| Photographs: | None |
|---|---|
| List: | Register of the National Estate |
| Class: | Historic |
| Legal Status: | Registered (21/10/1980) |
| Place ID: | 2178 |
| Place File No: | 1/12/036/0376 |
| Statement of Significance: |
|---|
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Buildings 95 and 99, dating from 1889-92, are historically highly significant. They were built during the major phase of nineteenth century development of Garden Island as the island became a key naval station for the Royal Navy.
From the early decades of the twentieth century, Garden Island has functioned as the Royal Australian Navy's major fleet base and ship-refitting dockyard. Consequently the buildings have direct connections with a lengthy period of naval activity in Australia, and with a place that is central to the story of Australia's naval history (see also Garden Island Precinct, RNE 2171). (Criterion A.4)
(Themes: 3.14 Developing an Australian engineering and construction industry, 7.7 Defending Australia, 7.7.1 Providing for the common defence) The buildings are important as examples of late nineteenth century workshop and related buildings, designed in the Victorian Italianate style by the NSW Colonial Architect working with designs used by the British Admiralty. The original and early fabric, external and internal, contributes to the significance. (Criterion D.2) Further significance is found in the buildings' association with James Barnet, who as NSW Colonial Architect played a seminal role in the architectural development of NSW for more than two decades. (Criterion H.1) The buildings are large in scale, feature a distinctive late nineteenth century style and make a major contribution to the industrial atmosphere of the Garden Island landscape. In terms of design, form and scale they relate to other buildings (eg Rigging Shed and Chapel, RNE 2173). The open, well proportioned spaces around Buildings 95 and 99 that provide both the setting for appreciating the distinctive building form and style, and the connecting link with other buildings, are important. Consequently the two structures have aesthetic significance. (Criterion E.1) |
| Official Values: Not Available |
| Description: |
|
HISTORY In February 1788, only a month after the arrival of the First Fleet, an island in Sydney Harbour was selected as the site for a garden to supply vegetables for the crew of HMS Sirius. Soon the island became known as Garden Island, and it was allocated to various ships over the next few years. A hut and later a house were built on the island. A small gun battery was also mounted on the island by 1799. By the early 1800s vegetable supplies from other gardens in Sydney made the island garden obsolete. Garden Island became part of the Domain (administratively) for a short period and then was a spot for picnickers. In the 1820s Judge Advocate Ellis Bent was buried on the island, as was Major John Ovens; their tomb was moved to North Sydney in the 1870s once naval development commenced on the island. The island was used also during this time as a convalescent and quarantine depot. In 1856 the NSW Government suggested that Garden Island be used as a naval base by the Imperial authorities (the northern end though was to be kept for defence use by the army). Royal Navy occupation began in the late 1850s. In 1865 the south of the island was officially dedicated to the Admiralty, and in 1866 the rest of the island was dedicated to the Admiralty as well. Garden Island was now destined to become the headquarters of the Royal Navy in Australia. The major period of development of the naval station took place from 1883 to 1896. The first task was to level the southern hill on the island, and wharves and buildings followed, slowly to the late 1880s and then with greater speed. By the early 1890s Garden Island had quite an industrial appearance. Electricity arrived in 1896 and the station was completed that year and handed over to the Admiralty. Following Federation in 1901 the Commonwealth Government took responsibility for defence. The Royal Australian Navy was formed in 1911 and from 1913 the Commonwealth had the use of Garden Island. The island became the RAN's main fleet base and principal ship-refitting dockyard. The period of the First World War saw much activity at the island, the work relating to the fitting out and arming of transports and troopships. A total of 852 ships was serviced, and 3,000 men employed. Garden Island treated ships from allied fleets as well as RAN vessels. The inter-war period witnessed, initially, reconditioning of merchant ships and, later, expansion of wharves at the island. From 1922 to 1929, in a long-running court case, NSW challenged the Commonwealth's claim to ownership of the island and won. Later, during the Second World War, the Commonwealth acquired Garden Island. During the Second World War many ships were refitted at the island. The major undertaking was the construction of the Captain Cook Graving Dock which began in 1940 and was completed five years later; it was a huge engineering project for Australia to that time, and as well as connecting the island to Potts Point it made Garden Island one of the most important naval bases in the southern hemisphere. The major incident at Garden Island during the war was when, during the May 1942 Japanese midget submarine raid, torpedoes were fired at USS Chicago moored at the island, and one hit HMAS Kuttabul, killing 19 men. After the war few new buildings were erected. During the 1980s a modernisation program got underway. The island is still used by Defence and continues to service the RAN. BUILDING HISTORY Building 95 was built as the Engineers Shop and was constructed during 1889-91. An extension to the east was added during 1892 and it housed the foundry, pattern shop and other engineering functions. A steam power house was also included in the complex. The contractors for both parts of the building were Parry and Farley and the total cost was 25,490 pounds. The building was designed by NSW Colonial Architect James Barnet, using Admiralty plans. Barnet played a very influential role in NSW architecture for several decades. The building has continued to be used as a workshop. Building 99 was erected as a spar shed and dining room, and was built during 1889-91 by contractor G.Langley. James Barnet was again the designer. The building was also used as a store for gun mountings, as a torpedo store in 1892, and as a workshop. The building is still being used as a workshop, and as offices. DESCRIPTION The first section of Building 95 is double height and is built of stuccoed brick, with the render ruled in ashlar to simulate stone. The building is Italianate in style. Facades have recessed bays with arched timber windows and large doorways on the ground floor, and small arched timber windows and semi-circular windows on the upper floor. The extension on the eastern side is two storey and is the same style as the original. The first section has a central row of double circular cast iron columns which support iron roof trusses. In the extension there are large rivetted iron-plated girders which support a timber first floor. Ground floors are mostly concrete, but there is some wood block. The roof is hipped and originally was clad with corrugated galvanised iron and had ridge ventilators; now much of the roof cladding is corrugated asbestos cement. Building 99 is also two storey and is designed in Italianate style. Again the facades have recessed bays, with small arched windows and large doorways, and there is an angled section connecting to Building 95. Again, walling is stuccoed brick, with ashlar imitation. The ground floor is concrete. A central row of circular cast iron columns supports iron girders and a timber first floor. The original corrugated galvanised iron roof is now corrugated asbestos cement. Windows are double-hung. The buildings, in terms of design, scale and form, relate to the Rigging Shed and Chapel (RNE 2173) and the spaces around the buildings are important. |
| History: Not Available |
| Condition and Integrity: |
| Regarding Building 95, the power house chimney was removed in the 1930s. Extensions on the western side were built, removed and replaced with an extension running along the whole western side, and another extension was built on the northern side. An external stairway has been added to the eastern side. The building is in good condition. Regarding Building 99, an external stairway has been added to the northern side, an amenities building has been added to the eastern side, windows have been modified and there have been changes with internal partitions and walls. The building is in good condition. (January 2002) |
| Location: |
| Buildings 99 and 95, West Road, Garden Island. |
| Bibliography: |
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Martin, Eric, "HMA Naval Dockyard, Garden Island: A Building Conservation Study of the Historic Buildings", for Master of the Built Environment course, University of NSW, October 1980. Schwager Brooks and Partners, "Conservation Strategy, Heritage Inventory: Garden Island Naval Base and Dockyard, Sydney", for the Department of Defence, June 1994. |
Report Produced: Wed Feb 10 01:40:26 2010