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From Track to Tarmac

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From Track to Tarmac From Track to Tarmac Introduction Blues Point Road began life as a dirt track from A walking tour of Blues Point Billy Blue‘s ‗Northampton Farm‘ to the Township th Road, McMahons Point of St. Leonards. In the first half of the 19 century, the north shore was a remote and largely unpopulated district, and the only means Distance: 2 Km of communication with the main colony on the Approximate time: 3 hours south shore was to hire the services of a Grading: low to medium waterman for the trip across the water. In 1817 William Blue received 80 acres ‗free from all taxes, quit rents and other acknowledgements for the space of five years from the date thereof‘ on the North Shore. He named his property ‗Northampton Farm‘ and moved here with his wife and six children. At the same time he was appointed official ferryman to the north side and commenced a regular rowing service between his farm and Dawes Point. Following ‗the Old Commodore‘s‘ death in 1834, Billy‘s eldest son William continued to ply a ferry between Blues Point and Sydney, thus confirming Blues Point Road‘s status as the most important commuting route on the North Shore. Soon after Blues Point Road was officially gazetted in 1839, William junior died, bringing about the first subdivision of the Estate and the beginnings of the present suburb of McMahons Point. Various shops and businesses, several hotels, a school and church were established along this thoroughfare to service the needs of the commuting public. By the 1870s the bulk of the North Shore population was located in the vicinity of Blues Point Road close to ferry wharves and transport to Sydney. Blues Point remained the principal landing place for most of the North Shore passengers until 1886 when the main ferry terminal and cable tram were established at Milsons Point. Blues Point Road remained a major artery for vehicular ferry traffic North Sydney History Walk : From Track to Tarmac Page 2 across the Harbour, especially during the harbour at Milsons Point. Eventually the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Parliamentary Committee on Public Works agreed to extend the line from St. Leonards to The dominance of the Milsons Point transport Milsons Point. 2 1/2 mile of double track was terminus and thoroughfare in the late nineteenth built to the newly excavated site at Milsons Point century kept development pressure away from using two tunnels beneath McMahons Point and Blues Point and eventually the Harbour Bridge at Waverton and 10 brick arched viaducts at construction led to the removal of much of the Lavender Bay. Milsons Point thoroughfare building stock, leaving Blues Point intact and developing During the construction of the Sydney Harbour gradually through the twentieth century. Bridge the former Milsons Point Railway Station Meanwhile Blues Point continued to be used for was demolished to make way for the a variety of industrial and commercial purposes construction of the northern pylon of the bridge until the late 1950s, including a ferry depot, and erection of the Dorman Long workshops. At North Sydney Council‘s metal hoppers, road this time a temporary railway station, ferry making depot and public cargo wharf, a coal wharves and tram terminus were erected further bunkering and reserve stock pile, and ship round in Lavender Bay. berthing accommodation. The present railway stations at North Sydney Today Blues Point Rd is a predominantly mid and Milsons Point were opened to coincide with 19th century to mid 20th century residential area the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in with a mix of Victorian, Federation and 1920s March 1932. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and 30s housing mixed with a small amount of Conservation Management Plan states that Interwar residential flat buildings and a small group of 19th and early 20th century commercial the promise of a railway link between the North buildings. Shore and the City was a fundamental impetus for the creation of the bridge. The turning of the Our walk begins at the entrance to first sod and first acts of bridge construction, North Sydney station undertaken in July 1923 primarily to inspire confidence in prospective tenderers, took place at the site of North Sydney Railway Station. North Sydney Railway Station As early as 1875 the residents of the North Interestingly the distance between North Sydney Shore foresaw the need for a railway to provide and Milsons Point Railway Stations is the transport for agricultural products to the harbour shortest distance between two stations in NSW. and to open up the area for residential purposes. However the Government opted to construct a Cross over Blue St single track railway line from Hornsby to St. Opposite the entrance to North Sydney Railway Leonards, services