York Street by Market 1870

See that gorgeous old building on the left, the QVB?

Well, the original markets before it are below around 1870. The newly built Sydney Town Hall behind hasn't yet had its clock installed, and if you enlarge the photo will see that its second floor is just an unfinished brick skeleton - no roof, no windows, no plaster, etc.

An interior view.

The markets were replaced in the 1890s by the grand Queen Victoria Building.

Sadly, it wasn't profitable and by 1918 was converted into offices and storage. The grand Victorian decoration was gutted and filled in.

before -the second level voids covered in stained glass, the third level voids open for light

 then - they were gutted and the voids planked over.

By the 1960s, the QVB was all but derelict and there was talk of demolition. Fortunately, it was redeveloped in the 1980s.