GEOLOGICAL ETC. SITES

AND LOCALITIES,

WITH THEIR POINTS

OF INTEREST

( S )

( Some collected sites and leads for geological

interests - particularly for ones close to Sydney. )

SHEARSBY'S WALLPAPER

A famous road cutting site 1 km south of the abandonned Taemas bridge on the old Taemas Road which has long been of concern that over-collecting might destroy it. The "wallpaper" consists of closely packed small brachiopods (Spinella yassensis) exposed on bedding planes of the early Devonian Taemas Limestone. The brachiopods have been easily taken in great numbers from the site by generations of collectors. Most have taken loose ones that lie in the roadway gutters etc., however the ever-present danger has been of destructive removal from the "wallpaper" exposure itself. There is also the danger that the "wallpaper" will fall and disintegrate by natural weathering. "Imperative" preservation measures (weatherproofing, fencing, etc.) have been recommended for decades; current status unknown.

SCHOFIELDS

Townson Road.   Bringelly Shale quarry. PGH Industries. Extracted 145,567 tonnes is 1990/91 and reserve was then 4.5 Mt.

SOMERSBY

Somersby is noted for sections of remnant bushlands (as Brisbane Water National Park), the Mount Penang Parklands, Old Sydney Town (which went bankrupt and closed), the Australian Reptile Park, and juvenile justice centres. Noteworthy natural features include fossil fish discoveries and friable sandstone.

Fossil fish.   The best known quarry with fossil fish in Debenham Road North, about 400m north of the junction of Chivers Road and Debenham Road North (decimal lat and long, 33.404981 and 151.295344).   There is also a large sand extraction quarry in Reservoir Road Somersby where fish fossils have been found (33.380952, 151.267791).

Somersby fish. The lower two are Cleithrolepis granulata in the Australian Museum collection.

Friable sandstone.   Northwest of Gosford there is an irregular N-S elongate area of the Somersby Plateau, about 10 km by 20 km, through Narara, via Somersby, Peats Ridge and extending further north, which has extensive reserves of deeply weathered friable Hawkesbury Sandstone.   The Somersby Plateau holds an estimated 3000 Mt of friable sandstone. This is around one hundred times larger than the Sydney Region sand deposits currently (2010) in production.

This phenomenon is very similar to what is seen at Newnes Plateau, plus it has areas of ferruginous weathering similar to what is seen developed at likely Tertiary surfaces south of Sydney. Three large quarrying operations were started to extract sand from the weathered sandstone profile - Calga Sands, Calga and Pioneer Pty Ltd (Pioneer Sand Quarry), and Somersby Sands, and additional sites to these may also have commenced extraction in recent times.    Even before then the use of the friable sandstone might go back to the 1970s. It is noted that a company that started there as early as 1977, known as "Glendale Washed Sands, Somersby".   This operated to 1979 and was using weathered sandstone as source.   Then, starting in 1980 and possibly in direct continuation, was "Altercra Washed Sands, Somersby".   Presumably such washing was from friable sandstone but even where this first operation at Somersby was in not presently known.

One proposed extraction site was the Somersby Fields site at Peats Ridge Road, 700m west of Somersby Interchange.   This is a former quarry site (Lot 4, DP 214861) which was operated by CSR Readymix to supply road construction material for the F3 Freeway. Five other sand extraction operations are present on the plateau, four in the Somersby area and one near Calga.

The case of Somersby Fields is likely an interesting planning decision case.   The Department of Planning, which almost universally has been prone to approve major extractive projects at first assessed this project and after various investigations (e.g. into silica dust danger) recommended approval.   In the end, however, the Premier declined approval, seemingly contrary to all the amassed logical/'scientific' assesment by the department, and if so then in a seeming 'political'-only move because her party realised the proposed mine was extremely unpopular with the local electorate.
The proposal was for extraction of 7 Mt of sand over 18 years.   Local opposition was intense, with protest signs erected thoughout the Gosford area and various meetings held and petitions and representations made to gather local political support against the project.   Species held to be threatened included the Somersby Mintbush.

The Department of Planning after exhibiting the Environmental Assessment of the Somersby Fields project received 2,980 submissions on it, including 11 from public authorities.   Some 99% of the public submissions objected to the project.   The Department approved the project, and judged that it would not "adversely impact the learning experience of students" of the students of the neighbouring Somersby Public School which is 180m distant.   The Department stated that it recognised there is an ongoing need to develop new sand deposits to meet the demand of the construction industry both on the Central Coast and the wider Sydney region. The Upper Castlereagh quarry (a.k.a. Penrith Lakes Scheme), which had grown to be Australia's largest sand and gravel quarry, and supplied much of the region’s sand was currently winding down, with an expected end to extraction about 2011.   The Somersby Plateau had long been identified as an important source for fine and medium grained sand for the region’s construction industry. Other important existing or potential sources include Maroota, Stockton Bight, the Southern Highlands, the Newnes Plateau, as well as off-shore marine aggregates and recycled materials.   Consequently, the Planning Department stated that it was satisfied that there is a demonstrable need for the project in terms of meeting the regional needs.

The Department also recognised the objections of Somersby Public School parents and surrounding residents.   These could not be offered any compensation it seemed, however strict rules would be introduced for the operation of the quarry.   It considered that noise, air quality (dust), and groundwater lowering concerns could be effectively managed via appropriate controls of approval, supported by monitoring and testing of performance. With such controls in place, the general amenity of the surrounding land uses and activities would not be adversely affected, it was thought.    The potential for induced silicosis to school students or the community was considered. Modelling confidently concluded that the concentrations of air-borne crystalline silica would remain well below internationally accepted criteria in the areas surrounding the project, including Somersby Public School. Consequently, it was believed that project presents no appreciable health risk to students or teachers at the Somersby Public School, or to surrounding residents.
Previous archaeological assessments for the area of the Somersby Fields project include "sub-surface investigation on the site in 1995/96 by archaeologist Rex Silcox.   That found, close to the eastern boundary, 10 artefacts, although only 4 of the items could be positively identified as being artefacts. A 30m buffer was adopted to protect that area.

Despite all this progress towards approval, which saw the Department of Planning recognising no significant reason that the project should not proceed, the Premier in a media event visit to the area declared refusal to the project afterwards. The following is extracted sayings of Ms Keneally, then the Planning minister and later the Premier, at the event (taken from a local report of it, and mentioning a comprehensive merit based assessment process which perhaps has not yet been seen by present writer?):.

""""""""""""""""

"Today, after a comprehensive merit based assessment process, I am refusing the application for the Somersby Fields Project," Ms Keneally said.
Ms Keneally said today's decisions both demonstrate the robust and transparent nature of the State Government's process for assessing and determining major development applications ..........

"I weighed the potential economic benefits, community concerns, advice of an independent panel, Department of Planning recommendations, and my own observations when I visited the site in March.

"I've concluded the potential benefits of the proposal do not outweigh the social and environmental consequences. My decision reflects that ......

"I'd like to note the efforts of Gosford MP Marie Andrews in voicing the views of the community and local residents throughout the assessment process," Ms Keneally said.

"It was Marie who asked me to come and visit the site, Marie who brought residents to see me about Somersby, and Marie who's been raising the issue with me ever since I became Planning Minister

http://onmangrovemountain.blogspot.com/2009/08/sandman-for-sand-mine.html

""""""""""""""""

Another major sand operation on the Somersby Plateau is that of Rocla Materials Pty Ltd at it is Calga Sand Quarry (Lot 2, DP 229889) about 1.5 km NW of Calga Interchange at the F3 Freeway.   This has operated since 1991.   Although on the Somersby Plateau, this is at Calga, not Somersby.

SOUTH MAROOTA

The Great Drain

The Great Drain showing the wide distal and narrow proximal ends, and the sluice gate. (Photos: R.I. Jack, 1993)

The evidence of early drilling at the Great Drain. (Photos: R.I. Jack, 1993)

Similar hand drilling on the Great North Road at its rise up Devine's Hill north of the Hawkesbury River. The hand-driven

drillholes can be seen in many places up Devine's Hill and along the road's route north past Mount Manning to Wollombi.

(Photo: The Convict Trail Project. This project was started in the early 1990s by the Bucketty and Wollombi

communities [population 150 and 300 respectively] because of their concern about the degradation which

was occurring to relics of the convict built Great North Road in their areas.)

Location:   Great drain and stone cut foundations, Lot 10, DP 752039, Stone Drain Reserve No. 509, Wisemans Ferry Road; and No. 274, Pacific Park Road, South Maroota.

Builder of the Great Drain:   Probably William Barren and William Harvey, stonemasons
Construction Years:              1795-1820(?)

Physical Description:

(a) The Great Drain is cut into Hawkesbury Sandstone for 70 m length. It is 6.5 m deep and at the top 2.3 m wide, connecting swampy farmland with the Hawkesbury River. It was excavated by pick and by gunpowder (with some drill hole remnants). The rock cutting has sluice gates at its deepest point, with joist holes. To the east of the cutting an earthwork channel goes into a paddock.    The purpose of the work was apparently to drain a perched swamp.

(Photo: R.I. Jack)

(b) Rock cut foundations for slab house. The rock outcrop artificially drilled creating three rooms and verandah in an L-shape. Stone thresholds flanked by square post holes gave access and a fireplace and oven bases are carved into rock. Verandah supported by stone embankment. The cut stone house foundations are probably extremely early, 1795-1810.

(c) Stone house foundations on flood free slope above the farmland facing north from course of well arranged rubble stone: North wall 10 stones 2.9 metres; East wall 4 stones (one in common) 1.7 metres and a south extension wall of 6 stones (one in common) 1.8 metres. Accessible only by water until c1960s.

The "Great Drain" has extant later concrete sluice gates, inserted just west of the original sluice gates. At the rock cut foundations a slab cottage that had been built there stood until the 1930s when it was demolished.

Historical Notes: Charles Williams was a first fleeter who went to the Hawkesbury in 1794 after the death of his wife near his earlier Parramatta farm. He left his farm near Windsor c1795 and at some time before 1810 occupied (without a grant) the land where the Great Drain was later constructed. The property was known as Williams' Farm and it is likely that he built the house with the stone foundations (c), on the rocky slope to the south of the farmland, above the level of the floods of the early 19th century.

In 1810 the land (excluding the house site with stone foundations (c)) was granted to Samuel Carr, who leased it to George Cox from 1813 to 1815 who ran pigs and grew grain. At this time (1810s) the rock cut foundations (b) for a slab house known as Collingwood Cottage was cut, probably by stonemasons supplied through Andrew Johnston to freesettlers whose Portland Head Farm lay opposite.

Johnston's son and daughter-in-law William and Mary Johnston acquired the farm in 1819 and occupied the cottage known as Collingwood Cottage (b) and probably constructed the Great Drain (a), again using Andrew Johnston's stonemasons.

The house constructed with the stone house foundation (c) remained on a riverside reserved strip although the intrusion of Crescent reserve (portion 8) was granted to the Johnstons.

A couple still lived in the slab cottage (b), until the 1930s when it was demolished.

Johnstons long remained on the land. The swamp was stablised by used tyres under George Johnston in the 1960s and portion 10 became first a water-ski lodge in 1980s and a motor cycle track on the 1990s.

REFS:

Jack, R.I., 1993. Historical Archaeology and the Historian in 'Australasian Historical Archaeology No.11'
Jack, R.I.,1990. Exploring the Hawkesbury - 2nd Edition

NSW Heritage Office: Database Number 5001230; File Number H98/00028

[ A note on hand drillilng, from Bill Jordan (pers. comm.): From looking at convict and other drill holes on the Great North Road near Wollombi and Devines Hill, Bill believes that one can distinguish definite hand-drilled holes. He notes that they appear to have angular, rather than semi-circular, sides in some locations - and imagines this is because the striker was getting ahead of the turner (and "It must have made it very difficult to then extract the drill rod with turning required as it was withdrawn"). Jack hammer holes appear to be almost all semi-circular and sometimes have semi-circular ridges in the sides.   As far as timing of the changeover from hand drilling is concerned, in the 1970s Bill was working with the DMR on the Hume Highway south of Goulburn. Some of the older workers could recall hand drilling being used in the work carried out under unemployment relief during the 1930s, particularly on the famous "Sylvia's Gap", south of Gundagai.]

ST ALBANS - CENTRAL McDONALD

At St. Albans and Central McDonald on the McDonald River two creek valley enter from the east (Wellums Creek near St. Albans and Wrights Creek near Central McDonald) which have been extensively alluviated, seemingly a feature along much of the McDonald River catchment. A lake, Wellum Lake, also occurs in the final stretch of Wellum Creek. Mining lease applications (MLAs 32-43 of Sydney Division) were lodged over portions of these valley for sand extraction, and reserves of 40 Mt estimated to be present there. Exploratory drilling also found moderate quality peat to be present, beneath several metres of sand and clay and underland by further alluvial sand.


ST IVES

Two pits extracting clay/shale at lenses within the Hawkesbury Sandstone existed north and south of Mona Vale Road near St. Ives Showground. The northern area was a lease to Industrial Brick Co. Ltd. It had a face to 5m high and was on a 2-3m thick shale lens. The southern lease was worked by C.B. Greenwood Pty. Ltd. and the shale there was up to 6m thick. Greenwood produced from the area from at least the 70s and into the 90s (e.g. an amount of 799 tonnes was extracted in 1990/91). Greenwood began crushing the sandstone overburden to manufacture sand from it, for which there was an increasing market.


ST LEONARDS
Frederick Street and Reserve Road - In 1873 E R Lanceley took over the Oswin Brickworks. In 1892 Lanceley formed a partnership with brickmakers John B Magney and O W Weynton, who leased the Gore Hill Brickworks later purchasing them in 1901. The Gore Hill Brickworks, the No 1 Yard, and the Oswin Brickworks, the No 2 Yard, were connected by a tramway to transport bricks. The name changed to the North Sydney Brick and Tile Company, which quickly expanded to cover seventy acres. In 1958 to 1959 the brickworks at Gore Hill closed and the land was subdivided and sold. The North Sydney Brick and Tile Company moved to Baulkham Hills in the late 1950s and closed in 2002.

