| Historical notes: | Dawes Point:
The Aboriginal name for Dawes Point is Tar-ra (Sydney City Council, 2019).
ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION
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.
In the years following European colonisation of the eastern coast, the Cadigal population, as among the wider indigenous community, was devastated by the introduction of diseases such as smallpox. Remnants of the original Port Jackson clans eventually banded together for survival purposes, but the population continued to decline, exacerbated by alienation from their land and food sources, and by acts of aggression and retaliation, caused partly through cultural misunderstanding and partly through eighteenth-century European mindsets and perceptions about the colonisation process.
The Aboriginal name for Dawes Point is Tar-ra (Sydney City Council, 2019).
INITIAL EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT
The first settlers at Sydney Cove in 1788 were hampered from thorough exploration of the Millers Point area by reasons of topography: to reach this western ridged area involved either trekking around the foreshore via Dawes Point, or by scaling the steep and rocky inclines of the Rocks. Priority was given to establishing the colony's first structures, and the settlers' interests were initially geared more towards temporary housing and a ready supply of fresh water (via the Tank Stream) than in conquering challenging topography. In July 1788 the high ground to the west of Sydney Cove saw the erection of a flagstaff, giving rise to its early name of Flagstaff Hill, later Observatory Hill.
The earliest buildings in the Millers Point area were intended to serve specific purposes, either for strategic military or agricultural needs. The first government windmill was built on the site in February 1797, supplying the origin of the third name of Windmill Hill. Subsequent windmills were established in 1812 by Nathaniel Lucas at Dawes Point, and a further three windmills operated by Jack 'the Miller' Leighton were situated in Millers Point, near the sites of present-day Bettington and Merriman Streets. Throughout this early period Jack the Miller became increasingly associated with the area, ultimately contributing to its name.
For military purposes, Governor King authorised the construction of Fort Phillip in 1804, a short-lived structure with hexagonal foundations that were eventually re-used in 1858 for the footprint of the extant Observatory. Fort Phillip had been designed for both internal and external defence mechanisms as it boasted both landward and seaward views. In 1815, a military hospital designed by Lieutenant John Watts was constructed in close proximity to Flagstaff Hill and Fort Phillip. Catering for both military and scientific demands was the Point Maskelyne observatory, built by William Dawes at the end of the point: immediately adjacent to his beloved observatory was the Dawes Battery, initially set up in 1788 and upgraded in 1791 whilst under Dawes' administration.
ECONOMIC AND MARITIME DEVELOPMENT OF MILLERS POINT
These initial structures were rapidly supplemented by dwellings and early industries. One profitable industry that exploited local resources was the production of stone for the construction of housing and services in early Sydney: sections of Millers Point were known as 'The Quarries', near Kent and the western end of Windmill Streets. Quarrying was an established industry by the mid 1820s, and this process of systematically altering the landscape continued as a pattern throughout the century, ultimately shaping the emerging village and directing the development of the local streetscape and housing pattern. A second local industry was lime production, used in building construction and carried out just below Fort Phillip using shells acquired from local aboriginal middens. As this supply diminished, shellfish was brought from the wider Sydney area to be burnt at Millers Point.
The location of Millers Point, with its relationship to the waterfront, was ideally suited for shipping purposes, and merchants tapped in to its potential by erecting private jetties, wharves and storage for goods. The village of Millers Point became a definitive one in the early 1830s, as maritime and other related enterprises began to radiate outwards from Sydney Cove, bringing with it residential and commercial facilities. Access to Millers Point was gained through a set of rough-cut steps leading through from the Rocks. Those who chose to live in the area comprised both the successful wharf-owners and employees, labourers and artisans. Ownership of Millers Point land was by haphazard means; while some was documented as granted land, other parcels appeared to have been simply 'occupied' and by the mid 1830s administration, ownership and transfer of land was problematic and from the late 1830s a Commissioner of Claims was responsible for issuing land grants for most of Millers Point.
