List of tallest buildings in Sydney facts for kids

A north-western view of the Sydney central business district skyline in May 2022

Sydney is the biggest city in Australia. It has 1,168 tall buildings, more than any other Australian city. About 52 of these buildings are at least 150 meters (492 feet) high. Seventeen of them are even taller, reaching at least 200 meters (656 feet). Sydney also has 16 buildings over 150 meters being built right now.

Most of Sydney's tallest buildings are in the city center, like Barangaroo and Ultimo. But in recent years, many tall buildings have also popped up in other areas. Places like Chatswood, Parramatta, North Sydney, St Leonards, and Macquarie Park now have skyscrapers over 150 meters. This means Sydney has the tallest building and the most skyscrapers (over 150 meters) outside of a main city area in Australia.

Sydney was one of the first cities in Australia and the world to build skyscrapers. This started in the mid-1900s, similar to cities like New York City and Chicago in the U.S. Many buildings in Sydney have held the title of Australia's tallest building. These include St James' Church, the Sydney Town Hall, and the General Post Office. In 1967, the Australia Square tower became Australia's first true skyscraper. It was 170 meters (558 feet) tall. Since 2020, Crown Sydney has been Sydney's tallest building. It stands 271 meters (889 feet) high and is the 4th tallest building in Australia.

History of Sydney's Tallest Buildings

Early Tall Buildings: 1800s

Sydney's first tallest building was St James' Church. It was built in 1824 and stood 52 meters (171 feet) tall. Governor Lachlan Macquarie ordered its construction in 1819. It was designed by Francis Greenway and built by convicts.

In 1878, the Sydney Town Hall became taller. Its clock tower reached 57 meters (187 feet). But this record didn't last long. The Garden Palace was finished in 1879, standing 64 meters (210 feet) tall. Sadly, the Garden Palace burned down in 1882. So, the Sydney Town Hall became the tallest again.

Then, in 1891, the General Post Office (GPO) was completed. It was 73 meters (240 feet) tall. People at the time said it was one of the best buildings in the Southern Hemisphere.

Building Up: 1900s

The Circular Quay and city skyline in the 1920s

By the late 1800s and early 1900s, new building methods and expensive city land made tall buildings popular. Sydney's first tall office building was Culwulla Chambers, finished in 1912. It was 50 meters (164 feet) tall and had 14 floors.

However, people worried about fires in these new tall buildings. Firefighters couldn't reach the top floors. A fire in the 8-story Anthony Hordern & Sons building in 1901 killed five people. This made people even more concerned. In 1907, the fire chief said buildings shouldn't be taller than 80 feet (24 meters).

People also thought tall buildings looked bad and would cause too much crowding. Because of these worries, the Height of Buildings Act was passed in 1912. This law limited all new buildings to 46 meters (151 feet). This rule stopped Sydney's buildings from growing taller until 1957.

Despite the height limits, the AWA Tower was finished in 1939. It finally beat the GPO's record after 48 years. The AWA Tower was 112 meters (367 feet) tall. It was Sydney's first building over 100 meters (328 feet) and stayed the tallest until 1962.

The 1960s and 1970s Building Boom

The Sydney skyline in 1970. You can see Gold Fields House, Australia Square, the AMP Building, and the State Office Block.

In 1957, the 46-meter height limit was removed. This led to a huge building boom in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many new towers were built, and some became the tallest in Australia.

In 1962, the AMP Building was finished. It was 115 meters (377 feet) tall and became the tallest in Australia. Soon after, in 1967, Australia Square was completed. It took the title of Australia's tallest at 170 meters (558 feet). Australia Square was also the world's tallest building made of lightweight concrete. It was Sydney's first true skyscraper, meaning it was over 150 meters tall.

The 1970s continued to be a busy time for building in Sydney. In 1976, the AMP Centre (now Quay Quarter Tower) was finished. It set a new record at 188 meters (617 feet). But this record was quickly broken. In 1977, the Harry Seidler-designed MLC Centre was completed. It stood 228 meters (748 feet) tall, making it the first building in Australia to go over 200 meters (656 feet).

The 1980s and 1990s

Since 1981, the Sydney Tower has been the tallest structure in Sydney. It is 309 meters (1,014 feet) tall. However, it's an observation tower, not a building, so it's not counted in building lists.

In 1992, the Chifley Tower became Sydney's tallest building at 244 meters (801 feet). The 1990s also saw many tall apartment buildings being built. The Peak was finished in 1996 at 168 meters (551 feet). Then, the Century Tower followed in 1997 at 183 meters (600 feet).

Sydney's Tallest Buildings: 2000s and Beyond

For a long time, Sydney had a height limit of 235 meters (771 feet) for buildings. This rule lasted until the early 2010s. In 2016, this height limit was removed. Now, buildings can be as tall as 310 meters (1,017 feet), as long as they don't cast shadows over public spaces. This limit was raised again to 330 meters (1,083 feet) in late 2019.

