Harbour Trust: The
Sites
Headland Park (Middle Head, Georges Heights, Chowder Bay): Projects
and Activities
The following list in an summary of current
and completed projects and activities at Middle Head, Georges Heights
and Chowder Bay. The list is not exhaustive.
| List of Current and Completed Projects
and Activities |
Read Details |
One Commandos Demolition
Buildings make way for park and bushland
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Headland Park (Stage One) Launch
Launch of Headland Park at Lower Georges
Heights |
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Lower Georges Heights Restoration
Complete
Restoration of
the former 30 Terminal at Lower Georges Heights
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New Harbour Trust Head Office
Completed
Restoration of
WW1 Hospital buildings for Harbour Trust Head Office
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"Gunshot Alley" restoration
and Car Park
Restoration
of colonial Victorian buildings and car park construction
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Chowder Bay Site Works Complete
Major infrastructure and services upgrade
completed
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Demolition of Defence Houses
Two surplus defence houses make way for
a new lookout
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Restoration of the former Gunners'
Barracks
Former Gunners'
Barracks restored in preparation for leasing
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New Walking Track Extension
Opens
New walking track
linking Middle Head Road to Balmoral Park
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Restoration of Workshops and
Boatshed
Workshops and Boatshed
at Chowder Bay fully restored |
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Sale of Properties at Markham
Close, Mosman
The only properties
the Harbour Trust is permitted to sell
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Award Winning Conservation
of Submarine Mining Depot
Project
Manager appointed for the Environmental Sanctuary
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Opening up a view on Georges
Head
Visually intrusive
white boomerang building is demolished
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On-going Environmental Management
Projects that conserve the natural environment
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Oral History Program
Project to capture experiences of former
soldiers and workers
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Historic Boat Restoration at
Chowder Bay
Boat restoration
work is on show at the Chowder Bay site
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Joint Aboriginal Heritage Study
Joint research on Mosman's Aboriginal Heritage
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Chowder Bay Wharf and Boatshed
Repaired
Wharf repairs, boatshed
restoration and crane rehabilitation
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Projects and Activities
Demolition of One Commandos Buildings, Georges Heights
During March and April 2006, the former One Commandos Headquarters buildings
on Dominion Cres, Georges Heights came down.
The buildings, in use from around the early 1950s, have made way for
parkland and bushland to now dominate the ridgeline between Georges Heights
Oval and Rawson Park.
Work on demolition of the buildings and removal of material will be complete
by mid-April, and interim landscaping measures will be finished by the
end of May.
The demolition company have reported that approximately 86% of all materials
are being recycled or re-used on other sites and projects.
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Launch of Headland Park (Stage One) - 5 November 2005
 Headland
Park - being the former military lands across Georges Heights, Chowder
Bay and Middle Head - is one of Sydney's newest urban parklands.
As part of the completion of Stage One of this new public open space
project, the Harbour Trust launched the Lower Georges Heights precinct,
being an artistic community in a rehabilitated and renovated former army
depot.
The army depot - formerly known as 30 Terminal - has had its
buildings leased out to a range of artsts, painters, sculpters, art schools
and art restorers.
This vibrant community is set amongst the picturesque headland setting
with views through to the heads and the eastern suburbs.
Click here to read more
about the launch event.
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Lower Georges Heights Restoration Complete and Fences Removed
 Buildings at Lower Georges Heights The rehabilitation of buildings and roads in the Lower Georges Heights
precinct (formerly known as "30 Terminal") has been completed
and the fences surrounding the site have been removed.
This area has been leased out by a range of artists, sculpters, painters
and community groups as part of an artist precinct within Headland Park.
Buildings were repaired and extensive landscaping undertaken as the first
stage of creating the new Headland Park in Mosman. The work involved removing
asbestos from roofs and walls, repairing timbers, doors, window frames
and repainting buildings.
Landscaping works have created spaces for recreation, including viewing
platforms and picnic areas and to control stormwater runoff.
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Harbour Trust New Head Office Completed
 World War I hospital buildings undergoing rehabilitation The Harbour Trust has relocated its head office from Chowder Bay to the
restored World War I hospital buildings at Georges Heights.
The former hospital buildings are one of only two surviving hutted
hospitals of the period in Australia and are also rare in an international
context.
The restoration project, which began in July 2004, was managed by Lachlan
Project Management and took almost one year to the day to complete.
