Sydney’s State Theatre’s Gargoyles Return

September 2012 marks the return of the Gargoyles, Lions & Knights to Sydney’s heritage listed State Theatre building, ensuring the outside of the building has been restored to its original grandeur as it enters into a new era as hip designer hotel, QT Sydney.

As with many grand buildings of the era, stone figures graced the frontage of the building. When the threat of war arose, a decision was made to remove the gargoyles for fear of ruin and personal injury.

With the original stone figures vanishing without a trace, the process of restoring the building to its former glory began in Melbourne where a highly skilled stone mason painstakingly studied images of the original figures and reproduced the Gargoyles, Lions & Knights.

The importance of the State Theatre building has been recognised by The National Trust of Australia that has classified it as “a building of great historical significance and high architectural quality, the preservation of which is regarded as essential to our heritage”.