Harbour Trust: Planning
The Plan: Former School of Artillery, North
Head
Car-rang-gel (lee or inner side of North Head)
The Site and its Context
The Place
Refer to Figure
8.1 (PDF 123kb) Plan Area
The island-like isolation and remoteness of North Head has contributed
to the survival of its natural form. Its geodiversity is unique. The dramatic,
mesa-like form is overlaid by wind blown sand dunes supporting intact
natural vegetation formations. It is a rich habitat for many species of
flora and fauna including the endangered Long-nosed Bandicoot. The dramatic
cliffs of North Head form a memorable entry to Sydney Harbour with superb
views of the harbour from the cliff tops.
The former School of Artillery is situated in the lee of the ridge, terraced
within the dunes in a natural setting of coastal scrub and giving protection
from the ocean weather and, as World War II approached, gave protection
to the threat of ship-based shellfire.
The arrangement of the School's mess halls, teaching areas and accommodation
reflects the hierarchical military organisation. At the core is a grand
parade ground, Sydney's only "urban" square within wild bushland
overlooking the harbour. Around the periphery are training structures,
sheds and hardstand, and the individual suburban dwellings for senior
army personnel.
The North Fort area contains the remnant installations for the coastal
guns and the associated facilities built prior to World War II - the culmination
of the 'outer defence' strategy for Port Jackson.
The intense commercial area of Manly on its narrow isthmus constrains
land access and the sensitive marine environment constrains water access.
Access limitations continue to be an important issue but it is also an
opportunity.
The interconnectedness of so many of the elements that make North Head
such a special place and the constraints reinforce the need to plan holistically
for the headland. Although the Trust has planning jurisdiction only over
the Defence lands, its plan has been prepared in the context of the whole
headland and the unique opportunity it offers. As a tied island with relatively
intact and rare flora and fauna, owned by a few institutions, it has the
opportunity to become a form of sanctuary, where in a city of four million,
people would be able to appreciate its sense of remote isolation, its
unique ecology and how successive generations have used and responded
to its location and form.
How the Place Evolved
Refer to Figure
8.2 (PDF 164kb) Historical Development.
Natural Forces
The giant stone promontory of North Head is connected to the mainland
by a sand spit, which has become the township of Manly. The massive landform
was created from warped, weathered and uplifted layers of sedimentary
rock which, over thousands of years, have been covered by a mighty dune
of wind deposited sand. Wetlands (hanging swamps) have been created by
drainage of water through the sand meeting the sandstone, while drainage
percolating through the layers of sandstone has created springs at lower
levels.
The isolation of North Head has given rise to a delicate and precious
system of flora and fauna. The slopes vary from open scrub to woodland
including open forest in sheltered sites with local variations due to
exposure to salt spray, shallow soils and exposed rock surfaces.
The waters extending between Spring Cove and the Quarantine Station are
home to a rich aquatic habitat.
Cultural History
Indigenous
The Gayamaygal clan used North Head as a place for special gatherings
and medicinal practices evidenced by rock engravings, rock art, campsites,
burials, middens and artefacts.
The first European settlers sighted a large number of Aborigines there
in 1788. In 1790 Governor Phillip was speared at a feast conducted over
a stranded whale at Collins Flat. Three Aborigines, Arabanoo, Bennelong
and Colbee, were captured in the area with the intention of using them
as interpreters. These were early contact events of national significance
that influenced the nature of relationships between Aborigines and colonists.
Quarantine 1828 - 1984
From the 1820s North Head was used for the quarantining of ships' infectious
passengers. In 1833 Governor Bourke declared land within a quarter mile
of Spring Cove a quarantine area and in 1837 permanent buildings were
established.
New buildings were added to the Quarantine Station in the 1880s and a
third cemetery built in 1881, coinciding with a smallpox epidemic.
In 1901 additional pavilions were erected to house victims of the plague
and in 1902 to accommodate 'Asiatics'.
