Annandale's Great War, Marghanita da Cruz, 2015
Promoting Annandale on the Internet since 1998
The Johnston Creek estuary was filled in by the Department of Works in 1898-9. Annandale residents fought for the land to be given to the Borough as parklands and not leased to industy. The naming of the park split the Council which resulted in a referendum. The pro-federation faction led by Allen Taylor won, and the park was named Federal Park. A Sunday afternoon stroll to Glebe Point was a favourite passtime. (ref: p8, Federal Park by Alan Roberts, An Introduction to Annandale, The Annandale Association Jun 1973)
During WW1, Allen Taylor would successfully divert the Metropolitan Freight line through Federal Park and past his wharves in Black Wattle Bay, instead of over a second Glebe Island Bridge. This necessitated the construction of the brick Viaduct, which created Federal Park North and South. The Annandale Borough was compensated for the loss of parklands... Annandale's Great War, Marghanita da Cruz, 2015
8 December 2015
Marghanita da Cruz
By email marghanita@ramin.com.au
Dear Marghanita
Pedestrian Crossings at Johnstons Creek
I received a letter on your behalf from the Member for Balmain about the City’s proposal to provide
two new pedestrian crossings across the unnamed road over Johnstons Creek. I apologise for the
delay in responding.
I appreciate your concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety near the access road at the
intersection of The Crescent and Chapman Road. Changes to this intersection, including the access
road to the Tram Sheds and intersection upgrades, were assessed and approved, with conditions,
under D/2011/1298 and D/2013/883.
The approved Stage 1 Concept Plan for the Tram Sheds proposed the use of Chapman Road and
Johnstons Creek Bridge as a secondary access point to the Tram Sheds, subject to further detailed
traffic analysis. This analysis was done during the assessment period for the subsequent DA for the
reuse of the Tram Sheds. The City consulted Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and conducted
extensive traffic studies, including independent traffic modelling and assessments.
The traffic analysis included modelling of a number of different traffic-calming and access options,
including just one entrance to the Tram Sheds, and found that multiple access points resulted in the
best traffic flow outcomes. Vehicles will be able to enter the Tram Sheds car park via Johnstons
Creek Bridge or the new Link Road. There is no primary or preferred access point for retail or
community centre patrons and only delivery vehicles will be restricted to the Chapman Road
entrance.
At each stage of the DA approval process conditions were included to address the community’s
concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety near the Johnstons Creek Bridge and the road
leading to the Tram Sheds car park. The conditions require the construction of a dedicated
pedestrian and cycle bridge and restricted access points, hours and size limits for delivery
vehicles.
City staff are still working with Mirvac on a detailed design for the open space at Harold Park and
the Tram Sheds. It will prioritise pedestrian access and create useful pedestrian and shared path
networks, including clear links to the nearby light rail. The City has also asked RMS to consider
reducing the speed limit in Nelson Street, Chapman Road and the unnamed access road at
Johnstons Creek to 40km/h.
The City wrote to residents asking for feedback about the proposed pedestrian crossings across the
unnamed road at Johnstons Creek. City staff reviewed all the submissions we received and referred
the proposal to the Local Pedestrian, Cycling and Traffic Calming Committee (LPCTCC) for
consideration. The committee discussed the proposal at its meeting on 21 October and deferred the
decision to allow for further investigation by the City’s Risk Management team. This team reviewed
the proposal and raised no objection, and RMS also provided in-principal support for the two
pedestrian crossings. An independent road safety audit of the concept design for the proposed
pedestrian crossings has also been completed.
The City will now seek endorsement for the proposal from the LPCTCC. If the proposal is endorsed,
final designs will be prepared. The crossings will be designed in accordance with Australian
Standards and RMS guidelines and will incorporate the recommendations made by the road safety
audit of the initial concept design. A further road safety audit will be done once construction is
complete, and the City will continue to consult the community to ensure the best possible design and
safety outcomes.
If you would like to speak with City staff about the proposed pedestrian crossings, you can contact
Rodney King, Senior Traffic Engineer, on 9265 9333 or at rking@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.
Yours sincerely
Clover Moore
Lord Mayor of Sydney
Safety of Park Users an issue for Upgrade to Road through Federal Park to Rozelle Tramshed Shopping MallDue to Safety concerns of a road through park, at their meeting on 21 October, the City of Sydney Traffic Committee did not accept the recommendation for crossings on unnamed road and deferred a decision until after further investigation.
"Fwd: RE: exhibition of access road proposals Tram Shed (10/09/15 20:18)...
