Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct

Statement of Significance

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Description

Assessed significance: State

Item type: Archaeological-Maritime

Current use: Forecourt of Museum of Contemporary Art , parkland promenade for West Circular Quay, site of Police Station and MCA, parkland on the southern side of Cadman's Cottage.

Former use: Commissariat Stores, Colonial Dockyard, Wharfage, Post Office, Marketplace, Retail & Residential Buildings

Group: Transport - Water

Category: Dock/Dry dock/Graving dock

Designer/Maker:

Builder/Maker:

Construction Years: 1788 - 0

Physical Description: THIS LISTING COVERS BELOW GROUND ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS ONLY. See separate listings for built and other above ground items. The site covers First Fleet Park, the Museum of Contemporary Arts and Forecourt site, The Rocks Police Station and Car Park, Argyle St from George St to Circular Quay West and the park to the south of Cadman's Cottage, currently known as Bligh & Barney Park.Built By: 1850'sPaved walkway, including forecourt of MCA and First Fleet Park and area under the separately listed railway station. Does not inclued the Cast Iron Palisade Fence, sea walls or the actual wharves.DEPENDANT ON EXTENT OF LISTING

Property Description

Address

Historic Notes and Themes

Historical notes: The Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct is close to the site of the landing of the First Fleet, believed to be just to the north of the site. Early maps and views of the western side of Sydney Cove indicate that the original shoreline was a small beach or mudflats, at least at low tide, with one or two small rocky areas. Another small beach is depicted in front of where Cadman's Cottage now stands. Sydney's first hospital was built to the south-west of this site in 1788. By 1802, the Hospital Wharf was constructed on the site. The Hospital Wharf was renamed twice: as King's Wharf after the hospital moved to Macquarie Street c1816, and as Queen's Wharf with the accession of Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837. (PWD 1985). In 1797 Governor Hunter ordered a Government Dockyard to be built to repair shipping. By 1822 four docks, with probably three capable of dry-dock usage, were operating. The dockyard and its workshops and sheds were surrounded by a stone wall. To the north was a stone house constructed for the Master Boat Builder, later to be joined by a watchman's hut, blacksmiths and, during Macquarie's period, a stone barrack building. The dockyards were landlocked by the construction of Circular Quay in the 1850s. The archaeological remains of part of the dockyards have been identified at the northern end of the MCA building, the park at the south side of Cadman's Cottage (Bligh & Barney Park) and under Argyle St. In 1991 an archaeological investigation located a stone wall of the dockyard in Bligh & Barney Park at a depth of two metres.The Commissariat Stores were built in two stages, 1809 and 1812. The first Commissariat Store was built in 1809 facing Sydney Cove, to a design by Lieutenant-Colonel Foveaux during the Military Administration after the Rum Rebellion. The second Commissariat Store facing George Street North was completed in 1812 by Governor Macquarie. Both buildings were constructed using convict labour. The Commissariat Stores provided secure and vermin proof storage for provisions such as food, blankets and shoes that were distributed to the convict and military establishment until the 1840s. The Commissariat Stores, later known as the Mercantile Free Stores and the Naval Stores, were transferred to the control of the State Government, under the auspices of the Sydney Harbour Trust, in 1901. At this time, the Sydney Harbour Trust leased the stores to a number of commercial tenants including James Hardie & Co from 1908 and the Mercantile Trading Company. The building later housed the State Taxation Department. To the south of the Commissariat and Ordinance Stores, on the original eastern alignment of George Street, was the first marketplace and a row of shops and houses were built in the early 1800s. In 1809, Isaac Nichols built a large, two storey stone house on the site of First Fleet Park, facing onto George Street North. Nichols was an assistant to the Naval Officer, and was later appointed postmaster, running Australia's first post office from his house. Nichols' house was nestled between a residence built for merchant Mary Reiby in 1808 and the Commissariat Store, separated from the latter by the wharf. By the 1850s, Nichols' house was converted to a pub, named the Australian Hotel. In 1889, both Nichols' and Reiby's houses were demolished and the former Queens Wharf area enlarged, and renamed Barton St by 1908.In 1937, the Circular Quay Planning Committee, known as the Butter's Committee, was appointed to advise the State Government as to the most suitable treatment of the Circular Quay Area including the location and architectural treatment of the new offices required for the Maritime Services Board (MSB), because their existing offices were to be demolished to make way for the Circular Quay Railway. The Committee recommended the site of the Commissariat Stores. The Circular Quay Advisory Committee approved the construction of the new offices on this site 'in accordance with the report of the Butter's Committee' and the tenants of the buildings on the site were advised to vacate it within three months (PWD 1985: Background).The demolition of the Commissariat Stores in late 1939, and the concurrent threats to other Macquarie-era buildings in Sydney, such as the Hyde Park Barracks, provoked considerable public debate, and was instrumental in the formation of the heritage movement in Australia and, in particular, the establishment of the National Trust in 1949.The shoreline was further reclaimed to the current alignment in the 1950s/60s. A 1962 map shows the esplanade beside Circular Quay West under construction, works probably undertaken as part of the work for the new Overseas Passenger Terminal, which opened in 1959. (Johnson 2000)First Fleet Park was redeveloped in 1988, with the closure and subsequent paving of Circular Quay West Road between Argyle and Alfred Streets. The closure of the roadway, which ran along the