At Federation the Quarantine Station became the responsibility of the
Commonwealth Government. The Seamen's Isolation Hospital was established
in 1918 and accommodated sufferers of venereal disease and many flu victims.
It is now the Australian Institute of Police Management.
In 1984 the Quarantine Station was handed over to the National Parks
and Wildlife Service as part of the Sydney Harbour National Park.
St. Patrick's Seminary and Palace 1859- present
North Head remained isolated until 1859 when a grant of 60 acres was made
to the Catholic Church. The Archbishop's Palace was built in 1886 and
St. Patrick's Seminary in 1889. High stonewalls were constructed to separate
church land from the Quarantine Station.
With the growth of Manly as a residential and recreational area, there
was increasing demand from locals for access to North Head. In 1886 part
of the Catholic Church's land was rescinded to allow for public access
to Shelley Beach.
In 1996 the Seminary was adapted to become the International College
of Tourism and Hotel Management and there have been recent approvals for
residential development on both the Seminary and Palace sites.
Early Civil Works
In 1916 work commenced on the Northern Suburbs Ocean Outfall Sewer near
Bluefish Point with the first section being completed in 1926.
In 1927 the Prince of Wales opened part of the Quarantine Reserve for
public recreation. A cobblestone 'Avenue of Honour' commemorating the
1914-18 war was opened in 1928 along the eastern part of the headland.
It was lined with Norfolk Island pines, planted by Manly Council. Only
remnants of the avenue remain today.
Manly Council was granted a permissive occupancy over 300 acres for public
use in 1929 and this was formally opened as Parkhill Reserve in 1933 with
its stone entry arch and scenic road. Stone walls were built as an Unemployment
Relief Scheme to separate the reserve from the quarantine area.
Artillery Barracks, Fort and School 1938 -97
In 1934 the Federal Government withdrew most of the permissive occupancy
in order to fortify the headland. Between 1935-36 the North Fort and Bluefish
facilities were constructed including two 9.2 inch guns, tunnels, an underground
plotting room and an anti-aircraft battery.
In 1936 113 acres were returned to the Council for public use with the
remainder reserved for coastal defence.
The barracks complex for the 1st Australian Coast Artillery Brigade was
completed in 1938. During the war radar was installed at Bluefish Point
(1942) and huts were erected as barracks to house the additional personnel
needed to man the North Head complex.
Post World War II
By 1945 a complete wind down had commenced.
The Coast Artillery Brigade Headquarters became the School of Artillery
in 1953 as coastal artillery was confirmed as obsolete and the guns and
equipment were later removed.
The North Head Sydney Harbour National Park Reserve was established in
1979 and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service acquired the redundant
Quarantine Station in 1984.
In 1990 the Royal Australian Artillery National Museum was set up in
the North Fort area. This remains a reminder of the defence use of the
site after the relocation of the School of Artillery to Puckapunyal in
1998.
Site Conditions Summary
Buildings and Services
There are 36 buildings on the School of Artillery site. The major buildings
are of full masonry construction, and there are also a number of steel
clad sheds, garages and storage buildings. The main problem facing the
full masonry buildings is the corrosion and failure of the steel cavity
ties and poor quality mortar mix. These buildings will require significant
repairs and repointing of brickwork. There are also problems with water
penetration through roofing and flashings. The predominantly sandy foundation
material has contributed to footing failure and structural damage.
There are 26 detached single storey full brick cottages on the North
Head site, located along Scenic Drive and on St Barbaras Avenue. The majority
of these houses were constructed in the 1960s and as they have been continually
occupied, they have benefited from regular maintenance. Their condition
is consistent with their age.
All major services are supplied to the site. However, all of the services
are in need of major repairs or upgrades. The sewer pipe network and stormwater
reticulation networks are in poor condition and are showing signs of structural
failure. The main water supply and fire hydrant network are also in poor
condition and will require major upgrades. Energy Australia has advised
that the site substation is in poor condition and is possibly in need
of a major overhaul. Electrical distribution boards will require additional
rewiring to increase capacity and water and
sewerage fixtures and services within the buildings are considered acceptable.
