Hydraulic Pump Station, Heritage pump station in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia.
The Hydraulic Pump Station at 17 Little Pier Street, Haymarket, is a three-storey building with an Italianate/Baroque facade of rich decorative stucco. Each storey has a central arched window flanked by square Corinthian pilasters and matching pairs of pedimented dummy windows. It now operates as the Pumphouse Bar and Restaurant.
The building was constructed between 1889 and 1891 as the central hub of Sydney's hydraulic power system. This facility made it possible for city buildings to reach heights previously impossible before modern pressure technology became available.
The building's name survives in its current use: since 2018 it has operated as the Pumphouse Bar and Restaurant, and before that it housed a microbrewery and hotel from 1988. The Italianate facade with paired pedimented dummy windows and Corinthian pilasters still fronts Little Pier Street in the Haymarket Conservation Area.
The building stands at 17 Little Pier Street in Haymarket, between the central business district and the former wool stores of Pyrmont and Ultimo. It now operates as Pumphouse Bar and Restaurant, so a visit means going inside for a drink or meal rather than viewing the facade only. The three-storey Italianate front is best seen from street level.
The building housed specialized machinery that allowed structures to reach eight stories when three to four levels were the typical standard. This technical breakthrough changed how the city approached building height limitations and shaped Sydney's architectural future.
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