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Water

Johnston's Creek

Johnston's Creek flows from Petersham under Parramatta Road past Annandale | Camperdown | Forest Lodge | Harold Park to Rozelle Bay | Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour)

1886 Map showing the length of Johnston's CreekGlebe, Camperdown, Newtown, Macdonaldtown & Darlington, 1886: Single sheet

Managing Flood Risk in Johnston's Creek Catchment

The Johnstons Creek and Whites Creek flood study draft report is complete and on public exhibition. The study contains information about the nature of flood risk in these catchments including the distribution, extent, depths, levels and velocity of floodwaters for a range of storm events. It also identifies properties which are flood affected. Feedback closes on Sunday 16 April 2017..more

Naturalisation of Johnston's Creek

Sydney Water investigated "naturalisation" of a section of Johnstons Creek. They are planning naturalisation between the foreshore and the Crescent, including a freshwater wetland in Federal Park adjacent to the Creek in 2020....www.sydneywatertalk.com.au/johnstonscreek

Community Consultation 30 Nov 2019

December 2020 - Community Update (pdf)

• Salvaging heritage sandstoneWe’re working with City of Sydney to retain and respect existing heritage sandstone blocks and steel posts to ensure they’re incorporated back into the site.
• Concrete walls are being replaced with natural sandstone.

Johnston's Creek was a natural waterway, which flowed into Johnston's Bay, Port Jackson at the Crescent Annandale. It marked the Eastern boundary of the land granted to George Johnston, in the 1790s. The Western Boundary of Johnstone's Annandale Estate was another creek. The estate was subdivided in the latter part of the 19th Century into what is now Stanmore and Annandale.

Camperdown and Forest Lodge are on the Eastern Side of the Creek

Storm Water Channel

To improve Sanitation, many natural waterways were converted into concrete and brick channels in Sydney. The creation of the channels straightened and deepened the natural waterway and the boundaries of the suburbs were adjusted to reflect this. The Canal is tidal upto the old shoreline of Johnston's bay.

Johnstone's Bay Storm-water Sewers Act 1894 No 28a (From New South Wales Acts As Made; 4 KB) AUSTLII

Johnstons Creek Stormwater Channel No 55

The Johnston's Creek Storm Water Channel now forms a boundary of Annandale, Forest Lodge, Camperdown and Stanmore. Orphan School Creek, now an underground channel and surface swale (a rock-lined stormwater system), feeds into Johnston's Canal at the Southern end of Wigram Road.

It wasn't until 1936, that the Eastern Boundary of Annandale was adjusted to follow the Canal line instead of the natural waterway line...1936 Alteration to [Annandale Borough] boundary with City of Sydney

• September 1896 plan of completed Johnstons Creek channel. Shows old Booth St bridge
• 1886. Old Booth St bridge and Badu waterhole on Glebe, Camperdown, Newtown, Macdonaldtown & Darlington, 1886: Single sheet
• Long bridge appears on ca1870 Map

Crossing Johnston's Creek

There are four road bridges, 5 Pedestrian Crossings, a Sewage Aqueduct and Rail Viaduct over Johnston's Creek in Annandale on the northern side of Parramatta Road. On the southern side of Parramatta Road, there is a bridge on Salisbury Road.

• The Annandale Bridge at Paramatta Road
• covered section McCarthy Lane
• Footbridge Chester Street - "Several large lots with substantial residences appear south of Pyrmont Bridge Rd and east of Booth St., including “Chester Lodge”." 1-5 Chester Street, Annandale/Heritage Impact Statement – Planning Proposal/September 2017
• Booth Street
• Former Tram Bridge
• Aqueduct
• Foot Bow-bridges
• Crescent Bridge
• Foot and Motor Vehicle Bridges to Harold Park.
• Viaduct
• The reconstructed 1890 Truss Bridge

Covered Section (McCarthy Lane)

22 November 2011: "we have received further advise from our water services coordinator that the lid to the drainage canal is not suitable nor permissible access for pedestrians' nor bicycle access. As we were informed that the water board dose not provide access points for pedestrians nor Bicycles along the canal and indeed the canal in many area has no lid. Evidence of this can be seen from the barricade erected at the end of McCarthy Lane along with the deviation of the Lane height to the canal lid which is in excesses of 500mm with no obvious path or steps.
Given the facts we see no other choice other than to prepare our sec 96 application deleting the proposed bicycle and pedestrian walk way connecting Parramatta road to the canal and landscaping the area in question...re:DA sec 96, 1-13 Parramatta Road, Annandale (0011434F.001.htm viewed 20 February 2012)

