UNANDERRA PLACEMAKING PROJECT 2017

Art Plan

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services City Council 14/12/2015

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Contents 1.Background Page 3 2.Aims & Objectives Page 3 3.Policy & Planning Context Page 4 4.Research & Documentation Page 4 5. Art Themes Page 5 6. Results of Community Page 6 Consultations

9.Attachment 1 Page 11 Unanderra Demographics & Brief Historical Snapshot

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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1. Background

Wollongong City Council is seeking to commission an artist(s) through an EOI process to develop an original design and to supply and fabricate artworks for a large wall mural on the western wall of the Telstra Building, 111 Princes Highway Unanderra. The mural will welcome visitors and residents arriving via the train station and when travelling along the Princess Hwy to the town of Unanderra.

The artists will develop a design that references this Art Plan and Project Brief and will tell the story of Unanderra and reflect the community, history and character of the area. The important social benefit, from such a process includes creating more liveable and cohesive communities that respect and live harmoniously together.

2. Aims and Objectives

The Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 aims to:

• Foster creative engagement with Unanderra residents and to develop a public art outcome.

• Create a public art mural that celebrate the character, identity, histories and stories of the Unanderra area and create a place of unique and distinct qualities and a sense of place.

• Engage community groups, residents and individuals to participate in community consultations for the development of the Unanderra Art Plan

• Improve amenity and create a safe, secure spaces through the activation of spaces

• Create quality public art that is relevant and is a meaningful interpretation of the physical and social landscape.

• Reduce urban decay that often attracts opportunities for criminal and anti- social behaviour

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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3. Policy and Planning Context

Public Art is delivered to meet objectives in response to the Community Strategic Plan Wollongong 2022 Goal - Wollongong is a creative, vibrant city. In particular strategy 3.1.2.1 Deliver the Public Art Program and 3.4.2.1 Deliver Strategies of the Cultural Plan. It also delivers strategies identified in the goals Celebrating our Places and Vibrant Community in the Cultural Plan 2014-18.

This project contributes to the delivery of Wollongong 2022 Goal 3 “Wollongong is a creative vibrant City”. It specifically delivers on the following:

Community Strategic Delivery Program Annual Plan 2016- Plan 2012-2017 17

Strategy 5 Year Action Annual Deliverables

3.2.2 Our cultural diversity 3.2.2.1 Encourage the Deliver the Public Art and heritage is incorporated integration of urban design Program within our public spaces and public art through signage and public art

4. Research and Documentation

This project is part of Wollongong City Council’s Public Art Program and Public Art Strategy 2016 – 2021. The Strategy states ‘There is a strong connection between the work of art and it’s site, neighbourhood and it’s community or context’. The project also strongly links to the new ‘Unanderra Town Centre Masterplan’ that identifies eight key principles:

• Principle 1: A Unique Identity • Principle 2: Street Vibrancy; • Principle 3: Urban Composition; • Principle 4: A Community Heart • Principle 5: Accessible and Well Connected • Principle 6: A Balanced Environment;

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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• Principle 7: Policy and Governance; • Principle 8: Community Ownership;

5. Art Themes:

Wollongong City Council’s commitment to creating and reflecting strong community identity in the development of public art and placemaking projects in the city has enabled the local communities in Unanderra to have a say about how a large mural public artwork will look and what types of ideas and themes and colours are to be used in the final art project.

This process has provided the opportunity for the development of a meaningful celebration of local identity and to encourage a strong sense of ownership and sense of place that will create and reflect the areas unique identity. The development of the Unanderra Art Plan has utilised the results of the community consultations to give meaning to the proposed artworks.

A Project Brief will provide the direction for artists engaged to work on art projects and a starting point to begin their creative process of visual interpretation.

Local residents have provided invaluable information in the way of stories, ideas, comments, and knowledge about what makes Unanderra different from surrounding suburbs. The richness of the areas cultural identity, heritage and local community reflected in the outcomes of the community consultations will act as a catalyst for an artist to create a unique and connected mural.

During the consultations people clearly identified and related to the escarpment, trees, creeks and local fauna as significant positive attributes of the area.

As well as these sites the Unanderra Community Centre was identified as an important meeting point and support agency for the community. The consultation sessions identified a number of significant components that can be used as inspiration to an artist.

