Milsons Point And Lavender Bay Camden Villa / Camden

Milsons Point and Lavender BayNorth SydneyHistory WalksMilsons Point andLavender BayLength:Difficulty: Easy but there are stepsIntroduction:North Sydney History WalksNorth Sydney has a remarkable number of beautiful and interestinghistorical sites to visit, despite the many changes that affected thearea in the 20th century and the ongoing pressure of developmentin more recent times.These maps were created in 2019 with the aim of introducing localsand visitors to the history of North Sydney, and in the belief thatwalking a landscape is the best way to get to know it. The focus ison architecture, even more than people and events, for buildingsprovide the most accessible means of interacting directly withthe past. They survive where most other examples of ‘materialculture’ from the past – steam trains, corsets and gaslights forexample – do not. Looking at the design and detail of a building andunderstanding it in its environment can provide insights into howpeople lived, what they thought and how things have changed. Ofcourse, knowing who lived there can also be fascinating.These are ‘circle walks’ which will bring the walker back to, or nearto, the point of departure. The closest public transport access points,bus, train or ferry, are indicated. Public toilets are also marked.Walkers are of course urged to cross roads at dedicated crossingpoints or otherwise take due care. Take water, sturdy shoes andsun-protection. An indication of accessibility, degree of difficultyand length is given for each walk. North Sydney’s hilly topographymeans that not all walks are entirely wheel chair or pram accessible.The presence of steps is also indicated.These walks were researched and plotted by North Sydney CouncilHistorian Dr Ian Hoskins with the assistance of Historical ServicesStaff. Susan Wade of the North Shore Historical Society providedvaluable suggestions. We also would like to acknowledge thework of Bill Orme and Graham Spindler in promoting walking inNorth Sydney, and thank Sydways for permission to use their maps.For more information on North Sydney’s history visitthe Heritage Centre, Level 1, Stanton Library,234 Miller Street North Sydney, visit the websitewww.northsydney.nsw.gov.au or emaillocalhistory@northsydney.nsw.gov.aubecame a small park instead, eventually named after LunaPark’s maintenance engineer Ted Hopkins. Part of the sitewas used for a 25 metre pool in 2001.7) Sydney Harbour Bridge, North SydneyOlympic Pool and Luna ParkThe construction of the Bridge transformed this part ofNorth Sydney. The area taken by the Bridge was oncefilled with densely developed streets. Demolitions cutthe population and destroyed a once vibrant commercialprecinct. When the Bridge was completed, the sites of thewaterfront workshops were filled by Luna Park in 1935 andthe Olympic Pool in 1936. The Pool was used for the 1938Empire Games – forerunner to the Commonwealth Games– and was the site of 86 world swimming records from the1950s to the 1970s. The Pool entrance is stylistically similarto the Bridge pylons though its severity is relieved by theplayful friezes featuring frogs. A street called OlympicDrive once ran directly in front of the entrance. It wasincorporated into the expanded Pool complex. Luna Parkand the Pool turned Milsons Point into a recreationalwaterfront.8) Luna Park entranceThe Luna Park face has been a Harbour landmark since 1935.The first two faces wore intimidating scowls. In 1953 the facewas remodelled by the resident artist Arthur Barton so thatit wore a welcoming smile which remained on subsequentrenovations. The Chrysler Towers were an original featureand an obvious reference to the park’s American origins,Luna Park on Coney Island, Brooklyn.9) Michael Leunig memorial to Luna Park fireThis sculpture was designed by artist Michael Leunig andfeatures his well-known character, Mr Curly. It is a memorialto the seven people killed when the Ghost Train caughtfire in 1979. The bronze figure was cast by fellow artistPeter Kingston.10) Peter Kingston WalkwayPeter Kingston moved to Lavender Bay in the 1970s whenhe worked as an artist at Luna Park with Martin Sharp.In 2002 he cast and installed a series of small statuescommemorating characters from Australian popular culturesuch as Blinky Bill the koala and