Period Three (1901–1945) was a time of profound change, marked by industrialisation, war, disease and rapid growth, with Sydney tripling its population. This period encompassed significant events such as Federation unifying the colonies into present-day Australia, the ‘White Australia Policy’, the Bubonic plague, Spanish influenza, two devastating world wars and the Great Depression, all of which impacted Sydney’s food landscapes, chiefly by expanding production and ramping up intensity. Technological advancements and infrastructure projects facilitated the city’s expansion, while the manufacturing sector reshaped Sydney’s workforce and social identity. Motorised transport increased suburbanisation as metropolitan agricultural lands were overtaken by the growing city. Public health crises prompted regulatory changes, driving both Sydney’s working class and many agricultural industries out of the inner city. By the end of this transformative era, motor vehicles saw to the increasing disappearance of agricultural land under urban development. While it is unclear when Sydney’s per capita agricultural activity peaked, the city region was undoubtedly a powerhouse of local food production between 1901 and 1945.