What Sydney looked like in the 1930s and how it has changed

One of the most exciting and revolutionary times in Sydney’s history has been brought to life for the first time. Arterra Interactive has created a 3D visualisation of 1930s Sydney — and it’s amazing. WATCH THE VIDEO

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Sydney’s architectural history has been brought to life for the first time.

A team of Sydney animators has spent 12 months sifting through thousands of images and hours of archival footage to create a 3D visualisation of 1930s Sydney.

Surry Hills studio Arterra Interactive, which has worked on WestConnex, Sydney Metro and Barangaroo, have recreated a time when the city’s population was about 1.25 million and the Sydney Harbour Bridge was still under construction.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge being built in the 1930s. Picture: 3D rendering created by Arterra Interactive

It was a decade which had the Great Depression, the 1938 British Empire Games and the beginning of WWII.

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Arterra Interactive owner and managing director Tony MacDonald told The Daily Telegraph his team were surprised by the number of heritage buildings in Sydney that are still with us today.

Sydney has dramatically changed since the 1930s. Picture: 3D rendering created by Arterra Interactive

The biggest changes were around North Sydney and the Sydney CBD, although many parts of The Rocks, Walsh Bay and of course the Royal Botanic Gardens look almost untouched by the past 90 years of development.

“We are always producing visualisations of the future but there is such a strong connection with the past here in Sydney,” Mr MacDonald said.

“This is an Australian first and has huge potential for education and bringing our city’s history to life.”