historical walking tours walkPreservation on water guidethe glebe to sydney’s waterHistorical Walking f Toure atures Historical Walking Tour
Front Cover Image: Photograph: Archaeology of Bathing, City of Sydney Archives walk on water
rom spectacular fountains The centre of Sydney is full of water in parks and plazas to the features. Some you are meant to drains and sewers hidden ignore, some are there to be noticed and enjoyed. underground. This brochure explores the theme of water in the City. Sydney’s history is all around us. Our walking tours will lead you on a journey of discovery from early Aboriginal life through to contemporary Sydney. Wuganmagulya (Farm Cove) within the Royal Botanic Gardens (Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
Clover Moore MP Lord Mayor of Sydney
Historical Walking Tours — Walk on Water / 01. Dawes Point Walsh Bay Tar–ra
Bennelong Point KEY Dubbagullee LEGEND TOWNS PL
HICKSON RD 26
LOWER FORT ST HICKSON RD HICKSON WINDMILL ST red — Sydney Cove water Warrane engineering ARGYLE ST & sewerage
Observatory Hill green 17 — ornamental
CUMBERLAND ST fountains
ALFRED ST
KENT ST KENT Circular Quay 19 Farm Cove Darling Harbour 22 Tumbalong HARRINGTON ST REIBY PL Wahganmuggalee yellow
HICKSON RD HICKSON — GEORGE ST 16 public
YOUNG ST conveniences
LOFTUS ST PHILLIP ST
PITT ST
30 18 GROSVENOR ST DALLEY ST Royal 21 BRIDGE ST Botanic Gardens blue PIRRAMA RD — BENT ST drinking Johnstons Bay BOND ST places SPRING ST Woolloomooloo Bay MARGARET ST CURTIN PL DARLING ISLAND RD PHILLIP LANE O’CONNELL ST MACQUARIE ST BLIGH ST Wynyard 15 purple HUNTER ST — PIRRAMA RD 29 14 baths ERSKINE ST & pools CARRINGTON ST WYLDE ST
ASH ST 13 HARVEY STJohn St LN YORK Square Star BARRACK ST ST NEOT AVE BOWMAN ST MARTIN PL
City 23 10 11 12 SUSSEX ST SUSSEX MCDONALD LN
JOHN ST ST KENT CLARENCE ST CLARENCE
GEORGE ST
PITT ST YORK ST YORK TE AS R MOUNT ST CHALLIS AVE
M D KING ST Elizabeth Bay
Y R Pyrmont Y
R I JONES ST Martin Place V W
R C D E Bay O R ROCKWALL LN A The Domain W ARF U PER WH Q DISTRIBUTOR WESTERN 24
M CASTLEREAGH ST ELIZABETH ST ROCKWALL CRES 4 B I W HARRIS ST ART GALLERY RD L E EDWARD ST UNION ST L S MILLER ST Y TE A R 27 05 R N O
D D Sydney PYRMONT BRIDGE I N
I Harbourside A T S V H MANNING ST S MACLEAY ST E
T BOURKE ST N
Fish Market A
R L U
E C
IB Darling 20 O St James A
U MARKET ST VICTORIA ST W T O PYRMONT ST Park City Rozelle Bay R 09 A R V O Beare Park F Centre E A R Cockle Bay BROUGHAM STREET MCELHONE STREET N E D DOWLING STREET HUGHES ST U E E W 08 PALMER ST GLEBE POINT RD A Y
TUSCULUM ST ELIZABETH BAY ROAD
MURRAY ST CROWN ST ORWELL ST Galleries Hyde Park CATHEDRAL ST FORBES ST DRUITT ST Victoria 28 07 Convention 06 Rushcutters Bay PARK ST COLLEGE ST PYRMONT BRIDGE RD RILEY ST
EARL ST SUSSEX ST SUSSEX GRIFFIN PL Blackwattle Bay ALLEN ST
EGLINTON RD WILLIAM ST
PITT ST
ALEXANDRA ST KENT Jubilee COOK ST Town Hall Wentworth Park ALLEN ST Park Darling BATHURST ST 02 WARD AVE ROSLYN GARDENS 04 WILLIAM ST Harbour AVE RD DARLINGHURST RD