ST MARYS

St Marys is the type area of the St Marys Formation which comprises Tertiary sediments filling small channels cut into the Wianamatta Group shales. The formation is now preserved at many isolated localities in the valleys of Mulgoa Creek, South Creek and Eastern Creek. The type section is the railway cutting 500m east of St Marys railway station on the Great Western Line. The gravels of the St Marys Formation consist mostly of quartz and angular shale and sandstone fragments (most likely Triassic sediments), but have some interesting components such as occasional silicified wood, and cobbles or boulders of subangular silcrete. Some of these channelways may have been of very protracted existence, spanning episode(s) of lateritisation.. Layers of concentrated or transported rounded ironstone pisolites have been reported in the formation at some localities. Val Smith, who perhaps examined more of this formation than anyone else, was of the opinion that the pisolites in places (including at the type section) had been transported. Further complicating matters is the belief that the formation has also been lateritised subsequent to its deposition. The St Marys Formation could be broadly of the same age as the Rickabys Creek Gravel, but the distinction is that no rock types derived from the rocks beneath or beyond the Sydney Basin (Lachlan Fold Belt) have been found in the St Marys Formation. Further reasoning about the age of the St Marys Formation has been engaged in but in the absence of direct evidence is highly speculative. Some of this reasoning/theory runs thus: oldest (Eocene?) sands of the main river (early Nepean-Hawkebury) is Maroota Sand; the different Rickabys Creek Gravel may be post-Eocene; so too might be the similarly consolidated/ferruginised St Marys Creek Formation, deposited between two periods of duricrust development which Smith suggested may have been in the Oligocene and late Miocene (Smith endeavoured to relate this to falls in sea level). Thus a late Oligocene age is favoured by Smith's mode of reasoning. Subsequent work on relating Sydney geomorphology to sea level change is not known of.

Brickyards - largely obscure:

The history of brickmaking at St Marys was poorly documented. No documentary evidence is known on where the brickmakers operated.   The early operations may have been relatively small and might not have extended into the 1890s?   From oral evidence (work by Mr. Bert Evans) is is thought that at least three sites existed: William Fleming's brickyard on the northern side of Gabriels Lane, between Charles Hackett Drive and Princess Mary Street; William Thompson's brickyard on the south-eastern corner of Andrew Thompson's tannery site, between Saddington and Vincent Streets; and Mr. Mitchell's brickyard on the southern side of Wilson Street, between Pages Road and Barker Street.    In August 1884 the Nepean Times reported that "There's nothing like bricks in South Creek just now; three new brick kilns starting, T.R. Smith's, William Fleming's and Hall and Turner's". In 1886-1887 Wise's New South Wales Post Office Directory listed Charles Gilbert and James Royal as brickmakers of St Marys. In William Fleming's obituary in 1897 it was stated that he had been a successful brickmaker with extensive establishments at both St Marys and Penrith.   Howevert "Lately ... through modern machinery, he could not keep up to other competition, and both establishments were closed down."

ST PETERS (and Shea's Creek)

The St Peters area that was formerly the largest brickmaking site in Australia is centred on a small remnant of a plateau about 20m above sealevel. The remnant area is about one square kilometer in extent. A nearby likely 'outlier' of the same surface is at St Stephens church hillock in Newtown where Tertiary sediment of uncertain but small thickness are present. The weathering profile of the former plateau is about 6m thick and from the relationships at Newtown can be assumed to be of Tertiary age. The profile has hard ferruginous mottling and these is an associated maghemite lag gravel in places. The Ashfield Shale is almost horizontal but estimated to be dipping south at 2 degrees. The St Peters area had various brickpits (now all over-filled and the area converted into undulating open space known as Sydney Park), and various fossils of different ages. About 18 brickyards were in operation by the 1880s (Gemmell, 1986), and up to twenty different pit entities may have existed in the intensely quarried one square kilometer. In all, about 20 Mt was excavated from the area - initially with hand methods, later with blasting and the use of motorised excavators/loaders. The industry ran for more than a hundred years, winding down in the 1980s, with the pits being progressively filled with domestic garbage covered by sand and sandstone waste and finally soil planted into parkland.

Excavation of dugong remains at Shea's Creek. Australian Museum Curator and palaeontologist

Robert Etheridge (Junior) stands at centre left in his top hat, with W.S. Dun the Palaeontologist

of the government Geological Survey of NSW on his left, And an umbrella in case of

rain, 1896. (Photo: Australian Museum)

Submerged forest and shoreline - An ancient shoreline dated at about 5,700 BP runs along under the eastern side of the Sydney Park area and west of Alexandra Canal.   The shoreline originally may have been against the foot of a 10-15m sloping erosional escarpment in weathered Ashfield Shale.   This was first exposed by excavation of Alexandra Canal (Sheas Creek) during the 1890s, and the report is here:

Etheridge, R., David, T. W. E., and Grimshaw, J.W. , 1896.   On the occurrence of a submerged forest with the remains of a Dugong at Shea's Creek, Sydney.   Journ. R. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1896, XXX., pp. 158-185, pis. 8-11.

David later on, in a 1914 Handbook on the Commonwealth of Australia prepared for the eighty-fourth meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science wrote this of the find: "In New South Wales several stone tomahawks were dug up a few years ago in cutting a canal at Shea's Creek, between Botany Bay and Redfern. These tomahawks were embedded in peat many feet in thickness underlying marine estuarine beds at a total depth of 15 feet below the high water. It may be concluded that the whole of our coast-line has subsided by 15 feet, or else, as the result of the melting of ice and snow in the Antarctic regions, sea level has risen by that amount since the time when the aborigines lost their tomahawks in this swamp. In either case a considerable lapse of time, perhaps of the order of several thousands of years, would be needed to account for this change in the relative level of land and sea."

That depth (15 feet) on recent sea level curve reconstructions would correspond to a time of eight to nine thousand years ago.
[REF: Sloss, C. R., Murray-Wallace, C. V. and Jones, B. G., 2007. Holocene sea-level change on the southeast coast of Australia: a review. The Holocene. Vol. 17, no.7, pp. 999–1014.

Dating results, however, are five to six thousand years ago.   It seems possible that there is some tectonic sinking of the Botany Bay area.

The findings along this ancient strandline included shell heaps, three peat layers (the one containing many stumps termed a submerged forest), and remains of a dugong that apparently had been cut up by Aborigines, and three stone axe heads.   The preserved beds cover the time range of terminal Pleistocene to early Holocene. The old shoreline was further traced out by David Branagan (Branagan, D.F., 1985. The geology of the St Peters brickpit. Unpublished report to Sydney City Council, May 1985. 13pp.). Branagan's report noted it as "shell band" along the southeast side of the Ralford pit, with one sample of wood from there dated at 5,700 BP. The sand that the dated wood sample is from was regarded by Branagan as beach sand. The shell band exposed along the edge of the quarry is similar to the prominent shell bed which Etheridge et al. (1896) were able to trace for 800m in the very nearby Alexandra Canal excavation. That bed was noted it to be at approximately at Low Water Mark along the Canal, or based at -0.75m AHD. Along the quarry edge a shell band was traced for about 300m and Branagan (1985) noted it to be at -1 to -2m AHD.   The two shelly layers might not be the same. The quarry edge one appears to be lower and Branagan described the shells as "embedded in a well sorted lenticular quartzose sand". The shell bed ("Upper Shell Bed") that Etheridge et al. (1896) traced for 800m was based at -0.75m and the shells were described as embedded in "sandy clay" rather than well sorted quartzose sand. Nevertheless, Branagan did think that the quarry edge shell band is "almost certainly equivalent to the Upper Shell Bed (Unit (c))" of Etheridge et al. (1896). Branagan reported that along the quarry edge the sand overlying the shell bed is crossbedded towards the base. Similarly, the sand above the Upper Shell Bed exposed in Alexandra Canal was recorded as windblown sand by Etheridge et al. (1896).   This plus the rapid rise of bedrock elevation to the west strengthens the impression of an ancient shoreline.   The sequence at this shoreline suggests rising sealevel. Some believe it may have kept rising to somewhat above present level. Haworth et al., (2004) reviewed the significance of the St Peters shoreline and also discuss other work from southern New South Wales describing both warm-water marine species (which is what the dugong is) and the evidence of possible higher sea levels of the 'recent' past (last few thousand years).

Alexandra Canal - The Alexandra Canal was hand excavated in the 1890s depression a relief work project for the unemployed. It was promoted as a useful navigation canal but in fact never much used for that purpose and essentially served as only another stormwater drain. During its construction the sequence exposed was logged and documented by Etheridge et al. (1896) and provides important evidence of rising sea level near the end of the Last Glacial period. There was found the bones of a dugong (Dugong dugon) at about -3m AHD, which had apparently been cut up by man (bones well preserved and scarred with deep cuts); three stone axes, and numerous stumps (at about -5m AHD) which the authors (Etheridge, David and Grimshaw) interpreted as the remains of a forest submerged to a little below present sealevel. The described finds were sited along the canal northeast of the Ricketty St (Canal Rd) bridge. The conclusion on the dugong is that it was part eaten by Aborigines when the sealevel was lower than at present. This happened presumably about the time of the 5,700 BP date from wood at the southeastern side of Ralford pit.   Researchers at the University of New England later dated the dugong remains more directly (Haworth et al., 2004). The bones gave a conventional ¹⁴C age of 5520±70 years BP, which is consistent with three older ¹⁴C dates for buried trees of the submerged forest (references in Haworth et al., 2004).

Stone axe heads, Alexandra Canal - Three 'stone tomahawks' were found (Etheridge et al.,1896) at about -2.5m AHD. They may have been deposited in the Australian Museum (to be checked).

The City (Council) brickworks - Edwin Tooth (1822-1858) was a warden in 1850 of Christ Church St Laurence, and one of the sons of hop merchant Robert Tooth. He was very wealthy from land and other dealings, and returned to England in 1855. On 17 April 1853, Edwin Tooth wrote to the City Commissioners (Sydney City Archives item 26/16/387): "I beg to offer you my land you at present occupy as a Brickfield situate at New Town and part of the Petersham Estate in the following terms ...".
(cf. UTS Achitecture Library holds a file, RS26/2 on 1849 ground for brickmaking in New Town.). The whereabouts of this land and kiln apparently established there is not yet known. Presumably concerning the same site, on 19 March 1856 the City Engineer, Mr Edward Bell, reported by letter to the City Commissioner's Office (Sydney City Archives item 26/22/236) that as instructed he had inspected Council's brickfields at Newtown and had also visited other brickfields in the neighborhood of Sydney. The works were not in operation at the time. The last bricks they made were chiefly "radiated" bricks and for purposes of the sewers. [A section such a sewer, oviform (1.5m high, 1.2m wide) and made of radially arranged bricks, has been cut out from under the GPO, where it replaced the Tank Stream, and deposited at the Powerhouse Museum.]   Bell recommended that the works were not needed, as there were ample other yards that could supply bricks. He recommended that everything, land and buildings, be disposed of as one lot by public auction. Edward Bell himself was disposed of by the City in 1870, dismissed over matters of alleged shortcomings.

It is not yet known where this Sydney City owned brickworks was. Could it have been the kilns shown in section 10 in an 1841 map of Camperdown, within the area that is now Camperdown Park, in the plan for an 1841 land sale. Possibly one might think, if Tooths bought land there? And indeed there was a Tooth's Place and Tooth lane (at right angles to each other) south of Fowler Street, between Mallett and Gibbens Street - named after Robert Tooth apparently.   However, that site would not fit the 1853 words of Tooth about "situate at New Town and part of the Petersham Estate" - the St Peters area, however, would fit that.

Brickpits in Mitchell-Barwon-Campbell-Euston Rd block - This block contained the Bedford, Carrington, Warren, Bakewell, City, Carrington, St Peters and Vulcan brickpits.   Kiln and works demolition began at the Bedford company ground in the late 1980s, and bricks at the site were conserved with view to this site being proposed as a museum or memorial to the brick industry of St Peters.

Brickpits between Campbell Rd and Canal Rd - This area eventually became one large pit, know as the Ralford pit, which came to be operated by Austral Brick who ran kilns onsite along the Princes Highway side of the pit.

Lime making - Lime burning was possibly carried on somewhere at St Peters between 1846 and 1886. The Registers of St Peters Church (at Cooks River) record lime burners named Chappelow and Malley at St Peters, and a shell gatherer named Lorsman at St Peters.

STRATHFIELD (Strathfield LGA)

Strathfield polling places shown on LGA (check). The large un-streeted area to the west is

first of all Rookwood necropolis thence extending southwestwards along the uppermost

Cooks River course as further government or once-government land precincts

(Lidcombe state hospital and former asylum) to Potts Hill reservoir.

In the northern part of Strathfield LGA, between the "Strathfield West" and "Homebush South" polling booths shown on the above map, there are some westsouthwest running streets. The Strathfield Town Hall is on one of these. These are vestige of the first development pattern in the area, which was the allotment of farming blocks fronting on the creek and along its western side. These were land grants to the first ship transport of free settlers encouraged to emigrate to the new colony from England. The Homebush Bay was at that time referred to as a 'harbour' on the river to Parramatta and at a time when Parramatta Road was little more than a dog track it was considered that water transport could be potentially useful for transport of goods and produce. A new settlement "half way" between the Sydney and Parramatta towns might perhaps supply both places with farm produce, it was hoped. In the event, the new settlement, which was named Liberty Plains as it was taken up to be worked by free men, not convicts, did not prove productive. Most of them headed only towards poverty, not prosperity, and they were forced to divest their granted land and/or leave it and seek work elsewhere.

One of initial Liberty Plains settlers, Edward Powell, who had his first grant along Parramatta Road on the southern side, proved more persistent than the others. Initially he too was forced off the land into other work and went to Windsor where he farmed and was made a constable. However after involvement and encouragement in the settlers there murdering two Aboriginal boys in reprisal for the natives killing two whites some time previously, Powell was dismissed as a constable and returned to his Liberty Plains land. There he thrived better after opening an inn (the Half Way House) at Homebush. After Powell became better known and bought up more land in the area the creek, which upon the establishment of Liberty Plains off it had no name, became known as Powell's Creek and the bridge carrying the track to Parramatta over it was called Powell's Bridge.

Strathfield Council Chambers

Marked tree near council chambers - Royal Australian Historical Society's Journal and Proceedings, Volume VIII, 1923 - supplement on the recollections of C.A. Henderson 'Sydney to Homebush' 1855: "On the Redmire Estate was a leaning tree with native bear tracks upon it. It stood about one hundred yards from the present Strathfield Council Chambers" - Some have thought this might have been a reference to an Aboriginal scarred tree bearing markings that the diarist took to be representative of koala tracks. However further similar finds in old literature show instead that it referred to the animal itself having been present in Strathfield.
REFS:

Guider, M., 1998. Aboriginal History of Strathfield Municipality.   Unpublished notes, at Strathfield Library.

Henderson, C A., 1923.   'Sydney to Homebush', Royal Australian Historical Society Journal and proceedings Volume VIII supplement.

LIfestyles in conflict near Homebush Bay (The Flats) and Liberty Plains

Because a large stone axe was found in the area the circumstances of how it came to be there and why lost or discarded is of interest, although at present nothing but speculation can be advanced.

A summary of some pertinent dates with respect to race relations that may be relevant is:

* 1791 - Man speared at the Flats (Homebush Bay area of Parramatta River). Man's fate is unknown (he possibly died from the wounds).