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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While ranking all the responses the following themes were the most frequently mentioned as being most important:

• Escarpment / trees / creeks • The importance of Community, family and friendship • Contrasting history between industry and farming

These themes will become the main focus for the design and inform the artwork. The responses resonated strongly to reflect the natural beauty and uniqueness of the area and acknowledge its history. Other responses to the survey questions were varied but some trends were identified such as dogs, native birds and other animals.

6. Community Consultations:

Community consultations were undertaken at the Unanderra Community Centre with the following groups:

1. 1 x community lunch survey 2. 1 x Youth Group 3. 1 x Seniors group

7. Results on Community Consultations

UNANDERRA PLACEMAKING PROJECT 2017

Date: 15th March – Unanderra Community Centre – Lunchtime Group

15 participants Key responses:

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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What do you love Community centre terrific very supportive and respect about Unanderra Supports mental health issues Involvement of community in the access to railway - great Brings community close together People helping people Big hearts Easy access to all facilities and infrastructure

Talk about an Unanderra had a lot of industry - comsteel important event / Industry linked to BHP place / story about Industrial place NOW more a place people travel through Unanderra that you Cedar cutters dairy farmers think describes Small farms Unanderra Old housing commission area – lots of them A place where the steam train goes up to robertson on the Do you have any cockatoo run stories / memories Unanderra today and yesterday /experiences to tell Unanderra neglected for a long time - needs fixing about this place / Community Centre great area? Supportive When growing up rode unregistered motor bikes everywhere Everyone new everyone What visual images Escarpment defines the Unanderra do you think Farmborough heights spur / ridge represent this area Horses farms or your idea of Swimming pool Unanderra? Railway elevator Eg images / Colours Tortoise / textures / shapes / Little brown frog in creeks animals etc Horse and dray Honey eaters Brown snakes Magpies Feeding doves – peace Birdllife Giraffes / zebras / lion Wherewolf Image – women with double pram w bubble looking at steps to railway Cockatoos and budgies Chooks in the back yard Sheep in the back yard Is there any Include Aboriginal flag Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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Cultural significant and appropriate images / etc

UNANDERRA PLACEMAKING PROJECT 2017

Full Data Results from Community Consultations

Date: 14th March – Unanderra Community Centre – Seniors Group

12 participants

Key responses:

What do you love People and respect about Unanderra Nice parks (need more seating) Friendly / Quiet Views of the mountains Community centre important to the locals Lots of creeks Community very strong politically aware and active eg library closures / lift at the railway station / protests / grey headed rebels - grey power

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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Talk about an History – billy cart derby down main street important event / 60’s real milk bottles place / story about Factory Rd - home to milk factory Unanderra that you Community centre used to be a cinema then a council depot think describes Seen as the wild west - 1st visit to crown st Unanderra Black berry picking as kids Fishing in mullet creek Do you have any Hostels at commonwealth cottages where built for workers on stories / memories the rail - not migrants buildings still there /experiences to tell Unanderra called charcoal (= charcoal ck) – because perhaps about this place / they burnt the trees to make charcoal for industry area? Horse and buggies Camphor laurel trees along main road Keeping cows out of your yard / lots of farms Used to go to Dances and movies – old time dancing / waltzes and fox trot Wool mill – weaving Midford and bonds factory / fire brigade People got around by walking and bicycles / buses What visual images Birds / parrots / snakes / possums / lizards /skinks / water do you think dragons / foxes / lots of creeks represent this area or your idea of Unanderra? Eg images / Colours / textures / shapes / animals etc Is there any People from lots of cultures: particular designs, Malta, Goulburn, india, lots of English migrants, Italians cultural symbols / worked hard and worked in steel and mines / text / images that you think are important and should be included or excluded in any public artwork

Cultural significant and appropriate images / etc

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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Any other Views of the Hills and mountains significant suggestions Happy images Definitely dogs Maybe horses Country / farms Trees Deers Bats

UNANDERRA PLACEMAKING PROJECT 2017

Results on Community Consultations

Date: 14th March – Unanderra Community Centre – Youth Group

6 participants

Key responses:

What do you love Skaters and respect about Unanderra Scooters riders Sport – soccer and footy Friendship People skating Dancing – hip hop Sitting in the shade talking to friends