Chester Street to Booth Street

Path along from Chester Street to Booth Street along Johnston Creek: https://yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/leichhardt-and-camperdown-streetscape-improvements (Wigram Road design.pdf)

" The Booth Street Bridge, Annandale spans the Johnstons Creek Sydney Water stormwater channel south of Wigram Road. The purpose of the project is to create wider pedestrian footpaths, construct a bicycle path on the eastern side of the bridge, provide crash barriers for public safety and strengthen the base of the existing road structure."..https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/develop/works-and-projects/council-capital-works-projects/upcoming-and-ongoing-projects/booth-street-bridge-widening

Booth Street Bridge, Johnston Creek

Research by Ian Cranwell and Marghanita da Cruz

In December 2019, the community was notified that work was to be undertaken on the Booth Street Bridge over Johnston's Creek.(Notification Letter). The work on the bridge, co-incided with the construction of a shared path on the western bank of Johnston's Creek from Chester Street through Badu Park and along Wigram Road(Masterplan.

The boundary between the City of Sydney and Inner West Council runs down the middle of Booth Street and Wigram Road.

There are three heritage listed items in the vicinity - the Melocco Brothers Building, Sewage Pumping Station 3 and Johnstons Creek Stormwater Channel No 55.

In 1855, Stanley Jevons describes crossing Johnston Creek via bullock heads and a fallen gum tree.(https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/2079#Jevons_1357_171

Waterholes and wooden bridge on Annandale subdivision plans] [cartographic material] Sydney, NSW : various, 1880-1940.State Library of New South Wales.

There was a low level bridge across Johnstons creek pre-stormwater channel. One article in mid1890s said it had been there for 17 years. Thence much discussion about replacement post-stormwater channel. The culvert is interesting, because it could be that it was built in concrete (extant) rather than stone. "About two years since an effort was made to re- place the structure by something1 of a more permanent character, anil after a deal of negotiation the Government offered to build a stone culvert over the centre of the creek on condition that the two councils named constructed an embankment on either Hide leading to it, and also formed the roadway."(1898 'BOOTH-STREET BRIDGE.', The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), 27 April, p. 11. , viewed 31 Dec 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238371706).

In December 1898, it was announced that councils would would begin work on the embankment(1898 'THE BOOTH-STREET EMBANKMENT.', Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), 21 July, p. 7. , viewed 31 Dec 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113255638).

Near the Booth Street Bridge
Badu Park, Melocco Brothers Building, Sewage Pumping Station

Badu Park was a "water hole" which has been filled in. See 1894 'TYPHOID AT ANNANDALE.', The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), 25 June, p. 3. , viewed 02 Jan 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article236153788

There was another Water Hole at junction of Orphan's Creek and Johnston Creek see map showing proposed storm water channel, old Booth St Bridge small waterhole (in Badu Park) and much larger one.

• Booth st embankment and Jonhnstons creek storm-water channel, p60 of Report of the Department of Public Works, for the year ended 30 June, 1899 https://www.opengov.nsw.gov.au/publications/12005
• in same publication, noting Annandale Sewer Aqueducts completed 1898 - Text provided Sewerage Construction - p109 3rd Division of tho Northern Branch Western Suburbs Sewerage, commencing at tho junction of "egent and Flood Streets, Leichhardt, aiul terminating in G^lover-street, comprising 89^ chains of ft. 3 in. hy 2 ft. 2 in. sewer, and 2 chains of cast-iron pipes l^ s in. diameter. 2. Long Cove Creek sub-brant-h of the Main Northern Branch Sewer, commencing at Dover-streot, Suunner Hill, and crossing tho suburban railway ]iear Summer Ifill Station, extends iu a southerly direction to Long Cove Creek, thence, running parallel to that ereek, terminates in Piggott-street, Petersham. It contains 10 chains of 3 ft. tJ in. b y 2 ft. 4 in. concrete and brickwork sewer; 5^ chains of 3 f t . 3 in. b y 2 fc. 2 in. concrete sewer; 21 chains of 21 inch diameter " M o n i e r " and stoneware pipes, including concrete curves; 7 chains of l(j inch diameter " Monier' ' a n d stoneware pipes, including concrete curves; and 4^ chains of 1? inch stoneware pipes, including concrele curves."
• "ROzelle Bay - An earth embankment has been constructed at the foot of Booth Street to take the place of a bridge, the cost being 338.17s", page 46 & expenditure page 50, Report of the Department of Public Works, for the year ended 30 June, 1899 https://www.opengov.nsw.gov.au/publications/12005

