I lifj]l~~~~rw ~ ~'7 ~1WJ7- I II . ~ ~\ L;L.~: c{-4\0* DAWES POINT BATTERY~~ I I ARCHAEOLOGICAL r I EXCAVATIONS I 1995 II DAWES POINT, I THE. ROCKS, I SYDNEY I I I I I I . VOLlJME f I lNTROt)tJCTION & IIISTORY .I I SYDNEY COVE I · AU THORITY · A. WAYNE JOHNSON 199X I QG\C\4-,.41 J)AvJ I I I I 2 I I VOLUME 1: INTRODUCTION & HISTORY II 11 II Volume 1: 1.0 Introduction I 2.0 Site History Volume 2: 3.0 Site Investigation 4.0 Post-Excavation Analysis I 5.0 Site Conservation 6.0 Bibliography I I I II I I I II I I I I I I CONTENTS DRAFT 1.0 INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Author ldt.·ntification I 1.2 Aclmowledgrnents 5 1.3 Location 7 I 1.4 Ahh•·eyiations used in Text 7 I 1 A Historical Surnrn:u·~· R 1.5 Prnious Site Assessment H Ui Statement of Significance 9 I The Importance of Place 9 CommunitY Value of the Place 9 Understanding the Significance of the Place 10 I Archaeology I 0 I I. 7 Preyinus Worl< HI 2.0 SITE HISTORY 13 I 2.1 Eora 13 Traditions of the Coastal Eora People 13 I Archaeological EYidence of the Fora People in The Hocks 13 2.2 Dawes' OhsenahH·~· ( 17HH-91) I..J First Obsen a tory ( 17RR-R'J) H I Second Obsem1tory ( 17X9-'J I) 15 2.3 Powder Magazine (17H9-JHI9) 16 I 2.4 Signal Station ( 17911) 1H 2.5 Ccmete•·~· (l7HH- Ul32) 19 I The Colony· s First Cemetery.., 19 Burial of Executed Prisoners 21 2.6 Ratte•·~· (1791-IH19) 23 I The Artillen· Officers 2J Dawes ( 17RR-91) 2J The Absence of an ArtillerY Officer ( 17'l I-17'J')) 25 I Abbott ( 1799-1 RO I). Barrallier (I XO 1-2) and Rdlasis ( I X02-1) 2G Minchin (I RO.J.-1 R09) 2X Abbott (I R09-IO). OYens (I R I 0-1 I). Primrose ( I XI 1-12 ). Cameron (I X12-I.J. ). Gill (I R I.J.-17). Druitt I (IRI7-IR22) 30 2.7 Fnmcis G•·ccnwa~··s Wnrl<s (IH19-211) 31 I 2.H RattcQ' (lH211-IH56) 32 The Artillery Officers and Superintendents of Ordnance (IX7~-2R) 32 OYens (I R22-25) and DumaresfJ (I R2(,-2X) 31 I Office of Public Works (I ~QR-11 ). Colonial Architect's Office (I R\2-1 R.J.R) :n I I I George Barney (IR3'i-IR.fl) I Gordon (IR-fl-IR-fR) Colonial Architect· s Department (I X-lX-) I 2.9 Ro~·al A11iller~· (1856-18711) 36 The Royal Engineers and Lieutenant-Colonel George Barney· s Works :16 Upper Battery 37 Lower BatlerY 3X I Powder Magazine 3X Guardhouse 3R Officers· Quarters 3X I Residence JO Barracks -Hl I Ancillary Buildings(") 40 2.111 Colonial Defence (18711-l'JIHI) 41 I 2.11 Prh·ate Residences (1911-f-1924) 44 2.12 Wate1· Police Station ( 19119-1924) 44 I 2.13 Dawes Point Tractor Schnnl. DCJHlrhnt'nt of Rt'JHltriatinn ( 1918-1924) Southern lnfill Building I 2.14 Harbour B.-idge (1924-1932) 46 Upper Battery ( 1925) 46 Dorman and Long Offices ( 192--l--1932) 46 Greenway Guardhouse Rear Wings ( 19H-.~2) 47 I Cable Trench ( 1925-30) 47 Piers ( 1926) 4X Other Works (I 925-:1-f) 4X 2.15 The Pari< (1934-1995) Sen·ices Da\Yes Point Resen·e Plan or Management. I 990 2.16 Dawes Point and the Dd'enct· nf S~dm·~· (1941-45) I I I I I I I I I 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Dawes Point archaeological cxcmations ''ere undertaken in I'J'J'i to inycstigatc the nature of possible I remains associated \\ith the human occupation of the site. This report is a summary of the findings of that work. incorporating the history. archaeology and research questions addressed of the site. I I 1.1 Author Identification The greater part of the text of this report \\as \\riltcn by Wayne Johnson. \\ith some text by Louise Zarmati. Research was undertaken by the authors \\ith assistance from a number the Yoluntcers \\ho. inspired by the I history of the site. sought out other ayem1cs of information and pa.~sed their findings on. I 1.2 Acknowledgments The Dawes Point archaeological cxcayations \\ere made possible lw the assistance of the following people. and I particular thanks goes to the yolunlcers "ho g;n c up I heir om1 I imc to assist in the excayations I Archacolo~ists KcYin Barnes \V;I\ nc Johnson Mark Dunn KarYn l'vlclcod I Matthew Kelleher Maclaren North I Work Expcl"icncc Students Monique Beaudoire Sarah McNultY Robert Brewster Tina Safaris Guadalupe Cincencgui Hannah Scolt-Young I Garth Douglas Matthc\1 Simpson Elizabeth Elwell Nick Stc\\arl Andre\\· Fairley Flise St0kcs-Biakc I Benjamin Gibbons I rene Tripp L;mren Hutchins Salh Watson I Belinda Mendez I I I I I I I (j I Volunteers John Alexander Bnan Fit~:gerald Tony Panlton I Edwina Andrc\YS Josephine rreame Anna Payne Craig Barker Karen ( i;l\ nor-Sperig Theresa Perc;. John Barron Chari ie Guiness Frank Pnn·is 1\ianrccn Barrmy Denis Hackett Ruth Rayc I John Basscll Rolfe Halter William Reid Lydia Bell Steyen HaYes Andrea Richardson Samantha Boulton Wend~· Homschck Patrick Richardson I Melanic Bnmton Valerie HumphreYs Kristen Schubert Ian Burns Andrea Hunter Peter Searle Gac Callender YYonue luall Lee Seer Matthew Campbell Colin Johnstou TonY Simons I Celina Ching Celia Joues John Skidmore June Clark Michael KellY Dan Slater Shcrryn Clinton Shanuon Kennech -Clark Leila Smith I Lorelei Cooke Georgia Koutt.