'-­ "I I 'I 'I EXCELSIOR RESERVE PLAN OF MANAGEMENT \1 HERITAGE CONSERVATION: I ARCHAEOLOGY/EUROPEAN HISTORY I \1 'I I I I ·1 I Report prepared for Manidis Roberts Consultants "I by Don Godden and Associates Pty Ltd I April 1989 I "I ~I I I I 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 I 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Author Identification 1 1.3 Research 1 1.4 Fieldwork 1 I 1.5 Limitations 1 1.6 Acknowledgement 2 I 1.7 Report Format 2 2.0 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 3 I 3.0 STUDY AREA 4 4.0 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 8 11 4.1 Sources 8 4.2 Early Settlement 8 4.3 Nineteenth Century Land Use 8 4.4 Recent History 9 I 4.5 Historical Themes 9 4.6 Notes 10 I 5.0 ABORIGINAL SITES 11 5.1 Sites Known within Study Area 11 5.2 Consultation with National Parks and 12 Wildlife Service I 5.3 Predictive Model 12 5.4 Further Work Required 15 I 5.5 Interpretative Themes 15 6.0 HISTORIC SITES 16 6.1 Sites Known within Study Area 16 I 6.2 Preliminary Significance Assessment 16 6.3 Further Work Required 17 6.4 Recommended Conservation Measures 17 I 6.5 Interpretative Themes 18 7.0 MISCELLANEOUS SITES 19 I 8.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 20 .1 9.0 APPENDICES A. NPWS Site Recording Forms - Aboriginal Sites B. Inventory Sheets - Historic Sites I C. Inventory Sheets - Miscellaneous Sites I .1 I ~ J/ I I I 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background I Excelsior Reserve is a 140 hectare Crown Reserve, which incorporates several smaller reserves and playing fields and a large area of urban bushland within Baulkham Hills Shire, centred on Darling I Mills Creek. A Plan of Management for the Reserve has been I commissioned by Baulkham Hills Shire Council and is being prepared by Manidis Roberts Consultants. Don Godden and Associates Pty Ltd have been engaged as I sub-consultants to undertake a limited survey of the area and to report on its Archaeological and European historical significance. I 1.2 Author Identification This report has been prepared by Richard Mackay, ,I Director Don Godden and Associates Pty Ltd. The recommendations were formulated in consultation with Don Godden. The report was typed and I presented by Mrs Carol Wilson. 1.3 Research I No primary source historical research was undertaken for this project. Available literature, including reports on the reserve and its cultural ,I resources, were reviewed. Sources consulted are outlined in Section 8.0. Interviews were held with very many local informants and residents. A I meeting was held with Bronwyn Conyers, Central Regional Archaeologist, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Service's records were examined. I 1.4 Fieldwork Two full days (17 hours) were spent surveying the I site on April 5 and 13. Fieldwork concentrated on sites which were known and wherever possible local informants were used as guides. Although I additional survey work wap undertaken away from areas known to contain sites, only two 'new' sites were discovered. I 1.5 Limitations No primary historical sources have been consulted. I No title search has been made. Budgetary and time constraints limited fieldwork to two days. During this time it was only possible to traverse major walking trails and sample three valleys. The lack I of visibility through dense vegetation (eg Lantana) I I ) I I means that there is high probability of further I sites being located. Additional historical research is required to determine the history and I significance of some sites. 1.6 Acknowledgement Assistance with this project was provided by Geoff I Roberts and Madeleine Maple of Manidis Roberts Consultants, and by Edward Higginbotham, Historical Consultant. Both Bronwyn Conyers (Central Regional I Office) and ran Johnson (Head Office) from the National Parks and Wildlife Service helped with formulation of recommendations regarding Aboriginal I sites. The study was discussed with Steve Duneski, Baulkham Hills Shire Council and with the following people who provided useful information: Jim Sherrenberg, Sally Donnellan, Ron Godden and Lyn I Semenetz. Particular assistance was provided by Jill Reardon I who accompanied the author during much of the fieldwork and co-ordinated the collection of information from the local community. Both George I Medhurst and Uri Semenetz kindly made time available to guide the author to several sites. I 1.7 Report Format The data gathered for this report is presented as ,I site inventory sheets in Appendices A, Band C. A Summary of Recommendations is presented in Section 2.0. Sections 3.0 and 4~0 briefly outline the nature of reserve and its history. For the I purposes of discussion and analysis, sites have been divided into three groups. Aboriginal sites are discussed in Section 5.0, Historic