RTA AUSTRALIA Sydney Division REPORT ON PLAQUING CEREMONIES Pacific Highway, Hawkesbury River Sunday 17 April 2005 at Ipm Kangaroo Point for as an Historic Engineering Marker also the 1930s Ferry Dock sites at Kangaroo Point and Mooney Mooney and Launching the RTA's self-guided tour brochure Bridging the Hawkesbury River, Hornsby to Gosford Opened on 5 May 1945 HORNS BY SH fHE (OUNC It Don Fraser, Engineering Heritage Committee, Sydney, April 2005 CONTENTS Ceremony site location map Flyer with directions National Trust notice Acknowledgements Ceremony Brochure Peats Ferry Pictures including RTA and EA speech notes and RTA self-guided tour brochure ·- . ,. t , .. , \ , /' I' . .' , ,I " 'I, ," .1 ( HORNSBY RTA ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA Sydney Division PLAQUINGCEREMONY FOR Pacific Highway, Hawkesbury River as an Historic Engineering Marker Sunday 17 April 2005 at Ipm Kangaroo Point Opened on 5 May 1945 Access to site 1. Use Pacific Highway from Hornsby, venue is just before the bridge on the right. 2. Use the F3 from Wahroonga, cross the Hawkesbury River and take the Mooney Mooney exit on the left then take the right hand loop road under the F3 to join the Pacific Highway. Turn right and follow the Pacific Highway (DO NOT TAKE THE SLIP ROAD BACK ONTO F3) back across the river, venue is on the left just after leaving the northern end of the steel truss bridge. Parking The venue is a public viewing area and there is a marina nearby so parking in the venue area may be limited. However there is a rest area further towards Sydney. We hope to have RTA Marshals on duty. Signature evenh 'Community in Focus' The Na t ion a 1 Tr II 5 t (N 5 VV ) Pbotography COlnpctitioIl Dust ut'!' yuur camera and help lI> ljf ~::JJJ y ::Jij!JJJ~~r Y!J1J!JJJ celebrate our sixtieth anniversary b:­ capturing the passionate and dedicated individuals, groups and organisatiull> ij!JJJ1~.r ~JJ~~ that share the National Trust's idcab about preseJ"\ing our heritagc. 9th May 2005 Regional finalists' entnes \.... ill b, N,riionai Trust Centre - Observatory tHII, Sydney exhibited at either a National Tru:--l property or community VCllUC durillt ' the Heritage Festival with a pril'L The Creati\'<'; Conservation con1l:n:nee seeks to examine' wll\.~ther ill awarded in each regiun. \Vinning entll<.> design terIlls ther~ is cl real diftCrence between 'heritlgl" and will be exhibited at the National TrU:--1 'architectur~', and asks why tb~ bigger projects continue to draw on both Centrc, Sydney and published in the the 'architect' and the 'heritage architect'. National Trust magazine rel1cctiolb. Regiunal finalists will be in the runnili~' h ollr architectural education in the context of the historical 2U()..) Building l'unllcCIIUlb 1'or a S 1500 gift voucher from ulle UI environment failing us? Do tbe words wc use alienate or illuminate and Ph,)tugrapl1y l'UlI1p.:litllll\ S y d 11 C Y, s P I' e !l1 i e !- p hot 0 g rap 11 i l Jo th..:y idclltify the members orll1<," 'heritage club'? 1\llss Traill's IlulIs,: L3<lIl1l1l,1 Pcupie''' l'llllIC': Wll1nL'1 specialists, Georges Electronics, and the f/"r!t('/"!,· ('1111'<11/(',' d<'!.II! b; winning imagc will be reproduced Oil ~, The conference key nol!: speaker is ShalH~ de B1acam from ch.: Blacam (/rail:tlll l.IIPI1 postcard with acknowledgement. and Meagher, Dublin. Other speakers include Prof,,;ssor Tom Hl'Hcghan, Protl.:ssor ol'Architeeture at the University of Sydney, Tim For more inllmnalion on thc Creer, Partner at Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, .Jacqui Goddard, lhcllle, regional sites, prizes and Conservation Diredor, National Trust of Australia (NSW) and SUSHn cnnliitiuns, call yuur closest i\lacdonald. Assistant Director, NS\V Ikritagl~ Otfice. participating National Tru:-,t property (sec dcta i Is ill the Ilrst sectiull the program, dcnoted Conferenre Fee: S 16() or by the 0 symbol). Or visit Concession: S 145 Special Student Price: $50 \\,\V\\·.l1s\\'.l1at i onal trust .org.au For enquiries, bookings, registration or submission of papers to down load an entry Ilml1 and fur morc il1t()nnatiull. L.lltries pkase call1vlara Barnes on l)25R 0 I h I or 200..) Buildll1g Clll1llcClioll' close 30 rVlarch 2005. "hlllography COl11pclitiul1 e lJ1ai I at con fere nCC(~L; ns W .!la tiona I trust. org. au Winl1cl'" f),n' Dr,',1k by .i,lme, (JiLIl:t Pruudly sponsored hy: ',"':,',' Plaquing tlistoric Peats ferry Brit1ge SUNDAY 17 APRIL 2005 Kallgaroo Poinl, BrooklYIl 1.00p!"1 The NSW Roads and Traflic Authority (RTA), Engineers Australia, jlustrafian Icons Pra1ned Ilorl1sby Shire Council and Gostord CiTY Council will plaque Peats t:erry BriJge as a IIistoric Engineering Marker in celebration of its 60th hum a jar of Vegelllite to the landmark Sydney Opera House to anlli versary () rser\" ice. the bouncing kangaroo, Australia's icuns have shaped our country's heritage and clllbudiL'd tILe Australian spirit. The e\eIlt will also feature lhe plaquing of Peah Ferry Ducks at Some of Australia':-o most prominent artists will be invited tu Katlgaruo Point and lvIooney fvlooney Point, alung with the Iaullch oflhc explore al1d capture the very e~.