aspects of local history suchas a Hegarty’s ferry. The Walkway was so-named in 2018.1.8 kms11) Ferry wharf and site of bathsThe Lavender Bay ferry wharf was opened in 1871. By 1906services were running every 10 minutes at peak hour.The Bridge dramatically affected the viability of the ferrycompanies but Hegarty’s continued to operate ferriesbetween Circular Quay and Lavender Bay until 2003. Tothe east of the wharf were the Lavender Bay Baths. Publicbathing had occurred here as early as the 1860s whenpopular action secured right of access to the tidal beachagainst the wishes of the landowner James Milson. Abathing enclosure was established in the early 1880s byFrederick Cavill. When the train line destroyed the beach, anenclosed wooden structure was built. Dick Cavill helped todevelop the ‘Australian crawl’ freestyle stroke here. With thecompletion of the Olympic Pool use of the Baths declined.The remaining structure was demolished in the 1970s.12) Rail viaductThis brick viaduct was constructed in 1892-93 as part of theexpensive last section of the north shore train line whichdelivered commuters from St Leonards to the Milsons Pointferry. It is an excellent example of a late Victorian-era publicworks structure. Brick, as opposed to iron, was probablychosen because of the proximity to the Harbour. Muchof the expense of this part was incurred by more than500 metres of tunnelling and nine other viaducts. Afterthe Bridge opened, this section became a shunting line.13) Neptune SlipwayThe Neptune Engineering and Slipway Co. was the lastmajor boatbuilding yard in Lavender Bay. Operations endedin 1989 after nearly a century. Bob Gordon continued tobuild wooden boats in the nearby viaduct arch, convertedto a workshop, until his death in 2006.14) BerowraThis handsome villa was built in the Victorian Italianatestyle in 1888 for the local mayor Matthew Charlton nextto its ‘twin’ called Bugdewoi which was demolished inthe 1980s. It was occupied by the Milsons Point StationMaster from 1920 until the nearby station closed with thecompletion of the Bridge.15) Whiteley House and GardenWendy and Brett Whiteley moved to Lavender Bay in1969. They rented and then bought the 1908 villa nextFew areas have undergone such upheaval as Milsons Point. Amain transport hub from the 1860s to the 1930s with AlfredStreet a vibrant commercial and residential thoroughfare, itwas dramatically affected by the construction of the SydneyHarbour Bridge from 1924-1932. The transformation changedAlfred Street but created three of Sydney’s most enduring icons:the Bridge, the North Sydney Olympic Pool and Luna Park. AlfredStreet became a street of modern office blocks, then a placeof apartment towers when Harbourside residential propertyprices soared from the 1980s. Neighbouring Lavender Bay, calledGooweebahree (Quiberee) by the Cammeraygal people whodrank the fresh water there, had its own transformation, from abustling cove of boatbuilders, swimmers and waterfront villasin the late 1800s and early 1900s to scruffy backwater, then agentrified haunt of artists.This walk will help you explore the transition of Milsons Pointand Lavender Bay and the thread of art and design that connectsthe two areas.1) Milsons Point stationThis is the third train station built at Milsons Point. Thetwo previous stations were located on the foreshore ofLavender Bay from 1893 until the completion of the SydneyHarbour Bridge in 1932.2) Dind’s Hotel siteWilliam Dind ran a hotel on this corner from as early as1858. It was the second hotel on Alfred Street. By the endof the century there were four. Dind’s Hotel was originallya single storey bungalow. A second two-storey buildingwas completed in the early 1900s. It was immortalised in apoem of the same name by Henry Lawson shortly beforehe died in 1922: ‘ At Dind’s Hotel / for those were days ofsin / Six horsemen drank the Old Year out and drank theNew Year in ’ The hotel was demolished in 1938 and thesite became a bowling green.to the steps which, by then, had been divided into flats.A tower with staircase was built to reconnect the variousfloors without the need to reinstate internal stairs. Brettcompleted several iconic paintings of Lavender Bay herein the 1970s. Other artists moved into the neighbouringhouses and this became something of an artistic haven.After Brett’s death in 