Terrace

Item details


Name of item:	Terrace
Other name/s:	Part of development known as 40 Gloucester Street
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	Terrace
Location:	Lat: -33.8593719466 Long: 151.2072836510
Primary address:	38-40 Gloucester Street, The Rocks, NSW 2000
Parish:	St Philip
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Sydney
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Metropolitan

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1	DP	1164481
LOT	1	DP	736890
LOT	2	DP	736890
LOT	3	DP	736890
LOT	4	DP	736890

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
38-40 Gloucester Street	The Rocks	Sydney	St Philip	Cumberland	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Place Management NSW	State Government

Statement of significance:


	The Terrace Façade at 38-40 Gloucester Street and its site are of State heritage significance for their historical and scientific cultural values. The site and remnant structure are also of State heritage significance for their contribution to The Rocks area which is of State heritage significance in its own right. The site of the Terrace Façade at 38-40 Gloucester Street has historical significance due to its continual occupation since the 1850s. The Terrace façade is part of a row of terrace house façades along Gloucester Street at Nos 26-72 (excluding Nos. 42-44, demolished in 1985), which remain basically externally unaltered in appearance since their construction. As part of this row the façade at 38-40 Gloucester Street demonstrates 'a rare juxtaposed study of the English terrace house form and its evolution as translated in Australia', (as identified by the National Trust). The changes which the façade survived have the ability to demonstrate a significant part of the story of The Rocks over time, including the civic improvements by the NSW Government, including the 1980s redevelopment of the site to create an office block, when the Government involvement resulted in the design that incorporated the Terrace Façade into the new structure. These changes demonstrate various attitudes to heritage conservation policy and practice in different periods, and demonstrate the impact of resident and community action on the Government policies for the retention of buildings in The Rocks.
	Date significance updated: 01 Apr 11
	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:	1885-1885
Physical description:	Nos 38-40 Gloucester Street is a two storey late Victorian Italianate style stuccoed terrace with basement. Its most distinctive features are the very tall decorated arched doorway openings and the arched windows with plain keystones. All the windows at ground level are double hung with one pane in the upper window, two in the lower. The windows of the upper storey are double hung with four panes. (Collingridge1978) Style: Italianate Terrace; Storeys: Three
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Archaeology Assessment Condition: Mostly disturbed. Assessment Basis: Recently restored. Terraced into hill slope. Cellars.
	Date condition updated:03 May 01
Modifications and dates:	1983: As a result of the new development (Nos.26-40 became a part of an office complex known as 40 Gloucester Street) the facades of 26-40 Gloucester Street have been retained at considerable expense. (SCRA Annual Reports 1984-86) The terrace at Nos 42-44 Gloucester Street was demolished as part of this development and a two storey infill building, sympathetic in scale and materials, was erected in its place. The original road level has been established and the line of the original kerb paved in sandstone. A flight of stairs has also been created leading from Gloucester Street to Cambridge Street in the tradition of lanes and stairs which are a feature of The Rocks.


Former use:	Aboriginal land, Residential

History

Historical notes:

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).

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).

According to the Council Rate Assessment records in 1851 this site contained two, one storey stone and shingle roofed houses. Between 1867-1869 No.38 was demolished and this site remained a vacant block till 1883. No. 40 was occupied by different people till the house was demolished c.1880. By 1884 Sands Sydney Directory records the presence of tenants at this site so it is reasonable to presume that a new residence has been constructed. The new structure being a three storey, six room brick terrace with an iron roof, divided into two units. In the 1890s these premises were used as boarding houses by different tenants and were continually leased till the early 1980s. In 1985 the facade was retained and the pitched roof reinstated the remainder being demolished to become part of the office complex known as 40 Gloucester Street.

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)-
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
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-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The remnant façade of the Terrace at 38-40 Gloucester Street provides evidence of the street levels before the major realignment in 1911, through the former terrace floor levels located on the Gloucester Street lower level. The surviving façade fabric provides evidence of the design of terrace houses in Australia in the Victorian period. The fabric demonstrates the residential character of The Rocks in the Victorian period. The original creation of the terrace was part of the speculative housing developments, built to generate rental income c.1883. The terrace was subjected to resumption by the Government in 1900, used as working class accommodation after that date and redeveloped in the 1980s. The surviving façade is an example of the 1980s 'façade-ist' approach to the conservation practice. It is demonstrative of this, now abandoned, understanding of significance based merely on the presentation of an item to the general public. The item meets this criterion on State level.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	The original terrace was a rental property, used as a boarding house by a series of owners and tenants, none of which left a particularly identifiable mark in the local history. The item does not meet this criterion.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The surviving façade presents with a high degree of architectural integrity and its period detailing is fully compatible with the surviving Victorian imagery of much of the Gloucester Street. While the building is now used as offices, the appearance of the façade maintains a reference to past residential use, and strongly contributes to the aesthetic character of the streetscape. The building has strong visual relationships with adjacent buildings, including the terraces at 26-30 and 32-36 Gloucester Street, which enhance the presentation of its aesthetic character. The item meets this criterion on Local level.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The Gloucester Street Terraces’ façades were preserved as a consequence of the activities of the Green Bans movement. Since the resumption of the area by the Government, the original terraces were occupied by the working class renters and associated with series of activities of the Government aiming to improve social condition of the residents, e.g. fixed rents established by the Fair Rents Act which made long term renting affordable, and allowed many tenants to stay at the same residence for years.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	It is considered that any such potential of the original houses was lost due to the extensive excavations and demolition of the houses behind the façade line c.1986, however, the façade was identified by the National Trust to be of potential interest for further research of evolution of terrace houses’ façade forms in NSW. The item meets this criterion on State level.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The surviving façades are remnant of an item built to a unique design, albeit within the characteristic architectural style of its date of creation. The item meets this criterion on Local level.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The surviving façade is representative of the architectural style of the terraces, and this design was noted in the studies of the National Trust on development of the terrace houses in Australia. The item meets this criterion on State level.
Integrity/Intactness:	Archaeology mostly disturbed
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.

Recommended management:


	Above ground archaeological remains: An archaeological watching brief or monitoring program is recommended. Below ground archaeological remains: An archaeological watching brief or monitoring program is recommended.

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 Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		01605	10 May 02	85	2865

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
SCA Register 1979-1998	1998	B111, AR089	Sydney Cove Authority (SCA)		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	Higginbotham, Kass & Walker	1991	The Rocks and Millers Point Archaeological Management Plan
Written	SCRA	1986	Building Data Sheets, CS/16
Written	Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority	2007	Gloucester Street Terrace Façades, Conservation Management Strategies April 2007

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:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5053222

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