foreshore, led to the creation of 'an enlarged landscaped area with direct water frontage .. ' adjacent to The Rocks, as well as '.. a grand pedestrian promenade around Sydney Cove with links to the Opera House and Dawes Point'. (PWD 1985)[Archaeological History - Former town allotments. Leases to Thomas Jamieson and Isaac Nichols by 1807. The earliest plans of Sydney show no permanent occupation of this area although a wharf had been constructed by 1792. It would have been used for temporary accommodation and the unloading of ship's cargo. Wharfage facilities, directly south of the site, appear to be a constant on all early plans.In 1991, archaeological monitoring was carried out as part of work for the refurbishment of the Museum of Contemporary Art, and further investigations were carried out in 1997. These have provided substantial evidence for the survival of rare intact remains and deposits in the area. (Godden Mackay 1998:41 & 46) This was confirmed in 2009 when Godden Mackay Logan carried out a Ground Penetrating Radar survey on the First Fleet Park and MCA Forecourt area which showed large areas of below ground archaeological remains.Mostly harbour infill of the 1850's period, but the early Hospital Wharf may encroach into this area (See also: AR038-039; AR045; AR057-058; AR061-070; AR073-074; AR078-079; AR084-085; AR126; AR131-132; AR149).The south-western end of Sydney Cove was the site of the First Fleet landing in January 1788. Circular Quay has been in continuous maritime use from the initial landing to the present day. Subsequent phases of land reclamation and wharf construction have allowed for the development of the largest commuter wharfage system in Australia. The Sydney Cove area was the territory of the Cadigal people prior to and in the first years of white settlement. Thus Sydney Cove is the site of the first interaction between the Indigenous Australians and British settlers. There is evidence of harmonious interaction in the first years of settlement, which was especially encouraged by Governor Arthur Philip. However the smallpox epidemic and the expansion of the colony meant that the Indigenous population were largely relegated to peripheral areas.The Circular Quay area has been used for wharfage since 1789. A timber wharf with rubble infill was constructed in early 1789. This was located near the present day Argyle Street in front of the first hospital in the colony and the wharf was named the 'Hospital Wharf". Dockyards were constructed in 1797 on the present day site of Barney/Bligh reserve. This was adjacent to the site of the future Cadman's cottage which was later constructed in 1815-16. A map dated 1792 depicts a second wharf on the southern shore in front of Government House. However other sources suggest a more substantial wharf where larger ships could dock was constructed on a rocky promontory in front of govt. house in 1800.Construction and development around the shores of the Cove continued at a rapid pace throughout the 19th Century. The hospital wharf was consolidated and renamed the King's wharf in 1813 and then renamed again as the Queen's wharf in 1838 with the accession of Queen Victoria. Between 1837 and 1847 convicts under the supervision of Captain George Barney built a large stone sea wall at the head of the cove. This reclaimed 10 acres of mud flats and was one of the largest land reclamation projects of the 19th century. This became Semi-Circular Quay. The Quay covered the Tank Stream which had been considerably silted up and polluted over the preceding 50 years. This was the last major public project which used convict labour in NSW. Associated with the construction of Semi-Circular Quay was the construction of Customs House in 1845. This is further evidence of the importance of Circular Quay as the central hub of trade and transportation in the 19th Century. Soon after the construction of Semi-Circular Quay a privately owned and managed footbridge was constructed across the mudflats in the cove. This was known as the Halfpenny Bridge or the Bon Accord Bridge. It provided pedestrian access between the southern and western shores of the cove. Governor Fitzroy ordered Semi-Circular Quay to be expanded in the 1850s. This was in response to the silting of the southern end of the cove and the increased maritime traffic as a result of the gold rush.This expansion required the removal of the Queen's Wharf and the Bon Accord Bridge. This further expansion also allowed for the construction of substantial buildings on the reclaimed land. In the 1870s there was a substantial decline in commercial activity in Semi-Circular Quay as commercial shipping moved to Darling Harbour. During this period there is a marked shift towards pedestrian and passenger usage. In 1879 the first ferry jetty was constructed on the quay opposite Customs House. In the 1880s passenger liners such as P&O acquired berths in Semi-Circular Quay for international passengers. Thus by the turn of the century Semi-Circular Quay handled 5 million passengers a year. The NSW Government acquired the lands around Circular Quay and The Rocks in 1900 in response to the outbreak of Bubonic plague in Sydney. This land was administered by the Sydney Harbour Trust. The Trust was responsible for major redevelopments in the quay area over the following 50 years. These included the demolition of the Commissariat Store and the construction of six passenger ferry wharves along the southern end of Circular Quay. The Maritime Services Building was also constructed on the western side of the cove during this period. The post war period has seen many substantial changes and redevelopments in the cove. The Cahill expressway was opened to the public in 1962 (maybe mention subsequent efforts to have it removed and associated controversy). The construction of the expressway and train station dictated the demolition and rebuilding of the passenger ferry wharves. The construction of the Overseas passenger terminal in 1961 was another major work to occur in the area. It also marker a continuation of use of Sydney Cove since the arrival of convicts and settlers in the 18ths and 19th centuries. Further developments were undertaken for the bicentenary celebrations in the 1980s. Writers walkCadmans cottage - Parks and wildlifeSea walls - MaritimeFirst fleet park - SHFAOpera house - Indp