A new apartment tower, 505 George Street, will be 270 meters (886 feet) tall. It will have 80 stories, mostly serviced apartments. Because of its height, it needs special approval due to its closeness to Sydney Airport.

The current tallest building in Sydney is Crown Sydney. It was finished in 2020 and is 271 meters (889 feet) tall. It took the title from the Chifley Tower, which was 244 meters (801 feet) tall. Crown Sydney is also the fourth tallest building in Australia.

An eastern view of the Sydney central business district skyline in 2023

Tallest Buildings (150m+)

This list shows completed buildings in Sydney that are at least 150 meters (492 feet) tall. This includes new buildings that have reached their full height. We measure the height to the very top, including spires.

Note: The Sydney Tower is not on this list because it is a structure, not a building.      Was Sydney's tallest building when completed

Rank	Name	Image	Height (m)	Height (ft)	Floors	Year	Purpose	Location	Address	Notes
1	Crown Sydney		271	889	75	2020	Mixed use	Barangaroo	1-11 Barangaroo Avenue	Tallest building in Sydney since 2020. It's also the 4th tallest building in Australia.
2	Salesforce Tower		263	863	53	2022	Commercial	CBD	180 George Street	Tallest office building in Sydney since 2022.
3	One Sydney Harbour (Tower 1)		247	810	72	2024	Residential	Barangaroo	Barangaroo Avenue	Tallest apartment building in Sydney since 2024.
4	Chifley Tower		244	801	50	1992	Commercial	CBD	2 Chifley Square	Sydney's tallest building from 1992 to 2019.
5	Citigroup Centre		243	797	50	2000	Commercial	CBD	2 Park Street
6	Deutsche Bank Place		240	787	39	2005	Commercial	CBD	126 Phillip Street
7	Greenland Centre		237	778	67	2021	Residential	CBD	115 Bathurst Street	Tallest apartment building in Sydney from 2021 to 2022.
=8	One Sydney Harbour (Tower 2)		230	754	68	2024	Residential	Barangaroo	Barangaroo Avenue
= 8	Meriton World Tower		230	754	75	2004	Residential	CBD	85 Liverpool Street	Tallest apartment building in Sydney from 2004 to 2020.
10	25 Martin Place		228	748	60	1977	Commercial	CBD	19 Martin Place	Sydney's tallest building from 1977 to 1992.
11	Governor Phillip Tower		227	745	61	1993	Commercial	CBD	1 Farrer Place
12	6 & 8 Parramatta Square		225.45	739.66	57	2022	Commercial	Parramatta	6-8 Parramatta Square	Tallest building in Parramatta.
13	Latitude		222	728	45	2004	Commercial	CBD	680 George Street
14	Aurora Place		219	718	41	2000	Commercial	CBD	88 Phillip Street
15	International Tower 1		217	711	50	2016	Commercial	Barangaroo	100 Barangaroo Avenue
16	Quay Quarter Tower		216	709	54	1976/2022	Commercial	CBD	50 Bridge Street	Originally the AMP Centre, it was Sydney's tallest in 1976. It was rebuilt from 2018.
17	180 George Street (North Tower)		213	699	67	2023	Residential	Parramatta	180 George Street	Tallest apartment building in Parramatta.
18	ANZ Tower		195	639	46	2013	Commercial	CBD	161 Castlereagh Street
19	Suncorp Place		193	633	48	1982	Commercial	CBD	259 George Street
20	180 George Street (South Tower)		189	620	59	2023	Residential	Parramatta	180 George Street
21	Century Tower		183	600	50	1997	Residential	CBD	343 Pitt Street	Tallest apartment building in Sydney from 1997 to 2004.
22	88 Walker Street		181	594	47	2023	Commercial	North Sydney	86-88 Walker Street	Tallest building in North Sydney.
23	Grosvenor Place		180	590	45	1988	Commercial	CBD	225 George Street
24	International Tower 2		178	583	43	2015	Commercial	Barangaroo	200 Barangaroo Avenue
25	Altitude West Tower		177	581	55	2017	Residential	Parramatta	330 Church Street
26	1 Elizabeth		174	571	38	2024	Commercial	CBD	1 Elizabeth Street
27	Capita Centre		173	567	31	1989	Commercial	CBD	9 Castlereagh Street
=28	Australia Square Tower		170	557	46	1967	Commercial	CBD	264 George Street	Sydney's tallest building from 1967 to 1976.
=28	Meriton Tower		170	557	48	2006	Residential	CBD	551 George Street
=28	Metro Grand Residences		170	557	40	2014	Residential	Chatswood	438 Victoria Avenue
=31	The Peak		168	551	46	1996	Residential	Haymarket	2 Quay Street	Tallest apartment building in Sydney from 1996 to 1997.
=31	International Tower 3		168	551	40	2016	Commercial	Barangaroo	300 Barangaroo Avenue
=33	1 O'Connell Street		166	544	36	1991	Commercial	CBD	1 O'Connell Street
=33	Westpac Place		166	544	35	2005	Commercial	CBD	275 Kent Street
35	201 Elizabeth Street		165	541	40	1978	Commercial	CBD	201 Elizabeth Street
36	Gateway Plaza		164	538	46	1989	Commercial	CBD	1 Macquarie Place
37	HSBC Centre		162	531	37	1988	Commercial	CBD	580 George Street
38	1 Denison Street		159	522	48	2020	Commercial	North Sydney	1 Denison Street
=39	The Cove		158	518	45	2003	Residential	CBD	129 Harrington Street
=39	4 Parramatta Square		158	518	39	2020	Commercial	Parramatta	4 Parramatta Square
=39	Paramount on Parkes		158	518	47	2024	Residential	Harris Park	14-20 Parkes Street
=42	88 by JQZ		157	515	49	2022	Residential	St Leonards	88 Christie Street
=42	34 Walker Street (Tower 1)		157	515	45	2024	Residential	Rhodes	34 Walker Street
44	Hordern Towers		156	511	48	1999	Residential	CBD	401 Pitt Street
=45	Parkline Place		155	508	39	2024	Commercial	CBD	175-185 Castlereagh Street
=45	EY Centre		155	508	40	2015	Commercial	CBD	200 George Street
=45	Metro Spire Residences		155	508	37	2014	Residential	Chatswood	440 Victoria Avenue
=48	100 Mount Street		152	498	39	2019	Commercial	North Sydney	100 Mount Street
=48	Angel Place		152	498	35	2000	Commercial	CBD	123 Pitt Street
=48	Sydney Central		152	498	31	1992	Commercial	CBD	477 Pitt Street
=51	85 Castlereagh Street		151	495	32	2011	Commercial	CBD	85 Castlereagh Street
=51	Lumière Residences		151	495	47	2007	Residential	CBD	487 George Street