The conservation work, within the former Headquarters Training Command
Army depot, involved removal of asbestos and ther hazardous building materials,
rooves being replaced, and timber repaired and re-painted.
The restoration project is the first of a series of projects that will
progressively restore the buildings throughout the Georges Heights site.
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Gunshot Alley Restoration and Car Park Completed
 Gunshot Alley
"Gunshot Alley" is a row of six single-storey colonial Victorian
terraced houses on Georges Head, Mosman.
"Gunshot Alley" was built in 1891 as married quarters for the
Submarine Mining Corps at Chowder Bay. Recently refurbished as the Australian
Army’s Battle Command Simulation Centre.
The Harbour Trust has completed the restoration of these historic buildings
and constructed a car park at the rear in preparation for the leasing
out of the buildings as office space.
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Chowder Bay Site Works Complete
 Laying
the new gutters, Chowder Bay, 2005
The Chowder Bay site has undergone major infrastructure upgrade and services
renewal.
The works included:
- road widening and surface renewal
- provision a bus turning circle to improve public transport access
- reconfiguration and enhancement car parking on site
- renewal of sections of the water services
- renewal and upgrade of technological infrastructure cabling
- improvements to stormwater management and water quality
- landscaping of the site.
The work lasted six months throughout 2004, leaving the Chowder Bay site
a picturesque place for the public to visit all year round.
Click here to read about guided
tours of Chowder Bay and surrounds.
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Spectacular View Opened Up - Defence House Demolition - Middle Head
Road
In late 2004 the Harbour Trust undertook the demolition of two former
Defence houses on Middle Head Road, Mosman. This work has opened up a
spectacular view through bushland to North Head and South Head.
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Restoration of the old Gunners' Barracks (Georges Heights)
The old Gunners' Barracks (formerly known as the Officers' Mess) has been
restored and is now much like its original state.
The building was completely re-roofed with new slate tiles. This was
the original roofing material prior to an extensive fire in the 1950s
destroyed much of the original structure.
Air-conditioning is being installed in a number of the rooms and some
re-pointing work undertaken on the wall to the rear of the building.
Further masonry work will take place over the next year to restore several
items of historical interest.
The Barracks will shortly be leased out as a tearooms and function centre,
due for opening in late October 2005.
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Middle Head Road to Balmoral Walking track is open
The new Walking Track from Middle Head Road to Balmoral Park was opened
in May 2005. This new track completes a spectacular walk that stretches
from Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach.
The track will be open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year.
Click here to read about the
opening ceremony.
Click here to read more about
the walking track, its opening hours and to download a map.
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Conservation of Chowder Bay Workshop and Boatshed
 Painting
the exterior of the Boatshed Conservation works have been completed on the Chowder Bay Workshops
and Boatshed.
These buildings form part of the historic Submarine Miners Depot and
were constructed in 1890's. They were used to repair the mines and the
associated boats.
The conservation works involved the repair of the existing fabric and
the removal of later additions to reveal their original configuration.
Also the upgrading of some services.
The workshops and boatshed will be available for short to long term leasing
through the Harbour Trust.
Click here to read more about leasing
buildings and facilities on Harbour Trust lands.
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Sale of Markham Close Properties
During 2004, Colliers International, on behalf of the Harbour Trust, has
managed the auction of twelve former Defence houses in Markham Close,
Mosman.
Under the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act, 2001, the properties in
Markham Close are the only properties the Harbour Trust are permitted
to sell. The money derived from the sales will contribute to the cost
of rehabilitating Harbour Trust lands.
The Harbour Trust has put in place development controls relating to building
height, floorspace ratios and building setbacks. These will ensure the
houses remain as single dwellings and are not converted into medium-density
or high-rise.
Click
here to read the media release on these sales (PDF
9kb  ).
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Award Winning Conservation of the Submarine Mining Depot
 Depot
under construction, 2002 In July 2003 the Harbour Trust and architectural firm, Allen Jack and
Cottier, were awarded the prestigious Greenway Conservation Award
from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects for their work on this
building.
Timber, stone and metal repairs were carried out on the main building
of the Submarine Mining Depot, the seawall, cable pit, perimeter fence
and balustrades. The work ensured the area is accessible and safe for
the public.
The three storey building has been completely conserved and restored
and has hosted a number of events and functions.
The Submarine Mining Depot building was completed in 1892 and is now
listed on the Register of the National Estate.
