HUNTERS HILL HISTORI CAL SOCIETY April 2013 INC Volume 13, Issue 2 “History is more or less bunk” - Henry Ford, “Bunk” Chicago Tribune, I9I6 High praise for new exhibition Ferries are a part of our history fascinating talk, illustrated by photo- graphs, about the many and various DIARY DATES 2013 A ferries that have plied Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers was given by Australia’s leading ferry history expert and former Hunt- Museum open ers Hill resident, Bill Allen. I0 a.m. to noon His hour-long talk to members and friends of Monday to Friday Hunters Hill Historical Society Inc at the Town Hall covered the period from the earliest colonial times up to the present day. he Society’s latest exhibition, Com- Bill has been collecting photographs of Sydney’s munity Milestones, earned the praise earliest form of public transport since 1950 and Meetings at Museum T of Museums and Galleries NSW offi- now his collection numbers in the thousands. 22 Alexandra Street cials when they paid a visit to the Museum. Parramatta River was Sydney’s first highway. Back Hunters Hill Museums and Galleries Programs and Collections in 1789, it took three days to travel from Sydney to (Continued on page 2) Parramatta. From 1831, it was the era of steam. One of the major players in providing ferry ser- GUEST SPEAKER vices was Jeanneret of Hunters Hill. He acquired WEDNESDAY 24 APRIL Wednesday 24 April and built vessels to serve the needs of local resi- 10:30AM dents. These ferries sailed up and down Parramatta 10 am for 10.30am David Payne River, including Tarban Creek. David Payne Australian Register of Historic Vessels As Parramatta River ferries became bigger to carry David Payne is Curator of the Australian Regis- Australian Register of the growing number of passengers, the silted upper ter of Historic Vessels at the Australian National Historic Vessels reaches meant that the vessels could only get as far Maritime Museum. as Duck Creek. A tramway was built to convey the The ARHV presents vessels built up to 1965 passengers the rest of the way from Red Bank DON’T MISS which are relevant to Australia’s maritime herit- Wharf into Parramatta itself. OUR age. It includes vessels of all types and lengths, Many of the early ferries were named after local from dinghies and small indigenous craft to sea- HERITAGE WEEK birds to be found along the shoreline. One such Community Milestones going ships which have a known provenance. ferry was named “Pheasant” (1889-1913). Vessels are selected for inclusion on the register Exhibition (Continued on page 2) on the basis of Historical Themes and Events, Important events in Aesthetics, Scientific and Research Lessons and Hunters Hill’s history MAYOR TO OPEN Social Importance. in the areas of COMMUNITY MILESTONES EXHIBITION Military Hunters Hill Mayor Councillor Richard Quinn Schools Couts boat Thistle-about 1903 will officially open the Community Milestones Churches Exhibition at the Hunters Hill Museum at 4pm on Sport ANMM COLLECTION The Arts Friday 12 April. Conservation The exhibition, curated by Eunice Farram, Industry & Commerce identifies events in the development of Hunters PLEASE NOTE Hill during the past 100 years in the areas of In order to distribute Churches, Schools, Conservation, Arts, Sport and BUNK in as efficient Industry and Commerce, with a display of mili- and cost effective a tary memorabilia, including an officer’s uniform manner as possible, and pith helmet from around 1880, and a draught commencing with the board said to have been made from a soldier’s June edition, we will be emailing it to members uniform at the Battle of Waterloo! who have given us their email address COME ALONG AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS HUNTERS HILL HISTORICAL Ferries a part of our history Visit to Carisbrook House SOCIETY INC ABN 72012103152 (Continued from page 1) t was a fine day and perfect tempera- Jeanneret was a victim of the 1890s depres- ture for our visit to Carisbrook House, Address mail to sion and got into financial difficulties. He was Thursday 21 March. Twenty five mem- The Secretary forced to sell his business to an expanding I bers and friends were greeted by Bill McLaugh- Hunters Hill Historical Society Inc company, Sydney Ferries Limited. Sydney lin, President of the Lane Cove Historical Soci- PO Box 98 Hunters Hill NSW 2110 Ferries tried out various forms of vessels ety and a band of volunteers. We were given a Phone 98799443 which could navigate Parramatta River. The old Gladesville Bridge had to be opened so tour and told the history of this delightful Vic- Email: [email protected] that ferries could pass through. torian sandstone