Submissions must be made in writing
and quote your name, address and reference number 2015/268197 before 6pm on 15 October 2015.
Submissions may be made available to the public if the City receives a request under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.
City staff will review all submissions on the proposal and prepare a report for consideration by the Local Pedestrian, Cycling and Traffic Calming Committee
(LPCTCC) at its meeting on Wednesday 21 October 2015...more
Email 22/05/14 22:08 "All,
To provided an update to the FLAG group, as you may know City of Sydney approved the Tramsheds DA at the council meeting held in early April. The Councillors, with the exception of Irene Doutney (the Greens Councillor) voted to approve the retail development plans for the historic Tramsheds building. Irene Doutney said she couldn't support the plans in their final form because of the impact on those using the Johnstons Creek path. Angela Vithoulkas also said there wasn't enough detail in the current plans as to how they'd ensure Chapmans Road wasn't the primary access point. She and Deputy Lord Mayor Robyn Kemmis asked for further details of how this would be achieved. Unfortunately, Linda Scott, a Councillor who had been sympathetic to our concerns, couldn't attend the meeting.We had a big community turnout at the meeting (40+ with some placards). Jamie Parker spoke to us after the meeting and said it wasn't the end of the planning process.
The Chapman Road bridge will be under the control of City of Sydney so they will prepare the final design of this access route (as opposed to the developed designed this layout). The plans we've seen so far are unacceptable in allowing unrestricted traffic through the parkland, but City of Sydney said there will be further refinement to the access designs.
They stated in the "Alternative Recommendation" document (3 April 2014) that: The main entry into the Harold Park site will continue to be from the signalised intersection from The Crescent (road MC02). The Ross Street entry is a secondary access into the site. The upgrading of the existing intersection at Chapman Road/The Crescent to a modified roundabout, including the upgrading of the Johnstons Creek Bridge, will allow vehicles to use this entrance point to the Tram Sheds as an alternative access, not the primary access.
City of Sydney will maintain control of this roadway (not the developer) so it is important for the community to hold Council to account on this important issue to ensure the Johnstons Creek bridge access point is designed in a manner which makes it the alternative access point to the Tramsheds retail area. In the attached letter from the Lord Mayor, pedestrian and bike access across the Johnstons Creek bridge is noted as a priority.
FLAG will continue to hold City of Sydney to account on this key issue which involves a highly valued parkland area for our community. We'll update you with any news on the planning process.
Regards,
FLAG Harold Park
Forest Lodge, Annandale & Glebe"
Attachment: Letter from City of Sydney to FLAG Harold Park dated 22 May 2014: DA D/2013/883 – Rozelle Tram Depot: 10 Maxwell Road, Forest Lodge PDF.
Rally to save Federal Park from Road UpgradeThe proposed inclusion of 145 car spaces to service the Shopping Mall in the TramSheds requires the upgrade of the Bridge over Johnston's Creek and the road through Federal Park, Annandale does not conform with the Objectives of the Harold Park DCP. The existing residential community rallied in Federal Park to demonstrate their concern about the impact of the proposed road upgrade on their parkland....
Johnston's CreekJohnston's Creek flows from Petersham under Parramatta Road past Annandale | Camperdown | Forest Lodge | Harold Park to Rozelle Bay | Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour)
The City is developing a master plan for the parklands at Johnstons Creek. The master plan aims to link the existing parks near Glebe Foreshore – Bicentennial, Federal and Jubilee – with future open space at The Crescent in Annandale, the area between Bicentennial Park and Harold Park known as ‘the Hill’ and new parklands and community space that will be part of the Harold Park development ...more
"The newly reclaimed land was dedicated as park in 1899, and in 1902 was named Federal Park to commemorate the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901. A new road was formed across the park linking Glebe Point and Chapman Roads, which was named Federal Road. The road was closed in the 1980s and its route is now marked by paving and the replica Allan Truss pedestrian bridge across the stormwater canal. In 1908 the park was split between the municipalities of Annandale to the west of the creek (3 acres) and Glebe to the east (12 acres). Glebe’s section was renamed Jubilee Park in 1909 to mark 50 years of the municipality." - viewed 4 June 2014 http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/sydneys-history/people-and-places/park-histories/glebe-foreshore-park
"THE RESUMPTION OF ALLEN'S GLEN, ANNANDALE.