1992, Wendy created a garden outof the weed-ridden area behind the rail viaduct with thehelp of paid gardeners and volunteers. ‘Wendy’s SecretGarden’ was State-Heritage listed with the house in 2018.16) Clark ParkThis park was established after completion of the SydneyHarbour Bridge. Much of the area was formerly part ofthe rear garden of Brisbane House which was demolishedduring the Bridge construction. It was named in honourof long-serving Council alderman EM Clark.17) 30a Lavender StreetThis extraordinary block of flats was designed by thefirm Morrow and De Putron in 1919. It is designed in astriking Free Classical style which makes good use of stone,polychromatic (multi-coloured) brick and concrete. Thethree huge Tuscan columns are purely decorative.18) 68 Lavender StreetEstablished in 1944 the New South Wales HousingCommission constructed thousands of dwellings inresponse to the housing shortage following World WarTwo. Quiberee, also the Aboriginal name for LavenderBay, was built in 1948 and designed by architectural firmFowell, Mansfield and Maclurcan. It was the first HousingCommission block of flats in North Sydney.19) Jessie Broomfield fountain and Clary AkonstatueWhen animal lover Jessie Stuart Broomfield died in 1935she bequeathed funds for the benefit of Sydney’s dogs.This included the construction of drinking fountains. Thisexample, installed in 1953, is one of several erected. ClaryAkon’s 2007 sculpture Foxie is an obvious reference to thefountain’s intended use.20) Bradfield Park demolition sitesThis part of Alfred Street was once an intensely settledresidential and commercial precinct. Dozens of buildingswere demolished on the east side of Alfred Street to make3) Camden Villa / Camden House(Inside Milson Village)Built in 1864, Camden Villa is one of the oldest survivinghouses in North Sydney. It was once a prominent structureon the rise above Lavender Bay with views up and downthe Harbour. The house was designed in the Regencystyle which characterised much of Sydney’s early colonialarchitecture. Residents included the wool broker PaulTalbot. It was converted to flats in 1908. The house wasincluded in North Sydney Council’s first Heritage Inventoryin 1981. Construction of the surrounding buildings waspermitted on the condition that the building be restored.Its retention in 1986 was an extraordinary engineering feat.The result, however, is a house completely overshadowedwith its context erased.4) Luna Park archThis arch was erected when Luna Park opened in October1935 to welcome park-goers arriving from the newly-builtMilsons Point train station. North Sydney Council approvedits installation in gratitude for the employment providedby the Park during the Great Depression. The arch wasdesigned in the Inter-War Art Deco style which emphasizedthe contemporary American character of the amusementpark. Having fallen into disrepair, the sign was dismantledin 2006 but rebuilt in 2016.5) 22-26a and 26-28 Alfred StreetThese terrace houses are all that remain of Alfred Street’spre-Bridge residential street front. Nos 22 to 26a werebuilt in 1901. The brick and timber detailing is typical ofFederation-era architecture and differs from the filigreeironwork and rendered exteriors of Sydney’s famous 19thcentury terrace houses. Nos 26 and 28, much altered, werebuilt in 1895 in a grander Italianate-style.6) Ted Hopkins ParkThe Lily of St Leonards hotel stood here from as early as1844. Its name referred to the township of St Leonards(present-day North Sydney) established in 1838. The Lilywas the first pub encountered by those heading up fromthe ferry at the end of Alfred Street. Renamed the Imperialin the early 1900s, it was frequented by Sydney HarbourBridge workers. Business dropped with the Bridge openingin 1932 and the Imperial was demolished in 1949, along withseveral decrepit houses behind, to build public housing. Itway for the Bridge and its curtilage. Signage installedalong Bradfield Park north tells more of the story of theseproperties.21) 94-98 and 104-108 Alfred StreetBuildings along the west side of Alfred Street haveundergone two, sometimes three, incarnations since thebuilding of the Bridge. The commercial and residentialtower at Nos 104-108 was designed in 1981 by FeikoBouman who had a significant impact upon the face ofNorth Sydney through his private