This is the story of how one of Sydney’s most iconic neighbourhoods was saved from the brink of destruction in the 20th century.

The first hints of change came in 1900. Fear of disease spreading amid what many saw as the squalor of The Rocks following the outbreak of the Bubonic plague became the incentive for the NSW government to buy up all the land and commence demolition and rebuilding, dismissing it as an outdated, dilapidated relic of Sydney’s past.

The construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the 1920-30s cut through the heart of the area, and by the 1960s, plans were underway to erase The Rocks entirely.

The rise of skyscrapers transformed Sydney. The remaining old buildings in The Rocks were seen as an unfit gateway to the modern city.

Developers and government planners had their eyes on the land, labelling the area a slum and envisioning a future filled with high-rise towers and modern offices.

But what the developers hadn’t counted on was the fierce loyalty of The Rocks’ residents and the determination of a broader community who recognised the area’s historical and social significance.

Enter the heroes of this story: local residents, historians, conservationists, and unionists, united in their mission to save The Rocks. At the forefront of this fight was the Builders Labourers Federation, led by Jack Mundey.

These unionists introduced the groundbreaking concept of Green Bans—a refusal to work on projects that harmed the environment or communities.