A more detailed summary of the site conditions can be found under Background
Material at Section 12.
Contamination
At North Head some minor sources of contamination were associated with
underground storage tanks, fuel and chemical storage areas and workshop
areas. It is understood that these areas have been assessed and remediated
by the Department of Defence.
Work carried out by Defence has also included survey and clearance of
military debris from accessible field firing ranges. However, while the
risk from these materials is low, not all areas have been cleared due
to thick bushland restricting access. These areas will be surveyed and
cleared as appropriate before public access is permitted.
Apart from continuing management of hazardous materials issues, there
is not expected to be any other remediation requirements for this site.
Flora and Fauna
North Head is a massive headland, which forms the northern entrance to
Sydney Harbour. It is surrounded on three sides by ocean and the Harbour.
Its eastern and southern sides are characterised by dramatic sandstone
cliffs, which rise up to 90 metres. Moderate to steep slopes are located
on its northern and western flanks. High-level sand dunes cover much of
the top of North Head generally above the 80-metre contour and cover the
area of the School of Artillery.
The biology of North Head consists of isolated, remnant vegetation communities
and populations and is outstanding in its diversity of habitats and genetic
integrity. However, it is vulnerable to disturbances such as erosion,
weeds, feral animals, inappropriate fire regimes and habitat reduction
and fragmentation.
The vegetation on the western slopes of the headland is dominated by
the Sydney Sandstone Complex. Coastal Dune Heath - covering most of the
Defence lands, supports a structure of heath and scrub. On the ancient
Pleistocene Aeolian sand dune remnants the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub
ecological community survives. This ecosystem is characterised by Banksia
aemula, Eucalyptus camfieldii, Melaleuca nodosa and Xanthorea
resinosa. Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub is now listed as an endangered
ecological community at both the State and National levels and a draft
declaration of critical habitat has been issued by the NSW National Parks
and Wildlife Service.
On the areas that were disturbed as a result of military activity the
vegetation is now dominated by Tea Tree (Leptospermum lavigatum)
and Tree Broom-heath (Monotoca elliptica). Weeds have also invaded
some of these areas.
Where the soils are shallow the heath is dominated by Heath Banksia (Banksia
ericifolia), Scrub She-oak (Allocasuarina distyla), Geebung
(Persoonaia lanceolata) and Epacris such as Heath fuscia.
North Head also supports populations of the endangered stringybark (Eucalyptus
camfieldi) and other rare species including the Nodding Raspwort
(Gonocarpus salsoloides), the ground orchid Erythorchis cassythoides
and the Sunshine Wattle (Acacia terminalis ssp terminalis).
The development of the School of Artillery complex has seen the introduction
of exotic species in the form of grassing and ornamental horticulture
(mixed shrub and tree planting). The plantings reflect the stylistic influence
of the inter-war period and consist of formal axial planting and symmetrical
groupings of Hill's Fig, Moreton Bay Fig, West Australian Peppermint,
Pencil Pines and oleanders. In contrast the Radiata pines around the upper
level playing field are a distinctive and more informal element. Subsequent
plantings from the 1950s and 70s incorporated various Eucalypt species,
Norfolk Island pines and other Australian native plants.
The Australian Institute of Police Management site is mainly a built-up
area surrounded by grasslands and some foreshore vegetation. The majority
of the National Park is in a natural state with limited introduction of
exotic flora species.
Endangered fauna populations associated with North Head are the Long-nosed
Bandicoot (Parameles nasuta) and the Little Penguin (Eudyptula
minor). The habitat of the bandicoot includes both open foraging
areas such as lawns and areas with protective low understorey. The Little
Penguin population is known to occupy areas of the rocky foreshore adjoining
Sydney Harbour National Park and a recovery plan has been adopted and
is being actively implemented for the population. A declaration of critical
habitat for the population was issued in 2002 by the NSW Minister for
the Environment.