• melocco brothers works at 1 Booth Street Annandale, circa 1925. The subsequent showroom is Heritage Listed (SLEP: Former commercial building “Melocco Bros” including interior) - the 1A site was stratered in Source system IDS/2005/2 Source System Date Registered 14th January 2005 Title (Free Text Part)1 - 1A BOOTH STREET ANNANDALE - STRATA SUBDIVIDE INTO 8 LOTS - P J MELOCCO - 12 01 05 - $0
• Heritage Listed Sewage Pumping Station 3
• Photograph Booth Street approach to bridge (Looking S along Booth Street towards bridge over Johnston's Creek stormwater channel. View from intersection with Wigram Road showing the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children in Camperdown beyond. 08 October 1981, CRS 422, City Engineer's Department Negatives, 1980 - 1988, CITATION CRS 422/1/248 City of Sydney Archives
• File 028/028492 ADDRESS Showing Booth St, Johnston 's Creek, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Camperdown Park, University of Sydney, Missenden Rd, Parramatta Rd, Australia St and Pyrmont Bridge Road. DATE Unknown. Late 1930s? FORMAT B&W print RECORDSERIES Sydney Reference Collection CITATION SRC2074
• Tree Removal Notice (CoS) 18 Dec 2019
• Ficus to be removed 31 Dec 2019
• Concrete Culvert, 31 Dec 2019
• Sandstone steps on northern side Dec 2019
• Northern Bank 31 Dec 2019
• Stump of Pepper Tree 31 Dec 2019
• Southern side of Bridge 31 Dec 2019
• Works Notice Photo 31 Dec 2019

Tram Bridge

Northern End of Taylor Street

Annandale Sewer Aqueducts and Pumping Stations

In 1898, the Johnston's Creek Aqueduct was built above the Channel to connect the Western suburbs to the Main sewer line. The Johnston and White's Creek Aqueducts were the first reinforced concrete structure in Australia. 1890s Annandale.

Sewage Aqueduct

Sewage Pumping Station No 4 (SP0004) Number 4571702 Address 166, Rose Street Annandale, 2038. NSW

Bowstring

A pedestrian Bowstring Bridge connected the Harold Park to Federal Park and a similar bridge crosses Johnston's creek on the other side of the crescent. A former Tram Bridge provides a pedestrian and cycle route from Minogue Crescent to Taylor Street/Smith and Hogan Park. There is another bridge at Chester Street. South of Chester Street, the canal is covered to Parramatta Road.

File 014/014512 ADDRESS The Crescent, Forest Lodge. DESCRIPTION View SW from The Crescent showing the formwork for the new bridge over the Johnston's Creek stormwater channel, workmen, the pedestrian footbridge over the stormwater channel (centre) & the sewer viaduct (from Glebe to Piper St Annandale ) over Minogue Crescent (near Corneill Place). DATE 7 Dec. 1964 FORMAT Photographic negatives 55mm square. A few items are other formats including 35mm strip negatives. RECORDSERIES NSCA CRS 48, City Engineers Photographic Negatives, 1953- 1973 CITATION NSCA CRS 48/4512 PROVENANCE City of Sydney Archives

Crescent Bridge

Trams traversed the Crescent as early as the 1880s.

New Crescent Bridge being constructed 1964 - several photographs looking along creek with Bowbridges north and south of the Crescent and viaduct and aqueduct in distance "New Bridge, Johnston Creek" [DATE 7 Dec. 1964 RECORDSERIES NSCA CRS 48, City Engineers Photographic Negatives, 1953- 1973 City of Sydney Archives]

Dalgal Way

The 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....more

Viaduct

A Heavy Rail viaduct, now used for Light Rail, passes over the Channel, between Jubilee Park and Federal Park.

Federal Road - Allen truss Bridge

Ordinary Meeting 17th October 1904...That the Glebe Council be asked to cooperate with this Council in the deputation to the Hon. the Minister for public works requesting him to open a road for vehicular traffic along the ....trams-line from Johnston Street Annandale to Ross Stree Forest Lodge. ...requesting the road from Glebe Point to Annandale across the reclaimed land...Annandale Borough Minutes

Rozelle Bay Foreshore (1930s??)

• Photo looking along Federal Road towards the bridge and row of palms in Jubilee Park
• Photos of Federal Road Bridge(1965)

Bridge at the Crescent