residence, built in the 1880’s. The Tarban Creek service, which continued Carisbrook House is reputed to be the oldest Editor: Ian Adair up to 1928, provided access from the city for house in the area.It is on an original 20 acre Phone: 98793725 those living in and also visiting the Villa Ma- land grant to John Clarke in 1835 and the origi- Email:[email protected] ria community. Specially laid on ferries fre- quently followed Greater Public School row- nal residence, wharf, stables and gardens were ing regattas held on the river. down on the waterfront. Access to the city in Hunters Hill Historical Society Up to 1988, Parramatta River ferries had only those days was by rowing boat to Hunters Hill Inc. got as far as Meadowbank as modern ferry or by walking downstream to Woodford Officers for 2012-2013 wharves had not been built further upstream. Bay wharf. As the Fig Tree Bridge was coming However with the introduction of river cats, in around 1880, the land was subdivided by the President Ian Adair with their shallow draughts and higher then owners, the Brooks family, and an acre Vice-president Pat Cox speeds, new wharves were built which ena- Treasurer & Public Officer bled these ferries to sail right into the heart of was set aside for the building of Carisbrook. Graham Percival The house remained in the family until 1904, Secretary Tony Saunders Parramatta. Committee Another Hunters Hill resident, Joubert, start- then passed through a number of owners be- June Beck, ed a local ferry service on Lane Cove River fore it was purchased in 1969 by Lane Cove Jan Griffiths from 1860. He built some of his ferries on Council. It is now managed by the Lane Cove Bob Mostyn the riverfront land of what is now Hunters Historical Society and they have furnished it in Dorothy Cubban Hill High School. The last ferry to be built by John Rogers Joubert was the Shamrock in 1901. Joubert the Victorian period and full credit to them for Chris Schofield sold out in 1905 to Balmain New Ferry Com- a magnificent presentation. After the tour, we enjoyed morning tea on the (Continued from page 1) pany, which introduced the “Lady” class of Manager Tamara Lavrencic and vessels. lawns. This was followed by a tour of the Programs and Collections Coordi- Another company, Upper Lane Cove River grounds down to the shores of Burns Bay, led nator Phoebe Arthur were given a Ferries, sailed vessels as far as Fiddens Wharf by the House Manager Terry Eakin. Road, Killara, which terminated at Figtree. In conducted tour of the exhibits by Tony Saunders President Ian Adair. the late 1930s, when a weir was created, the Afterwards, Tamara was impressed ferries pulled back and concentrated on con- with the professionalism of the veying passengers to the popular Fairyland Jan Griffiths and Bob Mostyn exhibition, which was assembled picnic area. enjoyed the visit to Carisbrook by committee member June Beck In 1918, Balmain New Ferry Company was and curator Eunice Farram. taken over by the expanding Sydney Ferries “It has been really well laid out,” Limited. By 1930, Sydney Ferries, with its 51 said Tamara. “I particularly liked vessels, had become the largest ferry operator the balance between information in the world at that time. Prior to the opening and objects. It is also people fo- of Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Ferries cussed, which we have found is carried more than 46,215,000 passengers per especially appealing to visitors.” year. This company operated ferries on the The exhibition covers a number of harbour until the financial viability of the local topics including military, privately run services became tenuous. In churches, sports, schools, the arts 1951, the State Government stepped in to and industry and commerce. maintain the running of the ferries and a new Community Milestones is open to organisation, Sydney Ferry Corporation, was visitors every weekday from 10am born. to 12 noon until the end of Au- As if the history of Sydney ferries has turned gust. full circle, it is once again in private hands. A commercial operator, Harbour City Ferries, now operates the services. DOES YOUR HOUSE Bill concluded his talk by commenting that HAVE A HISTORY? the next generation of ferries was likely to be very different to the vessels currently in ser- If you have a document or vice. However there was general agreement photograph you’d like to share, among those present that, whatever the fu- please contact us at ture holds, taking a ferry would continue to Bill Allen shows HHHS President Ian Adair [email protected] pictures of ferries from his collection or phone us on 98799443 be one of the joys of living in Sydney! .