Other native fauna recorded at North Head include 13 mammal, 86 bird,
21 reptile and 5 frog species. Threatened species listed in the NSW
Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 recorded at North Head
include the population of Long-nosed Bandicoots (Parameles nasuta)
the population of Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor), the Common
Bent-wing Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii) and the Grey-headed
Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). In addition two species
of endangered seabird have been sighted from North Head - the Southern
Giant-Petrel (Macronectes giganteus) and the Wandering Albatross
(Diomedea exulans).
Several pest species are known to either inhabit the site -rabbits, or
to visit the site - foxes, cats and dogs. These latter species are considered
to present a significant risk to the survival of native fauna, particularly
the Long-nosed Bandicoot and Little Penguin populations. Fox monitoring
and control programs are currently underway in the surrounding Sydney
Harbour National Park. Baseline flora and fauna surveys have been undertaken
for the sites.
The Planning Context
Refer to Figure
8.3 (PDF 273kb) Planning Context
The former Artillery School is on the crown of an island-like headland,
surrounded by existing uses that need to be considered in the integrated
planning of the area.
To the southeast of the School of Artillery is North Fort, the Royal
Australian Artillery National Museum. Both sites are almost surrounded
by Sydney Harbour National Park, including the Former Quarantine Station.
To the northeast of the site is the North Head Sewerage Treatment Works
(owned and managed by Sydney Water) and to the west the Australian Institute
of Police Management.
At the entrance to the Headland, land uses include residential, Manly
Hospital and St Patrick's Estate including St Paul's College and the International
School of Hotel Management.
A number of existing land uses have development issues that have broad
implications for the planning of North Head. There is residential development
occurring on the St Patrick's Estate, the future of Manly Hospital is
unknown and Sydney Water has proposed an upgrade of its Sewerage Treatment
Plant. The State government has also given approval in principle for the
leasing and adaptive reuse of the Quarantine Station for accommodation
and related tourist facilities. Final approval is expected in 2003. One
of the conditions of consent is likely to require the proponents to contribute
to any future initiatives focussed on the development of an integrated
planning approach to North Head.
Access to North Head is highly constrained, with Darley Road being the
only road in and out. Access is further limited as the lower section of
Darley Road appears to exceed its environmental capacity of 500 vehicles
per hour per land (Rust PPK).
Water access to North Head is constrained by the Little Penguin habitat
area and the North Harbour and Cabbage Tree Bay Reserves. The threatened
Long-nosed Bandicoot population at North Head also limits the capacity
of the road for private vehicles at night. A bus service links the ferry
wharf with Manly Hospital with a limited service as far as North Fort.
Walking and cycling provide important alternative means of access to
the site. The walking tracks at North Head also provide a good extension
to a number of regional walking tracks in the area including the Manly
to Spit Bridge walk and the Manly to Shelly Beach Walk. See Background
Report 'Transport Planning Review, Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Lands',
September 2002 for further detail.
Because of the island-like nature of North Head and its special qualities,
there is a need for all parties to work together to achieve a holistic
planning outcome. As the Trust site is surrounded by National Park - programs
and plans for bushfire management, bushland management, species recovery
and investigation of the implications of the setting up of a sanctuary
are all areas requiring close collaboration.
State policies and plans recognise the State significance of North Head
and its potential to provide new open space, bushland regeneration and
Aboriginal interpretation as part of 'Sydney Harbour Dreaming'. The aquatic
reserve recognises the importance of the marine environment. Recovery
programs are in place for the Little Penguin and the Long-nosed Bandicoot.
Planning NSW and Sydney Water both have policies that require a buffer
of 400 metres around the Sewerage Treatment Plant. However, the policies
differ in that the Planning NSW policy requires the 400 metres to be measured
from the plant while the Sydney Water policy measures it from the boundary
of the site. The extent of these buffers is shown on Figure
8.3 (PDF 273kb).
Manly Council is concerned that planning should look at North Head as
a whole so as to avoid piecemeal planning decisions. Council studies have
shown that access and traffic problems are endemic to Manly Town Centre
and that development on North Head has a direct impact on this. Development
on the St Patrick's site will produce approximately 150 dwellings while
the proposed use of the Quarantine Station for tourism and accommodation
purposes will also impact on traffic flows.