commissions and workwith Council, including the redesign of North Sydney Oval.Though altered, that building, and Nos 94-9 designedin 1983, can be seen as examples of the postmodernarchitecture which flourished in Australia, the US and theUK in the late 20th century. This typically used simplifiedelements of past styles, in this case classicism, to addornamentation which post-war Modernism had avoided.Note the triangular pediments at the top of the buildings.22) Congregational Church buildingThis church was built between 1883 and 1888. Designedby HS Thompson in a Free Gothic style; it contains Gothicelements but does not conform to a strict set of designprinciples. It is an early example of using brick with stonedetail. Before the Bridge was built it was possible to seethe spire of the Church from Careening Cove to the east.By the late 1960s there were few Congregationalists livinglocally and the building was bought by Chinese Christians.23) 84-88 Alfred StreetThe beautiful Art Deco Rest Hotel occupied the site at thecorner of Alfred and Cliff Streets at least from the 1890s.24) 80 Alfred StreetBefore North Sydney Council was formed in 1890, the areawas divided into three Boroughs. Kirribilli and Milsons Pointwere part of the East St Leonards Borough. This was thesite of the distinctive East St Leonards Town Hall, designedto fit on the triangular block. The building continued asthe North Sydney Town Hall until the 1920s. The TurretTheatre operated here from 1928 to 1930. The buildingwas demolished in 1968.

Milsons Point and Lavender BayNorth SydneyHistory WalksMilsons Point andLavender BayLength:Difficulty: Easy but there are stepsIntroduction:North Sydney History WalksNorth Sydney has a remarkable number of beautiful and interestinghistorical sites to visit, despite the many changes that affected thearea in the 20th century and the ongoing pressure of developmentin more recent times.These maps were created in 2019 with the aim of introducing localsand visitors to the history of North Sydney, and in the belief thatwalking a landscape is the best way to get to know it. The focus ison architecture, even more than people and events, for buildingsprovide the most accessible means of interacting directly withthe past. They survive where most other examples of ‘materialculture’ from the past – steam trains, corsets and gaslights forexample – do not. Looking at the design and detail of a building andunderstanding it in its environment can provide insights into howpeople lived, what they thought and how things have changed. Ofcourse, knowing who lived there can also be fascinating.These are ‘circle walks’ which will bring the walker back to, or nearto, the point of departure. The closest public transport access points,bus, train or ferry, are indicated. Public toilets are also marked.Walkers are of course urged to cross roads at dedicated crossingpoints or otherwise take due care. Take water, sturdy shoes andsun-protection. An indication of accessibility, degree of difficultyand length is given for each walk. North Sydney’s hilly topographymeans that not all walks are entirely wheel chair or pram accessible.The presence of steps is also indicated.These walks were researched and plotted by North Sydney CouncilHistorian Dr Ian Hoskins with the assistance of Historical ServicesStaff. Susan Wade of the North Shore Historical Society providedvaluable suggestions. We also would like to acknowledge thework of Bill Orme and Graham Spindler in promoting walking inNorth Sydney, and thank Sydways for permission to use their maps.For more information on North Sydney’s history visitthe Heritage Centre, Level 1, Stanton Library,234 Miller Street North Sydney, visit the websitewww.northsydney.nsw.gov.au or emaillocalhistory@northsydney.nsw.gov.aubecame a small park instead, eventually named after LunaPark’s maintenance engineer Ted Hopkins. Part of the sitewas used for a 25 metre pool in 2001.7) Sydney Harbour Bridge, North SydneyOlympic Pool and Luna ParkThe construction of the Bridge transformed this part ofNorth Sydney. The area taken by the Bridge was oncefilled with densely developed streets. Demolitions cutthe population and destroyed a once vibrant commercialprecinct. When the Bridge was completed, the sites of thewaterfront workshops were filled by Luna Park in 1935 andthe