Talk about an Unanderra beach - 3 x rocks down in the creek important event / Waterfall place / story about Worms in the creek Unanderra that you Not safe at night think describes Ghost stories about farmborough heights and Cordeaux rd Unanderra Walk through the bush Ride bicycle around Do you have any stories / memories /experiences to tell about this place /

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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What visual images Bright colours and a cool design do you think Strong design that grabs your attention represent this area Trees or your idea of Creeks Unanderra? Birds Eg images / Colours Lizards / textures / shapes / Two people laughing and having fun animals etc Talking together Tai kwon do Is there any Blue = happiness particular designs, cultural symbols / text / images that you think are important and should be included or excluded in any public artwork

Cultural significant and appropriate images / etc Any other suggestions

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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8. ATTACHMENT 1- Unanderra Demographics and Short History Snapshot

Demographics of Unanderra Unanderra - Kembla Grange About the profile areas

Unanderra - Kembla Grange is bounded by the Moss Vale-Unanderra railway line, the suburb of Farmborough Heights, Rickard Road, Serrata Place, Telopea Place, Tamarind Drive, Coachwood Park, Staff Road, Central Road, the Moss Vale-Unanderra railway line and the suburb of Figtree in the north, the Southern Freeway, Five Islands Road, the suburbs of Cringila and Berkeley and the Southern Freeway in the east, Mullet Creek, the AIS railway line and West Dapto Road in the south, and the locality of Dombarton in the west.

Name origin

Unanderra is named from an Aboriginal word meaning "meeting place of creeks" or the "junction of the two creeks". It was previously known as Charcoal or Charcoal Creek. Kembla Grange is named after Mount Kembla, which is thought to be named from an Abo

Important Population Land area Population density

Statistics 6,371 2,104 3.03

2 2015 ABS ERP hectares (21 Km ) persons per hectare

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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Brief Historical Snap Shot

The village of Charcoal or Charcoal Creek was situated on 280 acres of land acquired by Mrs Jemima Jenkins in 1835-6. There are two explanations for the origin of the name Charcoal. One is that charcoal was burned there, the other is that it owes its name to an aboriginal stockman employed by Throsby Smith, known as "Charcoal". Smith's cattle, under the care of "Charcoal", are said to have rested here after descending the mountain road. The area once known as Charcoal is now Unanderra.

Land Grants Early land grantees for property in the Unanderra region included Robert Jenkins, Jemima Jenkins, and George Lindsay. Further details and maps are available from Local Studies, Reference Library.

Early Residents

Robert Jenkins and Family Robert Jenkins (c.1777-1822) was one of the first five land grantees in the Illawarra, receiving from Governor Lachlan Macquarie a holding of 1,000 acres on January 24, 1817. The holding can be identified on present day maps as portion 52, parish of Wollongong, fronting the north-east end of Lake Illawarra. Jenkins called his grant Berkeley, after the historic estate of that name in his native Gloucestershire. Berkeley was used as a cattle run from 1817 to 1839. Robert Jenkins arrived in about 1808 and became a prominent auctioneer and shipping merchant. In 1813 he was appointed Auctioneer and Appraiser for the town of , and in 1819 served briefly as a director of the Bank of New South Wales. In 1813 Jenkins married Jemima Forrest (c.1786-1842). Robert and Jemima had two children: Robert Pitt Jenkins (1814-1859) and William Warren Jenkins (1816-1884). On September 24, 1834, Jemima Jenkins was allowed to purchase 2,000 acres adjacent to Berkeley, for 500 pounds. This area had been promised to the family by Governor Thomas Brisbane in 1825. Other areas purchased by Jemima increased the estate to 3,280 acres. The enlarged holding became known as the Berkeley Estate, part of which comprises modern-day Unanderra. In 1839 William Warren Jenkins assumed management of the Berkeley Estate, engaging the architect Edmund Blacket to design the residence Berkeley House. This mansion was built from convict labour, and incorporated features such as a six metre- wide hallway and Italian marble tiles and fireplaces. Berkeley House was demolished in 1940. About 1870, William Warren Jenkins built Nudjia House on the western boundary of the Estate for his eldest son, William James Robert Jenkins. Nudjia, the Aboriginal