Historical significance: The Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct has historical significance as the site contains archaeological remains of the Colonial Dockyards and buildings, the Commissariat Stores, the first Marketplace, first post office and very early commercial and residential buildings.Circular Quay is historically significant as the quay is built on the shore of the original Sydney Cove. This was the site of the landing of the First Fleet and the first interactions between settlers and the indigenous Cadigal people. Circular Quay has been continually used for maritime transport since this first landing. As early as 1789 a wharf was constructed in front of the first hospital. Today the Overseas Passenger Terminal occupies this same site. For the first 100 years of settlement Sydney cove was also the centre of maritime trade. However in the 1870s and 1880s much of the commercial shipping moved to Darling Harbour to take advantage of the railway station. Much of the land in the listed area has been owned and managed by the Government of NSW from 1788 to the present day. Cadman's Cottage survives from 1815 and reflects the earliest phases of construction by the colonial government. The construction of Semi-Circular Quay in the 1830s and 1840s was the last major public works project conducted by the NSW government using convict labour. Thus this structure reflects the change in the settlement of NSW from a penal colony to an economically and socially viable city in its own right. The existing Circular Quay structure lies on the same site as this original wharfage. The title of the area was transferred to the Sydney Harbour Trust in 1901. The Trust undertook a number of developments which included the construction of six passenger ferry wharves. From this time forward, Circular Quay has been used almost exclusively for passenger use.

Historical association: The site is associated with Governors Hunter, ( who began the Colonial dockyard,) and Macquarie (who built the second wing to the Commissariat Store,) Isaac Nicols, the first postmaster, Mary Reiby whose house stood on the site, and the many convicts who worked on the various sites, including the dockyards and the reclamation of Circular Quay. It is also associated with Lt Col Barney the engineer of the Circular Quay construction.Circular Quay is associated with many historically significant people and institutions. Since the earliest phase of the colony the main Government infrastructure was built on the western shore of the cove. This area was the location of the Naval Dockyards, the Commissariat Stores and the main Government wharfage. Thus it was associated with Governor Philip and the sailors of the first Fleet. Early Governors also played an important role in the development of infrastructure in the Cove, particularly Governor Macquarie and Governor Philip. John Cadman is a notable individual known to have lived on the western side of the cove. The quay is also associated with the Captain George Barney who oversaw the original phases of construction of Semi-Circular Quay. Barney was also responsible for the construction of the Paddington barracks and Fort Denison. The western side of Circular Quay is also associated with the Sydney Harbour Trust as major developments were undertaken by the Trust which have shaped the usage of Circular Quay to this day.

