The Australian Government: Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. Planning.

Harbour Trust: Planning

The Plan: Former Marine Biological Station Mit-ta-la (Green Point)

The Site and its Context

The Place

Refer to Figure 9.1 (PDF, 87kb ) Plan Area

The north-facing Former Marine Biological Station at 31 Pacific Street, is tucked away at the Southern end of Camp Cove. With its strong roof form and verandahs, it is partially hidden by its garden setting, fences and siting. Once isolated, the house and adjacent Green Point Reserve (Laings Point) have been joined by the row of residential development running parallel to the Camp Cove Beach backing onto Victoria Street and the houses along Pacific Street fronting Watsons Bay. The local street system is tight and on street parking is at a premium.

How it Evolved
Natural Forces

Green Point Reserve is a sandstone knoll created by the erosion of wind, current and wave action. It is at the water's edge of the plane that tilts westward from the ocean cliffs to the sheltered harbourside bays. Originally an extensive coastal lagoon flowed out to the harbour through a channel that crossed the beach near what is now the western end of Victoria Street.

The station originally sat on a bare windswept peninsula, largely devoid of native vegetation as a result of the introduction of domestic goats.

It was located by the harbour's edge and wedged between a rocky headland and a sandy beach, fronting the mouth of the harbour. Today the Former Marine Biological Station sits within a well vegetated suburban context. The coral trees on the reserve are a distinctive feature of the waterfront.

Cultural History

Indigenous
The Watsons Bay area provided abundant fish, shellfish and food for the local Aboriginal community in a sheltered environment. Rock engravings in the area depict a range of marine creatures including whales and fish. There is also a rock shelter at the northern end of the Camp Cove Beach that shows evidence of habitation by the local Aboriginal people.

European Occupation
Governor Phillip and the First Fleet rested for a night in Camp Cove before landing at Sydney Cove in 1788.

The bountiful nature of the area was also recognised by the early European settlers and a fishery was set up nearby in 1792 to help feed the new settlement at Sydney Cove.

Land in the area was granted to Edward Laing in 1793 (Laings Point) and to Robert Watson in 1801 (Watsons Bay). Subdivision of the land took place in the 1850s and the Camp Cove - Watsons Bay area developed as a village of fishermen, pilots, master mariners and merchants.

Military fortification of South Head commenced in the 1850s in reaction to the Crimean War and continued through the 1860s and 70s. Green (Laings) Point was the site of a submarine miners firing station for the electronic mines stretching across the harbour to Georges Head (1871-1890s). The 1942 anti-submarine boom was also anchored at this Point.

Prominent Russian scientist Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay arrived in Sydney in 1878 and convinced the NSW Government and the local scientific community of the importance of setting up a marine biological station. The site was chosen in 1879 and the station was completed in 1881. In selecting the site, Maclay had made a well-informed choice, as it was ideal for studying the marine animals that his research was so focused upon.

The house, a good example of practical colonial architecture featuring beautiful pressed metal walls and ornate fireplaces, was acquired for military purposes in 1885 and served until recently as army officers' married quarters. The property was transferred to the Commonwealth in 1908 for 600 pounds.

Alterations to the house involved extensions to the western side in c1905 and again between 1915-20.

Site Conditions Summary
Flora and Fauna

Green Point Reserve is a sandstone knoll created by the erosion of wind, current and wave action. Today the Former Marine Biological Station sits within a thickly vegetated suburban context. The coral trees on the reserve are a distinctive feature of the waterfront. The cultural plantings create a garden setting related to the residence being used as officers' accommodation and are a mixture of trees, palms, shrubs and hedges on three levels.

There are no known threatened flora and fauna species on the site.

Buildings and Services

There are two buildings located on the site of the Former Marine Biological Station. The main building, a two level house is of weatherboard construction and the lower basement level is constructed of a rough-faced sandstone. The building has a simple hipped roof form that is clad in corrugated iron. The second building on the site is a single room garage built onto the street level.

The buildings are in reasonable condition, however, there is some minor, non-critical deterioration of materials due to lack of maintenance over the past few years. While the house is not under any immediate threat it does require some substantial maintenance work particularly in roof, joinery, stone and painting. The site also contains numerous types of boundary fences and paths that are in poor condition and will be replaced or restored in the near future.

Although not fully surveyed, the site is connected to the sewer, water and electricity, and has a smoke detection system connected back to the local fire station. All of these services will need to be properly assessed and repaired prior to public access being made available. A more detailed summary of the site conditions is at Section 12 Background Material.