·;ellcc urOllr country through the RTA's latest self-guidcd hcritage tour brochure Brielgill,\!, fliL' tlLL'me or 'Australian lCUlls Framed'. As Cl persunal tribute to the 1/u\l"kL'shlll"r: /imll 1 JOI"I/shr tu Gosj(ml in recognition or the 75th spirit ufAustralia, the artist's interpretatiun orthe 'icons' themc anniversary oCthe opening orthe Hornsby to Gusford road. w i 11 be his or her 0\\'11. This is a free event with arternoon Colkctive cti'orts will then come together in JUlle 2005, fur a tea inclmkd. For enquiries: National Trust gala dinner and charity auction which \\ill 04134~2(}24 provide the chance tu bid for these unique pieces. H T A ~""~- In celebrating the 60th anniversary of the National Trust, an ·V Austr,tlian icol! itself, this gala charity dinner will raise funds for the cOlltinuation of the Trust's valuable work. For further Roads and Traffic Authority illformati\)J1 and bookings please call925X {J 12'). www.rta.nsw.gov.au I'<olionullrusl Hc:rdClue FeltivClI 2005 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The event commemorated the 60th anniversaries of the Peats Ferry Bridge and the National Trust (NSW). The combined plaquing ceremonies (Peats Ferry Bridge and remnants of the two 1930' s Ferry Docks) and launch of the RTA tour brochure on Sunday 17 April 2005 at Kangaroo Point were very successful, well organised, well presented and well attended. This was due largely to the time and effort put into the planning since mid-2004 by Ken McNally, Special Projects Manager, RT A. Engineers Australia's plaquing process was dealt with by Don Fraser, Engineering Heritage Committee, Sydney Division, Engineers Australia. Valuable input was obtained from many sources, The Mayors and staffs of Hornsby Shire Council and of Gosford City Council Homsby Shire Historical Society Brisbane Water Historical Society Inc. Dr Geoff Ford, author of the RT A's tour brochure Mari Metzke, Royal Australian Historical Society. VIPs present were, in order of appearance, er Nick Berman, Mayor, Homsby Shire Council Cr Malcolm Brooks, Mayor, Gosford City Council Neil Forrest, Asset Manager, Sydney Region, RT A Norm Himsley, President, Sydney Division, Engineers Australia The 14 descendents of George Peat Janine Kitson, Board Director, National Trust (NSW) and Judy Hopwood MLA, Member for Hornsby, attended. The activities were well recorded by RT A video cameraman Ross Frizelle and their photographer Geoff Ward - for future use in a video that will include clips from the movie film of the opening ceremony for Peats Ferry Bridge on 5 May 1945 - and for other promotional plans. A delicious afternoon tea was supplied by Cf's Coronation Cafe, Hornsby. The RTA team did a splendid job in setting up and removing all the equipment and controlling the parking of visitors' vehicles. Sincere thanks, Don Fraser, May 2005 THE ENGIl ,.~ERS Howard Macoun SHERRARD prepared RTA four preliminary designs in 1927 - half floating pontoons, half viaduct plus an opening span - a low level steel/concrete EN GINEERS viaduct with an opening span - 4 high level AUSTRALI A steel trusses with a sloping viaduct - 6 larger Sydney Division PLAQUINGCEREMONY trusses high level throughout. As illustrated FOR the final design was 2 very large high level steel truss with a sloping viaduct. Sherrard was a long range road planner and extended bitumen pavements throughout New South P:E~ ~S P:E1{1{Y :B1{f]1J§:E Wales. He was Department of Main Roads W . e .;on .... '-1' .. , .. -.. ICommissioner 1953-1962. Hawkesbury River Spencer DENNIS graduated from Sydney University in 1909 and joined the Department of Public Works in 1913 and then transferred as an Historic Engineering Marker to the Main Roads Board in 1928 at which time he was working on Tom Uglys bridge 17 April 2005 construction. During his service as above Kangaroo Point and with the Department of Main Roads he was associated with over 1,000 bridges including major projects such as the Peats Ferry Bridge, Northbridge concrete arch, the lift bridges at Hexham and Batemans Bay and the Iron Cove Bridge, Sydney. The 1961 Pacific Highway bridge near Port Macquarie was named the 'Dennis Bridge'. ~------------------~I Frank LAWS graduated from Sydney Uni­ versity in 1922 and joined the Main Roads Board in 1926 and began working on bridge projects under H M Sherrard and later with Spencer Dennis. He wrote papers on bridge design for the in-house journal 'Main Roads'. He was involved in the design of some 200 Bridges including Peats Ferry, Narooma, Opened on 5 May 1945 Swansea, Raleigh and Iron Cove, Sydney.