Metcalfe Bond Stores

Metcalfe Bond Stores, The Rocks, SydneyThe Metcalfe Bond Stores are located on George Street at The Rocks in Sydney. These warehouses were known as Bond Stores , where goods remained in the storage until importers paid the customs duty on them. The Metcalfe warehouses were named in honour of its founder, Michael Metcalfe (1813-1890), a prominent Sydney merchant who was one of the original founders of the Australian Steam Navigation Company (ASN).

Following the demise of ASN, Metcalfe was responsible for the building of the Metcalfe stores. The Federation warehouses were built between 1912-1916 and comprises of two adjacent buildings. The exterior walls are built from load bearing red brick with minimal darker brick outlines. The first of the bond stores was built in 1912 and is seven bays long and is three storeys high to George Street and five storeys to Hickson Road. The second building was built in 1916 and is nine bays long and is also three storeys high to George Street and five storeys to Hickson Road. The site of the bond stores is on the former garden and orchard of Robert Campbell's Wharf House (1800-1883) and later site of a quarry.

The site was placed in the hands of the NSW Government as part of the Darling Harbour Resumptions, following the outbreak of the bubonic plague. Following the building of the Metcalfe Bond the land was leased by Upward & Co for 50 years from the government . Upward & Co stayed on as tenants following the expiration of the lease. In 1970 ownership of the building passed to the SCRA (Sydney Cove Authority) and they commenced converting the warehouses into office and retail space.