The village quickly became an integral part in coastal and international trade and shipping, shipbuilding and similar related activities. The incorporation of such commercial and mercantilist elements was both indicative of, and contributory to the public perception and nature of Millers Point, with a roll-on effect throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Growing colonial interest in whaling and maritime enterprises fostered local prosperity during the 1830s and 1840s. From this period Millers Point became irrevocably associated with maritime industries and activities, with merchants, sailors and craftsmen putting a distinctive stamp on the area. The success of such mercantilist ventures and associated industries became evident in both commercial and residential architecture, constructed for merchants such as Robert Towns and Robert Campbell. Sections of Millers Point became regarded as affluent enclaves, with Argyle and Lower Fort Streets known as 'Quality Row.'
The close association with shipping and related patterns of activity and industry was derived from the labourers' need to be at hand upon arrival of vessels. Valuable goods such as wool had to be loaded and unloaded at a rapid rate of turnover, with labourers required to be on call and, as such, in the nearby vicinity to respond to erratic shipping arrivals and departures. An important outcome of this trade activity was the generation of a community that was overwhelmingly mobile, maintaining relatively loose family networks and containing a high transient population. These key characteristics of Millers Point distinguished it from other areas, and its unusual composition was reflected by the high level of rental housing, which in most other suburbs was an indicator of poverty and unskilled workforces. In this instance, however, the rental rates were generated by the need for flexibility and seasonal job availability on the part of workers.
Despite high mobility on the part of the population, Millers Point was able to act as a self-contained village from the 1840s; this characteristic was enhanced by its continuing topographical isolation from the town of Sydney. It was an early multicultural community with sailors and merchants from all parts of the world. Local amenities catered for shopping, work and socialising as well as the provision of churches, schools and other essential services. The Catholic St Brigid's Church and school in Kent Street was completed in 1835, with the foundation stone of the Anglican Holy Trinity, or Garrison Church, laid in 1840 at the corner of Argyle and Lower Fort Streets. The latter became particularly associated with the Dawes Battery military garrison but also served as a base for school and moral education and a forum for community gatherings in accordance with the accepted role of churches in the colony. Other centres equally if not more popular for social gatherings were the host of hotels and licensed premises that catered for a range of clientele. Some, such as the Lord Nelson and the Hero of Waterloo, became local institutions and remained active in the community to the present day. A myriad of hotels, often sporting similar or frequently-changing names, provided local colour and an insight into current affairs and fads but inevitably adding to the confusion. Many of these early hotel buildings are extant, such as the Whalers Arms (former Young Princess), on Lower Fort and Windmill Streets, and such structures stand as testimony to the fact that by the mid-century the Millers Point hotels were an integral part of both the social and economic roles of the area.
The sense of segregation and self-sufficiency began to be eroded through proposals to incorporate Millers Point with the rest of Sydney. Plans to facilitate greater access to the Millers Point area dated from 1832, with the first suggestion of cutting through the 'precipice of considerable height' on Argyle Street. To that point, rough steps had originally been cut into the rock, to allow passage between the Rocks and Millers Point. The Argyle Cut project commenced in 1843 using convict labour initially, and was completed through the resources of the newly formed City Council from about 1845. The sandstone itself was used in the construction of local buildings, as was the case with the Hero of Waterloo Hotel. In spite of this increased accessibility, the unique character of Millers Point was undiminished. Certainly by the mid-point of the nineteenth century a gradual overlaying of cultural features had evolved into a flourishing and distinct community, with various church denominations, a wide range of commercial and social services, and in 1850, the Fort Street Model School was opened, having been the original military hospital constructed in 1815 and renovated to architect Mortimer Lewis' design in 1849. This clearly earmarked Millers Point as a prosperous area, and presaged the modern practice of adapting old buildings in the area to accommodate new uses.