More detailed information can be found in Section 12 - Background Material
and in 'Planning Context Report - Harbour Trust Lands', MG Planning, July
2002.
Consultation Outcomes Summary
Consultation with the local and broader community has identified that
the aspects of significance at North Head Artillery School include the
extraordinary geodiversity, which supports a range of native flora and
fauna, including threatened species such as the Long-nosed Bandicoot and
Little Penguin. Other features considered important include the Aboriginal
history and defence history of the site.
The issues for consideration include management of North Head as a whole
and integration of management between the neighbours including NPWS and
Sydney Water. Other aspects that the community believes need further consideration
include the marine environment, access and traffic management, amenity
and connectivity between buildings and pathways.
Ideas for future uses at the site include the development of an "Environmental
Sanctuary" which has received overwhelming support. Along with this,
environmental education, awareness and appreciation and supporting accommodation
or a healing place and place of tranquillity are ideas that have been
generated and supported by the community.
North Head Qualities
North Head is at the farthest reach of the city. The rise up from Manly
through decreasing density of development, the view back to the city and
the sudden appreciation of distance, the sounds of the city subdued by
the sound of wind and the views of city streets overwhelmed by the vastness
of ocean horizon and big sky - all contribute to the quality of the place
as a place of quietude, reflection and contemplation, extraordinary in
a city anywhere in the world.
The buildings, roads and parade ground of the School of Artillery, despite
being bricks and mortar and bitumen, feel impermanent. The wildness, the
isolation and the dominance of the surrounding bush give the buildings
a surprising lightness. The School of Artillery retains the rawness of
a new suburb before it has "settled in" when the underlying
soil and vegetation are still evident. The forces of nature are visible
and dominant, it feels as if left to their own devices the dune and surrounding
heath would engulf the buildings and roads and the area would return to
an original state.
The formal geometry of the school is set against this wild backdrop,
the lurching dune made habitable by benching and forming. Although, each
side of the parade ground is faced by substantial buildings and the main
entries are aligned with the major axes, the bush works its way in at
the corners, so that even here the bush intrudes. Over the years the central
area has been planted with species from around Australia, which establish
nostalgic links to other bases.
There is also a dichotomy, common in military bases, between the barracks
in the central area, which at North Head were used by personnel attending
training, and the married quarters, established in a suburban pattern.
The layout, placement on the high side of the road and lot size of individual
houses refer to the external norms of suburbia on the one hand whilst
the pattern of the central area is generated from the internal logic of
function, ceremony and hierarchy.
The overall qualities of the School of Artillery are of a formalised
habitable space created in a natural environment that has a feeling of
quietude, reflection and humility.
