A stroll along Circular Quay offers not only a view of the Sydney Opera House, it also leads you past palm trees. Bathed in ERCO light, these have an almost surreal appearance.
The Sydney Opera House had not even been constructed, when, nonetheless, in the 1910's considerable development had already taken place in the district. For instance, Macquarie Street was widened. When this was proposed, the Director of the Botanical Gardens, Joseph Henry Maiden, persuaded the authorities to plant an alley with Canary Island Palms (Phoenix Canarienis). In the intervening years the palm trees have been protected by a preservation order. They have also been the inspiration for the planting of many other species in Sydney's urban districts. You can discover more from the Archaeological Zoning Plan issued by the City of Sydney. There are also interactive tree maps on the Internet.