Olympic Pool in 1936. The Pool was used for the 1938Empire Games – forerunner to the Commonwealth Games– and was the site of 86 world swimming records from the1950s to the 1970s. The Pool entrance is stylistically similarto the Bridge pylons though its severity is relieved by theplayful friezes featuring frogs. A street called OlympicDrive once ran directly in front of the entrance. It wasincorporated into the expanded Pool complex. Luna Parkand the Pool turned Milsons Point into a recreationalwaterfront.8) Luna Park entranceThe Luna Park face has been a Harbour landmark since 1935.The first two faces wore intimidating scowls. In 1953 the facewas remodelled by the resident artist Arthur Barton so thatit wore a welcoming smile which remained on subsequentrenovations. The Chrysler Towers were an original featureand an obvious reference to the park’s American origins,Luna Park on Coney Island, Brooklyn.9) Michael Leunig memorial to Luna Park fireThis sculpture was designed by artist Michael Leunig andfeatures his well-known character, Mr Curly. It is a memorialto the seven people killed when the Ghost Train caughtfire in 1979. The bronze figure was cast by fellow artistPeter Kingston.10) Peter Kingston WalkwayPeter Kingston moved to Lavender Bay in the 1970s whenhe worked as an artist at Luna Park with Martin Sharp.In 2002 he cast and installed a series of small statuescommemorating characters from Australian popular culturesuch as Blinky Bill the koala and aspects of local history suchas a Hegarty’s ferry. The Walkway was so-named in 2018.1.8 kms11) Ferry wharf and site of bathsThe Lavender Bay ferry wharf was opened in 1871. By 1906services were running every 10 minutes at peak hour.The Bridge dramatically affected the viability of the ferrycompanies but Hegarty’s continued to operate ferriesbetween Circular Quay and Lavender Bay until 2003. Tothe east of the wharf were the Lavender Bay Baths. Publicbathing had occurred here as early as the 1860s whenpopular action secured right of access to the tidal beachagainst the wishes of the landowner James Milson. Abathing enclosure was established in the early 1880s byFrederick Cavill. When the train line destroyed the beach, anenclosed wooden structure was built. Dick Cavill helped todevelop the ‘Australian crawl’ freestyle stroke here. With thecompletion of the Olympic Pool use of the Baths declined.The remaining structure was demolished in the 1970s.12) Rail viaductThis brick viaduct was constructed in 1892-93 as part of theexpensive last section of the north shore train line whichdelivered commuters from St Leonards to the Milsons Pointferry. It is an excellent example of a late Victorian-era publicworks structure. Brick, as opposed to iron, was probablychosen because of the proximity to the Harbour. Muchof the expense of this part was incurred by more than500 metres of tunnelling and nine other viaducts. Afterthe Bridge opened, this section became a shunting line.13) Neptune SlipwayThe Neptune Engineering and Slipway Co. was the lastmajor boatbuilding yard in Lavender Bay. Operations endedin 1989 after nearly a century. Bob Gordon continued tobuild wooden boats in the nearby viaduct arch, convertedto a workshop, until his death in 2006.14) BerowraThis handsome villa was built in the Victorian Italianatestyle in 1888 for the local mayor Matthew Charlton nextto its ‘twin’ called Bugdewoi which was demolished inthe 1980s. It was occupied by the Milsons Point StationMaster from 1920 until the nearby station closed with thecompletion of the Bridge.15) Whiteley House and GardenWendy and Brett Whiteley moved to Lavender Bay in1969. They rented and then bought the 1908 villa nextFew areas have undergone such upheaval as Milsons Point. Amain transport hub from the 1860s to the 1930s with AlfredStreet a vibrant commercial and residential thoroughfare, itwas dramatically affected by the construction of the SydneyHarbour Bridge from 1924-1932. The transformation changedAlfred Street but created three of Sydney’s most enduring icons:the Bridge, the North Sydney Olympic Pool and Luna Park. AlfredStreet became a street of modern office blocks, then a placeof apartment towers when Harbourside residential propertyprices soared from the 1980s. Neighbouring Lavender Bay, calledGooweebahree (Quiberee) by the Cammeraygal people whodrank