~ Tom Stimson Jacqueline Craig Alcxamlra Kontts Rmce Stubbington-Mitchcll Kylie-Marec Daley Anne l.ecnlier Rhonda Shlhbington-Mitchcll I Trent Darby Rae Leonard Ron Sutcliffe Kntia Davis Jim L.ibb~ Emma Thompson Basi I Dewhurst Shann MackeY Rcnjamin Tinker Amanda Dodson L,·dia Matthc\\s Carlos Torres I Margaret Dodson Trisha McDouald Pat Tunks Ste,·en Dodson Ken McGuffin Bctlv Wade Samuel Duyker Andrew McMcchan Peter Webster I Pierre Duykcr Rod l\1ouutford Louis Wickman S•1san Duyker Dorothy Ng Brad Wood Samnntha Edmonds Sha1111 O'Dmer Ann Wright I Steven Ellis 13 ri gi It e Oi Izi ngcr Justin Engels Rebecca Pagan I I Geoff Bailey Susan Omkcr Ham· Bate Natacha Cinilbaud Colin Bertram Cat hv Kelman I Gerard Brandsen DaYid Lake Alan Cadogan Kate Monntstcphcns I Bob Clark lise Wmst Victoria Barntclis and Ro~·al Austntlian A•·tiller~ I Historical Socict~ Major General John Whitcl;m. A.O .. C.B E. Colonel Ralph Sutton I Greg Scott Peter Webster I I I I I 7 I 1.3 Location I The site is located at D;mes Point. at the southern end of George Street. bounded by Lo\\er Fort Street. George Street and Hickson Road. The Rocks. Jt is currently D;mes Point Pari<. created in 1912--l to landscape the area bene<1th the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Dmres Point Park consists of a fairly nat area beneath the carriageway of I the Bridge approach. sloping steeply down to Hickson Road on the northern side in the Yicinity or the Bridge pylon. and gently to the same road on the north-eastern ,o;ide Retaining \\ails e.'\ist on the e<1stern side (Hickson I Road) and adjacent to Lo\\er Fort Street I 1.4 Abbreviations used in Text ADB Australian Dictionary of Biography l-IRA Historical Record,, of Anst ralia I HRNSW Historical Records orNe\\ South Wale.<; I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1.4 Historical Summary I A comprehensiye history of the site. incorporating the archaeological results. is found in section 2.0 of this report. I Prior to the arriya) of the Europeans in 17XX. the peninsula nm\ known as Dawes Point \Yas part of the territory of the Bidgigal. a subgroup of the Eora people of co;J.~tal SYdJicY To them the point was known as Tarra. howeyer little physical or documentary eYidencc sun·iyes of their presence at the site. I The earliest known European occupation occurred soon afler the arri,·al of the First Fleet in 17XX when Lieutenant William Dawes of the RoYal 1\larincs established an obsen·aton on the point He named the peninsula Point Maskelyne after the Astronomer Royal. at whose behest D;mcs had accompanied the neet The I point soon after became knmm as D;nres· Point from r>awc~· occupation. Dawes left the colony late in 1791. his obsen·atory falling into disuse. I The site \\as utilised for military purposes from 17WJ \\ith the constmction of a powder maga1.inc. In 17lJI a gun battery \Yas established here. laying the foundations for the O;mcs Point Hattery which \Yas to surYiYc until 1925 when the site \\aS utilised for construction of the SHine' Harbonr Bridge. OYer the l.lll \Cars of the batte~Y··s existence there \\CIS a steady stream of imprm cmcnt.~ to the site \\ith the addition of buildings. I facilities and armaments. The construction of the Harbour Bridge swept away all of the buildings and installations 011 the site bctwccll I llJ25 and 19.12. The current park \\aS created after the completion of the Bridge and by the late 1930s fiyc of the cannon from the battc~Y were reinstated close to their original position as a reminder of the former b<JtteD I The park has since remained rclati,·clv unchanged. I 1.5 Previous Site Assessment Up Hnlil 199) assessment of potential remains or D;mes Point Rail en had been made in I hrec separate studies.