* Thomas Rose's wife was speared in front of their dwelling. "Fortunately the spear stuck in her stay-busk, which no doubt saved her life" (recorded in recollections of C.A. Henderson, "Sydney to Homebush 1855", Royal Australian Historical Society, Journal and Proceedings, vol. VIII, supplement, 1923).

* On one instance (possibly 1809) most of Edward Powell's herd of 43 sheep were made off with by natives. Also, native dogs made off with 3 of his large pigs (Sydney Gazette, 15/10/1809).

The part of Parramatta River at Homebush Bay was early known as the "Flats".

Here in 1791 a vengence spearing shattered early prospect of some fruitful interaction between natives and whites.

As recorded by David Collins (An Account of the English Colony of NSW Vol 1) Whites were injured or threatened by Aborigines between Sydney and Parramatta in 1790.    The escaped convict "Black Caesar" reached Rose Hill
(Parramatta) with several spear wounds in different parts of his body.   Collins also noted:

"Information was also received at this time from Rose Hill, that a convict who had been employed to strike the sting ray, with another, on the flats, having gone on shore, engaged in some quarrel with the natives, who took all his clothes from him, severely wounded, and would inevitably have killed him, but for the humane, friendly, and disinterested interference of one of their own women, who happened to be present. This accident, and many others of the same nature, could not have happened, had the orders which he had received, not to land upon any account, been attended to."

However, instructions to stay away from land and natives could not have lasted, as in 1793 the first free settler settlement was planted on the southern side of the bay, and named Liberty Plains.

The earliest know injurious contact at Homebush Bay came in 1791 when an Aborigine named Ballooderry speared a white man, in retaliation for the destruction of his canoe. Ballooderry was one of the guides who went with Trench and others to explore the Nepean-Hawkesberry river earlier that year.

Collins wrote the following in connection with Ballooderry:

1791 June.
"Since the establishment of that familiar intercourse which now subsisted between us and the natives, several of them had found it their interest to sell or exchange fish among the people at Parramatta; they being contented to receive a small quantity of either bread or salt meat in barter for mullet, bream, and other fish. To the officers who resided there this proved a great convenience, and they encouraged the natives to visit them as often as they could bring them fish. There were, however, among the convicts some who were so unthinking, or so depraved, as wantonly to destroy a canoe belonging to a fine young man, a native, who had left it at some little distance from the settlement, and as he hoped out of the way of observation, while he went with some fish to the huts. His rage at finding his canoe destroyed was inconceivable; and he threatened to take his own revenge, and in his own way, upon all white people. Three of the six people who had done him the injury, however, were so well described by some one who had seen them, that, being closely followed, they were taken and punished, as were the remainder in a few days after.
"The instant effect of all this was, that the natives discontinued to bring up fish; and Bal-loo-der-ry, whose canoe had been destroyed, although he had been taught to believe that one of the six convicts had been hanged for the offence, meeting a few days afterwards with a poor wretch who had strayed from Parramatta as far as the Flats, he wounded him in two places with a spear. This act of Ballooderry's was followed by the governor's strictly forbidding him to appear again at any of the settlements; the other natives, his friends, being alarmed, Parramatta was seldom visited by any of them, and all commerce with them was destroyed. How much greater claim to the appellation of savages had the wretches who were the cause of this, than the native who was the sufferer?

July.]

"Ballooderry, the proscribed native, having ventured into the town with some of his friends, one or two armed parties were sent to seize him, and a spear having been thrown (it was said by him) two muskets were fired, by which one of his companions was wounded in the leg; but Ballooderry was not taken. On the following day it was given out in orders, that he was to be taken whenever an opportunity offered; and that any native attempting to throw a spear in his defence, as it was well known among them why vengeance was denounced against him, was, if possible, to be prevented from escaping with impunity.
"Those who knew Ballooderry regretted that it had been necessary to treat him with this harshness, as among his countrymen we had no where seen a finer young man. The person who had been wounded by him in the month of June last was not yet recovered.

There is fuller description of Ballooderry and the canoe incident given by John Hunter (1737-1821) in his historical journal of the colony.   Hunter recorded that Ballooderry had been a favourite of Governor Phillip, who had been considering adopting him and taking him to England. Hunter recorded that the enraged Ballooderry after discovering his new canoe had been broken arrived at the Governor's house in Parramatta "and his hair, face, arms an breast were painted red, which is a sign of great anger".

Portrait of Ballooderry (Balloderre) - Watling drawing No. 58 (Artist unknown)

(Collection: Natural History Museum, London)

Ballooderry died not long after this, and was buried in the Governor's garden.   On 13 December Bennelong informed Phillip that Ballooderry was gravely ill.   He was treated at the General Hospital at the Rocks, but died while being taken across the harbour in a canoe. Ballooderry is buried in Governor Phillip’s garden (present Circular Quay precinct) in a cross-cultural funeral organised by Bennelong. His body was wrapped in an English jacket and blanket (in place of paperbark sheets) and laid to rest in his canoe with his spear, throwing-stick, pronged fishing spear and initiation waistband. Red-jacketed marines beat a drum tattoo while European spectators help fill in the grave with earth.

Also in 1791 twelve settler grants were given at the foot of Prospect Hill west of Parramatta.   As these commenced to build huts they were opposed by about one hundred natives, which soldiers were sent from Parramatta to disperse.

Also, a visiting Russian Captain Bellingshausen remarked that an English landholder was threatening to shoot Aborigines in the forest at Homebush Bay because they were an unwanted presence on his lands (Debenham 1945, p. 337).

REF:

Deberham, F. (Ed.), 1945,   The voyage of Captain Bellingshausen to the Antartic Seas 1819-1821.   Hakluyt Society. London.
Captain Arthur Phillip’s instructions on landing in January 1788 were to found a settlement and to cultivate the land using convict labour. Early food production by convict labour however was generally a failure and Phillip had realised by July that he needed experienced farmers. He wrote on 9th July 1788 to Evan Nepean, Under Secretary of the Home Department:

‘If fifty farmers were sent out with their families, they would do more in one year in rendering this colony independent of the mother country, as to provisions, than a thousand convicts.’

Finally, four years later, the British Government sent out a small group of settlers with their families, numbering fifteen.

Thomas and Jane Rose and their then family of four, Thomas, Mary, Joshua and Richard, were amoung this group who had sailed from England in the Bellona on 8 August 1792 and disembarked at Port Jackson on 16 Wednesday 16 January 1793. This family was the first family of free settlers to arrive in the colony, hence the area where their grants were made, became known as Liberty Plains. Thomas and Jane’s family increased by the births of John, Sarah and Henry in the intervening years.

""""""

An Account of the English Colony of NSW Vol 1 , by David Collins

"The lieutenant-governor proposing to open and cultivate the ground commonly known by the name of the Kangaroo Ground, situate to the westward of the town of Sydney between that settlement and Parramatta, a gang of convicts was sent from the latter place for that purpose. The soil here was much better for agriculture than that immediately adjoining to the town of Sydney, and the ground lay well for cultivation; but it had hitherto been neglected, from its being deficient in the very essential requisite of water; on which account Parramatta had been preferred to it. The eligibility of cultivating it was however now going to be tried; and, permission having been received by the Bellona to grant lands to those officers who might desire it, provided the situations of the allotments were such as might be advantageous to bona fide settlers hereafter, if they ever should fall into such hands, several officers chose this as the spot which they would cultivate, and allotments of one hundred acres each were marked out for the clergyman (who, to obtain a grant here, relinquished his right to cultivate the land allotted for the maintenance of a minister), for the principal surgeon, and for two officers of the corps.

"February.] The settlers who came out in the Bellona having fixed on a situation at the upper part of the harbour above the Flats, and on the south side, their different allotments were surveyed and marked out; and early in this month they took possession of their grounds. Being all free people, one convict excepted, who was allowed to settle with them, they gave the appellation of 'Liberty Plains' to the district in which their farms were situated. The most respectable of these people, and apparently the best calculated for a bona fide settler, was Thomas Rose, a farmer from Dorsetshire, who came out with his family, consisting of his wife and four children. An allotment of one hundred and twenty acres was marked out for him. With him came also Frederic Meredith, who formerly belonged to the Sirius, Thomas Webb, who also belonged to the Sirius, with his nephew, and Edward Powell, who had formerly been here in the Lady Juliana transport. Powell having since his arrival married a free woman, who came out with the farmer's family, and Webb having brought a wife with him, had allotments of eighty acres marked out for each; the others had sixty each. The conditions under which they engaged to settle were, 'To have their passages provided by government*; an assortment of tools and implements to be furnished them out of the public stores; to be supplied with two years' provisions; their lands to be granted free of expense; the service of convicts also to be assigned them free of expense; and those convicts whose services might be assigned them to be supplied with two years' rations and one year's clothing.' The convict who settled with them (Walter Rouse, an industrious quiet man) came out in the first fleet, and being a bricklayer by trade they thought he might be of some service to them in constructing their huts. He had an allotment of thirty acres marked out for him."

[* Government paid for each person above ten years of age the sum of eight pounds eight shillings; and allowed one shilling per diem for victualling them; and sixpence per diem for every one under that age.]

""""""

The Half Way House had become "Horse & Jockey" by 1902 or before, named after the Homebush Racecourse opened by

Darcy Wentworth, the owner of the large Home-Bush Estate. This hotel building is close to the original Powell inn site,

and was commenced around 1845. [Source: Per the research of Mr David Patrick, Homebush, pers. comm.]

Anticipating the patronage of the traveling public, Powell erected a building on the Parramatta Road which he called the “Halfway House” and having obtained a liquor licence, established a hotel and store. By his death in 1814, Powell had acquired 500 acres — that is all of the land granted to the free settlers on the left bank of Powell’s Creek. The entire property having been left to his son, Edward Powell, and daughter, Mary, it was first rented out and then purchased in 1823 by James Underwood (the original grantee’s son-in-law).

Edward Powell had developed an orchard behind the Hotel and when he died around 1814 was buried in the orchard near where Homebush Rail Station is now. A map of Homebush Station (by State Rail) dated 1876, marks his (still visible at that time) tombstone as "within the hotel land enclosure, near the railway fence". It was a dual grave as he died just a couple of years after his daughter Sarah committed suicide. Both daughter and father were buried there.

His tombstone is thought to have later been moved to his descendants' home Terry Hi Hi in Strathfield.

REFS:

Campbell, J.F., 1936. Liberty Plains of the First Free Settlers, 1793. Journal and Proceedings (Royal Australian Historical Society), vol 22, part 5, pp 317-329.

Hunting waterfowl, believed to be at Homebush Bay. Painting by Joseph Lycett, ca. 1817

Stone axe - From eastern side of Powells Creek, in North Strathfield/Concord West.

The exact place this axe was found is still subject of consideration. The general area was likely once a good hunting ground and is along the former eastern shore of wetland at the head of Homebush Bay (remnants of which are currently known as Mason Park wetland). This area might well have supported hunters in the past, as did other places along the Parramatta River. It is today still noteworthy as rich in bird life, with some birds coming there from as far away as China, Japan, Siberia and Alaska (fide Avifauna Research & Services Pty Ltd). Today these birds maybe are free of human predation but there a still a few foxes around.

Ethnology collection item E57784 in the Australian Museum. Inscription records "Found in post hole

Homebush Bay, Parramatta River 1927. (Photo: Taken Dec 2003, Aus. Museum; passed on

courtesy of Paul Irish and Tessa Corkill). Recorded as Homebush Bay, likely somewhere near

the boundary of the present municipalities of Strathfield and Canada Bay.

Small artefact or flake, seen in the soil of "Wangal Woodland"

(remnant woodland patch on western side of Homebush Bay)

( Paul Irish survey, for Sydney Olympic Park Authority )

Stone tools might have been used in the area even into the lifetime of some of the oldest standing trees. In the Wangal Woodland small patch of remant woodland on the western side of Homebush Bay several scarred trees were noted sometime after the remediation of Homebush Bay had begun (but the who, why and with what of the markings is unknown).   [REF: Irish, P., 2004. When is a scar a scar? Evaluating scarred and marked trees at Sydney Olympic Park. Australian Archaeology. 59, pp. 59-61.]

The large heavy stone axe E57784 is the largest axe known from the Sydney area and possibly the largest from NSW. It is composed of finely spotted hornfels, which was likely carried from the Nepean River as no other sources of this rock type are known. The right hand side as in the view above has a ground edge. The two lateral sides (top and bottom in the photo) show hammering marks that presumably fine trimmed the shape of what was original a flat cobble.   When the current interest in this axe began, Strathfield Council had just released the Mason Park Plan of Management (Draft, March 2008) - where the owner of this axe could very likely have tramped - stating "There are no remaining relics of Aboriginal occupation in Strathfield".   The may need amendment, unless the axe was actually abandonned just inside what is now the Canada Bay LGA boundary.

Why abandon a stone axe that was heavy to carry to Homebush Bay, probably from the Nepean River, and laborious to make in the first place? If the axe was possessed still into the late 1700s the band in which it had been used (and valued) may have decided it was outmoded after encountering European iron tools - and abandonned it after gaining some lighter-to-carry iron tool which would better cut wood.

This axe was first learned of for 'geo-sites' information compiling via something on it, with photo, seen at the Strathfield Libary. It was indicated to be in the Australian Museum but as it began to be tracked down some disparity in the mentions/records on it became apparent.

Mr Paul Irish (then at paul.irish "at" bigpond.au), consulting archaeologist to an "Aboriginal History & Connections Program" and surveying for sites along the Parramatta River made a file note on it for his project in February 2004. He noted, similar as in the pamphlet seen at the Library, that a casual conversation between Mr David Grant (an official at Homebush Bay Olympics Park area) and Mr Allan Morgan (who had been a former local resident) brought up a mention by Mr Morgan that a stone axe had been found in the rear yard of 18 Conway Avenue, Concord West in the 1950s, immediately adjacent to Powells Creek. The axe was handed to the Australian Museum. This story was told in the pamphlet seen in the Library, which mentioned the axe might have come from a shell midden deposit, and which showed the above photo of it (i.e. E57784). From the pamphlet the reader would think this was the axe Mr Morgan saw but it is not quite that straight forward, as the Museum register information for E57784 does not immediately tally with that perfectly. The Australian Museum apparently holds only one stone axe from the area (which is E57784). So if Mr Morgan says the find was given to the Australian Museum then this indeed ought to be it - one would think. The Museum register entry for E057784 is "Found in posthole, Homebush Bay, Parramatta River 1927". The items was registered in 1955 which would well accord with Mr Morgan's memory of it. However it may have been found before Mr Morgan was born - and there must be a certain amount of heresay or within-family record/memories associated with it ranging over decades before it was donated to the Museum. The Morgan name is not found in the Museum's record of it. If in fact at least two stone axes have been found at Homebush Bay then the whereabouts of the axe stated to have been donated by Allan Morgan may be unknown? Paul Irish (pers. comm.) thought it also seems likely that all records may refer to the same axe, which also may have been in part mis-labelled(?).   Paul (unpubl., pers.comm.) also considered that in any case is it significant, as proof that stone axes were in use in the Homebush Bay area - as appears to be suggested by historical evidence known of to Paul.

