100 Sydney Ghost Signs

With the reappearance of the Peapes sign at Wynyard has come a wave of interest in Sydney’s ghost signs. A gift to the city wanderer who thinks to look up, these traces of a city past lurk on the facades and side walls of city commercial buildings and former suburban grocers. They are uncovered during demolitions and disappear again as new buildings are constructed. Some are painted over, others are repainted and restored, but most continue to slowly fade until they become indecipherable.

Over the five years I have been writing Mirror Sydney, I have recorded as many as I have come across, to make up this gallery of 100 Sydney ghost signs from the city and the suburbs. Some remain, others have disappeared, and others will, with time, reveal themselves.

For more on ghost signs, I recommend Nick Gadd’s excellent blogs on Melbourne and Mildura, the Ghost Signs Australia blog, Ghost Signs UK and the books Signs of the Times by Geoff Hocking, and the forthcoming Signs of Australia by Brady Michaels and Dale Campisi.

Goldenia Tea, St Peters

Hardie Tyres, Parramatta Road, Homebush

Shelleys, Ashfield

BF Goodrich, St Peters

LINO, Granville

K.S Weir, Granville

Overalls and Workshirts, Surry Hills

Presto, Granville

Shelleys, St Peters

Granville

Canterbury Rd, Lakemba

Parramatta Road, Leichhardt

Lewisham

Passiona, Dulwich Hill

Penfolds, Summer Hill

Shelleys, Hunters Hill

Slacks, St Marys

Taubmans, Ashfield

Vental Blinds, Surry Hills

Newsagent, St Peters

Bushells, Kingsford

Surgical, Surry Hills

Penfolds/Dr Morse’s Indian Root Pills, Surry Hills

Rex Simpson, Pitt St, Sydney

Confectioner, Newtown

Slug and Snail Killer, Lane Cove

Sydenham Theatre

Printers, Surry Hills

New World, Cabramatta

Keys Cut, Marrickville

Trade Winds, Maroubra

Personalised Liquor, Rose Bay

Knox Schlapp, Alexandria

Florist, Rockdale

Mona Lisa Marrickville

Coin Op, Arncliffe

Palcolor/Shelleys, King St, Newtown

Tooheys, Taverners Hill

Riviera Coffee Lounge, Leichhardt

Hurlstone Park

Radio Repairs, Leichhardt

Karp Chemist,

Arncliffe

Eastlakes

Insurance, Wynyard

Bushells, Newtown

Switch to Tea (repainted), The Rocks

Amuseuments, Gladesville

Coffee and Tea, Erskineville

The Big Event, Terminus Hotel, Ultimo

Ice Cream, Epping

Boot Palace, Leichhardt

Shelley’s, Strathfield

Florist, Kogarah

Chippendale

Shelleys Kola, Croydon

Red Rose, Rockdale

For, Bankstown

Hurlstone Park

Benzine, Hurlstone Park

Shepherd and Newman, Printers, Darlinghurst

Penfolds, Liverpool St, City

Leather Goods, Castlereagh St, Sydney

Palcolor, Newtown

Wear Bonds, Stanmore

Video Movies, Surry Hills

Bexley

Fosters, Ultimo

Plume, Bankstown

Fielders, Arncliffe

Kinkara, Newtown

2KY, Sydney

Bexley

Soul Pattinson, Surry Hills

Kinkara, Dulwich Hill

Lan-Choo (repainted), Chiswick

KB, Leichhardt

Surry Hills

Poultry Feeds, Auburn

Duty Shoes, Burwood

Ice Cream, Liverpool

Hotel Westend, Pitt Street

Alberta St, Surry Hills

Rambo, Mad Max, Hurlstone Park

Commonwealth Bank, Harbour Bridge

Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills

Bristol Real Estate, Pitt St

Bushells, Robur, Earlwood

Tip Top/ETA, Summer Hill

Bushells, Lilyfield

Bushells, Annandale

Wood, Coal and Coke, Marrickville

Nestle Milk Chocolate, Lane Cove

Capstan, Peters, Canterbury

Institute, Ashfield

Tarpaulins, Car Covers, George St, Sydney

J. Walder, Sussex St, Sydney

Daily, Parker Lane, City

Gelato, Ice Cream, Cigarettes, Quay St, City

BJ Ball, City