Local prosperity was briefly thrown into a trough following the allure of the Californian gold fields, with employers hard-pressed to find enough experienced workers at the right price. This trend, however, was abruptly reversed within a short space of time. Indeed, the pace of the Millers Point community accelerated rapidly in the 1850s to accommodate the frenzy generated by the discovery of gold at Bathurst and the consequent flood of immigrants into New South Wales. This coincided with an increase in large-scale exports, particularly wool, to diverse international markets. By the 1860s the earlier mix of worker and merchant/gentry housing began to be overtaken by commercial needs and by the creation of new residential streetscapes such as Argyle Place and Kent Street, with a distinct change in the size of residential buildings and an increasing use of materials such as slate. The mercantilist face of Millers Point also changed, with the construction and extension of larger jetties and warehouses for imported goods as well as staples such as wool, coal and flour. Gradually this period of upgrading saw the small scale industries and structures superseded by the encroaching larger-scale warehouses, responding to the demand created by larger vessels. A corresponding shift in the population showed that the artisans and merchant gentry were moving elsewhere, and that Millers Point was overwhelmingly oriented towards booming export industries, with a workforce and resident population of unskilled and semi-skilled labourers catering for specific tasks.
A Harbour Bridge:
In 1815, government architect Francis Greenway, in a report to Governor Macquarie, proposed the building of a bridge from Dawes Point at the city's edge to the northern shore. However it was not until 1922 that legislation was passed and acted upon, authorising the construction of a bridge. Tenders were invited in 1923 in accordance with general plans and specifications prepared by Dr J.J.C. Bradfield, Chief Engineer, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Railway Construction. The plans and specification provided the alternatives of a cantilever bridge or an arch bridge.
Twenty proposals were received from six different companies for various types of design, including suspension bridges not covered by Dr Bradfield's specification. The tender of Dorman Long and Co. Ltd., of Middlesborough England for an arch bridge was accepted, the design being substantially in accordance with one of Dr Bradfield's proposals. The detailed design was carried out by the Contractor's Consulting Engineer, Sir Ralph Freeman, and the fabrication and construction were under the direct charge of Mr Lawrence Ennis, a director of the firm. The design and the construction of the bridge were supervised at all stages by Dr. Bradfield and his staff.
First work on the bridge commenced in 1924, with construction of the bridge approaches and the approach spans. While the approach spans were being built, the foundations on either side of the harbour were prepared to take four steel bearings consisting of large hinge pins and massive steel bases for support of the arches.
At each end of the arch span of the bridge, and just behind the bearings, large abutment towers supporting the pylons were constructed. The abutment towers with the pylons are not a necessary structural feature of the bridge. They do not support the arch and were built principally to enhance the appearance of the structure.
As the erection of the steelwork was proceeding, the approaches were being constructed, including Milsons Point and North Sydney railway stations, and roadway approaches on both sides of the harbour.
The bridge was opened to roadway, railway and pedestrian traffic by the then Premier of New South Wales, Mr J.T. Lang, on the 19th March 1932.
The time taken to complete the whole work, including bridge and approaches was eight years. The contract for the bridge construction provided for six months' maintenance by the contractors from the date of opening, after which maintenance became the responsibility of the State. (GHD Transportation Consultant 1982:4).
Three days before the bridge opened, Premier Jack Lang announced a toll of sixpence for vehicles and threepence for adults. This was viewed with suspicion that it had been timed to 'get lost' in the excitement of the opening, said Anni Turnbull, a curator at the State Library of NSW who has completed a 5-part podcast and history of the bridge. Despite reported opposition to a toll by the city's engineer, John Bradfield, the Premier decided everyone would pay, including the people of the North Shore. They had been paying a special land tax since 1923 to support construction of a 'North Shore Bridge' that would link north and south, ultimately replacing most of the ferries crossing from Milsons Point to Circular Quay. Children, sheep and pigs would be charged a penny a head. By the time the 'grand old coathanger' was paid off in 1988, it had cost more than $70 milllion. This was about 350% more than the original forecast (cost), the Greinder government revealed in 1988 (Power, 2018, 16).