Registered item E57784 is 28cm (11 inches) long. The Museum record is that it was donated in 1955 by Mr Malcolm S. Stanley (not Morgan - a current Morgan home is at 15 Warsaw St, backing onto Powell's Creek land at the head of Homebush Bay).

Depending on what scale and date of map one consults, two senses of the 'mouth of Powells Creek' might be conceived. Maps of about 1930s show that the creek expanded into intertidal flats of marshlands at what is now Lorraine Street on the eastern side and the northern boundary of the Homebush Substation transformers yard on the western side. Remnant of these flats still survive, as the Mason Park wetlands.   The substation boundary might even be the northern (E 25 deg N bearing) bounary of Thomas Rose's 70 acre grant.

Considerably further north the channel of the creek crossing marshland met the more open bay water, and that alternatively might be regarded as the mouth of the creek.   That would be about west of Bangalla Road, Concord, today. Presently the mouth of the creek./canal lies even further north, reflecting the great amount of manmade infilling that has gone on in Homebush Bay.

Michael Guilder in 1988 wrote an article "Aboriginal history of Strathfield Municipality" but he clearly didn't know about this axe when he wrote, although it had been in the Australian Museum since 1955. The Morgan family appears to be or have been associated with two streets (Conway Avenue and Warsaw Street) and both of these are in Strathfield Municipality. However, prior to Mr Morgan's revelation which has since been made widely known, and no doubt postdates 1988, there would have been nothing to associate stone axe/s with Strathfield Municipality.

The eleven inches long cobble 'axe' E57784 is a heavy example of stone axe and seems rather reminescent of a find made when Sydney University was being built (recorded by chemist amd geologist-mineralogist Liversidge). Such big axe stones do seem rather cumbersome, but although closer patches of Tertiary gravel might occur the closest gravel with cobbles of hornfels in it is that in the Nepean at Penrith.

The environment along the Powell's Creek canal line was probably more open water in the past. The 'creek' is atificially channelised as a stormwater canal north of Mena Street, or futher south, with wetlands (Mason Park) immediately to the west such as to suggest the creek line may not have been here in the past. Past maps of the area have not yet been sought but in general it is known that the creek was 'straightened' and moved eastwards to some extent from the 1930s onwards, and finally transformed into a concrete stormwater canal after reclamation infilling in 1948. Infilling along the eastern side of Powell's Creek canal north of Conway Avenue continued as late as 1982.

The original mouth of Powells Creek remained in place but its meanders were cut off. Parts of the original Powell's Creek may be along what is now a truncated shallow stretch referred to locally as 'The Billabong'. Such reduction of flow in a tidal channel system can affect soil moisture and generate acid sulphate problems, it is thought. The re-routing of Powell's Creek and various infillings had a detrimental impact on the wetlands ecosystem, which at the time was probably envisaged as intended for eventual total eradication, but which now has instead been slated for retention and for improvement/restoration of whatever remains of it. Parts of the concrete near the mouth of the creek began being removed in 1993 t restore a more natural state. A sewer main is also located underneath the cycle/walkway adjacent to the Powell's Creek canal. There was some excavation work along this in 2006 (somewhere between Pomeroy Street and Conway Avenue) but possibly penetrated only previously disturbed or emplaced material?).

The heavy blue line (1) is Powell's Creek and the photo shows its artificially straightened lower

course. The Mason Park wetland can be seen just east of "3". It lies between Powell's

Creek and another small creek, Saleyard Creek, which joins it near Conway Avenue

and has its head at the Hudson Park area in Homebush West.

Mouth of Powell's Creek in 1943, showing the artificial straightening and widened artifical canal.

Powell Creek Delta. Same scene as above, at low tide, showing dendritic drainage across prograding

deltaic shallow depositional area.

Very rough outline of landfilling history ( off www.sydneyolympicpark.com )

The NE-elongate chunk falsely shown as land near the mouth of

Powell's Creek in 1988 is the 'Bressington hill' that cut off the

small outlier of wetland remaining at Mason Park.

Homebush Bay in 1926, looking south. The brickworks are at the point (with wharf) between

the two bay lobes. Bayhead wooded area to upper left was the Powell's Creek wetlands.

The below view is centred on the promintory here with wharf, between the two lobes.

Homebush Bay two lobes, 1943. Left lobe is of Haslem Creek, right lobe is that of Powell Creek. Three

brickpits are seen on the point of land between them.

Just to the north of Conway Avenue is an installation of an Atlantis Water Management stormwater storage and recycling system large sign (about using "Atlantis grass geo block, eco soils and hydronet" for water treatment - the "New Atlantis concept - to integrate urban development with nature, creating ecologically sustainable cities and communities"). It is not yet known if any subsurface investigation was done for this; possibly not as Atlantis system works are often shallow in depth; mainly a kerbside treatment system. The works here filter runoff from five streets that run downslope from George Street towards Powells Creek. What is besides the creek might be collection tanks(?).

Powell's Creek wetlands -

Very little remains today of the former Powell's Creek wetlands, just a

struggling small patch behind Mason Park, which has been

encroached upon by infilling from all sides.

Junction of channelised Salesyard and Powell's Creeks. The original mouth of the Saleyard Creek, meeting

Powells Creek channel and the width of marsh land was near the lower left corner of the image. Old maps

suggest that Powell Creek channel in the marsh land then swung again to the east, so that somewhere

near top of this image was a relatively narrow (at low tide) part of the wetlands. This is likely where

the Olympic Bay Drive now crosses. Bressington "mountain" or hill area there now is a case

of much over-fill. It conforms to the manmade canal pattern and hence almost certainly

postdates them in, at least its final form. The canals may date from 1934.

The area in 1943. The bridge over Powell Creek canal at the end of Conway Avenue was there then,

and at that time lead directly west to another footbridge over the Salesyard Creek canal (which

bridge since removed and replaced further north). The old ?original canal lying to the west

of the concrete channel is still quite evident in the 1940s but is only vague now (below).

Near the base of this photo is seen the northern boundary of the Homebush Substation. The streets at the right

are Lorraine Street and Brussels Street. The northwesterly trends seen in the centre-lower part of the above

image are more or less above where old maps suggest the former course of the Powells Creek channel

went as it crossed the intertidal flats. Old maps are not all too definitive but one of circa 1859

suggests that the intertidal strip of marsh land started here and as Powell Creek entered it

the creek swung into a strong westward arc, at the western edge of which the

Saleyard Creek entered Powells Creek.

Mena Street (centre) in this 1943 view went slightly closer to the canal than the adjacent streets.

Powell's Creek canal on the right, and wetland flats at left show polygonal network.

The small remnant of the wetlands at Mason Park is up-valley from a major over-filled transverse progradation tip emplaced from the west - Bressington "mountain" or grassy hill, named after George Bressington, the 1906-1937 Homebush Council Overseer of Works, later Alderman and Mayor (1937-1947). Mason Park is named after Albert Mason, the chief electrician at Arnott's Biscuit Factory nearby, and Mayor of Strathfield in 1947. Mason Park was filled largely with ash and reject biscuit tins from the bisuit factory.

Environmental and Earth Science (1999) sank 8 bore holes to a maximum depth of 2.4m in the flats at the Mason Park wetlands area, west of the present cannalised Powells Creek. The deeper material penetrated is more consolidated grey brown clay with Fe/Mn nodules. Above that is less consolidated or unconsolidated clayey sediment with fewer nodules and with variable silt and sand and some jarosite staining. At the northern end of the area, near surface peat is present, to a thickness of 20 cm. Areas of intersected fill went to a 1m depth.

REFERENCES

Environmental and Earth Science, 1999. Mason Park Wetland Acid Sulfate Soil Action Plan, Homebush, New South Wales. Report to Strathfield Municipal Council.

Strathfield area quarries and brickpits:

Mandemar Avenue brickworks -

Mandemar Avenue brickworks, 1943.

Liverpool Road, Lion Tile works -

Lion Tile works, south of Liverpool Road between Centenary Drive and Cosgrove Road, 1943.

West of Cosgrove Road and south of the above image, being doubtless extraction

for the Lion Tile works, 1943.

A ruin, in 1943, on eastern side of the bend in Cosgrove Road, which might be an extractive industry site

related to the pit immediately east of it.   The street on the southern side is Clevland Street.

Small pit, or maybe a dam, at eastern Russell Street, Greenacre.

Chullora pottery works, 1943, east off Waterloo Street near its junction with Hume Highway.

Argone Street - In April 2008 at the end of Argonne Street, Concord West, alongside Powell's Creek canal, at No. 18 Argonne, an excavator digging a 5m trench reached and ripped out the brittle old cast iron sewer ?sub-main.   Previously Interflow Pty Ltd did sewer maintenance (internal lining) to acid damaged sewer sections considered to have adverse impact potential to "delicate environments" including the Mason Park wetlands.

Dunlop and Dean Street quarry, Berry & Co. - From local knowledge, it is known that there was once quarrying carried out near the Cooks River south off Dean Street and west of Dunlop Street.  This site history goes back to the 1880s. Sands lists Henry Ralfe at Dean Street, "Druitt Town", in 1887-1889; and also Thomas West at Dean Street in 1888-1889..

Who were Berry and Co? Item 92/131 in the Powerhouse Museum, was made by them.

The above portrait medallion was copied by Berry & Co, but was originally designed and made by Thomas Woolner who was in Australia 1852 - 1854. Woolner's plaster and bronze portraits of Wentworth are among the most important images in Australian art. They represent the work of a major international artist, who lived in Australia for several years after the collapse of the pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood of which he was a founding member, and the image of a major political figure. The existence of this terracotta copy, along with an amateur plaster cast (also in the collection along with an original Woolner bronze) testifies to Wentworth's popularity. This Berry terracotta Wentworth is an extremely rare item, the only other known example is in the Australian National Library in Canberra. It was made by Berry & Co in Enfield and the Museum thinks it was made 1880-1900, probably ca. 1890.

It is stated that Council later on ran a tip at the site and that when it was filled in it was named Dean Reserve (enquired to Council to check this in 2008). It is quite likely that there was such activity at other nearby locations too. Currently (2008) there is a Hanson concrete batching plant off Dunlop Street eastern side. Search through old Directories like Sands has not yielded any mention of Dunlop Street. However a find was made under "Dean Street". The 1905 Post Office directory records that it was run by H. Berry (Berry & Co.). Moreover it seems that they may have had two pits/operations, one at Dean Street and one at "The Causeway" street neaby. It is thought that activity here lasted into the 1950s. Council was asked (July 2008) for any information on the area. It is also thought that clay extraction likely took place at places up the side arm of Coxs Creek near there, and that there may be other disturbed sites along the northern side of the Cooks River in the vicinity. Berry & Co. works, or at least the Dunlop/Dean Street site, was later acquired by Western Suburbs Brick and Tile Company. It appears in Sands as Western Suburbs Brick & Tile Co. Ltd. for the years 1922 to 1933. The Dean Street brickworks area was probably redeveloped into the current form of the Dunlop Street industrial precinct in the late 1950s.

The Causeway ?brickworks - Not only does the Sands directory list H. Berry (Berry & Co.) as having an additional address as The Causeway in 1905 but this turns up even earlier (as 'The Causeway' or 'Causeway Road') in 1887-1888, then under "Druitt Town", and held by Charles Follan.

Brooklyn Street - A clay pit held by Charles Follan in 1889. This was very likely at the end of Brooklyn Street down near the river and hence the same thing as later referred to as Dunlop/Dean street pit.

Water Street brickworks - This likely coincides with the large industrial area shown in the image below. It in the Post Office directory of 1905 as Strathfield & Enfield Brickworks. It was earlier known as the Strathfield and Enfield Steam Brick Works. The manager of the Strathfield & Enfield Brick & Terra Cotta works in 1910 was Mr Gardner (information at the Powerhouse Museum).

Dunlop Street at left (west of which is seen Dean Reserve). Water Street at right, .

crossing Cooks River canal, just below the junction with Coxs Creek canal. A

large width of industrial land extends between the two streets, and the lined-up

trucks near the centre are at the Hanson concrete batching plant.

Cooke Park on the opposite (southern) side of the river was likely another quarrying area.

The street along its southwestern edge is Madeline Street. Sands directories record an

"Enfield Pottery & Pipe Works" at Madeline Street in 1932-33. Earlier on, Mashman

too may have had a works somewhere along Cox Creek.

Dunlop Street has the appearance (2008) of an industrial estate.   Dunlop Street contains a variety of one and two storey buildings which are all of an industrial nature.   Occupants include a wire rope works, a mining contractor and a concrete batching plant. Also there are the old construction firm of Kell and Rigby, and the civil engineering and mining works contractors Abergeldie and Ardent of 15 Dunlop Street. They have been connected with drilling and construction work for the coal industry (Dendrobium, North Gonyella, etc.). Eastwards the industrial land also continues through the concrete batching plant and a metal recycling centre, and a waste handling company's offices, to Water Street.   However, in June 2007 the property owners (Dunlop Street Properties Pty Ltd 8, Dunlop St; Hanson Construction Materials Pty Ltd 10, Dunlop St; Westport Pty Ltd, 7-23 Water St and RJ Green & Lloyd Pty Ltd, 25-33 WaterSt) began proceedings with Council towards building a multi-unit housing development.on the land , with luxury unit highrise to nine stories height.   This was the second approach to Council for this sort of development in the area.   An earlier application had been made in 2003.   Council staff in 2008 favoured the proposal because "This rezoning proposal would have many benefits to the surrounding residential area particularly in the Dean Street and Water Street area such as eliminating industrial noise and heavy vehicle traffic movements etc.".    Council noted that "Site contaminations issues relating to the filling of the former brick pit have been addressed in the Applicant’s reports. These have been assessed and the proposed process of addressing site contamination issues satisfies Councils Environmental Services section" (Item 6. Strathfield Council Planning Committee Meeting, 8 July, 2008.

Juno Parade, Enfield Brickworks-

Two Strathfield Council files have been seen on this, Files BA44/54 and BA350/60, from which the following notes are taken:

File BA44/54 (Building Application No. 54 of 1954)

Owner: Enfield Brickworks Pty. Ltd.

Lot No. Pt. 93

"Juno Parade, Lakemba" (on application)

"Juno Parade, Enfield" (council cover sheet)

Application of February 1954 re a small "Amenities Block" building (brick); completed December 1954..

Estimated cost: 2000 pounds.