Sydney's Skylines

Sydney CBD
150m +
Completed/Topped out: 32
Under construction: 6
Tallest building: Salesforce Tower (263m)

Barangaroo
150m +
Completed/Topped out: 6
Tallest building: Crown Sydney (271m)

Parramatta
150m+
Completed/Topped out: 5
Under construction: 3
Tallest building: 6 & 8 Parramatta Square (230m)

North Sydney
150m+
Completed/Topped out: 3
Under construction: 1
Tallest building: 86-88 Walker Street (181m)

Chatswood
150m+
Completed/Topped out: 2
Tallest building: Metro Grand Residences (170m)

St Leonards
150m+
Completed/Topped out: 1
Tallest building: 88 by JQZ (157m)

Rhodes
150m +
Completed/Topped out: 1
Tallest building: 34 Walker Street (157m)

Sydney Olympic Park
100m +
Completed/Topped out: 3
Tallest building: Boomerang on Olympic Boulevard (126m)

Future Tall Buildings: Proposed, Approved, and Under Construction

This list shows skyscrapers in Sydney that are 150 meters (492 feet) or taller and are either planned, approved, or being built.

Timeline of Sydney's Tallest Buildings

This list shows buildings that were once the tallest in Sydney.

Name	Image	Years as tallest	Height	Floors	Notes
Hunter Clock Tower		1797–1806	45 m (148 ft)	–	Fell down in 1806.
Government Windmill		1806–1809	12 m (39 ft)	–	Taken down in the 1850s.
Old St Philip's Church		1809–1812	15 m (49 ft)	4	Taken down in 1856.
Commissariat Stores		1812-1824	18 m (59 ft)	4	Taken down in 1939.
St James' Church		1824–1875	52 m (171 ft)	–	Australia's tallest building (1824 - 1875). It's Sydney's oldest tallest building still standing.
Town Hall		1878–1879	57 m (187 ft)	4	Australia's tallest building (1878 - 1879).
Garden Palace		1879–1882	64 m (210 ft)	2	Destroyed by fire in 1882. Australia's tallest building (1879 - 1882).
Town Hall		1882–1891	57 m (187 ft)	4	Australia's tallest building (1882 - 1891).
General Post Office		1891–1932	73 m (240 ft)	5	Australia's tallest building (1891 - 1932).
AWA Tower		1939–1962	112 m (367 ft)	14
AMP Building		1962–1965	115 m (377 ft)	26
State Office Block		1965–1967	128 m (420 ft)	38	Taken down in 1997.
Australia Square Tower		1967–1976	170 m (560 ft)	46
AMP Centre		1976–1977	188 m (617 ft)	45	Was Sydney's tallest when finished.
25 Martin Place		1977–1992	228 m (748 ft)	60
Chifley Tower		1992–2020	244 m (801 ft)	50
Crown Sydney		2020–present	271 m (889 ft)	75	Sydney's tallest building since 2020. It's the 4th tallest building in Australia.

Sydney's tallest building (blue) and tallest structure (grey) from 1789 to 2021.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Edificios más altos de Sídney para niños

• List of tallest buildings in Chatswood
• List of tallest buildings in Parramatta
• List of tallest buildings in Australia
• List of tallest buildings and structures in Australia
• Buildings and architecture of Sydney
• List of tallest buildings in Oceania