The Barracks Veggie Patch - Part 1

Hyde Park Barracks (2013) with its red-pebble courtyard. The building immediately to its right did not exist in 1819, neither did the roads, obviously. The building on the extreme, upper right is the post-1865 St Mary's Cathedral replacing the original which burnt down. Its axis was east-west, rather than the current north-south axis. The veggie patch was to the right of the cathedral.

Left: Click on this to enlarge. It is an aerial shot taken from Sydney Tower. I have circled the area that was the original veggie patch. Right: Taken from the southern steps of the rebuilt cathedral, looking across to the Museum. College Street runs down the right of the photo. It is a very sloping area, which added to the difficulties that the colonists did not forsee.

For the first quarter-century of the life of Sydney Town, the majority of convicts were not locked up. There was nowhere to lock them into, and just where were they going to run-a-way to? But then in 1810, along comes Lachlan Macquarie (the 5th Governor), who loved design and order. He did things like straightening streets, and constructing what are now called “public” buildings. One such was the Hyde Park Barracks: to lock the convicts up into when they weren’t out slaving in road-gangs. Once locked up, they had to be fed; the cheapest way possible was the mantra. The Governor allocated 11 acres, close-by, for a veggie patch.

Left: "Sydney from Woolloomooloo" (1837)(Robert Russell)(National Library of Australia). On the left is Sydney Grammar School, then the spire of St James, then the gardener's lodge, and in the distance right is the first St Mary's. Hyde Park Barracks is the orange-walled building poking out behind the cathedral. Right: "View of Sydney from Woolloomooloo, looking West"(1839)(Frederick Garling)(State Library of NSW). Ignore the little building in the left foreground. In the middle-distance, we have another view of the first incarnation of Sydney Grammar, then the gardener's lodge. Still too early for the Museum. However. running down beside the lodge, and heading toward us is William Street, and the stone-bridge over the Yurong Stream. Way over in the background, on the right, stands the spire of St James, and to its right, St Mary's. There are walking paths criss-crossing the relatively steep field.

The first governor, Arthur Phillip, had determined a town boundary in 1792, just prior to his return to England. The barracks were close to the eastern edge of this boundary, an edge that was being rapidly populated with imposing government buildings, and parklands dedicated to both military use, AND the hoi-polloi. The veggie garden was constructed in 1819, after the area was denuded of its “forest” of Angophora costata (a native gum tree) and Eucalyptus pilular (a Blackbutt). It was the eastern limit of the Turpentine-lronbark forests supported by the underlying Ashfield Shale soils. The colonists were deluded into thinking that if the land supported all this natural vegetation, it would grow turnips, and carrots, and parsnips, and pumpkins, as well as potatoes and onions: all the ingredients for soup. By 1831, the experiment had failed, and the land left vacant.

Left: "A Survey of the Settlement" (1792)(Governor Arthur Phillip)(???). This is Phillip's "boundary line" inside which all the land was government land, and NOT to be given in grants to settlers. Typically Australian, future governors and civil servants overlooked this dictat. Righr: "Plan of the Town and Suburbs of Sydney" (1822)(State Library of NSW). The site of the convict garden is laid out in a grid just off-centre, and numbered "40". To the right is heading east.

We now know this area as Cook+Phillip Park, between St Mary’s Cathedral (foundation stone laid 1821) and the Australian Museum (building work started in 1846) which is bounded primarily by College Street (street constructed in 1832) and William Street (construction commenced in 1836). The veggie garden pre-dates all four of these locators, occupying some of the Sydney Grammar land, most of the Museum land, the start of William Street, and much of the cathedral forecourt. However, it now exists in historic documents only. There is nothing on the ground as evidence that it existed at all.

Left: Photograph of the Gardener's Lodge (1880)(Australian Museum Archives). This is the only knpown photograph. There are artistic interpretations, as I have indicated. The lodge is the octagonal building on the right. Right: Click on this 2013 photo of the Museum, in an aerial shot from Sydney Tower, I have included a big red X about where the lodge was located. In the 2015 rejuvenation of the Museum entrance, this spot has been overwhelmed by the "floating glass Crystal Hall" which I personally find under-whelming.