This was for a small three room building - comprising lunch room, change room (dressing room), and showers (3) and toilets (3).   The accompanying site plan shows that at this time the entrance and office for the brickworks [comprising one stack building and one kiln building as shown on plan] was located at the northeastern end of the property, from off the eastern end of Wentworth Street. (The quarry outline is not shown on the plan).

File 359/60 (Building Application No. 359 of 1960)

Owner: Enfield Brickworks Pty. Limited

Lot No. Pt. 93, Juno Parade

"Juno Parade, Greenacre" (council cover sheet)

Application of October 1960 re "Amenities Block & internal offices"; completed September 1961..

Estimated cost: 3200 pounds.

Also described as for erection of "additional toilet block and offices and laboratory". There is no further clue as to what the laboratory was for.   Although there was a standard "Block Plan" requirement to show placement of a new development structure on its allotment, none seems to have been submitted or to now be available.   This may be because the work was largely a refit of an existing building.   It was likely the EW elongate building close to the railway yards boundary.    The offices and laboratory likely comprised work done within the existing building, with the small additional amenities block joined on outside.



Strathfield brickmaker addresses:

http://www.strathfieldhistory.org.au/Sands%20Directory%20Strathfield%201882.htm

Strathfield Sands Sydney Directory

An early description of Strathfield in "Aldine Centennial History of New South Wales" by W. Frederick Morrison, 1888, stated that the suburb, which then included Homebush, Redmyre, and part of Druitt Town, was "purely residential".   Either there were no brickworks then established, or else the writer was unaware of them..

The first dedicated listing for the Strathfield district was contained in the 1882 Sands Sydney Directory. The suburb of Strathfield was originally called Redmire or Redmyre. The 1881 Sands Directory is unavailable, Redmyre was included in 1880 listing for Burwood.

Homebush including Redmyre - Sands Directory 1882

Boots, Henry, brickmaker, Redmyre

Bowen, John, sen., brickmaker

Bowen, John, jun., brickmaker

Browne, Henry, brickmaker

Cressy, Edwin, brickmaker, Redmyre

Downes, Sami, brickmaker, Redmyre

CLAREDON RD

Hewitt, Frederick, brickmaker, Clarendon Rd, Redmyre

Hinds, George, brickmaker

Keen, Silas, brickmaker

Machon, Joseph, brickmaker

Milliham, Robert, brickmaker, Redmyre

Parkinson, William, brickmaker, Redmyre

Slater, William, brickmaker, Redmyre

Smith, John, brickmaker, Redmyre

Speechley, John, brickmaker, brickyards

Whatan, John, brickmaker.

1886

http://www.strathfieldhistory.org.au/Sands%20Directory%20Strathfield%201886.htm

Broughton road

Homebush road to Coventry road

Mackenzie, David Al, brickmaker

Clarendon road

The Boulevard to Powell’s creek

Smith, Horace, stonemason

Lester, Edward, brickmaker

Johns, John H, stonemason

Holley, William, brickmaker

Coventry Road

Bridge street to Broughton road

Bentley, George, brickmaker

High street – East side

Liverpool road to Homebush road

West side

Follan, Wright, brickmaker

Highgate street

The Boulevard to Kingsland street

Brett, Henry W., brickmaker

Homebush road

Liverpool road to railway line

Woodward’s avenue

Redmyre road

Albert road

Powell, Edward, wheelwright, ‘Richmond villa’

Powell, James R., wheelwright, ‘Tarry Hi, Hi’.         <====== CF Powell co. brickmakers earlier on

Redmyre road

Elwin street

Bushy Hill road

Horner, William, brickmaker

Parramatta road – North side

Flemington cattle yards to Powell’s creek

Flemington road

Wentworth hotel – John Sturt

Bedford street

Wentworth road

Hudson Brothers, brickmanufacturers

Chatham, Robert, brickmaker

1887

http://www.strathfieldhistory.org.au/Sands%20Directory%20Strathfield%201887.htm

Clarendon road [Strathfield] – North side

Off The Boulevard

South side

Smith, Horace, stonemason

Leeson, Benjamin, stonemason

Johns, Henry, stonemason

Holley, William, brickmaker

Coventry Road [Homebush] – North side

Beresford street

Broughton street

Bridge street

South side

Bentley George, brickmaker

High street [Strathfield] – North side

Liverpool road

Cross street

South side

Follan, Wright, brickmaker

Homebush road

Liverpool road to railway

Woodward’s avenue

Redmyre road

Albert road

Homebush crescent

West side [Homebush]

Coppin, James J, brickmaker

Horner, William, brickmaker

Slater, William, brickmaker

Liverpool road, Strathfield – North side

The Boulevard to Lillypilly creek

[See also Enfield]

Long street

High street

Cross street

Sykes John, brickmaker

Long street [Strathfield]

Liverpool road to Homebush road

Cross street

Fallan, John, brickmaker

Parramatta road [Homebush] – North side

Flemington cattle yards to Powell’s creek

Flemington road

Wentworth hotel – John Sturt

Hudson Brothers limited, brickmakers

Redmyre road [Strathfield]

Boulevard to bush

Powell and Co., brickmakers

More -   For more on Strathfield municipality and near environs, see strathfield.htm

SUMMER HILL

Fyle's Brickworks.   Fyle's Brickworks was located along the western bank of Long Cove Creek between Canterbury Road and the railway viaduct. More precisely it may have been just west of where the N-S goods line now crosses the creek line. All this land was aquired by Mugo Scott Flour Mill. A sketch of the area by H.G. Lloyd in 1864 also shows some open-topped updraught kilns on the western side of the creek at the same place. A pair of two storey semi-attached houses at 41-43 Norton are believed to have been built almost certainly from Fyle's bricks. Fyle's brickworks ceased operating in 1882.

Meads' brickpit. Between 1880 and 1886 Charles and Joseph Mead were listed in the Sands directory as being at the bottom of Grosvenor Crescent near the creek, between the Long Cove viaduct and Parramatta Road. They operated brick pit here, close to the creek (Long Cove Creek). The exact site is not known. An old photo (ca. 1880) of land between the Battle Bridge over Parramatta Road and the viaduct appears to show spoil heaps on the western side of the creek about half way between Parramatta Road and the viaduct (or possibly closer to the viaduct than that). The area was later wild or derelict land (Summer Hill 'wilderness') and is now a reserve. Hearsay is that is that some people used to dig in it for old bottles, and if so the brick pit may have been filled with rubbish, which later proved the source of the old bottle finds(?).   The present reserve here was named Cadigal Reserve in 1994.   Unknown if any archaeological studies were done. Joseph Mead's cottage still survives, at No. 6 Grosvenor Crescent.

SURRY HILLS

Goodlet and Riley Streets. Goodlet street, running north or and parallel to Clevland Street, was first known as John Street and then as Marshall Street. The name was altered to Goodlet Street in 1875. The Goodlet and Smith pottery is recorded to have fronted this street. Other references say it was at Riley Street, so it may have stood at the corner of Goodlet and Riley Streets. Just to confuse things there was at one time another Goodlet Street nearby. This ran south from Devonshire Street into the clay pits and this street disappeared when the Devonshire St. public housing scheme was constructed in the 1950s (part of this street also for a time was known as O'Sullivan Street).

Goodlet and Smith pottery at Riley Street, Surry Hills in 1871.

Looks like about twenty men and boys at the works.

(Source: NSW Government Printer)

The Goodlet and Smith pottery and brickworks was built about 1868. Drain and sewerage pipes, and chimney pots were also manufactured here.

The history of the Surry Hills site is not yet known but Goodlet and Smith land ownership must have continued in some form till beyond 1902 when the above photo was taken of No. 106 (shop on left with "Mrs Smith" above window) John Street (later Goodlet Street).   The shop is believed to have been a retail outlet for the nearby pottery which was still operating.   Belvoir Street was extended east through the pottery site in 1916, so work there likely terminated some time before then. Following the 1950s public housing scheme there the Department of Housing maintained an office called "The Pottery", at 31 Belvoir Street.

Also of note are mentioned in a study about the former Department of Main Roads head office at 309 Castlereagh Street (on western side between Goulburn and Campbell Streets) [Ref: Casey, M., 1999. Local pottery and dairying at the DMR site, Brickfields, Sydney, New South Wales. Australasian Historical Archaeology. 17, pp. 3-37.].   There is reference to an 1814 plan authorised by the Surveyor General Meehan on which 'brickfields' is marked immediately west of Foster Street. A little further to the southeast, between Campbell Street and the western end of Reservoir Street there is also an irregular equant area that was drawn on an 1843 plan (both sides of a former stream) and labelled "Brick Kilns". This is probably between the present Hand Lane and Mary Street. This stream was probably an upper branch of the creek which ran along Hay Street. Historian Christopher Keating has also mentioned brick kilns being on Samuel Forster's lots north of Albion Street, possibly in the 1820s.

SWANSEA

Mining and exploration. A considerable amount of mining information not yet listed.   (Dawes Development Corp. Pty Ltd, 1978-1981, MR04425; Swansea Quarry Operations, MR06155; Burwood Colliery exploration in Newcastle-Swansea area, A266, CR/- 0745,0750,1970,2016,2132,2135,2136, 2137,2138,2139, 2304,2575,2795,3491,3054; John Darling Colliery, exploration in Newcastle-Swansea area, A265, CR/- 0876,0877,1689,1690,1691,1693,2248, 2257,2793,3047,3048; Stockton Borehole Colliery A271/386 areas exploration CR/- 0708,0709,0710, 0878,1687,1688,1775,1852,1931,2655,2708, 2757,2758, 2759,3221,3574,3642,3840,3925; Lambton Colliery A264, CR/- 0721,0753,0754,1642,1789, 1932,2096; Wallarah Colliery A177, CR/- 0927; Wallarah Colliery A340/330 areas exploration CR/- 1922, 2655,2824, 3084,3400,3915; Wallamaine Colliery Holding, A277, CR/- 2310,2311; Chain Valley Colliery A330/340 areas exploration CR/- 1792,2178,2376,2468,2469,2470,2652,2825,3214,3401,3914, Newvale Colliery, A245, CR/- 1069.

Tuff, Swansea Heads.   The tuffaceous rocks, Reids Mistake Formation, have been considered as potential zeolite source. (GS 1986/122, 1987/035).

Heavy minerals mining. Some heavy minerals mining has occurred in the Belmont-Swansea area (GS 1963/192).

Breakwater rock. Record of Swansea breakwater rip rap sourcing (GS 1978/028).

Stone women.   Two women turned to stone, about nine feet tall, at Swansea Heads bluff. As told to the missionary Lancelot Trelkeld. These are no longer there and were presumably been vandalised. Another (later?) version says they stood guard at the entrance of Lake Macquarie and would turn back to human form to sound the alarm should any threatening sea monsters approach the entrance.   The stone women were possibly petrified trees.

SYDNEY

Hawkesbury Sandstone, Hickson Road -

Hickson Road beside the High Street bridge over this road. The view is looking east,
and the sets of N-facing cross-beds are clearly seen here. (Photos: 'Cityofsound')

The Tank Stream, Sydney Cove - Where Sydney began:

Writer Liz Parkinson is a descendent of the Underwoods family, and has researched the more

open mouth of the Tank Stream at the time when the Underwood shipbuilding yard operated

there, and when some of Sydney's wealthiest merchants had their stores and houses

along the waterfront there, ca. 1810-1820.

Angel Place - Tank Stream - In 1997, excavations at Angel Place along the margins of the former Tank Stream yielded 54 Aboriginal artefacts from remnant topsoils immediately below the earliest historical levels. The range of artefact types (core reduction, small flakes and heat effected debitage), and raw materials (silcrete, indurated mudstone and chert), suggests the site was originally a continuous complex occupation site along the margins of the stream.
REF: Steele, D and Barton, H., 1998.   Angel Place, Sydney. Archaeological Salvage of Site #45-6-2581, Angel Place, Sydney. Report prepared for AMP Investments Pty Ltd.

THE BRICK FIELDS; Brickfield Hill (see also SURRY HILLS re further nearby clay pits) - And the first colonial brickmaking.   ( ... Information gathering by Tony Carr and John Byrnes )

Brickmaking was established likely from the very first months of settlement. When the First Fleet reached Sydney Cove in January 1788, the transport vessel Scarborough was carrying 5,000 bricks and 12 wooden moulds for making bricks. This small number of bricks could not have built much of a settlement anywhere, but could have helped build initial small structures or temporary kilns for firing local clay and to establish the industry. This could explain how quickly brickmaking got underway in infant Sydney colony. The colony's Judge-Avocate and Colonial Secretary, David Collins well diarised aspects of the beginnings of the new English colony (This is available as: "An account of the English Colony in New South Wales" http://www.fullbooks.com/An-Account-of-the-English-Colony-in-New2.htm).

By March of that very first year of the English colony, 1788, Collins recorded that: "a gang of convicts was employed, under the direction of a person who understood the business, in making bricks at a spot about a mile from the settlement, at the head of Long Cove ...".

There is another diary record of this, by George Bouchier Worgan who was the surgeon on the Sirius.   Worgan's diary from 20 January to 11 July 1788 is preserved.   He recorded in his diary on 13 May 1788: “ ... walked out today as far as the brick grounds. It is a pleasant road through the woods about a mile or two from the village, for from the number of little huts and cots that appear now, just above the ground, it has a villatick appearance. I see they have made between 20 and 30 000 bricks and they are employed in digging out a kiln for the burning of them”.   Collins recorded in August that heavy rains caused the brick kiln to collapse (fall in) more than once, and bricks to a large amount were destroyed.

Collins recounted that when natives killed one of the convict bricks makers a party of them went after the natives for revenge. But whey they caught up with them near Botany Bay they were outnumbered about 16:50 and suffered more death and injury from the natives.   These convicts were severely punished (150 lashes each) for leaving their work without permission.

Historical Records of NSW, Series 1, Volume 2 (p. 691 and p. 745) contains other mentions from 1788 "At somewhat less than a league from the camp (Sydney Cove) there is plenty of good clay, and capital brick-kilns are here established and this tho' a scanty village, is, I assure you, a much frequented and pleasant walk" and "His excellency the Governor has set on foot a brick manufactory, which succeeds to his wishes, having already burnt several thousands for his own house".

Within a year of so Collins reported that output had risen from the former ten thousand bricks per month. A new kiln had been built in which thirty thousand bricks could be burned at the same time.

Collins wrote that the convicts who were employed in making bricks were suspected of being the perpetrators of most of the criminal offences committed at Sydney. Therefore they were commanded that they must not leave the brickfields at night and go into Sydney town.   The colony's first police force (convict-run) was formed specifically to ensure that the 'Brickfielders' be prevented from roaming at night.

By 1793 Collins noted that the huts at Sydney had extended out almost to meet those which were building out from the brickfields, and thus to unite the district with the town.   The colony's brick industry at the time was employing about eighty men.