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

13 | P a g e name for a safe and protected place, was built from red cedar mostly grown on the property, and at one time had its own racetrack. Nudjia opened as a museum in 1993, and is located at 83 Cummins Street, Unanderra. The elaborate cast iron gates which once led to the Berkeley Estate can now be seen at the Berkeley Pioneer Cemetery, formally the Jenkins family’s private cemetery. (Dowd, B.T. 1960; Wollongong Advertiser; 20 April 1994, 19 October 1994 , 13 September 1995; Wood, Anne 1999)

George Lindsay and Family George Lindsay (died 1866) settled at Charcoal in 1841, opening a small store. In 1843, he received a land grant of 35 acres for property south of Berkeley Estate, which he called Lake View, and used for mixed farming and dairying. Lindsay is reputed to have sent the first keg of butter from the Illawarra to Sydney. One of George Lindsay’s sons, William, established the Farmers’ Inn at Charcoal in the 1850s, while another son, George, represented New South Wales in rifle shooting. (Gibbs, Alison & Warne, Catherine (1995); Illawarra Mercury, 31 May 1984; Unanderra Public School 1878-1978)

Edward Hammond Hargraves Edward Hargraves (1816-1891), one of the early discoverers of gold in , farmed at Charcoal during the period 1836-1841. He also established a store at Charcoal:’…the first country store in the district outside Wollongong’ (Dennis, C.L., South Coast Times, 3 November 1960; Illawarra Mercury, 31 May 1984)

Early Industry During the second half of the 19th century, major industries in Unanderra included a cokeworks, butter factory, and tannery. Coke making in the Illawarra began on a commercial basis in 1888 at Unanderra, when the Southern Coal Mining Company, which operated a coal mine on the eastern side of Mount Kembla, established the Australian Coke Making Company Works. The Works were located on the eastern side of the Illawarra railway line and north of Five Islands Road. By November 1889, 20 ovens were in operation, the industry employed approximately 40 workers, and 300-400 tons were produced per week. The number of ovens later increased to 90. In 1912 most of the plant was relocated to Corrimal. Unanderra was also surrounded by rich dairying country, its farms being noted from the 1840s for their Ayrshire cattle. In 1887 the Unanderra Butter Factory was established west of Factory Road, backing onto Jenkins Creek. The factory was 78 feet long with two 9 feet verandahs and a shingle roof. James York was the butter maker. Twenty seven suppliers delivered milk cans in their carts, and much of the milk produced was sent to Sydney. During Spring, from 1000 to 1500 lbs. of butter were dispatched daily. A refrigeration plant had been installed in the factory by 1898. The factory burnt down in 1913.

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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A major industry in Unanderra during this period was the tannery, which at one time employed up to about 40 workers and had an annual turnover of 15,000 pounds in 1880. The tannery was established in 1860 by John Richardson. Eventually 60 pits were built, and steam rollers, wattle bark cutters, pumps and other plants were installed. Unanderra’s ‘Tannery Street’ commemorates this early industry. (Hagan, Jim & Wells, Andrew (eds). 1997; Illawarra Mercury, 31 May 1984; Unanderra Public School 1878-1978)

Early Transport

Roads The Princes Highway, linking Sydney and Melbourne by the coast, was named in 1920 to mark the visit of the Prince of Wales to New South Wales. The Highway was laid through Unanderra as a bitumen road in early 1927. However, at this time all outlying roads remained gravel or metal, and transport by horse-drawn sulky or cart was common. Bread, meat, and vegetables were delivered by horse and cart, and the population travelled by foot, horse, or bicycle. Very few people owned cars. The first motor bus was used in Wollongong in 1913. Buses ran through Unanderra mostly on the hour, and signalled their approach by sounding their horns. (Bayley, 1973; Cook, 1987?; Gibbs, Alison & Warne, Catherine 1995)

Railways In 1882 a private coal rail link from Mount Kembla to Port Kembla was constructed. The government took over the line from Unanderra to Port Kembla in 1912, and passenger service began in 1919. A survey for construction of the Sydney to Illawarra railway began in 1873, and the line was completed in 1888. At this time, the journey from Sydney to Wollongong took 4 hours and 53 minutes. The advent of the railway allowed both coke and dairy produce to be sent directly to Sydney. In 1924 the government agreed to construct a 38 mile rail link between Moss Vale and Unanderra, thus linking the South Coast line and the main southern line. On June 26, 1925, the Premier, Sir George Fuller, turned the first sod at a ceremony in Unanderra to signal the beginning of work on the Illawarra Mountain Railway. The line opened in August 1932, having cost approximately three million pounds – almost twice the original estimate. The opening of the Unanderra – Moss Vale line made it possible to transport limestone from the Southern Highlands to Port Kembla.