Contamination

As would be expected for a site with no history of contaminating activities, the only contamination issue identified is that related to deteriorating lead based paint systems.


The Planning Context

Refer to Figure 9.2 (PDF, 245kb ) Planning Context

The Former Marine Biological Station is in the Local Government Area of Woollahra. The land is zoned for open space purposes and is adjoined to the east by Green Point Reserve which forms part of the Sydney Harbour National Park. To the northeast, the site is adjoined by land zoned residential although the Camp Cove Beach area is zoned for acquisition for future open space.

The foreshore of the site currently acts as a link between Green Point Reserve and Camp Cove Beach, and the Research Station has the potential to provide a link from Victoria Street to Camp Cove Beach.

The local area is relatively constrained in terms of parking and traffic, and there are no dedicated parking spaces for the site. The Watsons Bay wharf is within walking distance of the site and there are a number of government buses operating along Old South Head Road, which provide reasonable access to the site.

More detailed information on the above matters can be found in 'Background Material' in Section 12.

Consultation Outcomes Summary

Consultation on the Former Marine Biological Station has shown that the community values the history of the site both as the marine biological station and its use as defence housing. However, the association of the house with Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay and the marine biological environment is very important to the community.

The main issue that the community believes requires consideration is traffic and parking impacts that may be generated from the increased tourist attraction of the site. Other issues include conservation, preservation and interpretation of the station.

The main ideas generated by the community for future uses of the station include return of the station to marine biological studies for scientific and education purposes. Other ideas include making it a meeting place for scientific talks/lectures or leasing the house for a "scientist in residence" similar to artist in residence.

Qualities
  • North facing overlooking Camp Cove - good quality aquatic environment
  • Nestled against the knoll of Green (Laings) Point - protected
  • Settled into site - hipped roof and verandah roofs, supporting landscape - stone base, terraces
  • Borders beach and Green Point Reserve - potential to contribute to public usage and enjoyment of this area
  • Contrast of narrow walled streets and open lawn and harbour views
  • Interior shows evolution as a military residence - pressed metal ceilings and dados

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Significant Values and Considerations

Refer to Figure 9.3 (PDF, 193kb ) Heritage Values and Figure 9.4 (PDF, 157kb ) Natural and Cultural Values

  • It was the first Marine Biological Station to be established in the Southern Hemisphere - its establishment due to the initiative and drive of the internationally famous Russian scientist and explorer Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay (who worked there when in Sydney from 1881-86)
  • The period of use as army officers' married quarters is mainly associated with the School of Gunnery at South Head. One of the occupants, W A Coxen, became Chief of General Staff
  • The design of the original building was by John Kirkpatrick, a prominent architect responsible for several major Sydney buildings
  • One of the earliest remaining buildings in Watsons Bay, the Former Marine Biological Station was a landmark prior to the growth of landscaping on Green Point
  • The character of the grounds has reflected the taste and lifestyle of the different periods of residential occupation, with the Coral Trees planted in the 1930s creating a strong landscape character for the site and adjoining reserve
  • The building contains a rare collection of Wunderlich pressed metal walls, cornice and ceiling linings and the interior demonstrates the evolution of the residence as army married quarters over almost one hundred years

Figure 9.3 (PDF, 159kb ) Heritage Values is based on the Conservation Plan carried out by Brian McDonald, Craig Burton et al for the Department of Housing and Construction, December 1986 and the Conservation and Management Plan by Eric Martin and Associates for the Defence Housing Authority, dated December 2000.

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Outcomes

Refer to Figure 9.5 (PDF, 278kb ) Outcomes

Vision and Benefits

The Plan for the Former Marine Biological Station proposes to:

  • Provide public access to the open space/parkland adjoining Camp Cove Beach
  • Interpret the original landscape and channel from the former tidal lagoon
  • Promote uses for the house which convey the building's character and heritage
  • Highlight the site's association with marine biology and the presence of clean water in the bay
  • Convey the site's historical association with Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay, and with the Department of Defence
  • Open up the grounds to provide views through the site from both the street and the Green Point Reserve to gain a better appreciation of the house in its historical setting, while retaining a secure enclosure

All services need to be properly assessed and repaired prior to the provision of public access.

Substantial maintenance work will be required particularly in roof, joinery, stonework and painting as well as the replacement and restoration of boundary fences and paths.

Contamination caused by deteriorating lead based paint systems will need to be addressed as part of the maintenance program for the site.

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