In one of the earliest cases of murder at Sydney, a body was found dumped in one of the clay pits in August 1799 and a trial of blood led back to a nearby house.  Early government action against serious wrong-doers included the erection of temporary gallows and the public burning down of houses or hovells. Sites are not clearly identifiable however - but the 'Brickfield Hill' may have been a favoured place for executions, the condemned transported out to there from town, by cart(?).   When three attempts to kill one man failed (a Jew, Joseph Samuel), after the rope slipped once and snapped twice, it was taken as a Sign from God and he was let live.

Brickmaking was soon under the instruction of convict James Bloodsworth who was a bricklayer and also had a knowledge of brick-making. He was placed in charge of the construction gang erecting the first brick huts built by May 1788, and in 1791 he was appointed Superintendant of brickmakers and bricklayers in the colony.   Bloodsworth may have had overall control with another convict in charge more regularly at the Brickfield, Samuel Wheeler. The Waktin Tench account of Sydney's early years records that Wheeler was "tasked to make 40,000 bricks and tiles monthly, (as many of each sort as may be) having 22 men and two boys to assist him". Another snippet (as yet unsourced and undated) is that the kiln measured 22 feet long and 18 feet high and fired bricks in batches of 24,000; and that a typical convict bricklayer gang consisted or between five and ten men, who were expected to lay 4,500 bricks each week. Often it is suspected that the earliest brickmaking might have been in inconsequential and temporary firing arrangements, just thrown up near wherever the clay was dug, of the bricks fired in dug pits.   However if mention of a 22 feet long by 18 feet high construction is correct this does suggest that a more permanent fixed site of operations may have soon developed.

In the early developing years of Sydney town there no doubt developed a number of centres of brickmaking from time to time, called brickfields or bricklands. The main one usually meant when "the" brickfield was referred to was at the southern end of town. It developed as a separated village but before long the growing town and later city of Sydney fully merged, embraced, surrounded and over-built it. The great changes, and the lack of detailed records so far located, means that the brickfield would once have been a very obvious and known place is now uncertain as to just exactly where and what it was. As far as known there has been little or no physical evidence (archaeological) found of it. The addresses of owners and manufactories associated with the brickfield, at least in its latter years, are known of from directories but actual sites like pits and kilns are not known.

Where is/was "Brickfield hill"?

"The Brickfield hill or High road to Parramatta." Source: An Account of the English

Colony of NSW Vol. 1 by David Collins Esquire, 1798. (Transcribed as an e-book

at http://freeread.com.au/ebooks/e00010.html but note wording change below

the illustration from old to transcribed.) The engraving was date marked

as August 11.1796 and was done by "J. Heath Sculpr."

The source of the above engraving is a watercolour painting by Edward Dayes (1763-1804)

If the above view is looking east then the hill in foreground is that near present Railway Square.

Another image of the same view in the National Library . ("nla.pic-an4863516;

PIC PIC T3134 NK9931 LOC 2151; Brickfield Hill, or, High Road to Parramatta;

ca. 1850, watercolour 16.6 x 26.8 cm )

A complication is that Sir William Dixon believed this drawing should be reversed, making the foreground hill somewhere near the Town Hall and the background farms on the slopes of Surry Hills, rising up towards present Crown Street (Sir William Dixon's notes, in green binder under heading Brickfield Hill, Dixon Library).   The engraving by Heath was made apparently from a 1796 watercolour by Edward Dayes, "Brickfield Hill and village on the High Road to Parramatta".

There are north and south options as to where the original Brickfield Hill was.   The north option is the Town Hall hill and the south option is at/near present day Central railway station on the western side near George Street / Parramatta Road.

Although many, or most, people today may think "Brickfield Hill" is the area between the Town Hall and the 'Haymarket valley' (popularised by the former Anthony Horden's department store which always gave its George Street address there as "Brickfield Hill"). However earliest records indicate not this as Brickfield Hill but rather the rise on the southern side of the Haymarket valley, towards modern 'Central' (e.g. Colonial Secretary's Papers on behalf of the Governor to Reverent Samuel Marsden re the 'consecration of the burial ground at Brickfield Hill'. Reel 6049; 4/1744, pp. 108-109; and also in Government Gazette, 22 January 1820).   Likewise an 1831 map also sites 'Brickfield Hill' at George Street, near the later Central station.

By contrast, Gemmell, following Pavlou, regarded Brickfield Hill as being on the northern side of the Haymarket valley. He identified it (Gemmell 1986, p. 4) as having been north of Hay Street and between Castlereagh and Pitt Streets - but that the hill had its top cut off in 1837 and dumped by convict labour in the valley below (this matter is further discussed below). The principal investigator of this history has been Olga Pavlou. Olga in 1976 completed a thesis "The History of Bricks and Brickmaking in New South Wales from 1788 to 1914", Batchelor of Architecture thesis, University of New South Wales. A lot of what Pavlou compiled is also made available in the 1986 book "And So We Graft from Six to Six" by Warwick Gemmell. The following are some extracts from Pavlou's thesis:
"By the turn of the century, the Sydney settlement was lapping against the brickgrounds which in turn spread outwards when the old clay pits became too deep to be practical. In Maquarie's plan for the settlement, an open space was called for, named Hyde Park, which was to be located adjoining the brickgrounds and so he gazetted the following General Order in October, 1810: The Governor being desirous to prevent any Encroachment from being made on the Park by Brickmakers, and the Acting Surveyor having been directed to mark out for this purpose a Boundary Line, dividing Hyde Park from the Brickfield ... His Excellency commands and directs that none of those persons who have obtained permission to make Bricks, shall in future, on any pretence whatever, presume to cut up any ground for that purpose beyond the Line fixed upon as the Boundary for the Brickfields..." (General Order, Sydney Gazette, Oct 6 1810, p1.). This shows that some form of government licencing of brickmakers was in existence prior to 1810.

Pavlou refers to an 1804 description of the Brickfield village by Peron: "containing over forty houses, and numerous manufactories for tiles, earthenware, crockery as well as bricks". She also mentions an 1822 map by Roe showing "the brickfields to the south of the present Liverpool Street, Hyde Park, and they appear to have extended westwards ...". The brickmaking in that area, south of Hyde Park, is separate to Brickfield hill/village and there is virtually nothing else known about it yet.

Gemmell (1986, p. 4) wrote that the main Sydney brickfield ('Brickfield Hill') remained the focus of the industry until 1841, and he refers to its "closure" in 1841 - "Its closure in 1841 caused considerable dislocation in the brickmaking industry. Evicted brickmakers moved into the adjacent suburbs of Glebe, Newtown, Redfern, Marrickville, Camperdown and Waterloo where good clays and timber for firing the kilns existed". What precise historic events may have given Gemmell his impression of a 'closure' of the area, and 'eviction' or brickmakers is unclear.

Was there some distinct governmental decision or action with 'closed' the main brickfield and evicted the area's brickmakers? Or was the decline of this brickfield, giving way to other landuse and general development more an economic thing - due to it being struck by the 1840s depression and never able to recover? Pavlou's thesis, similar as Gemmel, describes a gradual move of the brickmakers out of the Sydney brickfields to the "outer suburbs". However, she noted that in 1845 there were still some brickmakers in the Haymarket. Citing the General Post Office Directory of 1844-5 she wrote that there were 33 brickmakers in Sydney "with a noticeable decline in the number of brickmakers working in the Brickfield Hill area". We are not aware of any directory published between the 1844-5 GPO one and the first Sands directory in 1858 but if any did exist then it should be possible to get a clearer picture of the end of brickmaking at the Brickfields.

Gemmell's statement that evicted brickmakers moved into the adjacent suburbs of "Glebe, Newtown, Redfern, Marrickville, Camperdown and Waterloo" is similar as Pavlou who described the shift as being to "Newtown, Camperdown, Alexandria and St Peters". Rather than a sudden change or eviction, Pavlou gives the impression of shift begin more gradual as she noted that other small companies were already operating at the localities the Sydney Brickfield operators moved to. In this matter she cited this reference: Holden, E. A., 1935. The History of the Brick, Tile and Clay Products Industries in Australia (Extract from the Mangrovite Belting Ltd. Calendar for 1935).

Gemmell's date of 1841 for 'closure' of the Brickfields probably means cessation of government brickmaking there, note of which comes from Pavlou. Pavlou wrote "Eventually, in 1841, the Government ceased operations on the Brickfield Hill which meant that private businesses, also, were forced to remove their works to a new location".   If so, a cessation of government brickmaking in 1841 ought to be noted somewhere in government business records(?). Pavlou's words "were forced to remove their works" may be what inspired Gemmell's later word "evicted". It may suggest that the clay pits themselves, wherever they were located, were on government land and private operators only held leasehold or other permissive access rights? Rather than a sudden (?prohibitive) ending of all brickmaking activities there in 1841, as Gemmell's book implies, it seems as if the Government shut up or abandonned its own activity and private brickmakers responded as best they could; but also perhaps that cessation was no more than the result of the market for bricks collapsing in the 1840s depression?   The big (construction?) decline may have been in the mid 40s? In Sydney in 1839 there were 26 brickmakers known, 33 by 1844 [not a decline overall but an increase] but only 5 by 1855 [clearly the industry did 'crash' - but exactly when?] (figures from Pavlou and Gemmell).

As to where Brickfield Hill was, here are some more relevant quotations (which has not yet been examined by this writer in the original form.

Brickfield hill "north option"

The large department store (now demolished) that most people still living remember as

"Anthony Horderns' at Brickfield Hill". It fronted George, Pitt and Goulburn Streets.

This however was not the original building. This is the "New Palace Emporium" which

replaced the original Palace Emporium that was further south along

George Street and was lost by fire in 1901.

In 1889 Anthony Hordern & Sons completed their "Palace Emporium" at Brickfield Hill, fide the book "Sydney Then and Now" (MacKaness & Butler-Bowden, 2007). [NB: That's the "southern option of the place name.] It was the largest department store in in Sydney. The site was probably about where the McKell building steps are (built in the 1960s or 70s?), between

Rawson Place and Barlow Street on the southern side of Haymarket valley bottom. They may have been on this site from much earlier (1850s, and the name Palace Emporium used after 1879) before completing the emporium building to full height.

The Palace Emporium was destroyed in a disastrous fire of 1901. Anthony Horderns rebuilt at a new site a few blocks further north along George Street. This, the "New Palace Emporium" was completed in 1905.

A postcard of the opening ( see one copy preserved at the national museum - http://www.nma.gov.au/opalmedia/6/873/nma.img-__lebo0082-000-vi-vs1.640x640.jpg ) has the wording "THE NEW PALACE EMPORIUM on the HISTORIC SLOPE of BRICKFIELD HILL".

This was the wording of Horderns advertising and these words are also found in the Sands directories (e.g. 1913).

But what was at that time historic about that site? Certainly those words "on the historic slope of Brickfield Hill" could fit the facts for the first site of the Palace Emporium (because of the early references .. sent last post .. that refer to Brickfield Hill as being south of the valley, new Central ... including the (faint) evidence that the government pottery works were there, and the Carters' barracks, the Christ Church, police chief's house, the old toll bar and other features. Curious stuff. The original Palace Emporium is also referred to as being "on Brickfield Hill" (e.g.

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/newtownproject/biography1/biography4.html)

The second site of the (New) Palace Emporium is now part of World Square. It was later acquired in 1981 by Brickfield Hill Properties, a de facto subsidiary of Malaysian developers also known as the Ipoh Gardens company. Rival retailer, Waltons Ltd, had taken over Anthony Hordern & Sons in 1970 and closed Hordern's city store in February 1973. The building was then occupied into the 1980s by the NSW Institute of Technology and a number of small businesses. The Malaysian developers wished to demolish it, some people agitated for his retention as a historic building. The latter failed and the NSW government in 1985 allowed its demolition. Anthony Hordern & Sons was finally demolished in 1987.

[ REFS:

1) Brickfield Hill development : architectural and planning D.A. report, statement of environmental effects

by Rice Daubney. 1986. - Sydney Archives, Level 1, Town Hall House - Call No. SRC 711.55 )

2) Report on the archaeological excavation and watching brief during the construction of World Square, Sydney, NSW. World Square Pty. Ltd. 1989. ?Copy at Sydney Archives .. ?Call No. ]

The north option for where Brickfield Hill is/was can be found as early as 1848. An ad in late 1848 by the Righteous Path Society (a Jewish philanthropic organisation) states they were to meet at Henry Harris' hotel, the Jew's Harp, at the corner of Goulburn and George Sts, Brickfield Hill (Source: pers. comm. Gary Luke).

In Ruth Park's book The Companion Guide to Sydney, on page 106, she states that Brickfield Hill started from the 1 mile stone placed in 1818 at the top of George Street, not far from Liverpool Street corner. "The road was a cart track which wound through charred stumps and the bark huts that sprung up in squalid disorder amongst the kilns and claypits."

Ruth Park, the author of the 'Muddle-Headed Wombat' series and other popular works, and when the 'Wombat' series went off the air at the ABC there were many protests. Park's fascination with history, particularly Sydney's, lead to her The Companion Guide to Sydney (1973) as her most extensive work on Sydney. She was recording old Sydney before the developers changed large sections in the 1970s. He Guide was the product of two years of research and of wandering from the city through to Windsor, the Hawkesbury, Kuring-gai Chase, and Botany Bay. Ruth was born in 1923(?) and knowing where her statement that Brickfield Hill started from the 1 mile stone comes from may now be unknowable.

Brickfield hill "south option"

The original Anthony Hordern & Sons' "Palace Emporium", which burned down on 10 July 1901.

There is an 1829 publication (facsimile) Description of a View of the Town of Sydney, NSW. In that there is a drawing of Sydney with numbers. The numbers are then described. "No 10 - Road to Parramatta - The road to Parramatta is in line with George-street; at its commencement is the brick-field, where the town bricks are made, and two furnaces for burning the coarse colonial pottery ware; near which is the first toll-bar."

The location of the toll-bar is shown in the below map:

Southern end of Sydney in 1842, from a book about the Devonshire Street cemetery. The

book version was copied by A.E. Stephen in October 1943 from an 1842 map

by P. L. Bemi, Surveyor. (.. via Tony Carr)

A number of references have been consulted for historical clues to the Brickfields, including a compilation of old maps by Aston and Waterson (2000).  Further enquiry, to Sydney Council in 2007 in search of any listing of archaeological studies, revealed that "the most recent archaeological on Brickfield Hill" was done in 2005 in connection with a site in Cunningham Street, directed by Justin McCarthy of Austral Archaeology. Cunningham is an irregularly shaped street between Goulburn and Campbell Streets, west of the old DMR site which was formerly thought to perhaps be on the brick yards.   This work has not yet been consulted.