Main core
- The contrast of vastness and detail: enclosure and intricate flora
along bush tracks contrasts with grand vistas and open sky
- Military formality contrasting with places personalised by planting
and barbeque areas, nevertheless still hierarchical and ranked
- Narrow roads to all buildings but designed to be car free - car parking
confined to periphery
- A series of buildings - not a totally integrated or monolithic complex
- Buildings do not have an intimate scale. There is nowhere that has
a sense of enclosure separate from the bush and open sky which are always
apparent when moving between buildings
- Central space: the parade ground is defined by buildings but not
strongly; the corners let the landscape in
- Art deco style: simple block forms with some stylistic elements including
projecting and header brick courses to provide visual interest
- Desert like and tough, not irrigated turf
- Pure geometry of a flat parade ground cut out of the tilted plane
of sand with banks at the angle of repose of sand
- The core has the feeling of a base camp for the rest of the headland
- Despite the various ownerships on North Head, the overall impression
is one of a single place unified by vegetation that respects no boundaries
Residential
- Linear alignment which follows contour - not grouped to form an urban
space simply elements in a line
- A pattern different to both normal suburbia and the formal military
core reflecting the juxtaposition of normal family life (the houses)
with military activity in the core
Outlying buildings
- Located just off main road to the south - pragmatic and temporary,
contrasting with "institutional" and permanent "solid"
buildings in the core area
Artillery Museum
- Sheds and road no feeling of a considered or formal space - pragmatic
and unselfconscious
Significant Values and Considerations
Natural Values
Refer to Figure
8.4 (159kb) Heritage Values and Figure
8.5 (PDF 202kb) Natural and Cultural Values
- The dominant and memorable headland at the entrance to Sydney Harbour
affording spectacular harbour views
- The geomorphology of the sandstone cliffs and headland
- Sense of isolation, contemplation, reflection
- Prominent and unique landform - tied island of tilted sandstone,
topped by deep windblown sand dunes
- Hydrology system resulting in hanging swamps
- Unique sand dune, coastal heath and hanging swamp vegetation, rare
and threatened species particularly the long-nosed bandicoot and fairy
penguin, aquatic reserve along western and southern shores with important
marine ecology
Cultural Values
- Aboriginal heritage - special place of ceremony, healing and burial,
with sites of middens, rock engravings, rock art, open camp sites and
artefacts
- Association with significant early contact events between Aborigines
and the First Fleeters
- The subdivision of areas for governmental/institutional uses which
relate to the isolation of the headland and defined by stone walls protecting
them from the original quarantine use
- The history, siting and special character of the Quarantine Station
complex and associated elements
- The fine ecclesiastical buildings of St Patrick's Seminary, a local
landmark, and the Archbishop's Palace
- The system of Coastal Defence; gun emplacements, observation posts,
tunnels and training facilities which were the culmination of the defence
of Sydney by artillery
- Cohesive, civic core of School of Artillery buildings grouped around
the imposing parade ground terraced into the land slope
- Cultural landscape of grassed areas and formal plantings associated
with the School of Artillery
- History of community activism to obtain public access and protect
headland - eg. Parkhill Reserve, Quarantine Station
Figure 8.4
(PDF 159kb) Heritage Values shows the ranking of buildings on the Defence
Lands resulting from the Heritage Assessment carried out by Peter Freeman
Pty Ltd in association with Peter McLaren for the Department of Defence,
August 2000 and includes surrounding heritage items from Manly Council's
LEP.
Interconnections and Linkages
One of the most important messages to emerge from the above review of
background material is the interconnectedness of so many of the elements
that make North Head such a complex and special place. This reinforces
the need for a holistic approach to planning the headland.
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Outcomes
Vision and Benefits
Refer to Figure
8.6 (PDF 572kb) Outcomes
North Head, as a tied island with relatively intact ecosystem owned by
few large institutions, lends itself to being planned and managed as one
entity where the natural environment is protected and retains its prominence.
The Trust's plan for the Artillery School is intended as a positive contribution
towards this objective.
North Head has the potential to become an environmental sanctuary, at
the same time bringing to life the headland's ceremonial, institutional
and military past.
A sanctuary in which the natural and physical resources as well as the
cultural and social aspects are managed in a sustainable way by all landholders
and where endangered species are protected and conserved, native species
are re-introduced and feral animals are managed effectively.
It has the potential to provide an integrated experience of one of Sydney's
iconic places; a natural landmark appreciated in all its dramatic natural
form, a sense of wilderness in the city.
It could also be a retreat, a place for contemplation and reflection,
overlooking the harbour entrance and the city. A place that gives a strong
sense of Aboriginal history and ceremony.
The indigenous, institutional and military past would be conserved and
interpreted for present and future generations, and offer scope for research
and education.
A Park that is a Sanctuary
A sanctuary to protect the flora and fauna and to enable visitors to
study and appreciate the geo-diversity and scenic beauty of the area would
ideally encompass all of the land in NPWS, public reserve and institutional
ownership, south of the residential areas.