There had been physical evidence – once upon a time. The gardens were laid out as one would expect from those accustomed to English gardens: a large square divided by walkways into four (smaller) squares, with a central circle, and in this central circle, stood the gardener’s lodge. The octagonal lodge was located at the NE corner of the first Museum building which was opened in 1857. The lodge was constructed c. 1820 when hopes for the success of the venture were high. It was demolished between 1880 and 1885, in preparation for major remodelling of the two existing Museum buildings, and the construction of the third (southern) wing. It had been occupied by a police constable and his family in the 1840s, and then used by the Museum as a taxidermist’s workshop until c. 1865, when it was converted into a kitchen and wash-house. It was single storey, with a central chimney, made from brick and stucco, with a shingle roof.

Left: Frontispiece to "A History of NSW: From its Settlement to the close of the Year 1844" (1844)(Braim, TH)(Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, SLM/HHT). This appears to be a view from College Street, looking north-east over Woolloomooloo Bay. the Potts Point ridge, with Garden Island and Port Jackson. Right: "Panoramic View of College Street and Hyde Park" (1867-1870) (Johan Nepomuk Degotardi)(State Library - NSW). The western swathe of the Convict Garden is, at least, fenced it, and appears to be hosting a couple of goats.

The convict garden was no more, but the "parkland" remained in government hands, being hived off for a range of uses until 1998. Sydney Grammar was allocated the southern-most portion beside the Francis Forbes allotment. Beside that, land was ear-marked for the Australian Museum, and behind that, one of a number of National Schools. A strip was used to widen the top-half of William Street, some temporarily given to the Blind Institute, some to the Hyde Park Nursery, and some allocated to a lawn-bowling club. Not only did the garden go to rack'n'ruin, but Hyde Park Barracks did not fare much better, until the 1970s, when a new civic awareness, and a respect for our convict heritage blew through the town.

"Looking south-east from the tower atop St James" (1871)(Supplement to Illustrated Sydney News)(State Library - NSW). The cathedral is a burnt shell. The northern side of the Museum is obscured by dense brush. The diagonal walking track through the convict garden is now a road for carts and gigs.

The Barracks Veggie Patch - Part 1 The Barracks Veggie Patch - Part 2 (coming soon)

References "Lost Convict Lodge Rediscovered" "The Convict Vegetable Garden that never really was" Research Skills in Practice (2013) (Matthew Stephens, SLM)(Museum of Sydney) The Sydney Gazette (8 May 1819)(P1-2) Heritage Assessment: Cook and Phillip Parks (March 1997)(Lawrence Neild and Partners, Australia Pty Ltd)(Spackman & Moss Pty Ltd)(University of Sydney) Etheridge, R., 1919. The Australian Museum—fragments of its early history. Records of the Australian Museum 12(12): 339–400, plates xlv–xlix. [4 December 1919] The Domain: Volume 2 - Cultural Landscape Study (Royal Botanic Garden and Domain Trust)(Rosemary Annabel) Cook+Phillip Park(City of Sydney)(March 2013)

Hyde Park - the widening of College Street

To take this shot, I am standing about where the steam shovel is working in the second B&W shot. I am facing north. Ironically, the width of the relatively new cycle lane is about how much College Street was widened in c. 1930.

The foundation stone for Sydney College (later to be incorporated as Sydney Grammar School) was laid - by the Chief Justice Sir Francis Forbes - in January 1830, and College Street itself was created in 1832. Your imagination tells you that it was a rutted, dirt track for horses and gigs pushed up beside the eastern perimeter of Hyde Park. A decade after Wentworth Avenue was ploughed through the houses on the southern side of Liverpool/Oxford Streets - in abt 1912 - College Street was widened for the first time. It was widened again in the early '30s.

Looking SW over Hyde Park South towards Liverpool Street from roof of building at corner of College Street and Francis Street (1930s)(Courtesy of City of Sydney). Note the balagan of building design on the southern side of Liverpool Street, where, not all that earlier, stood the elegant Lyons Terraces.

But everything in this Sydney 'hood was in upheaval from 1919 until about March 1932. The findings of the "Royal Commission for the Improvement of the City of Sydney and its Suburbs, 1909" were gradually implemented. Design competitions were held for both an underground railway system, and a bridge to span the harbour. Hyde Park was deemed to be the home for two stations on the "city circle" underground: St James, and Museum. Regular services commenced at each of these stations in December, 1926. From 1919 until 1927, the vast majority of Hyde Park was excavated.