THE CARTERS BARRACKS' CONNECTION

An interesting connection to brickmaking is in the Sydney City Archives (Item 26/9/148, Container 43482) which is a letter from a C. Simmons to Council, explaining the samples ("specimens") of bricks he had left for consideration no doubt of possible purchase by the Council. They are stated to have been made at the south end of Sydney and were "from the premises of Captain & Mrs Cleary at Carters Barracks. It would seem that Mr Simmons was hoping to be able to produce and sell more bricks from there(?). Alternatively these might have been some sort of old stock still at the Barracks area(?).   It may mean there were still clay pits open there as late as 1854 or else that there was some stockyard there(?). Is it possible that Simmons was only trying to dispose of old stock or even of recycled bricks(?). The archive item has not yet been perused, only the reference noted.

The Carters' Barracks precinct was located fronting along present day Pitt St., extending south from the present corner with Eddy Avenue. The barracks were constructed circa 1819 to house convict gangs working on the brick fields as carters and brickmakers. They accomodated about 180 male convicts working as carters. Their working horses, bullocks and carts were all housed here. The Carters' Barracks were constructed according to plans devised by the overseer of the bricklayers, Francis Lawliss.

Carters’ Barracks is included in a despatch by Macquarie dated 27 July 1822, HRA, Series 1, vol.X, p.686 [Not seen].

On Friday 29 July 1825, Hyacinthe de Bougainville, commander of the French frigate Thetis, visited the Tread-Mill (which we know was located at Carters' Barracks) and then went on to view what would have been probably the 'Government' pottery leased by Moreton. He recorded in his diary: "Upon leaving the Tread-Mill, we went to visit a new pottery; the whole workforce is made up of members of one family, the father and two or three of his children. The father had previously worked for a considerable amount of time in the workshop of one of the most famous artists in London and seemed most skilful and most experienced to me. .... He employs two types of clay which are very fine and which are in his view most attractive, and I would tend to agree with him; one of them is grey and the other reddish and most common. The grey clay is dug out near his workshop. His products are a little dear." A published account is similar: "...we went to visit a new pottery near Sydney set up by the former apprentice of a skilful London potter. In only a few minutes he had designed and turned several vases decorated with fine embossed figures and which were then fired. He brought them to me the next day, and I did not haggle over the price which anywhere else but here would have seemed excessive."

This area became know as the Brickfields establishment or government base, and training centre for about 100 convict boys was also set up there in a separate building, complete with a treadmill to 'assist in the boys training'. (Gorton, Kerin Joy, 2002. Carters' Barracks and Point Puer: the confinement experience of convict boys in Colonial Australia, 1820-1850. University of Newcastle, School of Liberal Arts, Ph.D. thesis. 346 pp.)
One 1839 description reads: " The Carters' Barracks - This building is situated on a rising eminence at the extremity of the old Brickfields, and commands a picturesque view of the town. It was erected in Gov. Macquarie's time, for the accommodation of the convicts carters, brickmakers. &c.; a portion of it, however, has of late been converted into a Debtor's prison - it has recently been partially destroyed by fire. Adjoining this building is the tread-mill - a very useful piece of machinery for the purpose of correcting the tarnished morals of Botany Bay" (Picture of Sydney and Strangers' Guide in N.S.W. for 1839).

Carter's Barracks later housed a womens' refuge. In 1857 Archbishop John Bede Polding (a Benedictine monk from Downside Abbey in England) gathered together five women and formed a new religious congregation named the congregation the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict. The Sisters were allowed to begin at the Carters' Barracks, by then considered an old and little wanted building. To fund their existence and work they commenced there an institutional or industrial laundry.

This was the first religious institute of women in Australia. Until 1866 the sisters were called Good Shepherd Sisters but the title was changed to avoid confusion with an older Order of the same name. The Catholic Church obtained permission to use the building in 1847 or 1848. It was first staffed by the Irish Sisters of Charity before the 1857 creation of a new religious own foundation. The first five sisters of the new insitution were one English and four Irish.

Their womens' refuge shifted from there to St Magdalene's Retreat at Tempe House, Tempe, in 1887. They closed shop (as an institutional laundry) at Tempe almost 100 years later in 1983 [present site of high rise residential development named "Discovery Point"]. Even after the move to Tempe the Church still retained Carters' Barracks until 1901 when plans for the building of Central Railway Station were finalised and the Sisters were given notice to leave as the buildings were to be demolished. (Good Samaritan Sisters moved from there to Toxteth House, 2 Avenue Road, Glebe Point). By the turn of the century there may have been little or no bare land left in the area as it was noted that not only Carters barracks but many other historic buildings were raised for expanding Central station precinct.

The area of the Burial Grounds and Carters' Barracks - now overlain by Sydney's Central Railway

Station. George Street extended from Dawes Point, the northern extremity of the city, to the old

toll bar or turnpike shown here, which was a distance of two miles. There the high road turned

and continued further for a mile through what was called Chippendale and Refern, under the

name of Parramatta Street.

The Devonshire St.cemetery was consecrated on 27 January 1820 by the Rev. Samuel Marsden. It was also know as the 'Sandhills' cemetery - an indication perhaps of how far sand from Botany Bay and the coast had blown inland, to there and Surry Hills and Redfern.   There may be negligible evidence of sand today but in the past this may have been the thin front sandy soil area which becomes more prominent eastwards. Not far to the east the construction of the Victoria Barracks by convict labour in 1841-1848 took three times longer than had been anticipated for the work, and a recorded explanation of the slowness included the difficulty of dealing with 'huge' sandhills (no surface trace of which remains).   This adjoins Centennial Park (originally known as Lachlan Swamp) where the 'Recent' deep sand contains large ponds and may be of considerable age seeing there is pyrite noted in places (at Lily Pond).

About 5,000 memorials were erected here before the cemetery was destroyed in order to build the Central Railway. As shown above, each religious denomination had its own area of the cemetery (no Anglican or Church of England is shown, and would here be denoted as the "Episcopal" section). The fee for a grave digger in 1820 was 2/6d.   The cemetery was presumably established on virgin gound whence that area can be ruled out as having been where the claypits were.

It is likewise assumed that the top of the hill where the Town Hall now stands, may not have been used for clay extraction because it was in early use as a burial ground. Burials had been taking place there from at least 1792 and by 1812 the cemetery covered just over 2 acres.    It was when this site was considered full (in 1820 - last burials 1822) that the second 'Sandhills' or Devonshire site was selected (e.g. Colonial Secretary's Papers - To Revd. Samuel Marsden re the consecration of the burial ground at Brickfield Hill. Reel 6049; 4/1744, pp. 108-109; and Government Gazette 22 January 1820).   In the Government Gazette of 22 January 1820 the Governor declared the old burial ground closed and "a new burial ground was set aside on Brickfield Hill".   An 1831 map also sites 'Brickfield Hill' at George Street near Central.

Note on the above (1842) map that the residence of Captn Innes is shown.

Note also that across the road from it was "St Lawrence New Church" (a.k.a. Christ Church).

"John McLerie, Superintendent and Inspector General of Police" had his funeral at Christ Church in 1874, was presided over by Bishop Frederic Barker. This recorded at the Christ Church St Laurence web site:
http://www.ccsl.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=286&Itemid=179

It seems that Captain and Mrs Cleary later lived in the Captn Innes house. This was known as the "Police Superintendent's residence". It stood on Pitt Street, across the road from Christ Church, from at least 1842 (if not earlier) and from that date was first occupied by the Chief Commissioner of Police, Major Joseph Long Innes (and his wife Elizabeth Anne Reiby the daughter of Mary Reiby). It was then home to Captain John McLerie, Superintendent of Police from 1850 and Inspector General of Police from 1856. McLerie was succeeded by Edmund Fosbery in 1874 who occupied the house until its demolition to make way for Central Railway Station. Both McLerie and Innes were parishioners of Christ Church.

The reference to "Captain & Mrs Cleary" premises in 1852 could also mean anywhere in the house grounds perhaps? It would not mean bricks from demolition of that house as it was not demolished till much later.

OLD ULTIMO QUARRYMAN ROBBED BY THREE BUSHRANGERS;
WHICH ROGUES THEN KILLED PROMINENT CITIZEN DR ROBERT WARDELL.
MURDERER AND VICTIM HEADS WERE CAST AT BRICKFIELD HILL POTTERY.

According to a murder trial extensively covered in the press at the time three convict absconders at bush in 1834 (bushrangers) thus fell in together and during their time together roaming the bush between Parramatta and Cook's river for a short period they committed robberies and also shot and killed Dr Robert Wardell.

Dr Wardell was a prominent and wealthy citizen of the times (founder and editor of the 'free press' called the "Australian" newspaper).    He was owner of the large "Petersham" estate west of Sydney town, which estate extended between Parramatta Road and the Cook's River in the south.

After some time at large the bushrangers were apprehended. One turned 'Approver' or testifier for the prosecution in return for his life being spared, and the other two young men were trialled and hung. One was by all accounts the killer who pulled the musket trigger; the other man hanged with him was a much milder man, deemed gullible and easily lead, but under the law he too had to hang as an accomplice present at the murder.

It is recorded that the heads of the killer and Dr Wardell were cast by the potter at Brickfield Hill and good likenesses of both men thereby preserved. What became of these three dimensional replicas of the mens' appearances, of what the casts were wanted for, is now not known.

The murder trial is R. v. Jenkins and Tattersdale (Supreme Court of New South Wales; Forbes C.J., Dowling and Burton J.J., 20 September 1834.
Early in the afternoon of Sunday, 7 September 1834, astride his hack, Dr Wardell left his Petersham cottage to inspect his estate. Near the Cook's River boundary at a small humpy, he spotted three strangers who, he suspected, correctly as it transpired, were convicts unlawfully at large. After a few inflamed exchanges, John Jenkins, the leader of them, shot him. His body was found next day. The three men were arrested about a week later. The youngest of them turned approver and the other two were executed.

The Sydney Gazette gave a long report of the murder case; as did the Sydney Herald (10 November 1834) and other reporters:

The Crown witness or 'approver' (Emanuel Brace. - 'I am eighteen years of age; I am a prisoner of the Crown') testified against Jenkins, relating how they, lead by Jenkins, had earlier robbed an old quarryman near Ultimo and later shot Dr Wardell, etc.

They were aware they could get some money and clothes off an old quarryman at the back of Mr. Turner's home, which was nearly opposite the Cooper's Distillery on the Ultimo side of the road [other contemporary records mention Cooper's Distillery as being on Parramatta-street towards the Black Wattle swamp)]. They proceeded to go and rob the old quarryman of various items (clothing, tea, sugar, about three pounds of powder, part of a leg of mutton, money, etc.).

Quarryman testified: Thomas Betterson, "I am a quarryman; I reside under a rock at the Ultimo Estate; I remember being robbed, it was on a Saturday evening; a man came to me and asked if there were any lime burners about? I told him he was astray, as they were on the other side of the water; he then asked me for a light of a pipe, when I pulled some strips of bark, and gave him a light; I then saw a second man ..."..."..the prisoner Tattersdale was not present; I knew him, and would have recognized him immediately if he had been there; he used to draw the stone from the quarry, he was assigned to Edward Turner, of whom I rent it; I know the articles produced, they were my property; I also lost some razors and scissors, and some blasting-powder; this bag was taken from me."

The men at large then went on somewhere else to the hut where Dr Wardell rode up upon them. According to Brace, Wadell addressed them: "You are only three poor run-aways, you had better come along with me." Brace testified that Jenkins took a musket and proceeded up to the gentleman, whose horse was prancing, presented the piece and fired, whereupon the gentleman said - Oh dear, I'm killed and his horse turned short round, and started off at full speed.

Found guilty as charged, the two absconder bushrangers were hanged on Monday, 10 November, 1834. On the day of the hanging, the Australian reported that Jenkins addressed some fellow prisoners as follows: "Good morning my lads, as I have not much time to spare I shall only just tell you that I shot the Doctor for your benefit; he was a tyrant, and if any of you shoould [sic] ever take the bush, I hope you will kill every b--y tyrant you come across". Jenkins also confessed having committed many robberies whilst in the bush, and concluded by requesting the people to pray for him. On being requested to shake hands with the co-accused Tattersdale, he at first refused (presumably resenting that Tattersdale's testimony went against him) but he subsequently consented to do so. Tattersdale appeared much affected - Jenkins desired him not to cry, saying that that in ten minutes time he would be happy enough. Before he died, John Jenkins, age 26, began apologising for his life and confessing to other crimes. He confessed to crime he could not possibly have committed, such as a robbery at the house of Mills (Jenkins must have forgotten that took place two days after he was already in custody). Jenkins' aim is thought to have been to deflect blame from a fellow bushranger.

The likenesses of Jenkins and Wardell were preserved ('cast') in clay at the Brickfield. Presumably the clay was then fired so that the 'death masks' would be made hard and solid?

The record of this is in the 8 January 1835 edition of the Sydney Gazette: "We have seen two excellent casts of the heads of the late Dr. Wardell and his murderer, Jenkins. They were executed at the pottery on Brickfield-hill, by Mr. Moreton, who has succeeded in admirably preserving correct likenesses."

Mr Moreton (see fuller story below) had certainly been in charge of that pottery formerly, but was not known to have been back working there in 1834/35 so may have been called there just for his expertise, for this particular task.

South Head Road, glass sand - Windblown sands from Botany Bay encroached as close to Sydney as Surry Hills. Old records refer to active sand dunes there but it is not certain if this was natural or activation of sand movement due to clearing.   To lesser extent there was sand deposits noted that were blown in from the eastern coast around Bondi. In 1831 James King, later a successful wine grower and merchange, called attention to white dune sand 'along the South Head Road near Sydney' which would be good for glass manufacture. King claimed to have spent 400 pounds on 'exploiting' his sand deposit (details and exact site/s unknown).

TOP: Hill crest on George Street in 1842. By this time substantial buildings had spread this far

south of Sydney Cove where settlement had begun. The Sydney Burial Ground is on the

left within the brick walled enclosure but it had already long been closed to burials and

a new cemetery commenced at Devonshire Street (at the present Central Station

area). The Sydney Town Hall was built over the old burial ground in 1868-1869.

The slope going down to the south (the direction the bullock cart is heading in)

was the former 'Brickfield', which by 1841 was closed to end dust and

other perceived nuisance, and gain the land for building over.

(J.S. Prout and J.Rae, 1842. Sydney Illustrated)

BOTTOM: Removal of paving alongside the Town Hall, on the Druitt Street side, in 2003,

revealed the old ground surface immediately below, with graves (elongated E-W).