Its implementation would require:
- Coordinated effort by each of the institutional landowners to eliminate
feral animals and weed infestation and control public access to designated
areas and in a manner that protects the environmental sensitivity of
the site
- Controlled access from Darley Road and from pedestrian links with
Spring Cove, Little Manly and Shelly Beach
In the interim, it may be possible to commence the implementation of the
sanctuary at the former Artillery School. The natural environment would
predominate. Public access would be encouraged, but controlled. Expansion
of habitat and regeneration of bushland would emphasise the sense of sanctuary,
with human activity concentrated in core areas, and traffic and parking
carefully managed in a manner subservient to the viability of the natural
environment, and in particular, the endangered species.
Again, the natural environment would offer scope for research and education.
The island-like form of North Head, the entry road, the Parkhill Gate
and the progression to the Gatehouse of the Artillery School allow for
a special sense of entry and arrival.
Access and Pathways
The Plan for North Head proposes the creation of a network of paths to
form circuits linking attractions such as the former School of Artillery,
the Royal Australian Artillery National Museum, the Quarantine Station
and cemeteries.
The network of paths would serve visitors and guided tours, and protect
delicate dunes and wetlands by avoiding sensitive areas and using boardwalks.
The network requires agreement and co-ordination between the land owners
and may include:
- A track between Shelly Beach and the former School of Artillery
- A track linking cemeteries in the former School of Artillery and
the Quarantine Station and a branch path to Old Man's Hat lookout
- An extension of the foreshore link to Little Manly Point and Collins
Beach provided any impact on the Little Penguin nesting areas can be
resolved.
- A walking and cycling loop from the Ceremonial entrance gate to the
North Head Reserve via gun emplacements, hanging swamps, sand dune habitats
and the Radiata Pine-ringed oval, with extensive views along the northern
beaches.
Subject to requirements for the protection of sea grass beds and Little
Penguin colonies, water access may be established at the former 1930s
wharf below the Australian Institute of Police Management.
The pedestrian amenity of internal streets and paths would be improved
and a befitting entry created north of the gatehouse.
Criteria for uses
The Plan for North Head proposes to concentrate uses around the core
area of the former School of Artillery, with the buildings and institutional
landscape to remain subservient to the surrounding natural landscape.
Uses will be compatible with the environmental requirements and enhance
people's appreciation of the sanctuary for North Head and compliment the
campus-like character of the former School of Artillery. The type of uses
that may suit these criteria include:
- Research and education, for example, a research base to study the
area's unique ecosystem
- Health/retreat/visitor accommodation
- Conference, function or reception centre
- Health and/or relaxation and retreat
- Visitor accommodation related to the appreciation of the unique natural
and cultural environment
- Community facilities
- Health services - place of convalescence
- Retail and café visitor facilities
- Interpretative activities relating to the area's indigenous, military
and institutional heritage
Under the Plan, houses attached to the former School of Artillery will
remain residential (no pets) in the short-term and more closely allied
to core activities in the long-term. The peripheral sheds on site will
be used for studios and workshops.
Other initiatives
The Plan proposes a partnership with other landholders to achieve the
sustainable management of the area. Common issues include:
- Sanctuary management
- Control of feral animals
- Bushfire management
- Transport management and provision of shuttle services
- Interpretation of natural values
- Interpretation of Aboriginal values
- Interpretation of cultural heritage
A close working partnership with the custodians of the Royal Australian
Artillery National Museum will facilitate a comprehensive interpretation
of North Head's installations. It is important that the former defence
infrastructure is interpreted as one site and that in the future visitors
are able to inspect not only the 9.2 inch gun emplacements and underground
tunnels but also the observation posts, the underground plotting room,
the barracks and ancillary buildings.
More broadly, partnerships formed with research, educational and community
groups will advance the exploration and interpretation of the area.
The Plan proposes the repair and upgrade of all major services, the structural
repair of damaged buildings, the survey and clearing of military debris
prior to public access and continuing management of hazardous materials.
The upgrade of services will also need to be done in collaboration with
Royal Australian Artillery National Museum because the Museum is dependent
on the School of Artillery infrastructure for many of its services.
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