1944 David Jones City Plan or Map of Sydney, Australia during World War II

Created for Allied personnel during World War II, this 1944 David Jones city plan or map of Sydney, Australia highlights locations that would be most important to Allied personnel either stationed in the city, visiting on a weekend pass, or returning from combat. Depicting the city from Darling Harbor to Elizabeth Point and from Walsh Bay to Belmore Park and the central train station, thirty-nine locations are numerically identified. The first nine and last three, hostels and American Red Cross Clubs, are listed on the recto along the right border. The remaineder, of which two dozen are cinemas and theaters, are listed on the verso. Several sites around the city are illustrated in profile, including St. Mary's Cathedral, the general post office, and the central train station. Both Government House and the conservatorium are illustrated and labeled within the botanic gardens, which are shaded green, and the art gallery is highlighted in The Domain. Hyde Park and Belmore Park are also both identified and shaded.. Verso content also includes short descriptions of places of interest in a near Sydney as well as short trips in the immediate vicinity and a map of Sydney's beaches.

Publication History and Census

This map was published by David Jones Limited in 1944. Several subsequent editions were published as late as the 1950s. This piece is rare, as we have only located one example in an institutional collection at the National Library of Australia and it rarely appears on the private market.