Macquarie Watchtower

Item details


Name of item:	Macquarie Watchtower
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Water
Category:	Lighthouse Tower
Primary address:	1538 Anzac Parade, La Perouse, NSW 2036
Local govt. area:	Randwick

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
1538 Anzac Parade	La Perouse	Randwick			Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	The tower is the oldest remaining building in Randwick City and ranks among the earliest colonial structures in Australia. It is also the first seat of State education in the City of Randwick. The Macquarie Watchtower constructed on the headland c.1820 overlooking Botany Bay is an item of State heritage significance value. It is the only known coastal watchtower form the penal era specifically constructed for border protection and the prevention of smuggling in Australia. The Macquarie Watchtower is one of only two nineteenth century stand alone towers in NSW and is thought to be the oldest of the small group of nineteenth century towers in Australia. It became the first Customs outstation in Australia in 1829 under the newly formed Customs Department and operated as a Customs Station until 1903. The Tower is also a rare surviving symbol of the vexatious issue of customs barriers between the colonies, which was one of the main factors underlying the push for Federation. The tower is the oldest surviving building in Botany Bay. The building is al local landmark and has had a long association with photographic and artistic impressions of the La Perouse Peninsula. Picturesque additions to the watchtower, destroyed by fire in 1957 are assocted with the colonial architect James Barnet.
	Date significance updated: 19 May 21
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	James Barnet
Physical description:	Octagonal stone tower surmounted by a castellated parapet. Macquarie Watchtower is a two storey octagonal Sydney sandstone tower. The external coursed, sandstone walls are 600mm wide. The c.1961 crenelated parapet wall sits above a concrete slab and beam roof. The roof is drained by coper spouts on fours sides. The four original windows on each level on the facets between the main compass points have been infilled with sandstone blocks and the window sills repaired with cement render. The single Gothic arch headed wooden entrance door is on southern wall facet. The circumference of the base of the tower has been paved (1961) with random flagstones set in mortar in an attempt to assist water to run away form the building. The concrete slab floor also dates from 1961. The north west walls are showing evidence of abrasive weather damage to individual stones and some of the mortar has been worn away. The interior is essentially an empty space with a fireplace set in the north wall facet an a single timber beam at first floor level. The iron gate inside the tower is thought to have been used to close off part of the Barracks on Bare Island.

History

Historical notes:

Governor Macquarie built the tower in the early 1820s to prevent smuggling activities. From 1831 the tower served as a customs house. Botany Heads Provisional School opened in 1868 in the tower. The School closed in 1890 but reopened in 1892 as the La Perouse Public School. This was relocated in 1910. The tower was restored to its original state in the 1960s following a fire in October 1957 with the loss of the caretaker’s wife. Now administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Constructed c.1822 as a watchtower to house a small detachment of troops to watched the Bay for smugglers and misguided vessels. The tower fulfilled this role until 1826 when it was abandoned. In 1831 the Customs Department acquired the La Perouse stone tower to be used as one of a string of its coastal customs outstations, requiring significant repairs and construction of several additional buildings to accommodate staff. The ingress of stormwater through walls and roofs was an ongoing problem, and it became nearly uninhabitable following a storm in 1835. By 1863 skillion roofed additions occupied three sides of the tower and by 1864 a pitched roof had been added. A stone walled skillion surround was completed by 1864. From around 1863 to 1874 a room in the stone tower was used as a school for the local children, including Aboriginal children.
In 1961 the Lands Department undertook reconstruction work on the tower and repair and restoration works. In 1967, NPWS acquired the site and several works programs were carried out in 2006.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Randwick Local Environmental Plan 1998 - Sch3	299	26 Jun 98	97	5020
Local Environmental Plan	Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012	I166	15 Feb 13

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Electronic	Jill Sheppard Heritage Consultants	2008	La Perouse Headland Botany Bay National Park Conservation Management Plan- Draft Report

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	2310298

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