These trwo shots show the 1930 terrain as it is in 2015. Left: Looking south Right: Looking north

The southern end of the park was beginning to return to some degree of normalcy as 1926 progressed, and a competition was held for the redesign of the park, which was ostensibly won by Norman Weekes, even though the committee only implemented parts of Weekes' design. They at least went ahead with the ANZAC War Memorial, and the Archibald Fountain.

Looking SW over Hyde Park South towards Liverpool Street from roof of building at corner of College Street and Stanley Street (1930s)(Courtesy of City of Sydney This shot was taken a few months later, and fron one street further down College Street.

And so to the widening of College Street from about 1926 - 1932. It was part of the Weekes redesign of the decimated park, and occurred as the ANZAC Memorial was nearing completion.

Hyde Park - Burdekin Terraces

Whitlam Square. The cyclist is crossing over Liverpool Street, heading north. The cars are crossing from College Steet, over the square, and heading down into Wentworth Avenue. The pedestrians have crossed over College St from Hyde Park, and are about to head up Oxford Street.

Hyde Park is part of a swathe of green-belt carved out by Governor Lachlan Macquarie between 1810 and 1821. It includes the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Domain, and Hyde Park. This green oasis sweeps up from the harbour, beside the Opera House, to Liverpool Street, on the southern boundary of Hyde Park (which, of course, is named after HP in London). In the 5th image in this post, you are looking down the gunnels of this parkland, from close to Liverpool Street, between the spires of St Mary's Cathedral, over Hyde Park Barracks, and between the sails of the Opera House.

Two very hard to find shots of the Burdekin Terraces. On the left: 1917, and the slender sandstone building right on the corner is being demolished. On the right: March 1926, and the terraces themselves are being demolished. This was about the time when College Street was widened. More on this widening next week. Both images courtesy of City of Sydney Photographic Archives

For well nigh 100 years (abt 1830 to abt 1930), Hyde Park was surrounded by the homes of the powerful, and the well-off, terraces mainly. Housing judges, doctors, and government officials. I have already posted about Lyons Terraces on Liverpool Street which were erected in abt 1841. However, College Street was constructed in 1832, and the Burdekin Terraces pre-date the Lyons Terraces, but I cannot find their date of construction. Burdekin was an ironmonger (hardware merchant) with a fine eye for buying the debts of others. He built himself a fabulous mansion on Macquarie Street which was demolished in 1933 to make way for the extensions to Martin Place.

A taller shot of the intersecyion and its hotels today. Remember, the terraces were only three floors high, so about up to that funny looking olive screen on the Hyde Park Plaza.

However, these terraces were on College Street, just down from what is now called Whitlam Square (the intersection of College Street, Oxford Street, Wentworth Avenue, and Liverpool Street). In the two shots I took last week, the cars are coming FROM College Street, and we are looking directly at the location of Burdekin's terraces. Not the corner building (which is very slender), but the next two towers - the Hyde Park Plaza Hotel, and the Pullman Hotel. The 4th tower block along is the old Avery Building which housed the bureacracy of the NSW Police Force for 30 years from abt 1970. It is now The Residence, Hyde Park, and it was from the top of this building that the shot showing the greensward was taken.

A shot taken from the top of the new "The Residence, Hyde Park", from the website of Scott-Carver who did the remodelling of the Avery offices, into a very swanky set of apartments, thank you very much. Eye teeth to get up to the roof-top terrace!

I have used this sketch by John Rae before, but it serves its purpose well. I have noted both Lyons Terrace, and Burdekin Terrace.

A sketch by John Rae, 1842

Other posts of interest: Hidden Agendas - Lyons Terraces Hyde Park - Then & Now Hyde Park - A road runs through it

Sydney from on high (6)

I have swung right around nearly to where I started this series 6 days ago. This must be close to due east. There are two city streets intersecting where Hyde Park North meets Hyde Park South. The street with the bus, and the red cars in it, is William Street. At this very intersection the name of the street changes to Park street. If you continue up the street (to the left) you will reach Kings Cross. If you continue down the street (to the bottom of the image) you will reach the Sydney Town Hall. The street that runs across the image is College Street. There are two major buildings fronting College Street. The one on the corner with William Street is the Australian Museum of Natural History It is the building with the vast expanses of green roof. The building next in is Sydney Grammar School. You can see its quadrangle playground. Here use this magnifying glass. This school is the reason the street is College Street. From 1830 to 1850, the sandstone building fronting the street was Sydney College. That sandstone building is called "Big School". Is is a greater public school, and they are allowed to have boy-jokes like that. In 1852, the building, supported by an act of parliament was reopened as SGS, specifically as a feeder for the newly established University of Sydney, out on Petersham Hill. From the observation level of the Sydney Tower, Sydney, Australia.