 The
Depot fully restored, 2003 Mines (bombs) were stored in the stone lower level, while storerooms
and lecture rooms occupied the two timber upper levels.
The building was later used by the Royal Australian Army Engineers and
as lecture rooms and storerooms until 1997 when Defence vacated the site.
Click
here to download a fact sheet on the conservation of this historic
building (PDF, 144kb ).
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Opening up the View
In February 2004 the white ‘boomerang’ building on Georges
Head was demolished to open up stunning views of the harbour and city.
Built in the 1950s as Army accommodation, it was identified as "visually
intrusive, detracting from the heritage value of the surrounding 1870s
fortifications and adjoining barracks building".
The building is being replaced with a lookout, being designed by internationally
awarded architect Rick Leplastrier.
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On-going Environmental Management Projects
Bush Regeneration update
 The
Harbour Trust has an ongoing program in place to regenerate native bushland
across the Headland Park site.
The work involves weed removal, clearing of drains and cutting back overgrown
vegetation.
A number of larger exotic trees and weeds have recently been removed
from the old 30 Terminal Army depot and the Georges Head precinct. These
have been replaced with native species.
A small team of volunteers assists the Harbour Trust in this work.
Click here to learn more about
volunteering on the Bush Regeneration program.
Dieback monitoring
One project that is assisting the Harbour Trust to gain a better understanding
of the spread of dieback is being carried out by a keen volunteer. Every
three months, Sue Halmaygi photographs bushland areas from the same point
and makes a comparison of the health of the trees. It is proposed to expand
this program over the coming months.
In many areas around the harbour mature trees are dying - particularly
smooth barked apple (Angophora costata), Sydney peppermint (Eucalyptus
piperita) and bangalay (Eucalyptus botryoides). At Middle
Head, the Harbour Trust has identified three areas of significant dieback.
Experts from the Royal Botanic Gardens have concluded that Phytophthora
cinnamomi is a major cause of this dieback. Phytophthora
is a microscopic soil-borne organism that causes root-rot in a wide variety
of plant species.
Click
here to download a brochure on Phytophthora cinnamomi and how
you can help in controlling its spread (PDF, 133kb ).
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Oral History Program
The Harbour Trust is collecting oral histories of people who worked,
lived or were associated with the former Defence sites at Chowder Bay,
Georges Heights and Middle Head.
The recordings and transcripts of this project will provide snapshots
of the site’s histories and the impact they have had on people’s
lives.
If you are a former soldier, worker or resident (or are the relative
of such a person) and would like to assist the Harbour Trust in its endeavours,
please click here to learn more.
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Historic Boat Restoration at Chowder Bay
Sydney Harbour Wooden Boat and Woodcraft Boats have leased
the Chowder Bay Boatshed since October 2002 for the conservation and restoration
of timber boats.
In April 2003 they completed restoration a 22-foot Gaff
cutter built in 1905. People visiting Chowder Bay on weekdays are welcome
to see the work underway in the boatshed.
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Joint Study into Mosman's Aboriginal Heritage
The Harbour Trust has joined with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service,
the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council and Mosman Council to gain
a greater understanding of the Aboriginal heritage of Mosman.
The Aboriginal Heritage Study covers the Mosman Local Government Area
and includes the bushland, foreshore, residential and retail parts of
the suburb. It is the first of its kind and will serve as a model for
other local communities.
The survey work documented the location and condition of 104 Aboriginal
sites and archaeological deposits. Consultation with relevant Aboriginal
communities and groups is about to commence. The Harbour Trust would welcome
hearing form anyone with memories or stories relating to Aboriginal sites
and occupation of the area.
The completed study makes recommendations for the management of Aboriginal
heritage in Mosman as a whole, but also for individual places, including
whether or not public access and interpretation is appropriate and how
it can best be achieved.
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Chowder Bay wharf and boatshed
 Derrick
Crane undergoing repairs, 2001 Work was carried out in 2001 to repair six piles and some of the decking
at the Chowder Bay wharf.
Contractors have also repaired the wharf superstructure, including handrails
and fittings, and replaced structurally damaged decking.
The heritage Derrick crane’s cast iron body has been conserved
and stabilised.
Structural repairs were undertaken to the timber jib, and the crane secured
so that all moving parts pose no public safety hazard.
Repairs have been carried out to the boatshed slipway and winch at Chowder
Bay to make this building operational for a 12 month lease to wooden boat
builders.
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