Date significance updated: 18 Oct 07
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	Robertson and Marks
Construction years:	1914-1914
Physical description:	Metters Building is located in a mixed streetscape along Elizabeth Street. It is a six storey building of Federation Anglo Dutch style with a corner oriel window and a central two bay facade surmounted by a high triangular pediment. The tower to the oriel window is missing. An unusual use of a projecting cornice occurs to the oriel window and the end bay which balances it in an asymmetrically manner. The central bays are distinguished by arched windows divided by solid spandrels. At the sixth floor smaller flat arched windows form part of an entablature frieze. At the first floor an entablature is supported by projecting brackets. The facade below the awning has been significantly modified. Internally the plan is rectangular with a rear lightwell. The interior is lacking in quality detailing but is quite intact with original metal ceilings and glass to the toilet area. The building is unusual for its original timber fire stair. Category:Individual Building. Style:Federation Anglo-Dutch. Storeys:6. Facade:Plastered brick, Render. Side/Rear Walls:Face brick, Plastered brick, Render. Internal Walls:Plasterboard & stud. Roof Cladding:Corrugated metal. Internal Structure:Timber column and floor. Floor:Timber joists & boards. Roof:Timber framing. Ceilings:Pressed metal, Susp. plasterboard. Stairs:2. Fire Stairs:1. Sprinkler System:Yes. Lifts:1.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Significantly intact above ground floor level.
	Date condition updated:13 Feb 07
Modifications and dates:	Alterations to shopfront c1980


Current use:	Office building
Former use:	Aboriginal land, town lot

History

Historical notes:

The "Eora people" was the name given to the coastal Aborigines around Sydney. Central Sydney is therefore often referred to as "Eora Country". Within the City of Sydney local government area, the traditional owners are the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora. There is no written record of the name of the language spoken and currently there are debates as whether the coastal peoples spoke a separate language "Eora" or whether this was actually a dialect of the Dharug language. Remnant bushland in places like Blackwattle Bay retain elements of traditional plant, bird and animal life, including fish and rock oysters (Anita Heiss, "Aboriginal People and Place", Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani).

With the invasion of the Sydney region, the Cadigal and Wangal people were decimated but there are descendants still living in Sydney today. All cities include many immigrants in their population. Aboriginal people from across the state have been attracted to suburbs such as Pyrmont, Balmain, Rozelle, Glebe and Redfern since the 1930s. Changes in government legislation in the 1960s provided freedom of movement enabling more Aboriginal people to choose to live in Sydney (Anita Heiss, "Aboriginal People and Place", Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani).

Metters Building:
The Metters building was designed by architects Robertson & Marks and built in 1914.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local 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	Retailing-
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	Commercial strip development-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Architectural styles and periods - Federation Anglo-Dutch-

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act	See File For Schedule Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1): (1) The maintenance of any building or item on the site where maintenance means the continuous protective care of existing material.	Mar 10 1989
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act	Record converted from HIS events Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1): * change of use; * strata subdivision; * maintenance, where maintenance means the continuous protective care of existing fabric; * minor repairs where minor repair means the repair of materials and includes replacement of minor components such as individual bricks where these have been damaged beyond reasonable repair or are missing. Replacements should be of the same materials, colour, texture, form and design as the original it replaces; * alterations to the interior of the building, except insofar as such works would affect the external appearance of the building.	Mar 23 1990
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard 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

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

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00732	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00732	23 Mar 90	41	2492
Local Environmental Plan	CSH Local Environmental Plan 4		07 Apr 00

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	FORM Architects	1998	Metters' Building Heritage Impact Statement

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

(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:	5045329
File number:	EF14/5475; S90/01368 HC87 3260

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

All information and pictures on this page are the copyright of Heritage NSW or respective copyright owners.