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Diesel engines replaced steam in the early 1960s, and trains to Wollongong were electrified in 1986. (Bayley, 1973; Cook, 1987?; Cook, 1992; Gibbs, Alison & Warne, Catherine 1995; Larkin, 1979; Singleton, 1984)

Unanderra - Historic Buildings

Nudjia House Nudjia House is located at 83 Cummins Street, Unanderra. Nudjia, the Aboriginal name for a safe and protected place, was built around 1870 by William Warren Jenkins (1816-1884) for his eldest son, William James Robert Jenkins. An original part of the structure dates from around 1840, the same time that the nearby Berkeley House (demolished 1940) was built. Nudjia is located on the original Berkeley Estate, one of the Illawarra’s first land grants, which was received by Robert Jenkins (c.1777- 1822) in 1817. Nudjia is a weatherboard, early Victorian, vernacular, Georgian cottage with corrugated metal roof verandahs. The original section (c.1840) is built of handmade local clay bricks and stone rubble footings. The later weatherboard section was constructed in front. The City of Wollongong Heritage Study: Provisional Inventory: Wollongong Heritage Study Date Sheets: Volume 3/5 (1991) assigns the building regional significance, describing it as ‘… a rare example of a building of the 1840’s in this southern area…’.

Unanderra Station Master's Residence The Unanderra Station Master’s residence is situated by the Unanderra Railway line and was built in 1887. It is a Victorian vernacular brick building with timber skillion, a corrugated metal roof, and a single central chimney. The City of Wollongong Heritage Study: Provisional Inventory: Wollongong Heritage Study Data Sheets: Volume 3/5 (1991) assigns this building regional significance, and describes it as a ‘… typical Railway Dept. building similar to Bellambi Railway Station. A rare surviving element of railway building groups representing the transport, historical theme’. (McPhee, 1991)

Unanderra Community Hall

The Unanderra Community Hall is situated on the Princes Highway on the north western corner of Factory Road, Unanderra. The Hall was opened in 1901. It was the site of the Central Illawarra Municipal Council Chambers until the formation of the City of Greater Wollongong in 1947. The Unanderra Branch Library opened in one room of the building in October 1955, and was extended in 1961. The building currently continues to house the public library and community centre.

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The Unanderra Community Hall is a two-storey brick building with a parapet and a single-storey brick section with a corrugated metal roof. The City of Wollongong Heritage Study: Provisional Inventory: Wollongong Heritage Study Data Sheets: Volume 3/5 (1991) assigns the building local historical significance.

Environment Early records show that Unanderra was noted for its many cabbage tree palms. Vegetation in the area was originally cleared for rural land use in mid nineteenth century and by mid twentieth century virtually all of cabbage tree palms had been eliminated. Unanderra has 3 creeks that constitute the Allans Creek Catchment, receiving inflow from Charcoal Creek and Jenkins Creek. Charcoal creek forms on the eastern face of Mount Kembla and flows into Allans creek. Warm temperate and sub-tropical rainforest once grew along the banks of the creek. All that is left today are a few remnants of this former splendour with weeds such as Cape Ivy, Moth Vine, and Crofton weed growing in abundance. Regeneration projects have resulted in the replanting of species such as Blackwood, Native Peach and Bastard Rosewood after the careful elimination of the weeds. Todd Park is a large public reserve situated between Cummins Street and Staff Road. An unnamed watercourse runs through the reserve dividing it into north and south sections. The recent revegetation of Todd Park Reserve has restored the park into a lush rainforest. Over 10,000 native plants including Lomandra, Bleeding Heart, Black and Green Wattle, Red Ash and Callistemon were planted. This resulted in the return of birdlife to the reserve. Kookaburras, Fairy Wrens, Honeyeaters, Cockatoos, Magpies and Rosellas are now common visitors.

Unanderra Placemaking Project 2017 Cultural Services Wollongong City Council 14/12/2015

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