Many events of 1988 were spectacular, and they remain as strong memories for those who attended. It was also a marker of Australian development. Ideas such as multiculturalism, Australian national identity, and the interpretation of history came to the forefront of national discussion: the Aboriginal actions brought the notion of invasion to the popular consciousness.

Brisbane held an Expo that took it from being a country town to being a world city. Sydney had the Darling Harbour re-development as a permanent marker of the bicentenary. Taking over the land of the defunct Darling Harbour goods yard, the development included the creation of a shopping centre, an entertainment centre, an exhibition centre and a conference centre. These were designed by well-known architects and were regarded as good examples of contemporary architecture.

The conversion of the Ultimo Power House to form the new museum was indeed a more inspiring project than the erection of the new buildings elsewhere. It was awarded the Sulman medal. The NSW Government Architect, J W Thompson, and the project architect Lionel Glendenning, were both recognized. The post-war buildings were demolished to make space available for a new wing in the contemporary style, and the rest was refurbished to ‘better than new’ standard. The basic structure, and almost all the brickwork was in surprisingly good condition.

The conversion had some surprising benefits. The huge areas that were necessary for the early machinery made for spectacular galleries. The 1926 switch room is ideal for displays of valuable items that may not be exposed to bright lighting. The two chimneys in the transport hall were too difficult to remove, but form an important part of the air conditioning mechanism that also made use of the cooling water piped from Darling Harbour.