Eagleton Terrace

Item details


Name of item:	Eagleton Terrace
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	Terrace
Location:	Lat: -33.8573216873 Long: 151.2061646330
Primary address:	71, 73 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point, NSW 2000
Parish:	St Philip
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Sydney
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Metropolitan

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	64		DP	835795
LOT	65		DP	835795

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
71, 73 Lower Fort Street	Millers Point	Sydney	St Philip	Cumberland	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
	Private
	Private
Land and Housing Corporation	State Government	21 Oct 98

Statement of significance:


	This property is part of a group of early Victorian terraces. It is part of the Millers Point Conservation Area, an intact residential and maritime precinct. It contains residential buildings and civic spaces dating from the 1830's and is an important example of C19th adaptation of the landscape.
	Date significance updated: 23 Nov 00
	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


Construction years:	1876-1877
Physical description:	Two storey, five bedroom, early Victorian terrace with basement and attic. Cast iron lace balcony and infilled verandah. Skylight to attic. Storeys: 2 Construction: Painted rendered masonry, slate roof, cast iron lace, spear fence. Painted timber work. Style: Victorian Filigree (DOH, 1989). The existing building is a row of four Victorian Filigree style terraces that read as two storeys from the street but have one storey below Lower Fort Street and an attic level. It is of brick construction on a sandstone base.The terrace comprises two pairs of a mirrored plan layout (LEP, 2012). The faade features painted and rendered walls with ashlar coursing with party walls dividing the terraces. The steeply pitched roof of each terrace is clad in slate with a front glazed skylight (LEP, 2012). The Downshire Street elevation comprises four levels, including lower ground floor and attic space. The slate roof has a dormer window with curved roof to each attic. The ground floor and first floor verandahs have been enclosed at Nos 67 and 69. There are single storey rear skillion service wings (LEP, 2012). The interior of each house essentially consists of a pair of rooms on each level with main stair and corridor. Significant internal fabric includes timber joinery, fire places, original lathe and plaster ceilings and corbelled entry arches (LEP, 2012).
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	External: Good
Modifications and dates:	External: Timber work modified. Dormers have been removed. Some verandah infil.


Current use:	Residences
Former use:	Aboriginal land, town lots

History

Historical notes:

ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION
The "Eora people" was the name given to the coastal Aborigines around Sydney. Central Sydney is therefore often referred to as "Eora Country". Within the City of Sydney local government area, the traditional owners are the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora. There is no written record of the name of the language spoken and currently there are debates as whether the coastal peoples spoke a separate language "Eora" or whether this was actually a dialect of the Dharug language. Remnant bushland in places like Blackwattle Bay retain elements of traditional plant, bird and animal life, including fish and rock oysters (Anita Heiss, "Aboriginal People and Place", Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani).

Prior to European settlement the Millers Point area was part of the wider Cadigal territory, in which the clan fished, hunted and gathered shellfish from the nearby mudflats. Shellfish residue was deposited in middens, in the area known to the early Europeans as Cockle Bay; the middens were later utilised by the Europeans in lime kilns for building purposes. The Millers Point area was known to the Cadigal as Coodye, and Dawes Point as Tar-ra/Tarra (Sydney City Council, 2019).

With the invasion of the Sydney region, the Cadigal and Wangal people were decimated but there are descendants still living in Sydney today. All cities include many immigrants in their population. Aboriginal people from across the state have been attracted to suburbs such as Pyrmont, Balmain, Rozelle, Glebe and Redfern since the 1930s. Changes in government legislation in the 1960s provided freedom of movement enabling more Aboriginal people to choose to live in Sydney (Anita Heiss, "Aboriginal People and Place", Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani).

Millers Point is one of the earliest areas of European settlement in Australia, and a focus for maritime activities.

Subject site:
This building was constructed during the mid 1860s as one of a group of four terrace houses. First tenanted by Department of Housing in 1984.

Historical Overview ( Based on NBRS 2011):
The site was part of allotment 4 of Section 90 of the City of Sydney which became in the possession of William Davis in 1813 which is described in Lands Title documents as containing a house messuage and tenement with garden and ground located at Cockle Bay. When William Davis died in 1843, his land in Lower Fort Street was left to Rev John Bede Polding, Archbishop of Sydney, who subdivided the land into smaller residential allotments which were offered for sale by Public Auction in 1851 (LEP, 2012).

George Russell and his wife Dorothy purchased what was called Lot 1 of this subdivision adjoining the Whalers Arms Hotel site in 1851. It was then purchased by Samuel Brush and William McDonnell, both jewellers, in 1854. In 1867 William McDonnell purchased Samuel Brush's share to become the sole owner. McDonnell brought the land under the Real Properties Act in 1868, selling it to Robert Drysdale, a shipwright/victualler, prior to issuing the first Certificate of Title in April 1870. Robert Drysdale had already purchased the adjoining site to the north, Lot 2 ( part of Original Lot 4 and 5) from James Bede Polding in 1851 (LEP, 2012).

Eagleton Terrace was built in 1876-77 for Robert Drysdale. Whilst No 73 was sold c 1875 to William Calder of Sydney, newspaper reporter, Nos 67,69 and 71 remained in his estate until resumed by the Minister for Public Works in 1901. The Rocks Resumption Board subsequently leased out each of the houses in Eagleton Terrace to a succession of tenants on weekly rentals (LEP, 2012).

Ownership of the properties was transferred to the Sydney Harbour Trust Commissioners in 1935 and then to Maritime Services Board of NSW the following year. It was transferred to the NSW Housing Commission in 1983 (LEP, 2012).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural - Coasts and coastal features supporting human activities-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Changing the environment-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes and gardens of domestic accommodation-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Worker's Dwellings-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Terrace-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	A Picturesque Residential Suburb-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Accommodating workers in workers' housing-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Residences-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1900-1950-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1950-2000-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1850-1900-

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Review a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
CMP-Endorse	Conservation Plan submitted for endorsement	71 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point CMP		Feb 25 2016
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00904	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register
Local Environmental Plan	Eagleton Terrace	I563	14 Dec 12
Local Environmental Plan	CSH Local Environmental Plan 4		07 Apr 00

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Millers Point Conservation Study	1986		Howard Tanner and Associates		No
Department of Housing s170 Register	1998	1616	Brooks & Associates		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Heiss, Anita		Aboriginal People and Place, Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City	View detail
Written	NBRS	2016	71 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point - Conservation Management Plan
Written	Orwell and Peter Phillips	1995	Proposed adaptation of houses, 77 Kent Street and 71 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point, Sydney : heritage report

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:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5000870

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