(Photo: Dr Lisa Murray, City of Sydney historian)

The Sydney Town Hall is built over the old Burial Ground and excavations here have repeatedly exposed the burials. This one, seen during stormwater pipe repair work under the Town Hall in 1991 is a simple

but very solild brick vault containing the red cedar wood coffin of an unknown woman from the convict

period. Following recording, this structure was re-buried in sand. It has not yet been enquired if any

of the bricks were placed in museums or investigated in any way. (Photo: Sydney City Council)

It is not known if the Ashfield Shale extends to Town Hall hill, or if any drilling has been done there. Excavation for a 34m deep basement at the Village Cinema site nearby to the south along George Street did pass through an appreciable thickness of Mittagong Formation.

Excavation at Village Cinema site, George Street. The sharp conformable contact of

the Mittagone Formation with the Hawkesbury Sandstone is evident on the left wall.

(Uncertain if higher face has any Ashfield Shale or is all shotcreted?)

Brickfield Hill pottery making - In addition to production of bricks and tiles, the clay at the brickfields was used to make pottery, commencing in 1790. The convict Johathon Leak is recorded to have been put to work there making pottery between 1819 and 1822. Leak then took two land grants near the government pottery in 1823, to commence his own pottery. By 1828 he was employing over 20 men. Two short articles in the "Australian" mention 40,000 bricks per week produced there but this might or might not refer to Leak's works. It seems possible that Leak's business may have taken over the whole government pottery and brick works. Closely related, or at least close-by, would be the Moreton Pottery.

The 'Moreton Pottery' activities (at least in part overlapping with the government pottery) commenced in ?1820 and operated until 1851 (in which year the then owner Anson Moreton died) is variously referred to as having been at Brickfield Hill or Surry Hills. It likely fronted Elizabeth Street, and may have later on amalgamated with or taken over the Government Pottery (after 1828). The 1820 date probably refers to the fact that John Moreton, an English potter transported to the penal colony for burglary, arrived in December 1819 and by 1820 had been put in charge of the Government Pottery works at Brickfield Hill.

Jonathon Leak who also arrived in 1819 may have worked under Moreton. By 1822 Moreton's wife and three sons arrived as free settlers and the sons joined him in pottery work. On Friday 29th July 1825 the commander of the visiting French frigate Thetis, Hyacinthe de Bougainville, visited the pottery and recorded in his diary: "Upon leaving the Tread-Mill, we went to visit a new pottery; the whole workforce is made up of members of the one family, the father and two or three of his children". De Bougainville recorded that the clay was dug out near his workshop. In 1826 Moreton was apparently unable to pay demands levied on him by the government, again attempted robbery to get money and was sentenced to six years hard labour and sent to a chain gang at Bathurst. His family attempted to carry on the Government Pottery but could not manage and it was re-leased in 1827 to a Mr David Hayes. After serving his six years hard labour, John Moreton returned to Sydney in 1832. No longer having control of the clay lands or works he could at first only manufacture clay smoking pipes.

A record in the 8 January 1835 edition of the Sydney Gazette states: "We have seen two excellent casts of the heads of the late Dr. Wardell and his murderer, Jenkins. They were executed at the pottery on Brickfield-hill, by Mr. Moreton, who has succeeded in admirably preserving correct likenesses." He perhaps had been called in there on account of his expertise, for this particular task. Soon after that, in 1835 he was back in a more well defined business, with his sons, at a site east of Bourke Street in Surry Hills.

Wine cooler (c. 1835), 25 cm tall, impressed 'MORETON & SONS POTTERS'.

The convict John Moreton was probably the first skilled potter to reach

Australia and was put in charge of pottery making at the government

run pottery on Brickfield Hill soon after his arrival in the Colony.

(Photo/repository: National Museum of Australian Pottery)

The infilling at "Haymarket valley" - Gemmell (1986, p.4) wrote that Brickfield Hill underwent considerable physical change: "The government decided to move the top of the hill between the present Castlereagh and Pitt streets. Convict labour was used to dump the soil and rock in the valley below. This area, formerly swamp intersected by tidal creeks, was raised to 4.8m above sea level and Brickfield Hill reduced by a corresponding figure."

This derives from Pavlou: ""Brickfield Hill, up to the middle of 1837, was not only steep, but difficult and dangerous to traverse with a loaded vehicle despite the fact that bullocks and horses, rather than convicts, now hauled the loaded carts. [Truth, 22 August, 1926, Vol. D, p.210]. In the Haymarket Valley the swamps were intersected by tidal creeks which traversed George Street, near its intersection with Hay Street, and emptied into Cockle Bay [R.A.H.S. Journal and Proceedings, Vol. 5, pp.153-156]. Records of the period show that millions of tons of rock and soil were subsequently removed from the contours of what now form Castlereagh, Pitt and the parallel streets and dumped into the valley below, eventually raising the valley 4.8 metres (16') above high water mark at Hay Street. In fact, the first colonists would have beheld a view in which the Brickfield Hill was a mass if [sic] irregular rock 4.8 metres higher than now and the Haymarket Valley 4.8 metres lower."

There are also the memoirs of Obed West. Obed described, from memory alone(?), Sydney's streets of the 1820s-1830s. He stated (memoirs, p. 17) that along George Street at Liverpool Street: "The levels of the street here have been considerably altered, the hill being cut down some 12 to 15 feet. To bring the house levels with the street, a storey was erected underneath".   He also added that "on the square now known as the Haymarket Square, were the Government brickyards where the bricks required for various Government establishments were made."   He also referred to the low land or valley at George and Hays streets "Dickson's Pond": "... it was there Dickson's Pond commenced, a large creek which ran along the present Hay St., entering it at about the corner of George and Hay Streets."

Turnbull (1991, "Sydney - Biography of a City") has mentioned the same thing, about the valley in the late 1830s, having been filled with material taken from the top of the hill: "It was estimated that 1 million cubic feet of debris (much of it sandstone) was moved during the levelling of Brickfield Hill".

The idea of the almost complete disappearance of a Brickfield "Hill" along George Street between Bathurst and Goulburn Streets by cutting its top off, perhaps derives from Maclehose's Picture of Sydney and Stranger's Guide (1838) which includes: "up to the middle of last year, the ascent of Brickfield Hill was not only steep and difficult but actually dangerous. ... During the last nine months the ascent has been rendered completely safe and easy for all kinds of drays, wagons and other carriages by cutting and paring off the highest part of the road." The material was used to grade the southern approach to the hill, and "upwards of one million cubic feet of rubbish changed their situation by manual labour, a great proportion of which was solid freestone rock".

Palmer Street - By 1802 there may have been other clay extraction areas besides the original Brickfields. One other brick making site was at the head of Wooloomooloo Bay in the vicinity of Palmer Street (Paul Goard, 1981, "A colonial brickmaker's family", p. 15. Mitchell Library Q929.20994/M847.1/1).

Cockatoo Island - Cockatoo Island has produced four fossil fish specimens, and a single bone of an amphibian.

Geological & Mining Museum, The Rocks - This site, adjacent to Sydney Harbour Bridge in George Street North is fairly deeply excavated and may have been the site of some excavation of sandstone for construction use prior to when built on. As far as is known it has only carried one building, which is the presently existing one. The museum ran for many years and was visited by generations of people interested in rocks, minerals and fossils. It was the museum of the Mines Department (commenced elsewhere in more meagre accomodation) and hence was first known as the Mining Museum, and later as the Geological & Mining Museum (during which years it was still colloqually or familiarly referred to just as the Mining Museum). This reflects the original "practical mining" focus. The geological part of the name was added later as the prestige of the establishment was increased by moving into dedicated and substantial new premises (a big improvement on the original premises which were recorded to have been leaky). Most of the original collection of the Department was lost in the Garden Palace fire in Sydney, after which the collection was rebuilt, appealing to mines and contacts in New South Wales and further afield to donate specimens.

The Museum existed as a storage, research, display and teaching centre for almost 90 years at this site.
The building was run for with the Department of Mines Chemical Laboratory (and also a live-in caretakers' quarters) on its top floor, and an Art School, the Julian Ashton Art School on the floor between the Chemical Laboratory and the display floors. The Chemical Laboratory left when a very much bigger special building was purpose built for it at Lidcombe.
Site description and establishment: The building is of Federation Warehouse style, designed by architect, Walter Liberty Vernon, the first NSW Government Architect. The base of the building is excavated into the sandstone almost to flush with George Street North frontage. It is not certain if it was purpose excavated or if there was any former quarrying on this site simply for sandstone excavation, but it likely was a quarry of some extent to start with. There were, from time to time, plans (or 'dreams'/vision) about feasibility of excavating an underground 'mine' below the site purely for display purposes. The Museum for a long time had a small 'fake' mine constructed on one of the floors, blackened out inside and with artificial lighting and models, which was always popular with school children.

The building has a tall chimney stack which is still a landmark in Sydney. The tall chimney is because the building was originally designed, but only partially constructed, as a DC power station. Plans changed before it was completed and it was then redesigned and completed to become a Museum and Chemical Laboratory.

The change during the course of building construction was associated with a decision to generally change from direct current (DC) supply to alternating current (AC) power supply in NSW. (Tropman 1996: 15)

Some chronology for the "Mining Museum" site:

- 1700s - Late 18th century maps and plans do not indicate anything at the site.

- 1807 - Meehan's map shows the area leased to Robert Campbell Esquire (Campbell's substantial old storehouses, next to the Museum on the opposite side of Hickson Road are now tourist shops or eateries).

- 1840s - The land may have been within the Cunnyngeham's shipyard (cf. later Water Police area).

- 1901 - Plan of Sydney in Fitzgerald's Royal Commission indicates the site as intended for a power station.

- 1902 - In 1902 (or before?) possibly became the site of an old quarry, operator not yet known. The excavation at George Street North would have stood approximately three storeys above Hickson Road. There was either some independent quarrying phase of else the first excavations were all along part of the planned power station construction? The 1902 plans drawn by Government Architect Walter Vernon for an Electric Light Station and Workshop show provision for a six level structure facing George Street and a similar structure facing Hickson Rd., with an octagonal chimney stack on the northern side, and an attic level behind Romanesque style parapets and gabled roofs. In 1903 revision to the plans drawn by Vernon for the Electric Light Station and Workshop showed a two level structure facing George Street and a three levels high structure facing Hickson Rd., with an octagonal chimney stack 60 metres in height on the northern side, and simple gabled roofs.

- 1902/04 - Construction underway for a power station and workshops. Uncertainty and hiatus seems to have happened, probably in 1904. The lower part of the building was constructed for a power station and workshops but work ceased and it stood unfinished and roofless for some time. No generating equipment was ever installed.

- 1908 - Abandonned for power generation purposes and the site given to the Mines Department for a museum (likely considerably interdepartmental correspondence might be preserved leading up to this?). [State Archives records have NOT been searched.]

- 1908/09 - The upper levels of the building modified from origin planning, to now better suit changed purpose for a mining museum and chemical laboratories and a new entrance onto George Street was constructed.

- 1909 - The building opened as the Mining Museum in August 1909.

- 1930 - The Julian Ashton's Art School was given tenacy of the first floor in the building.

- 1972 - A Museum shop was established.

- 1973/74 - The Julian Ashton's Art School moved out of the building and the floor it had occupied was used for museum display expansion. The Museum greatly expanded its role in schools education in the subject of geology and appointed qualified teachers as Education Officers in this regard.

- 1987/89 - The museum's management was changed to a managerialist model and commercialisation measures began to be introduced, culminating in part divestment of responsibility for the museum by government with the establishment of a Trust. It was hoped that the mining and exploration industry would part take over the funding of the museum. In 1989 the building was transferred to the Geological and Mining Museum Trust, and the name of the Museum was changed to "The Earth Exchange".

- 1991 - The museum was closed for a long period for refurbishment works and its internal character very largely changed. It reopened as The Earth Exchange in March 1991.

- 1996/2007 - The hopes for the mining and exploration industry helping greatly to maintain the museum, and for various other changed-direction plans (including mining industry and energy promotions - an Energy Information Centre was established in the building) were not successful and the museum closed permanently after the State government ceased its majority funding contribution. The highest quality "show" specimens in the Museum, many collected by Albert Chapman from Broken Hill and other places, were all transferred to the Australian Museum where they continue to be on display. Other collections were transferred to the Chemical Laboratory at Lidcombe, and later on when that building too was closed they were moved to the Department's core storage facility in Londonderry. A number of specialist earth science staff moved with the collections, which continue to be well cared for, and can be visited by researchers on arrangement.

- 1997 - The building was first indicated as 'promised' for an Aboriginal art centre but this did not eventuate. Since 1996 it was re-fitted for close office space but for some years remained unoccupied, still under the control of the Ministry for the Arts, to which it had been transferred after the dissolution of the Trust. [?Current occupants].

Dykes - The Great Sydney dyke.   Intersected in the 1.4 km long Energy Australia Cable Tunnel which was driven to carry 132 kV electricity cables for the CBD and Inner Suburbs Electricity Supply Augmentation Project. Construction was by Downer Construction (Australia) Pty Ltd and geotech by Coffey Geosciences Pty Ltd. The tunnel and two new shafts (at City South and Surry Hills) runs along the southern perimeter of the CBD (Ultimo Road, Hay Street and Smith Street). The tunnel, at an average depth of 20m is mostly within the Hawkesbury Sandstone but at one place traverses Ashfield Shale. The City South shaft is in Campbell Street and the Surry Hills shaft is within Wade Place. Where it intersected the Great Sydney Dyke water was encountered and grouting was necessary. (Information from D. Lees, posted on 19 Feb. 2006 to AUCTA Historical Projects, http://www.ats.org.au )

Saunders Quarries, Harris Street. The shale underlying the 40 ft thick quarried bed of sandstone contain fossil plants. A basalt dyke (altered to clay) was also cut in the quarry.

Wooloomooloo Bay. Close to the steps leading down from Victoria Street North. Excavated shale yielded fossil plants and fish.

Some references consulted re early Sydney:

Aston, P. and Waterson, D., 2000. Sydney takes shape. A history in maps. Hema Maps Pty Ltd., Brisbane. 78 pp.

Turnbull, L.H., 1991. Sydney - Biography of a City. Random House Australia, Milsons Point. 534 pp.

Watkin Tench, "A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay" and "A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson", reprinted as Sydney's First Years. Australian Royal Historical Society. Angus and Robertson, 1961.

Some references not yet consulted

Daubney, R., 1986. Brickfield Hill development: architectural and planning D.A. report, statement of environmental effects. (Sydney Library. Sydney Reference Collection. 711.552 RICE)

SYDNEY (Middle Harbour)

First archaeology.   Perhaps the first archaeology in the new colony was conducted here, when John Hunter and William Bradley landed on a point in Middle Harbour on 21 April 1788 and dug up a suspected grave they found. They found the deceased had been cremated and there was just ash and some fragments of bone present. They concluded (although it was not generally the case) that this was the manner in which the natives typically disposed of their dead.

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