Aesthetic significance: Circular Quay West Precinct has aesthetic significance, demonstrating significant forms of architecture from the past 200 plus years. TechnicalCircular Quay has considerable aesthetic significance as the colonial gateway to the Central Business District of Sydney. The aesthetic qualities the heritage listed buildings which line the foreshore enhance aesthetic significance of the site as a whole.The quay is situated between the iconic Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House and as such Circular Quay is an internationally recognized site. The area incorporates First Fleet Park which has a number of public artworks by famous Australian artists. This contributes to the aesthetic qualities of the site.

Social significance: The site has social significance for the people of Australia as a very early site of white settlement and over 200 years of continuous occupation.The relationship between Circular Quay, The Rocks, the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge means the area is a symbol of the Australian identity and history. As such this area has and extremely high social significance. The area is also iconic for north international and domestic tourists. The pedestrian area is a lively hotspot for buskers and street entertainment. Circular Quay is socially significant to the thousands of Sydney-siders who use the Circular Quay wharfs and train station on their daily commute.

Research significance: The site has high research potential through the large extant archaeological remains on the site. The archaeological resource has the potential to provide details on many questions that cannot be addressed in any other way. Sites containing 18th century archaeological remains are very rare in Australia and these have the potential to address questions about the earliest years of European settlement in Australia.The archaeological potential of the site gives the area high research potential. While considerable modern construction has been undertaken existing research suggests that significant archaeological remains survive relatively undamaged. Given the extent of early construction by colonial governors, this is highly significant and research could provide great insight into the 19th century shipping practices in Sydney Cove.

Rare assessment: 18th century archaeological remains are very rare in Australia and this site contains the substantial remains of Dockyard begun in 1797. It contains the archaeological remains of the Commissariat Stores and the first post office as well as other buildings. It is a very rare resource which is potentially capable of answering questions about the earliest years of European settlement in Australia.Circular Quay, particularly on the western side of the cove has preserved the oldest building in Australia. Associated with this building are archaeological remains which potentially date back to 1788, the earliest colonial occupation of the site. Along this western and southern sides of the Quay are a number of early-mid 20th century buildings. These buildings illustrate both the architectural styles prevalent in Australia but also a history of NSW government public programs and priorities.

Representative assessment: Circular Quay West is representative of the historical phases from the 1790's to the present day and has associations with Australia's colonial past, and are representative of the changing development of the area over more than 200 Years.

Intact assessment: Significant intact archaeological resource - Minor disturbance.

Physical condition: Test excavations and a ground penetrating radar survey indicates that the archaeological remains are extensive and in very good condition.Assessment Condition: Minor disturbance. Assessment Basis: Probably level with or above historic wharf height, and including fill above original levelsMinor disturbance.Cadman's cottage is the only surviving element of the pre-Semi-Circular Quay cove. A large number of the earliest structures have been demolished to make way for later developments. Perhaps the most significant of these was the Commissariat Stores which was demolished by the Sydney Harbour Trust.

Listings

References

Type	Author	Year	Title
Management Plan	Tanner & Associates	2000	Heritage and Urban DesignReport, Museum of Contemporary Art
Archaeological Report	Casey & Lowe	1998	Stage 2 Results of Excavations at Possible Pier Locations
Archaeological Report	Casey & Lowe	1997	Stage 2 Results of additional testing
Archaeological Report	Casey & Lowe	1997	Archaeological Assessment Stage 2
Archaeological Report	Higginbotham, Kass & Walker	1991	The Rocks and Millers Point Archeaological Management Plan
Archaeological Report	Mary Casey	1991	Museum of Contempory Arts and First Fleet Park Archaeological Monitoring
Management Plan	Public Works Department	1985	Former MaritimeServices Board Building, Sydney Conservation Study
Other	Paul Ashton and Duncan Waterson	2000	Sydney Takes Shape - A history in maps
Other	Frances DiLauro	2000	Historical Research First Fleet Park
Archaeological Report	Casey & Lowe	1997	Stage 2 Results for Testing Northern Dock Wall
Archaeological Report	Casey & Lowe	1997	Heritage Assessment and Results of Testing - Museum of Contemporary Art Stage 2
Archaeological Report	Casey & Lowe	2000	Results of Archaeological Testing, Report to the City of Sydney
Archaeological Report	Godden Mackay Heritage Consultants	1998	Sydney Cove Waterfront Strategy Archaeological Assessment Final Report
Archaeological Report	Godden mackay Logan	2009	First Fleet Park Conservation Management Strategy (Draft) Results of GPR

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