WILMOT ST Kings Cross ROSLYN ST 03 YURONG ST RILEY ST TAYLOR ST CENTRAL ST Wentworth Park FARRELL AVE KINGS CROSS RD FORSYTH ST ALBION PL STANLEY ST VICTORIA RD BURTON ST FIG ST FRANCIS ST LIVERPOOL ST ELIZABETH ST
CASTLEREAGH ST CRAIGEND ST MAXWELL ROAD WATTLE ST BRIDGE RD BELLEVUE ST CLAPTON PL NEW SOUTH HEAD RD WENTWORTH PARK RD Exhibition MANSFIELD ST DARGHAN ST Museum SEALE ST BOURKE ST
FERRY RD BAYVIEW ST HARBOUR ST World DARLING ST QUARRY ST LOMBARD ST Square VICTORIA ST ARCADIA RD PIER ST OXFORD ST NIMROD ST BELL ST GLEBE POINT RD JONES ST PIER S SURREY STREET TLE T LIT GEORGE ST GOULBURN ST LIVERPOOL ST WOMERAH AVENUE 25 RILEY ST POPLAR TOXTETH RD COLBOURNE AVE NITHSDALE ST LYNDHURST ST MCLACHLAN AVE PALMER ST BARCOM AVE GOTTENHAM ST Paddy’s BRISBANE ST NIELD AVE HACKETT ST CROWN ST BULWARA RD Markets WAINE ST
TALFOURD ST WENTWORTH ST BURTON ST BOYCE ST ST DIXON WILLIAM HENRY ST MARLBOROUGH 01
ST JOHNS RD DR DARLING WIGRAM RD HAY ST CAMPBELL ST GOULBURN ST PHILLIP ST WENTWORTH AVE BOUNDARY ST HAY ST FORBES ST MINOGUEHarold CRES Park GLENMORE RD BROUGHTON ST Capitol GLENMORE RD HEREFORD ST Square Taylor VICTORIA ST MACARTHUR ST ST QUAY Square MACDONALS ST FOSTER ST BARLOWPARKER ST ST CAMPBELL ST MARYHARRIS ANN ST ST COMMONWEALTHST
GLEBE ST ST SMITH JAROCIN AVE DARLINGHURST RD THOMAS ST RESERVOIR ST
ULTIMO RD OCEAN ST OCEAN COWPER ST JONES ST Belmore Park TAYLOR ST BROWN ST MITCHELLCAMPBELL ST ST VALENTINE ST EDDY AVE ST JOHNS RD BRIDGE RD WESTMORELAND ST
DERWENT ST RILEY ST ELIZABETH ST ANN ST ST FLINDERS GURNER ST CASCADE ST MT VERNON ST PITT ST BOURKE ST ROSS ST LODGE ST GLEBE POINT RD
BAY ST BAY Central KEY LEGEND
FOREST ST WATTLE ST NAPIER ST THOMAS ST CATHERINE ST ALBION ST Train Central Station MARY ST FITZROY ST GEORGE ST OXFORD ST BELMORE ST Light Rail BROADWAY KIPPAX ST BELLEVUE ST ALBION AVE PADDINGTON ST
CORBEN ST PARRAMATTA RD LEE ST ARUNDEL ST SOUTH DOWLING ST Monorail KNOX ST FOVEAUX ST ORMOND ST GRAFTON ST CHURCH ST NICHOLS ST
GREENS RD RANDLE ST COOPER ST CROWN ST
KENSINGTON ST KENSINGTON HUTCHINSON WATERLOO ST
Sydney University Victoria SELWYN ST WILLIAM ST HOLT ST HOLT OCONNOR ST Historical Walking Tours — Walk on Water / 02. RENNY ST Park JOSEPHSON ST WELLINGTON BENNETT ST
MYRTLE STROSE ST ARTHUR ST PROSPECT ST SHEPHERD ST QUEEN ST
PINE ST MOORE PARK RD PHELPS ST GORDON ST ELIZABETH ST
BUCKLAND ST MARSHALL ST MEAGHER ST DEVONSHIRE ST RAINFORD ST OATLEY RD
ARTHUR ST ABERCROMBIE ST ABERCROMBIE CLEVELAND ST DANGAR PL BUCKINGHAM ST DAVIES ST REGENT ST
BALFOUR ST VINE ST CHALMERS ST BLACKWATTLE CLISDELL ST HUDSON ST CITY RD CLEVELAND ST VINE ST SHEPHERDBOUNDARY ST ST MAZE CRES JAMES ST EDWARD ST ABERCROMBIE ST REGENT ST JAMES ST CALDER RD HUGO ST ANZAC PDE OXFORD ST
IVY LN IVY CAROLINE ST LEWIS ST
IVY ST IVY MISSENDEN RD MISSENDEN
LAWSON ST RENWICK ST LANDER ST GEORGE ST CARILLON AVE WILLIAM ST PITT ST CLEVELAND ST DARLINGTON RD EVELEIGH ST LAWSON SQ Moore Park WELLS ST COOK RD