A deputation from a public meeting recently held in the Glebe Town Hall, waited on the Minister for Minos, Mr. Abigail, yesterday, to advocate the resumption of Allen's Glen, and its dedication for recreation purposes for the benefit of the residents of the Glebe, Balmain, and Leichhardt. The deputation was introduced by Mr. M. Chapman, M.L.A., and consisted of Mr. Hawthorne, M.L.A., Mr. Dunn, Mayor of the Glebe, Messrs. H.Daly, Mahoney, Artlett, and J. D. Beale. Mr. Chapman stated that the object of the deputation was to ask the Minister to resume the whole of the flat land known as Allen's Glen, bordering on Annandale, and also portion of the flat lands on the Annandale side. The ground was far too low to be occupied by human habi tations, but the Allen family had cut it up, and were
offering it for sale. It would be a great mercy to the people residing in the district if the Government could resume and put a stop to the erection of dwellings upon it"...."The Government should resume the whole of the foreshore There was a project to have a bridge from the end of the present Glebe Point-road across John- son's Bay to Balmain, but the great objection to this was that it would spoil the harbour, although it would un- doubtedly be a convenience to the residents. If the land in question were resumed by the Government, Ross-street could be continued over to Balmain at very little expense, and would be quite as useful as a bridge. The proprietors of the Annandale Estate would doubtless help the Govern- ment in every possible way. They had offered Sir George Allen £1000 to allow Ross-street to be continued to their estate, but he refused to take less than £2000, and half the cost of constructing the road would have to be undertaken by the managers of tho Annandale property."...
1887 'THE RESUMPTION OF ALLEN'S GLEN, ANNANDALE.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 26 February, p. 9, viewed 11 July, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13628019
Rozelle Bay is a part of Johnston's Bay and Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), a national park...more
Johnston's CreekJohnston's Creek flows from Petersham under Parramatta Road past Annandale | Camperdown | Forest Lodge | Harold Park to Rozelle Bay | Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour)
Source: April 2012 Minutes (PDF 213.71kB viewed 8 May 2012)
ITEM 24A ROZELLE BAY – LOTS 20, 21 & 22 | ITEM 37A ANNANDALE PRECINCT’S VISION FOR THE BAYS PRECINCT | ITEM 24B BAYS PRECINCT TASKFORCE | C143/12 River bank Naturalisation
In 2000/01 Council and local residents generally supported the state government agencies plans for the masterplan for Rozelle Bay which included working harbour structures and activities. The proposal put to the community was that these activities were necessary for an active working harbour and the masterplan would ensure the proposed orderly development of structures and activities would ensure an improved environment in the bay. In reality none of the structures have been build, junk has been accumulated on the foreshore in an adhoc manner. ..
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
This is page 23 of the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on the 24th day of April, 2012
and presented for confirmation this 22nd day of May, 2012.
..............................................
CHAIR
That:
That Council investigate opportunities in Leichhardt for river bank naturalisation.
That as part of these investigations, Council invites an appropriate Sydney Water representative to give a presentation to the next Environment and Recreation Committee meeting on Sydney Water's approach to stormwater asset renewal and river bank naturalisation and potential opportunities in Leichhardt.
Piperston adjoining Annandale to the West (1842)
Annandale estate north Section No.1 [cartographic material] 1857.
Looking across Rozelle Bay over the mouth of White's Creek to Annandale ca 1888. Houses are probably Kenilworth, with Abbey etc in background.
1890 Map showing Annandale as the East Ward of Leichhardt Council and Rozelle Bay
Plan of north Annandale, showing Rozelle and Johnston's Bays 1900
Looking across Rozelle Bay to Annandale Glebe from Glebe Island (1900-1939)
The Barquentine 'Alexa' in Rozelle Bay by Margaret Quinn Jun 5, 1975 - Leichhardt Historical Journal
"Early Morning at Rozelle Bay", Ian Hansen photo of painting
Blackwattle Bay & Rozelle Bay (Aerial Ca. 1928)
Beale logs being unloaded from barge, Rozelle Bay c1930:a b
Looking across Johnston's Creek towards the Viaduct and Witches Houses (c1966)
"Formerly the space occupied was 3acres, with a water frontage of about 550 feet to Rozelle Bay, Annandale, the situation being directly at the foot of Johnston-street, and at the end of the second tram section from Circular Quay. Finding this accommodation altogether inadequate, owing to the rapid growth of the business, an additional area was secured to bring up the total area to over 12 acres, with a water frontage to the bay of 1300 feet. A Triumph in Timber--Messrs. Langdon and Langdon's Yards....1907 '[No heading].', Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907), 25 December, p. 37, viewed 24 May, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page5718004
February 2011