Steaming around our Bays Under perfect weather condi- tions, and with a full head of steam, the coal fired tugWaratah sailed out of its berth in Rozelle Bay with its complement of 50 Glebe Society members and friends. We sailed as close as was possible to the shore to view local landmarks and develop- ment sites such as the proposed White Bay passenger terminal, Glebe Island, the Fish Markets and the Hanson facility, the proposed new site The Waratah aproaching the Harbour Bridge. for the Heritage Fleet and Barangaroo. With Photo: Phil Young the benefit of commentary from John Brooks, Harold Park convenor of the Blackwattle Cove Coalition, and aided by the Bays Coalition Group over- view publication, we had the opportunity of We must keep up the viewing development sites from the water, which was very instructive. momentum! Just what we all need - a public meeting in the Our journey also took us into the harbour past pre-Christmas madness!! Goat Island and Birchgrove and Balmain. But we think we must keep the momentum Our bosun gave us the history of the Waratah going and keep the doors open to community from its original construction on Cockatoo engagement with planning the future of Harold 10/2010 November/December Island and use as a sea-going tug, its refitting Park. history, and the eventual purchase by the Herit- age Fleet for its current use for educational The proposed rezoning controls agreed by trips and as a charter vessel. All maintenance, Council and the Central Sydney Planning refurbishment and crewing is provided by Committee with the Harness Racing Club are volunteers. now on exhibition. See Neil’s account on page 3. We have until 15 December to respond. Despite increasingly windy conditions, the It is very important that we both defend the day-trippers bravely managed to demolish aspects of the rezoning which are big positives cheese, crackers and olives – a wonderful for the community and push again for action spread organised by Katharine Vernon and on the most disturbing aspects of the proposal Dorothy Davis. as it stands. The timing of the cruise was perfect. Less than Many of our Harold Park principles have been an hour after our return the heavens opened ignored in the current proposal. For example: accompanied by very strong winds. there is major concern about the height of The Glebe Society will repeat this cruise on buildings (up to eight storeys); there is nothing Sunday 10 April 2011, during Heritage Week. at the moment that precludes a major commer- cial activity on the site; there are unresolved - Carole Herriman issues about traffic and access. In addition See extracts from John Brooks’ commentary on Council and possibly State Government need page 2 of this Bulletin. to consider how adjoining open space, ‘the hill’, that separates the site from the light rail See page 7 for December station will be remediated and opened for pub- events including Christmas party lic access. We also now need to begin to think and raffle Continued on page 3... Development of Harold Park and Tramsheds Public meeting at Forest Lodge Public School 7 December, 6.30-8.30pm Our last public meeting made a difference. Now we have to engage and push again. We must give community strength to our response to the current proposals. If you cannot attend, you can check out the issues on our website (www.glebesociety.org.au) ISSN 1836-599X Glebe Society Bulletin from 6 December and email us your support or amendments. A publication of THE GLEBE SOCIETY INC PO Box 100 GLEBE 2037 www.glebesociety.org.au A cruise around the Bays Precinct This is the first instalment of an edited text of the speaking notes used by the convenor of the Blackwattle Cove Coalition, John Brooks, during our cruise around the Bays Precinct aboard the Sydney Heritage Fleet vessel Waratah. We started from the Sydney Heritage Fleet base in Rozelle Bay. The Bays Precinct is one of the last ma- The Fish Market and along the warehouse/distribution operations - Pou- jor harbourside precincts that remain in Pyrmont foreshore to the southern los and Bidvest. Sydney. It takes in Rozelle, Blackwattle, pylon of Anzac bridge We then come to the land around the old Johnstons and White Bays, Glebe Island The strip of foreshore along Bridge Glebe Island Bridge. Part is a Govern- and the Rozelle rail marshalling yards. Road is the subject of a Master Plan ment owned site originally earmarked The principal Heritage items are White which includes three sites known as B1, for a park by Pyrmont residents. The Bay Power Station and Glebe Island B2, and B3. second portion (1 Bank Street) was Bridge privately owned and a couple of years Closest to Glebe is the Hansons con- In the precinct there are 80 hectares of ago it was bought by the Sydney Har- publicly-owned