BRADFIELD PARK NORTH (SANDSTONE WALLS and CESSPIT/WELL)
Post-Contact History
1800: area was part of a land grant given to Robert Ryan;
1850s: following subsequent acquisitions, subdivision and sale, the area became known as the Milsons Point Wharf and Lane Cove Road (Alfred Street) development, with subsequent urban development (primarily working class terrace housing);
1924: construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge began, resulting in the demolition of all extant dwellings, structures and streets in the Milsons Point Wharf and Lane Cove Road (Alfred Street) development (a total of 438 houses were demolished for the construction of the northern approaches of the Harbour Bridge). Subsequent reclamation works provided more useable foreshore/public space and the area became known as Bradfield Park North. Bradfield Park North was also used as a depot for large machinery and vehicles used during the construction phase of the bridge;
1930s: After the Bridge was completed the area required replanting and rehabilitation;
1932: the site was handed over to North Sydney Council for long term management and was subsequently redesigned as described in the previous S60 assessment report in Annexure A;
c1940s: The Park was briefly used by the Royal Australian Air Force as a mobilisation, movement and demobilisation depot. Early 19th and 20th century surveyed plans as well as a 1926 photograph provide the primary evidence for the existence of these structures. The study area is located in an allotment which was formerly occupied by a Victorian terrace which was a two storey dual residence at 115-117 Alfred Street. It was a typical 1890s residence constructed for occupation by the working to middle class. The photographs also show that large sandstone blocks were used under houses along Alfred Street to compensate for the sloping topography.
Perhaps in the 1950s when trams ceased operating and the dedicated tramway (over the bridge) was converted into a roadway, the bridge's lighting was deemed inadequate and the original bronze lanterns were removed. These were reinstated following preparation of a conservation management plan for the bridge by the NSW Department of Public Works in 1997, under the direction of Peter Mann, Strategic Infrastructure Manager, for Roads & Maritime Services. A single blueprint of the original lantern design was used to commission modern replicas, the bronze cast in a local foundry, the original milky glass remade in Croatia (Schofield, 2019, 12).
In 2019 Sydney's first harbourside walk dedicated to indigenous history is set to be given the green light, with the City of Sydney's 9 km foreshore walk to link locations of hidden historical significance along the foreshore, stretching from the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour to Woolloomooloo. A report by Indigenous curator Emily McDaniel to be considered by the City next week identifies 5 'monumental' stories of Aboriginal history that should be brought to life for visitors. At Dawes Point (Ta-Ra), site of the hut of Lieutenant William Dawes, McDaniel has proposed an audio and text installation and artwork to honour the cultural exchange between Dawes and the young Eora woman Patyegarang. Dawes' journals, which had translations of Indigenous words, became the source material for the revitalisation of the local Sydney (Eora) language. At (the) Hungry Mile, near Barangaroo, connections between Aboriginal wharf workers, unions and Indigenous activism are to be honoured with public artwork funded in partnership with Lendlease. Sitelines would draw attention to the connections between Barangaroo and Goat Island (Me-Mel), Mrs Macquarie's Point (Yurong) and Garden Island (Bayinguwa) (Morris, 2019).
On March 19 2022 Sydney Harbour Bridge turns 90 years old. To mark the anniversary, celebrations kick off on 17 March with a light show beamed on the eastern and western sides, over four nights. And in a throwback to March 19, 1932, when the bridge was opened, a train carriage - known as C-3426 - that crossed the famed 'coathanger' that day will repeat the journey 90 years later. 100 members of the public get the change to cross the bridge on a famous steam locomotive - known as 3801 - on the day of the annivesary next month. It will pause in the middle of the bridge to meet a vintage electric train featuring the 3426 carriage... As part of celebrations, vintage buses will run between North Sydney and Wynyard in the CBD on March 19, while historic ferries will sail between Milsons Point and Campbell Cove (O'Sullivan, 2022). |