Glebe Island Silos

Item details


Name of item:	Glebe Island Silos
Other name/s:	Glebe Island Wheat Silos, Glebe Island Grain Silos
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Farming and Grazing
Category:	Agriculture
Primary address:	Victoria Road, Glebe Island, NSW 2040
Local govt. area:	Inner West

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Victoria Road	Glebe Island	Inner West			Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Port Authority of NSW	State Government

Statement of significance:


	Glebe Island Grain Terminal is a seminal site in the development of the bulk wheat storage and export industry in Australia. As such it has a pre-eminent position in the historical development of one of Australia's most important primary industries. It was the first and most important of the port terminals and encompassed technologies that were specific to the industry and influential in the development of that industry throughout the country. The first construction phase is particularly noteworthy because of the circumstances of its wholly imported design and technological expertise. The carefully planned and integrated system, by the 1930's , was considered to be one of the largest, most efficient and well planned installations of its type. The fabric contained within the site, although compromised by alterations and missing elements is capable of demonstrating and recording the evolution of the industrial processes that evolved over several decades. The silos, in particular are the most visible and easily interpreted elements of that former use and form a powerful and well known landmark. The site also has significance for its associations with, and demonstration of, Commonwealth and State government initiatives (McPhee, Thorpe, Stuart 1994).
	Date significance updated: 13 Jul 04
	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:	Metcalfe & Co Ltd (original bins)
Builder/Maker:	Mr Teasdale Smith
Construction years:	1917-1975
Physical description:	The original bins were large cylindrical bins capable of handling approx. 6.5 million bushels. The bottoms of the bins were shaped as cones which enabled wheat to be discharged via a valve to a chute which led directly via a conveyor belt for shipment. The original 143 bins were 31.2 feet in diameter 108 feet high and 8 inches thick. The silo complex was extended over the years. In 1975 the then Governor of NSW, Sir Roden Cutler opened a $4 million extension to the system. This included 30 cylindrical concrete silos 38.4 m high, each having a capacity of 2,400 tonnes. In addition there were 14 star shaped interspace bins each with a capacity of 550 tonnes. The extensions increased capacity by about 50% from 163 000 tonnes to 245 000 tonnes. The 1975 silos are believed to be the ones retained following a heritage assessment in 1999 - 2000 when Sydney Ports was planning a reorganisation of the Por.t Other silos were demolished to make way for Port development.
Modifications and dates:	Ongoing development between 1917 and 1980 with major extension opened in 1975. Ceased operation as a grain store in 1984. Modified for cement storage 1994. Part demolished 2000.


Former use:	Grain Silos

History

Historical notes:

In 1790 Reverand Richard Johnson was granted land including a 23 acre island on the Western edge of Sydney. The land remained undeveloped until the Government architect selected it as the site for the city Abbottoir in 1850. Massive earthworks transformed the topography, and the Abbottoir was built, opening in 1860. It operated until 1912 despite ongoing complaints about pollution.

Following the closure of the Abbottoir further reclamation was undertaken and wharves were built by the Railways Commissioners to facilitate wheat and coal handling. By 1916 the need to replace shipment of wheat in bags with bulk handling was urgent. A mouse plague and the necessity to hold large quantities of grain due to the threat to shipping during World War 1 led to construction of the principal storage facility at Glebe Island between 1917 and 1921.

Between 1921 and 1932 centralisation of wheat handling facilities was encouraged. Sixty three silos were built by 1925 and associated services including building stock, rail and road links and handling facilities all expanded. The depression slowed development although the number of country plants increased to 181 by 1939.

During World War II, Glebe Island was used as a major armament supply depot and troop embarkation area for the U S Army. By the 1950's horizontal silos were replacing vertical ones and the Grain Elevators Board was established. Record wheat harvests and the post war growth led to further expansion in the 1960's and in the 1970's other grains were also handled and capacity was doubled. However in 1984 Glebe Island ceased operation as a grain storage terminal when a new facility at Port Kembla became the major grain export site for NSW.

In 1994 part of the silo complex was modified for cement storage. The complex is also used for sugar storage.

A comprehensive development strategy outlined in the Glebe Island /White Bay Master Plan was adopted at the end of the 20th century. In 1999 - 2000 disused silos at Glebe Island were demolished as part of this strategy to make more productive use of the land. (Extensive testing had shown that the original block of silos was in poor condition and could not be renovated). More than half the 110,000 tonnes of concrete in the silos buildings was recycled for use as roadbase in the Port precinct. The rest was sold. The demolition freed approximatly 3 hectares for Port use.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture	(none)-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The Glebe Island Grain Terminal has significant historical associations with the development of the grain (principally wheat )industry in NSW as well as the history of Commonwealth and State involvement in agriculture. The terminal's fabric can demonstrate important changes in the history of transportation and in technology as well demonstrating by its bulk and size, the size of the grain crop. (McPhee, Thorpe, Stuart 1994)
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The Terminal was an important technical innovation in Australia being the first terminal constructed, also important as part of the first bulk handling system for grain built in Australia. As such the site is rare and retains enough integrity to demonstrate the industrial processes used in the running of the site.(McPhee,Thorpe, Stuart 1994)
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register	Sydney Ports Corporation	4560016
Heritage study

Study details

Title	Year	Author	Guidelines used
The Glebe Island Grain Silos Archaeological and Heritage Study	1994	W McPhee, W Thorp, I Stuart	Yes
Sydney Ports Corporation Heritage and Conservation Register	2004	Susan McIntyre-Tamwoy Heritage Consultants	Yes
Heritage Impact Assessment. App 5 to REF Roadworks Glebe Island Rozelle	2002	Mayne -Wilson and Associates	No

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written		2000	Sydney Ports Corporation Annual Reports 2000, 2001
Written		1975	Port of Sydney Journal May 1975 Vol 12 - 3
Written	O'Brien, E.H	1975	Wheat Sales and Shipping:a brief description in Port of Sydney Vol 11-14
Written	W H Brotherson	1971	The Development of the NSW Bulk Wheat Berths - Port of Sydney Journal Vol 10 No 3

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

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	State Government
Database number:	4560016

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