the fresh water there, had its own transformation, from abustling cove of boatbuilders, swimmers and waterfront villasin the late 1800s and early 1900s to scruffy backwater, then agentrified haunt of artists.This walk will help you explore the transition of Milsons Pointand Lavender Bay and the thread of art and design that connectsthe two areas.1) Milsons Point stationThis is the third train station built at Milsons Point. Thetwo previous stations were located on the foreshore ofLavender Bay from 1893 until the completion of the SydneyHarbour Bridge in 1932.2) Dind’s Hotel siteWilliam Dind ran a hotel on this corner from as early as1858. It was the second hotel on Alfred Street. By the endof the century there were four. Dind’s Hotel was originallya single storey bungalow. A second two-storey buildingwas completed in the early 1900s. It was immortalised in apoem of the same name by Henry Lawson shortly beforehe died in 1922: ‘ At Dind’s Hotel / for those were days ofsin / Six horsemen drank the Old Year out and drank theNew Year in ’ The hotel was demolished in 1938 and thesite became a bowling green.to the steps which, by then, had been divided into flats.A tower with staircase was built to reconnect the variousfloors without the need to reinstate internal stairs. Brettcompleted several iconic paintings of Lavender Bay herein the 1970s. Other artists moved into the neighbouringhouses and this became something of an artistic haven.After Brett’s death in 1992, Wendy created a garden outof the weed-ridden area behind the rail viaduct with thehelp of paid gardeners and volunteers. ‘Wendy’s SecretGarden’ was State-Heritage listed with the house in 2018.16) Clark ParkThis park was established after completion of the SydneyHarbour Bridge. Much of the area was formerly part ofthe rear garden of Brisbane House which was demolishedduring the Bridge construction. It was named in honourof long-serving Council alderman EM Clark.17) 30a Lavender StreetThis extraordinary block of flats was designed by thefirm Morrow and De Putron in 1919. It is designed in astriking Free Classical style which makes good use of stone,polychromatic (multi-coloured) brick and concrete. Thethree huge Tuscan columns are purely decorative.18) 68 Lavender StreetEstablished in 1944 the New South Wales HousingCommission constructed thousands of dwellings inresponse to the housing shortage following World WarTwo. Quiberee, also the Aboriginal name for LavenderBay, was built in 1948 and designed by architectural firmFowell, Mansfield and Maclurcan. It was the first HousingCommission block of flats in North Sydney.19) Jessie Broomfield fountain and Clary AkonstatueWhen animal lover Jessie Stuart Broomfield died in 1935she bequeathed funds for the benefit of Sydney’s dogs.This included the construction of drinking fountains. Thisexample, installed in 1953, is one of several erected. ClaryAkon’s 2007 sculpture Foxie is an obvious reference to thefountain’s intended use.20) Bradfield Park demolition sitesThis part of Alfred Street was once an intensely settledresidential and commercial precinct. Dozens of buildingswere demolished on the east side of Alfred Street to make3) Camden Villa / Camden House(Inside Milson Village)Built in 1864, Camden Villa is one of the oldest survivinghouses in North Sydney. It was once a prominent structureon the rise above Lavender Bay with views up and downthe Harbour. The house was designed in the Regencystyle which characterised much of Sydney’s early colonialarchitecture. Residents included the wool broker PaulTalbot. It was converted to flats in 1908. The house wasincluded in North Sydney Council’s first Heritage Inventoryin 1981. Construction of the surrounding buildings waspermitted on the condition that the building be restored.Its retention in 1986 was an extraordinary engineering feat.The result, however, is a house completely overshadowedwith its context erased.4) Luna Park archThis arch was erected when Luna Park opened in October1935 to welcome park-goers arriving from the newly-builtMilsons Point train station. North Sydney Council approvedits installation in gratitude for the employment providedby the Park during the Great Depression. The arch wasdesigned in the Inter-War Art Deco style which emphasizedthe contemporary American character of the amusementpark. Having