October 2026
Some great old warehouses in the Hardware Lane precinct – here’s a few that back onto each other. Firstly, the big four level bunch built in 1889 for china and glassware importer John Dynon were designed by the prolific William Pitt – here he’s gone pretty simple, with just some two tone brickwork, rounded brick edging, and Dutch gables, two of which still have their winch brackets. Two are painted an unfortunate blue. (Peter Barrett has a great pic from another building nearby). Only one has a completely intact ground floor, no 71, with the central opening at a high level matching that of the carts, and street doors either side. In the one I’ve shown, the central opening has been lowered and widened, but it has nice early 20thC doors.
Next to them are three rather altered ones that may have been very similar (not pictured), built for furniture manufacturer Penman and Dalziel in 1888. They were designed by Alfred Dunn, who had a short but remarkable career, including the Auburn Church, and the long gone first T&G building. At the same time he did two more, also for Dalziel, facing Goldie Place behind, and they’re intact and very nice, with two tone brick again, and large loading doors. Next to them are some 20s/30s red brick warehouses, making a nice little streetscape holding on behind modern stuff.
The I’ve added a set of three from 1886 opposite the Dynon building, also in red brick.
They didn’t all get properly heritage listed until 2018 (!), but they’ve had 15m height limit since 1982, which has helped ensure their preservation, and the development of the street as an eatery destination – perhaps too many for it to be nice anymore ! Anyhoo, they’re unlikely to be turned into just facades – but it could happen.
