This Sunday, 5th November, we are celebrating the home of the College by opening 145 Macquarie St. to the public as part of the Open Sydney program.

The College is housed in one of the most beautiful buildings, on one of the most beautiful gardens, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Today, is it unthinkable that this building may have been demolished or relocated in the 1970's, due to the College Council concluding that:

"Regrettably, the present building must go because neither we, nor anyone else, can afford to have that amount of capital invested at a nil return".

One architectural design floated at the time incorporated the facade of 145 with a tower block behind, similar to the Rialto building in Melbourne. Another idea called for 145 to be rebuilt in The Rocks. Late in 1970, however, the College Council announced that it had approved a proposal for a new building of 15 stories as an appropriate concept of the future headquarters, meaning the complete demolition of 145.

Fortunately, delays due to the economic downturn and eventually the 'green bans' placed on heritage buildings by unions saved 145 Macquarie St. from demolition and in 1975 the building was classified on the Register of the National Trust.

Discussion turned to renewal of the building and a Restoration Fund was established for the purpose. The renovation and restoration work began in June 1975 and there was a major upheaval involving demolition of the lecture theatre, Stawell Hall, at the rear of the building. But as Honorary Secretary, Dr. Richard Mulhearn wrote to the artist Lloyd Rees in 1975:

'we have great pride in our historic home which will always be an elegant landmark in Macquarie St, Sydney."

Major restoration works were carried out again in the 1990's under the supervision of the heritage architect Clive Lucas.

Today, the College buildings at 145 and 147 Macquarie St. sit proudly amongst the office towers of Sydney, reminding passers-by not only of Sydney's gracious architectural past but of the bygone medical history of Macquarie St. The College is the custodian of this beautiful space on Gadigal land and has maintained the building for 85 years, a record of which it can be justifiably proud.