fallen into disrepair, the sign was dismantledin 2006 but rebuilt in 2016.5) 22-26a and 26-28 Alfred StreetThese terrace houses are all that remain of Alfred Street’spre-Bridge residential street front. Nos 22 to 26a werebuilt in 1901. The brick and timber detailing is typical ofFederation-era architecture and differs from the filigreeironwork and rendered exteriors of Sydney’s famous 19thcentury terrace houses. Nos 26 and 28, much altered, werebuilt in 1895 in a grander Italianate-style.6) Ted Hopkins ParkThe Lily of St Leonards hotel stood here from as early as1844. Its name referred to the township of St Leonards(present-day North Sydney) established in 1838. The Lilywas the first pub encountered by those heading up fromthe ferry at the end of Alfred Street. Renamed the Imperialin the early 1900s, it was frequented by Sydney HarbourBridge workers. Business dropped with the Bridge openingin 1932 and the Imperial was demolished in 1949, along withseveral decrepit houses behind, to build public housing. Itway for the Bridge and its curtilage. Signage installedalong Bradfield Park north tells more of the story of theseproperties.21) 94-98 and 104-108 Alfred StreetBuildings along the west side of Alfred Street haveundergone two, sometimes three, incarnations since thebuilding of the Bridge. The commercial and residentialtower at Nos 104-108 was designed in 1981 by FeikoBouman who had a significant impact upon the face ofNorth Sydney through his private commissions and workwith Council, including the redesign of North Sydney Oval.Though altered, that building, and Nos 94-9 designedin 1983, can be seen as examples of the postmodernarchitecture which flourished in Australia, the US and theUK in the late 20th century. This typically used simplifiedelements of past styles, in this case classicism, to addornamentation which post-war Modernism had avoided.Note the triangular pediments at the top of the buildings.22) Congregational Church buildingThis church was built between 1883 and 1888. Designedby HS Thompson in a Free Gothic style; it contains Gothicelements but does not conform to a strict set of designprinciples. It is an early example of using brick with stonedetail. Before the Bridge was built it was possible to seethe spire of the Church from Careening Cove to the east.By the late 1960s there were few Congregationalists livinglocally and the building was bought by Chinese Christians.23) 84-88 Alfred StreetThe beautiful Art Deco Rest Hotel occupied the site at thecorner of Alfred and Cliff Streets at least from the 1890s.24) 80 Alfred StreetBefore North Sydney Council was formed in 1890, the areawas divided into three Boroughs. Kirribilli and Milsons Pointwere part of the East St Leonards Borough. This was thesite of the distinctive East St Leonards Town Hall, designedto fit on the triangular block. The building continued asthe North Sydney Town Hall until the 1920s. The TurretTheatre operated here from 1928 to 1930. The buildingwas demolished in 1968.

Milsons Point and Lavender BayNorth SydneyHistory WalksMilsons Point andLavender BayLength:Difficulty: Easy but there are stepsIntroduction:North Sydney History WalksNorth Sydney has a remarkable number of beautiful and interestinghistorical sites to visit, despite the many changes that affected thearea in the 20th century and the ongoing pressure of developmentin more recent times.These maps were created in 2019 with the aim of introducing localsand visitors to the history of North Sydney, and in the belief thatwalking a landscape is the best way to get to know it. The focus ison architecture, even more than people and events, for buildingsprovide the most accessible means of interacting directly withthe past. They survive where most other examples of ‘materialculture’ from the past – steam trains, corsets and gaslights forexample – do not. Looking at the design and detail of a building andunderstanding it in its environment can provide insights into howpeople lived, wha

5) 22-26a and 26-28 Alfred Street These terrace houses are all that remain of Alfred Street’s pre-Bridge residential street front. Nos 22 to 26a were built in 1901. The brick and timber detailing is typical of Federation-era architecture and differs from the filigree ironwork and rendered exteriors of Sydney’s famous 19th century terrace .