Sometime in 1948 the Sydney Boys High School Parents and Citizens Association purchased land at Abbotsford with the intention of erecting a boatshed on it. The allotment was next to Gus Green’s Boatshed. The main access to the P&C land was through an adjacent park, however, this access was cut off by building works undertaken on an adjoining vacant allotment, leaving only a narrow right of way to the property.
In 1952 Green’s intention to sell his premises came to the attention of old boy, James R G M Budge, who paid a deposit of £500 to secure an option to purchase the property.
The Sydney High School Council purchased Green’s property. The Council had been established on 9 July 1951. Its object was stated to be to handle any major projects that the Parents and Citizens Association or the Old Boys Union may decide upon. The School Council purchased the premises with £3,000 obtained from a pre-existing building fund, P&C funds and funds advanced from the OBU life membership account.
Green ran a boat building business from his boatshed. As he was retiring from business, Green wanted to sell the premises and business at a cost of around £6500. Negotiations were carried out by J R G M Budge. While the School Council felt able to purchase the premises it considered it had no power to purchase the business. Budge, with a number of other old boys, formed Green's Racing Boats Pty Ltd (incorporated 21 July 1952) to carry on the boat building business with Budge providing most of the money for that concern. The original shareholders were K C Cameron, Arch Ferguson, D J Duffy, F M Nichols and J R G M Budge. The business was a purely private business venture (with no connection with the School or any School organisation) and the invitation to members of the School family to take up shares was made on that basis. (The business was carried on by new tenants Sargent Burton & Sargent from 1959.)
At the time of the 1952 purchase plans were still on foot to build a new shed on the P&C land with Green's Boatshed being used only as a temporary measure. Green’s Boatshed, however, remained in use by the SHS Rowing Club until 1985.
After many years of discussion a Sydney High School Centennial Project Appeal was launched in October 1980 to build a new facility on the amalgamated site. The Sydney High School Foundation Inc was formed on 23 January 1986 and took over ownership of the Abbotsford property from the trustees appointed by the School Council. The first stage of the Centennial Project at Abbotsford was officially opened on 12 October 1986 as the "Sydney High School Educational, Cultural and Sporting Centre". The second stage of the Project was opened on 23 February 1996. It is now named the "Outterside Centre" after Robert Outterside AO (Headmaster 1977-1991).
