Police Station (former)

Item details


Name of item:	Police Station (former)
Other name/s:	Police Station, Detective's Offices, Kissing Point Police Watch House or lockup
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Law Enforcement
Category:	Police station
Location:	Lat: -33.8156357480 Long: 151.0999963500
Primary address:	808-810 Victoria Road, Ryde, NSW 2112
Parish:	Hunters Hill
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Ryde
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Metropolitan

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1		DP	1178091

Boundary:

Situated on Crown Land (see Curtilage Map), being that parcel bordered to the East by Belmore Street, to the North by Victoria Road, to the West by Lot 1 DP 797350, and to the South by Lot 1 DP 16865.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
808-810 Victoria Road	Ryde	Ryde	Hunters Hill	Cumberland	Primary Address
Belmore Street	Ryde	Ryde	Hunters Hill	Cumberland	Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
NSW Police Force	State Government	27 Jan 99

Statement of significance:


	Constructed in 1837 the former Police Station building is of great historical and architectural importance being reputedly the oldest Police building in continual service in New South Wales.
	Date significance updated: 15 Aug 08
	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:	Mortimer Lewis
Builder/Maker:	David Taylor; Messrs Brodie & Craig (RCC, 2016)
Construction years:	1836-1837
Physical description:	A simple, single storey rectangular building with a gable roof. The gable end contains an oriel window and the front entrance is covered by a canopy. Built in Pyrmont sandstone with a slate roof. In 1836 the Watch House had one male and one female cell, plus two toilets and a Constable's room. A hall led from the front to the back of the building, and the Pyrmont sandstone walls were 305-380mm thick. The purpose of the small alcoves adjacent to the front door is unknown. At the rear are brick cell blocks and a police residence, dating from 1898-1899 (RCC, 2016). An adjoining courthouse was built in c1924.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	No assessment, but medium archaeological potential.
	Date condition updated:08 Feb 01
Modifications and dates:	1840; 1864; 1899; 1920s; 1979/80 and 1996 (RCC, 2016).
Further information:	1864 - building extended 1899 - building extended


Current use:	Police Station
Former use:	Police Station; lockup; Police residence

History

Historical notes:

The Ryde area was highly suitable for farming and orchards, and early grants to marines were given to encourage agriculture. In 1792 land in the area was granted to 8 marines; two of the grants were in the modern area of Ryde. Isaac Archer and John Colethread each received 80 acres of land on the site of the present Ryde-Parramatta Golf Links, now in West Ryde. Later in 1792, in the Eastern Farms area, 12 grants, most of them about 30 acres, were made to convicts. Much later these farms were bought by John Macarthur, Gregory Blaxland and the Reverend Samuel Marsden. The district remained an important orchard area throughout the 19th century. (Pollen, 1996)

The Kissing Point Police Watch House or lockup was built in 1837 and is reputedly the oldest continuous police building in use in Australia.

Mortimer Lewis, Colonial Architect (1835-1849) was a prolific designer, responsible for the first buildings in the Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum (later Gladesville Hospital). Ex-convict John Small was the first constable. In 1836 the Watch House had one male and one female cell, plus two toilets and a Constable's room. A hall led from the front to the back of the building, and the Pyrmont sandstone walls were 305-380mm thick. The purupse of the small alcoves adjacent to the front door is unknown. At the rear are brick cell blocks and a police residence, dating from 1898-1899 (RCC, 2016).

An adjoining courthouse was built in c1924.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
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 prisoners and internees-
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.	police house-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Townships-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Changing land uses - from rural to suburban-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	Creating landmark structures and places in regional settings-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	19th Century Infrastructure-
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.	Colonial government-
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)-
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.	Developing roles for government - building and operating public infrastructure-
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.	Developing roles for government - administering the justice system-
7. Governing-Governing	Law and order-Activities associated with maintaining, promoting and implementing criminal and civil law and legal processes	Policing and enforcing the law-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Architectural styles and periods - colonial Georgian-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with Mortimer Lewis, Colonial Architect, 1796-1879-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with John Small, Police Constable-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with David Taylor, builder-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with Brodie and Craig, builders-

Recommended management:


	Further investigation needed. A Conservation Plan. Any proposed works should respect the existing fabric.

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
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 Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register	01017	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register
Register of the National Estate		21 Mar 78

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Council of the City of Ryde (RCC)	2016	Ryde Heritage Walking Trail	View detail

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:	5045537
File number:	H00/00360; H99/00450 [S170]

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