sites in Section 6.0 and other sites in Section 7.0. The I latter include sites outside the Reserve Boundary, natural features which, though significant to the community, display no physical evidence of human I activity, and sites for which little or no evidence could be found. I I I I I 2 !J I I I 2.0 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Excelsior Reserve contains culturally significant Aboriginal and historic resources. These resources I require comprehensive identification, document­ ation, significance assessment and conservation planning. Many sites lend themselves to inclusion I in interpretation as part of the recreational use of the Reserve. The following recommendations result from this report. I * The Reserve should be completely surveyed for Aboriginal sites by a qualified prehistorian. I * Early consultation, about Aboriginal sites, should be held with the Metropolitan Land I Council. * Measures and procedures should be introduced to protect any sites (eg: open scatters of artefacts) discovered during works in the I Reserve. * Visitor Management should direct the public 'I away from fragile sites (eg shelters with occupation deposit) • * Aboriginal use of the Reserve, and some sites, I should be included in the interpretation program for the Reserve, sUbject to discussions with the National Parks and Wildlife Service I and Metropolitan Land Council. * Further historical research should be carried I out into land occupation and tenure, the stone structure (item 7), early roads, and the stone I cottage (item 8). * Additional analysis of the extant fabric of historic features, particularly the stone structure (item 7), the stone cottage (item 8) I and early roads, should be undertaken. * Significant historic sites should be conserved I in accordance with the Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS. * A Conservation Plan should be prepared for Loch I Bruce, the Creda Place Road Formation, the Stone Structure, the Stone Cottage and I Associated Road, and the Quarry Road. * The historic sites identified in this report should be included in the Reserve I interpretation program. I 3 I ~----- I I' I 3.0 STUDY AREA Excelsior Reserve is a corridor of urban bushland between the residential districts of Castle Hill, I Baulkham Hills, Northmead, North Rocks and West Pennant Hills. Generally it follows Darling Mills Creek and its tributaries (see Fig 1). The Reserve I has steep (30 0 ) slopes and a narrow valley floor, although there are some flat areas around the Reserve's edges. Elevations range from 20 to 100 I metres. The geology of the Reserve appears to be Triassic Hawkesbury sandstone. There are substantial I outcrops along the creek beds and many overhanging shelters/caves in the slopes on either side. I The Reserve's flora is generally a much altered schlerophyll Eucalyptus forest including Sydney Blue Gum, Red Bloodwood and Smooth Barked Apple Gums, several acacia species, bracken and maiden I hair ferns and a variety of shrubs. There is evidence of former rainforest pockets. Unfortunately much of the Reserve is infested with I invasive exotic species, particularly lantana, blackberry, wandering jew and crofton weed. This infestation is most marked along the easement of I sewer pipes in the Darling Mills Creek bed. The Reserve is reported as being home for many native animals and a large number of birds. I In addition to the weed species noted above, and the cultural features noted in this report, the Reserve also contains a large number of built I features. These range from stepping stones and walking tracks built to encourage use of the Reserve, (see Figure 2), to major intrusions such I as sewer pipes and bridges (see Figure 3) • Engineering works within the Reserve have also caused significant damage to natural features I (Figure 4) • I I I I I 4 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure 1. The study .Area; Excelsior Reserve, I Baulkham Hills. I 5 I I I I I I I I I Figure 2. Concrete Stepping Stones across Darling I Mills Creek. I I.. I I I I I I I I Figure 3. Barclay Street Bridge, Sewer Pipe. I 6 I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure 4. Channel for pipe cut through creek bed. I I I I 1I ,I I ,I 'I 7 I I I I 4.0 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 4.1 Sources This section of the report derives largely from I historical research undertaken by Terry Kass for Edward Higginbotham's 1987 report "Proposed Development of Land on Speers Road North Rocks" I prepared for the Department of Housing. That research relates to the southern part of Excelsior Reserve. Reference has also been made to the I Macquarie University "Excelsior Reserve Resources Study" and to several publications produced by Baulkham Hills Shire Council. Sources are noted in I Section 8.