BURNETT
ELIZABETH ST
Redfern AVE DRIVER REDFERN ST
KING ST GREAT BUCKINGHAM ST
CODRINGTON ST CODRINGTON CLEVELAND ST LANG RD ABERCROMBIE ST TURNER ST BOURKE ST
GIBBONS ST MARGARET WILSON ST ROSEHILL ST ALBERT ST
CORNWALLIS ST
COPE ST
DOUGLAS ST REGENT ST PHILLIP ST
CHALMERS ST LANG RD LOCOMOTIVE ST BAPTIST ST
CENTRAL AVE BURREN ST BURREN RAGLAN ST Macdonaldtown HENDERSON RD
ERSKINVILLE RD SOUTH DOWLING ST Centennial Park
BOTANY RD BOTANY PITT ST PITT
BEAUMONT ST
ST ST GEORGE
ALBERT WALKER ST
WYNDHAM ST WYNDHAM
GARDEN ST GARDEN WELLINGTON ST
GERARD ST GERARD
KINGSCLEAR RD KINGSCLEAR REEVE ST
NEWTON ST NEWTON ALEXANDER ST ALEXANDER
CHARLES ST CHARLES RAILWAY PDE ST PHILLIPS KELLICK ST
ALLEN AVE PARK ST PARK ST
CLARA ST CLARA RENWICK
COPE ST COPE ROBERTSON RD JENNINGS ST ST JOHN ST
SWANSON DIBBS ST LACHLAN ST Erskinville SUTTOR ST COPELAND ST PARK RD PARK POWER AVE DACEY AVE
FOX AVE MCEVOY ST
ELIZABETH ST
ROCHFORD ST FOUNTAIN ST ST PITT
MALCOLM ST ST BRENNAN POWELL ST
GEORGE ST
BRIDGE ST LOVERIDGE
VICTORIA ST ASHMORE ST ST GEORGE ELLIOT AVE ALISON RD
ASHMORE ST ALLEN ST BELMONT ST
MITCHELL RDHARLEY ST LAWRENCE ST AVE STOKES O’DEA AVE O’DEA AVE ANZAC PDE
MACDONALD ST MCCAULEY ST MCCAULEY
MCEVOY ST BOWDEN ST MANDIBLE ST BOURKE ST
FLORA ST TODMAN AVE ELIZABETH ST
EVE ST
LAWRENCE ST
COULSON ST BELMONT ST EUSTON LANE
BOURKE RD
CONCORD ST
HUNTLEY ST JOYNTON AVE ALISON RD BOTANY RD BOTANY MADDOX ST SYDNEY PARK RD
St Peters EUSTON ROAD
DONCASTER AVE
O’RIORDAN ST
KING ST
HUNTLEY ST ANZAC PDE
TODMAN AVE
BURROWS RD
Sydney Park EPSOM RD LENHALT ST Royal Randwick Racecourse
COLLINS ST LINK RD
EPSOM RD PRINCES HWY ALISON RD
CAMPBELL RD DALMENY AVE
EUSTON ROAD
SOUTH DOWLING ST BOURKE RD
ROTHSCHILD AVE MORELY AVE
ROSEBERRY AVE
BURROWS RD
DALMENY AVE
HARCOURT PDE
GARDENERS RD PDE ANZAC
BOTANY RD O’RIORDAN ST RICKETTY ST
KENT RD
GARDENERS RD DALMENY AVE DALMENY walk on water guide to sydney’s water features Historical Walking Tour
Golden 01 Anzac Pool Water Mouth 03 of Reflection
Made from a dead Yellow Box tree, 23ct gold leaf and The Anzac Memorial on Hyde Park South was built to terracotta tile, the Golden Water Mouth statue stands commemorate the men and women who served in World 10.7m high. It is sited at the entrance of the “village” of War I. But, by the time it was opened in 1934, the land fit Chinatown and marks the place where, in a traditional for heroes was no longer providing the rewards and jobs Chinese village, a wooden pagoda would be built to hoped for, and the country was in a profound economic protect the rivers and ensure wealth to the village. This depression. When the Council was given money to artwork incorporates Shui Kou elements of wood, water, create work for the unemployed, one of the tasks was to earth and gold together with native Australian species. It build a large pool in front of the memorial. evokes memories of the Chinese arrival in Australia—the ”New Gold Mountain”.
(Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
04 05 Frazer (Photograph: Jamie Williams Photography) Fountains
The importance of public access to drinking water has 02 Obelisk declined over the years. In the 19th century, many houses were built without water connections and John Frazer’s gift of two drinking fountains to the people of Sydney was a generous and welcome gesture. The The obelisk on Elizabeth Street is one of the earliest two imposing Frazer drinking fountains were built in monuments recording the good works of a Sydney the 1880s. They were designed by the City Architect, mayor. It was built in 1857 and unveiled by the Mayor, Thomas Sapsford, and carved in Pyrmont sandstone by George Thornton. The monument is actually a sewer Lawrence Beveridge. The basins for the fountains were vent, which provoked many jokes and led to it being made of granite. nicknamed “Thornton’s Scent Bottle”.
(Photograph: City of Sydney Archives) (Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
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The Yurong 06 Sandringham 08 Gardens Water Garden
The Sandringham Garden and Memorial Gates This sculpture by Anita Glesta in the Yurong Water commemorate King George V and VI. They were built on Garden is an environmental artwork inspired by the the site of the old bandstand in Hyde Park and dedicated Yurong Creek that once ran from the edge of Cook in 1954. The gardens include bronze memorial gates and Phillip Park through the mangrove swamps down incorporating the crests and heraldic motifs of each king, into Woolloomooloo Bay. Roughly hewn boulders of a memorial tablet with inscription and dedication, and a sandstone and original pavers and rocks from the memorial fountain with mosaic inlay. former Cook and Phillip Park have been arranged to form a course for the creek which flows down three terraces of gardens retracing the path of the original. The use of sandstone reflects the cultural and natural heritage of the surrounding area.
(Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
(Photograph: Brett Boardman / Spackman Mossop Michaels) 07 Cook + Phillip Park
Archibald The many uses of water at Cook and Phillip Park are 09 Fountain, testament to Sydney’s diverse range and love of Hyde Park North water—from the harbour to the Yurong, from bathing to competition, and from playing to meditation. The swimming pools in the complex, used for both children’s games and sporting events, the Yurong Water Garden This distinctive Art Deco showpiece is the legacy of a and the pools of reflection on College Street, which act private citizen, J F Archibald, and is quintessentially as major structural elements to balance the weight of Sydney. The fountain was built in Hyde Park North in the roof of the pools below, all create the water world of 1932 to commemorate the association between Australia Cook and Phillip Park. and France in World War I. The work of French sculptor Francois Sicard, it depicts a bronze Apollo surrounded by other mythical figures.
(Photograph: City of Sydney) (Photograph: Jamie Williams Photography)
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Robert Brough 10 Passage 12 Memorial Fountain
This installation in Martin Place called Passage was created by Anne Graham in 2001 for the Sydney Sculpture Dedicated to the memory of Robert Brough (1857–1906), Walk. The walls of early Georgian houses are traced with a popular Sydney actor, this magnificent Victorian inlaid black granite and stainless steel grilles. The three fountain is tucked away in the northern courtyard bronze bowl fountains represent washrooms at the rear of of Sydney Hospital. The distinctly Australian design the houses. comprises a group of brolgas surmounted by black swans displaying their crimson beaks. The fountain was imported from the Colebrookdale Factory in England and was installed near the Nightingale Wing in 1907.
(Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
11 Il Porcellino
“The Little Pig” was a gift to the City of Sydney from the Marchesa Fiaschi Torrigiani as a memorial to Thomas Fiaschi and Piero Fiaschi, her brother and father respectively, who were eminent doctors at Sydney (Photograph: Sally Couacaud / City of Sydney) Hospital. Sydney’s Il Porcellino is an exact replica of the bronze monument known as Porcellino, a 1547 sculpture of a wild boar by Pietro Battiste Tacca which stands in the straw market in the heart of Florence. It is believed to bring good luck if passersby rub its nose 13 P&O Building and drop coins into the base pool, and is placed here Fountain to help raise funds for the hospital.
