Take a step back in time and look in on Sydney streets as they were 100 years ago.

In these unique digital montages, Sydney people of 1914 mingle with their 21st century counterparts on streets that retain an uncanny resemblance to the way they were.

Sydneysiders, seemingly oblivious to the impending war, stand on street corners chatting, their lives merged with their modern counterparts who scurry about their business.

The original photographs were taken around 1914 on glass plate negatives.

The photographers used large format field cameras, propped on the back of trucks, or standing precariously on shop awnings – unrestricted by modern OHS laws.

In an attempt to match the perspective and view of the old cameras, the modern scenes were created from a mash-up of three to five photographs taken on a digital camera.

Each image has been hand-blended from the old and new to create individual digital montages bringing together the lives of Sydney people going about their daily routines despite the separation of a century of history.

The experience of "being Australian" had not yet been defined on the battlefields of Gallipoli and the Western Front; Australia was about to change in unimaginable ways when these photographs were taken, but in some ways, as the montages suggest, perhaps Sydney has not changed that much.

The original images were selected from the State Library of NSW's collection and will be on display at the Library from 2 August to 5 October 2014.

The view of Circular Quay from Milsons Point shows the great changes of the Sydney skyline over 100 years: The Opera House replaced a tram depot at Bennelong point; the Harbour Bridge connected the north shore to the city; and the skyline has seen six storey 'towers' dwarfed by skyscrapers. Despite all this change, ferry activity continues unabated. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

Before the advent of tourist shops and backpacker hostels, the famous Bondi Beach was as popular a day trip 100 years ago as it is today. The sand dunes have been replaced with rolling hills of grass. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Hall and Co. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

Palace Garden Steps, The Royal Botanic Gardens. The paths, garden beds and statues laid out before WW1 still provide a pleasant destination for tourists, now coming from around the globe. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

Antonino Macinante and family outside their fruit shop at 457 Harris Street, Ultimo. Although the original photograph was taken in the 1920s, the Macinante family ran their fruit shop in the building from 1903. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

The building at 145–151 George Street, Sydney is little changed over a century as the historic Rocks district was protected from development, though the use of the building has changed considerably, as the signage shows. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

Looking south from 49 York Street, Sydney, as ramshackle dwellings are replaced with towering office buildings. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

The view of Macquarie Street, Sydney retains many of its original features. The State Library, NSW Parliament, and town houses still remain although now are mostly obscured by trees which hadn't been planted in 1914. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

Railway Square outside Central Station was a transport hub 100 years ago. The junction of Broadway, Lee Street, George Street and Pitt Street shows little change other than the effects of population growth and the urbanisation of Australia which took hold after WW1. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

Top Ryde terminus has seen trams give way to busses as the once-outer suburb has become its own busy metropolis. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Hall and Co. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

The landscape of Martin Place (then called Moore Street) is still dominated by the old GPO, but railway construction and property development have seen the slope of the street change considerably over 100 years. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Sam Hood. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

Alfred Street, Circular Quay, as seen from the First And Last Hotel, is barely recognisable from the treeless plain leading to the ferry terminals with clear views through to The Rocks of 1914, compared to the tree lined street hemmed by the Cahill Expressway of today. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )

In 1914 the crowded Spit Punt was the only link from North Sydney to Manly. The hills of The Spit were undeveloped bush land, and a bridge to isolated Seaforth was unimaginable. ( 1914 - State Library of NSW Collection: Unknown photographer. 2014 - 702 ABC Sydney: John Donegan )