commencing on 1 January station is the Greenwood Hotel nestled in 1890. Throughout this time and during the behind the magnificent Moreton Bay fig trees. construction phase, the Borough of St. Leonards The Greenwood Hotel was formerly the North continued to lobby the government to reconsider Sydney Superior Public School and latterly the the proposal to extend the railway line to the North Sydney History Walk : From Track to Tarmac Page 3 North Sydney Technical High School until the and western wings were designed by Schools end of 1969. Architect W.E. Kemp and constructed between 1882 and 1893. The inception of schooling in North Sydney began in 1844 when the Presbyterians erected a New schools were erected elsewhere in North schoolhouse at the corner of Blues Point Road Sydney for intermediate students (North Sydney and Lavender Street. This building was Boys High School in 1914 and North Sydney subsequently replaced with the extant stone Girls High School in 191) owing to schoolhouse in Blues Point Road. In 1870 a accommodation shortages at this site. The group of gentlemen from the district, including infants students were transferred in 1932 to a William Tunks, Captain Hixson, Charles new school built on the site of Crows Nest Woolcott and aldermen of the Borough of St. House (the present day North Sydney Leonard‘s, met and formed a committee, and at Demonstration School) and the primary boys that meeting unanimously endorsed the motion and girls moved there also in 1934. The former of Edward Lord (Mayor of East St. Leonards) - North Sydney Superior Public School was renamed the North Sydney Chatswood Junior that in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable High School until 1943 when it was renamed the than an effort should be made to establish a North Sydney Technical High school. This public school in a situation, and of a character school closed at the end of 1969. suitable to the growing requirements of this neighbourhood. After the school closed in 1969 it became a Teachers Training Centre. In 1987 the site was The Trustees of the Presbyterian School offered sold to developers by the State Government and to surrender their schoolhouse without reference the Greenwood Plaza and former Optus office to the subscriptions that might be collected. “Mr tower were erected on the site, necessitating Anderson said that the Trustees of the massive excavations beneath the original school Presbyterian School were indeed willing to assist building. The original school building was the committee and were quite prepared to restored and converted into the Greenwood surrender their property, provided the inhabitants Hotel. The Old Boys of the North Sydney of the district guaranteed to contribute liberally Technical High School retain a room in the hotel towards the establishment of a good school. to house school memorabilia and host meetings. The present site of the former school was Walk up Blue St to Miller St acquired in 1875, and the first stage of the Miller Street is named for William Miller, school was built as the St. Leonards School in Assistant Commissary-General of Government 1878. School additions were built in 1882 for a Provisions, who in 1833 purchased some of the population of 365 students. During the 1880s it land granted to Deputy Assistant commissary was renamed the Superior Public School and General Thomas Walker on the North Shore. In began offering post-primary classes. Additional 1844 Miller was transferred to Hong Kong and buildings were erected in 1891 and again in passed his home to his son. In the early 1870s 1898 and 1901 when student numbers reached Bernard Holtermann purchased this property 650. The original 1878 Gothic style east wing and he erected a grand Italianate mansion on was designed by G. A. Mansfield. The central here. The Sydney Church of England Grammar North Sydney History Walk : From Track to Tarmac Page 4 School (Shore) opened here in 1889. Miller National Trust listed church. It was built in Street was one of the roads marked in the 1838 London and installed in 1885. The organ was plan of the Township of St. Leonards by restored by Brown & Arkley of London and Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell. rededicated in 1980. The colourful stained glass windows also date to this period. Those beside Cross over traffic lights at the corner the southern door include the waratah along with of Miller and Blue Sts the rose, thistle and shamrock. Some other At this intersection begins the northern end of windows contain white stars or flowers, which Blues Point Rd. This road began life as the are thought to represent flannel flowers. Two track from Wiliam (Billy) Blue‘s ―Northampton windows depict the burning bush. Other floras Farm‖ to the township of St. Leonards (now depicted in the church are traditional vine leaves North Sydney). Known at various times as St.
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