Big School

Referred to affectionately as 'Big School', the senior part of Sydney Grammar School stands on College Street, facing Hyde Park south, and beside the Australian Museum. It is a secondary school for boys only, aged from about 13 to about 18 years of age. Currently, the enrolment is about 1,100 boys. There are two preparatory schools: St Ives with its 400 enrolments; and, Edgecliff with its 300 enrolments.


The foundation stone for this building, bearing the name of the Chief Justice, Francis Forbes, and the name of the State Governor, Richard Bourke, was laid in 1830, whereupon the building was home to Sydney College, which closed in 1850. Between 1850 and 1857 the building housed the fledgling University of Sydney. In 1854 Sydney Grammar School was established by Act of Parliament, and has occupied the buildings ever since. The annual fee for each of the six senior school years is $27,324.

Sydney Elders

It is a joyous exhibition of achievement that awaits those who take in Mervyn Bishop's exhibition of portraits of 'Sydney Elders' at the Australian Museum on College Street. An elder does not have to be old, rather a mentor with something to teach younger members of their tribe. Many of these elders are of the Eora tribe, but others are Gringai, or Bundjalung, or Wiradjuri, or Bidjigal, or Gamilaroi.

They emanate pride, and achievement, and solidity, character traits not usually associated with members of indigenous tribes within the greater Australian community. The character traits are most definitely there, just not concentrated upon as they are in Bishop's exhibit. All too often, we concentrate upon the negatives.

Mervyn Bishop's self-portrait is with bow-tie, in Aboriginal colours.

Beware the man who isn't there!

Two views of the stair-well in the southern wing of the Australian Museum on College Street.

This is my contribution to the Weekend in Black and White community.

History down the gurgler

As I meandered through the WW2 wing down at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra recently, I happened upon a display board showing part of the city of Sydney with lights indicating assorted facilities available towards the end of the war. See that large light, the one in Hyde Park. That fascinated me!

Upon my return, I did some research, and some stepping out within the park, and bingo! I learnt about the existence of The British Centre from June 1945 until November 1947.


It was a large, two storey unsophisticated building housing a wonderfully sprung dance floor, run for the sustenance of the many British troops of the Pacific Fleet transiting through Sydney at the end of the war. There is not a skerrick of informaton available about it in Hyde Park now: not a plaque. Nothing. The building itself was sold for one pound and transported piece by piece up to the northern suburb of Hornsby where it was transformed into their maternity wing. It is still protected by the two English stone lions that guarded its entrance from College Street.


Nowadays, the section of Hyde Park which housed The British Centre is an expanse of lawn, and the Sandringham Gardens, which were opened in 1954 by QEII. Jim showed the gates to the gardens in his post yesterday, which jiggled my faltering memory. The opening photograph for this post is the fountain at the centre of the gardens, and the photographs adjacent here, show the gardens themself.

Cycling against the tide

Here is a view of each section of College Street in the inner city. The top shows the College Street cycleway from Whitlam Square to Park Street. The lower shows the same cycle way from Park to Macquarie Street. This is the cycleway that the City of Sydney decided to rename the 'Cadel Evans Cycleway' at the end of July.

Cycleways cop a bashing in the popular media at the moment. These shots will simply reinforce the argument that they are under-utilised white-elephants. However, I am in favour of them. But, I no longer drive, and am no longer welded to the assumptions and prejudices of the motoring public. I have to go everywhere by public transport or shanks' pony. So it stands to reason that I am in favour of cycleways. I am also in favour of the return of trams to the inner city. But trams were crucified by the motoring organisations of the 1950s.

Nothing has changed 60 years later.

Toss yer for it - heads or tails?

There is an old song which comes to mind

Shut the doors, they're comin' in the windows.
Shut the windows, they're comin' in the doors!
Fred Ebb & Paul Klein, mid '50s

This is hangin' out from the Australian Museum on College Street opposite Hyde Park South, advertising their Dinosaur Sleepover on 2nd September.

No kids without adults; no adults without kids. No more than 4 kids per adult. Bring yer own air bed and sleeping bag. And wheelbarrow filled with money!