An early example of public art commissioned by the private sector, The P&O Building Fountain by Tom Bass was installed in 1963. Oz Magazine in February 1964 published a satirical photograph that showed three men of varying heights apparently voiding their bladders in the fountain. Since then the work has been commonly referred to as “The Urinal”. The photograph was the subject of a legal battle during which the editors of Oz Magazine were accused of promoting “public pissing”. The artwork continues today to provoke attention because of this history and because of its distinctive structure.
(Photograph: Jamie Williams Photography) (Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
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14 Archaeology 16 WUGANMAGULYA of Bathing (Farm Cove)
This artwork by Robyn Bracken traces elements of Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens cover the area which former baths at Woolloomooloo. A floating jetty and the original clans of Sydney called Wahganmuggalee, marine piles mark tidal change, while the stair cage and later renamed Farm Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip. It portal frame reflect on the enclosed spaces associated was once the hunting and ceremonial ground for the Eora with early bathing machines. It forms part of the Sydney people. Here too the British made their first attempts to Sculpture Walk. grow crops. Brenda Croft’s art installation Wuganmagulya (Farm Cove) is set into the foreshore walk around the cove. It pays homage to the Eora and other clans who travelled great distances to attend ceremonies here. The figures depict Sydney rock carvings.
(Photograph: Brett Boardman / City of Sydney) (Photograph: Jamie Williams Photography)
Lewis Wolfe 15 17 1788 Levy Fountain Shoreline
An Art Nouveau bronze statue of a young girl standing Circular Quay encroaches over the natural shoreline of amid reeds, a heron and frogs beckons people to drink at Sydney Cove. At East Circular Quay, the 1788 shoreline the red granite drinking fountain near the Woolloomooloo is indicated in the granite paving by cast bronze discs. Gate in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens. The fountain, The first constructed shoreline, reclaimed to form Circular erected in 1889, was a gift from the Levy family in Quay, is mapped by a continuous band of white granite. memory of Lewis Wofle Levy (1815–85), politician and business man. The statue, by C B Birch (1832–93), is an (Photograph: Brett Boardman / City of Sydney) important example of aestheticism in Sydney.
(Photograph: City of Sydney Archives)
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18 Cast Iron 20 25 Water Canopy Engineering
In 1870, Sydney was graced Busby’s Bore was Sydney’s first reliable water source with eight elaborate cast-iron and is commemorated in a fountain in Hyde Park canopied drinking fountains North (20). Tangible reminders of 19th century water imported all the way from engineering include exposed drains at the Museum Glasgow. Only a few survive of Sydney (21), the Conservatorium of Music (22), the today, such as this one General Post Office building (23) and the old Supreme in Macquarie Place. The Court (24). The Pumping Station (25) at Darling Harbour fountain canopy carries the (now re-used as a café) was built for the Sydney and City’s coat of arms (adopted Suburban Hydraulic Power Company and from 1891 in 1857), an instructive Bible to 1975 supplied water under pressure to power inscription, and the less (Photograph: City of Sydney) machinery in the city. charitable demand: Keep The Pavement Dry! The actual drinking fountain is missing.
19 Tank Stream Sculpture
The settlement of Sydney was centred on a stream of fresh water that emptied into Sydney Cove. This Stephen Walker sculpture was donated to the City by John Fairfax Busby’s Bore Fountain and Sons Ltd in 1981 and is located in Herald Square (City of Sydney Archives) at Circular Quay. The cascading fountain with bronze animals is an invitation to children to explore, and its dedication “to all the children who have played around the Tank Stream” evokes a sense of this place stretching back into its pre-urban landscape. 26 30 Old-Style Toilets
Loos, lavatories, toilets, urinals. Call them what you will, we all need them. The City Council has been involved in providing ”public conveniences” since the 1880s. An example of a 19th century cast iron urinal can be found in The Rocks (26). In the early 20th century a range of substantial men’s lavatories was built. Reminders of these can be found in Hyde Park (27)–(28), Wynyard Park (29), and Macquarie Place (30).
Men’s convenience, Macquarie Place (Photograph: City of Sydney) (City of Sydney Archives)
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Discover more of historic Sydney with the other walking tour brochures in this series.
More information can be found at the City’s website: www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/history or call the City of Sydney on 9265 9333 We welcome your feedback: [email protected]
This story is one of many layers www.dictionaryofsydney.org
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This brochure was prepared by the History Program at the City of Sydney. 3rd edition, November 2011. HWT 13