land and five kilometres crete batch plant (the B3 development bour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) and of foreshore. It is bigger than Baranga- site). The future of this plant has been zoned recreation. This was expected roo! discussed for years. The one certainty is to become the home of dragon boating, that concrete plants such as this will be including the Chinese Youth League. The precinct has great strategic potential needed until we finish building Sydney. for Sydney. But there are some 16 dif- Then came the proposal to locate the ferent government agencies that have a Heading towards the Fish Market we Heritage Fleet on the site - due (I am say in its development. come to the B2 development site. This told) to the exclusion of Goat Island as includes an old coal bunker and is the a possible location due to opposition by Look west to the top of Rozelle Bay base of most of the tourist boat fleet. A the former Prime Minister Paul Keat- This is the location of a large number developer has been selected for this site ing. Three into one will not go! We of the marine support and maintenance and the only information about its plans foresee problems in sharing water-space, vessels, floating cranes, etc. It is to publicised to date to shows a line of provision of parking, and noise from the remain as part of the working harbour. buildings along Bridge Road in complete Heritage Fleet’s ship repair operations. disregard of the requirements of the The Heritage Fleet has to move to make Master Plan which specifies buildings at A decision about this site is presently way for a dry boat storage development right-angles to the road so that they open bogged down in an internal dispute which is planned to hold 670 power up good sight lines from Wentworth between SHFA, NSW Maritime and boats in a large building. The boats will Park. This is an area of dispute with the Land and Property Management be delivered to the water by forklifts. Authority concerning the future of 1 BCC and we are awaiting the release of Bank Street. Blackwattle Cove Coalition (BCC) a DA – some time in 2011. would like to see the parkland on the A new walkway beginning at the exist- A DA has been submitted for the Fish Glebe side of Rozelle Bay extended all ing Glebe foreshore walk, along the Market redevelopment – a $40 million the way along foreshore adjoining The Bridge Road foreshore past the Fish project with $20 million from Govern- Crescent, to the head of the bay. Market and joining up with the walkway ment ($5m for relocation and $15m for on the Pyrmont side of the Glebe Island Turn east and come down into Black- sea wall and drainage). Features of the Bridge will require 10 different owners wattle Bay along the Glebe foreshore redevelopment include an improved to come to the party. Rozelle, Blackwattle, and White Bays sea wall; a board walk on foreshore; accommodate so called ‘passive’ boat- removal of the retail and ice works Through the old Glebe Island Bridge ing activities – rowing, kayaks, dragon buildings from the foreshore; more Note the limited space for permanent boats - which are mostly active early open space; more parking in multi-story moorings between 1 Bank Street and the morning, evening and at weekends. car park; and separation of pedestrians Glebe Island Bridge abutment... If you from private vehicles and trucks. BCC had seen the Pacific Jewel here over the But there continues to be a need to share sees a need for better pedestrian access; last week or so, you would have appre- the bays with commercial traffic – and signage from Darling Harbour; better ciated the problem. soon with the 670 power boats on their vehicle access; and better waste control way out into the harbour. There are questions about the future and storage. of Glebe Island Bridge due to its high Other items of note include Bellevue, Heading towards Pyrmont Point we maintenance cost/low economic value. the heritage crane, the Walter Burley come to the HyMix concrete batch plant Moving the concrete batch plants out Griffin Incinerator, and the boathouses (also owned by Hansons) located on used by the Glebe and Sydney Univer- of Blackwattle Bay would remove need privately owned land with a road reser- for a high level bridge. Maybe the RTA sity Women’s Rowing Clubs. vation through the middle. Perhaps both should have thought about this when it The last site on the Glebe side of concrete batch plants could be relocated planned the Anzac Bridge. Blackwattle Bay is Sydney Secondary to Glebe Island? College where we are still awaiting Part 2 of John Brooks’ description The remaining buildings along Bank completion of the Glebe foreshore walk of the precinct will cover the section Street here are privately owned food to Bridge Road.