The Dawes Point Battery remains is a heritage-listed former

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

fortification and now visitor attraction located adjacent to the southern pylon of the

Sydney Harbour Bridge The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, spanning Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour from the Sydney central business district, central business district (CBD) to the North Shore (Sydney), North Shore. The view of the bridg ...

at Hickson Road in inner city

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, on the boundary between

Dawes Point Dawes Point is a suburb of the City of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Dawes Point is located on the north-western edge of the Sydney central business district, at the southern end of Sydney Harbour Bridge, adjacent to The R ...

and The Rocks in the

City of Sydney The City of Sydney is the local government area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established by Act of Parliament in 1842, th ...

local government area of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. It was built and modified from 1791 to 1925 by Lieutenant William Dawes, Robert Ross,

Francis Greenway Francis Howard Greenway (20 November 1777 – September 1837) was an English-born architect who was transported to Australia as a convict for the crime of forgery. In New South Wales he worked for the Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, as Australia's ...

, and George Barney. The property is owned by

Property NSW Property NSW is a statutory body of the Government of New South Wales that manages the State's significant property portfolio and its places. Formed on 1 July 2016, Property NSW encompasses the entities of the former Government Property NSW (GPN ...

, an

agency Agency may refer to: Organizations * Institution, governmental or others ** Advertising agency or marketing agency, a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients ** Employment agency, a business that ...

of the

Government of New South Wales The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of New South Wales. It is currently held by a coalition of the Liberal Party and the National Party. The Governmen ...

. It was added to the

New South Wales State Heritage Register The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...

on 10 May 2002.

History

is a prominent landmark in

Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...

, terminating the western arm of

Sydney Cove Sydney Cove (Eora: ) is a bay on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour, one of several harbours in Port Jackson, on the coast of Sydney, New South Wales. Sydney Cove is a focal point for community celebrations, due to its central Sydney locatio ...

. It has a rich documented history beginning with the one of the earliest recorded cultural exchanges between the

Eora The Eora (''Yura'') are an Aboriginal Australian people of New South Wales. Eora is the name given by the earliest European settlers to a group of Aboriginal people belonging to the clans along the coastal area of what is now known as the Sy ...

Aboriginals and the

First Fleet The First Fleet was a fleet of 11 ships that brought the first European and African settlers to Australia. It was made up of two Royal Navy vessels, three store ships and six convict transports. On 13 May 1787 the fleet under the command ...

. Subsequently, it remained in government ownership both as a place of strategic administration, defence and transport and as a place contributing to the magnificent landscape of our harbour city. The Point forms part of Sydney's historic Rocks precinct. The first known building to be constructed on the site of Point Maskelyne (later renamed Dawes Point) was an observatory constructed in early 1788 by Lieutenant William Dawes, of the

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

. A powder magazine was installed in 1789 followed by the

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

in 1791. The first guns came from , which had wrecked at Norfolk Island the year before. A dispute in 1790 between Spain and Britain, leading to fear of a Spanish attack, motivated the project. In 1798, the Governor's concerns regarding the arrival of schooner prompted defensive measures at the Battery.

George Barney Lieutenant Colonel George Barney (19 May 1792 – 16 April 1862) was a military engineer of the Corps of Royal Engineers and became Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of North Australia. Early life George Barney was born in Wolverhampton, Staf ...

, one of Australia's most important colonial engineers of the mid-19th century, oversaw the construction. The site had previously been used as a cemetery for prisoners executed at Sydney Gaol (1797-). In 1810,

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

ordered the French forces at Île de France to launch an attack on Sydney. However, the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

captured the island, forestalling any attack. During the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

, French and Spanish ships captured in the Pacific Ocean and brought into Sydney harbour received salutes from the battery. The fort was expanded substantially in 1819 when Governor Lachlan Macquarie ordered convict Francis Greenway, who was an architect, to design and construct improvements. The result was a semicircular battery, supported by a new, decorative castellated guardhouse built on the site of the 1780 powder magazine, which now provided the guardhouse's basement. The elaborate defences were meant to appear threatening to ships sailing into Sydney Harbour. In that same year sandstone blocks were quarried on site at Dawes Point Park for the construction of the fort. The fort was expanded substantially in 1819. Further buildings were constructed in the 1850s and at the end of the century. The site had also been used as a cemetery for prisoners executed at Old Sydney Gaol (1797-). The

Aroostook War The Aroostook War (sometimes called the Pork and Beans WarLe Duc, Thomas (1947). The Maine Frontier and the Northeastern Boundary Controversy. ''The American Historical Review'' Vol. 53, No. 1 (Oct., 1947), pp. 30–41), or the Madawaska War, wa ...

, a confrontation in 1838–1839 between the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

over the international boundary between the British colony of

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

and the US state of

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

, raised concerns over the harbour's defenses. The arrival of two American sloops during the night, however peaceful, highlighted the colony's vulnerability. The Russian success in repulsing an Anglo-French force in the

Siege of Petropavlovsk The siege of Petropavlovsk was a military operation in the Pacific theatre of the Crimean War. The Russian casualties are estimated at 115 soldiers and sailors killed and seriously wounded, whilst the British suffered 105 casualties and th ...

, in the northern Pacific during the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

(1854–56), raised concerns that the Russian Pacific Fleet would attack Sydney. At the time New South Wales was undergoing an economic boom following the discovery of gold. The colonial government enlarged

Fort Macquarie Fort Macquarie was a square castle, castellated battlement fort built in 1798 at Bennelong Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on the site where the Sydney Opera House now stands. It was demolished in 1901 to make way for the Fort Macqua ...

and Dawes Point, constructed further fortifications at

Kirribilli Kirribilli is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. One of the city's most established and affluent neighbourhoods, it is located three kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area administere ...

and

Mrs Macquarie's Chair Mrs Macquarie's Chair (also known as Lady Macquarie's Chair) is an exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench, on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour. It was hand carved by convicts in 1810, for Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Major-Genera ...

, and finished

Fort Denison Fort Denison, part of the Sydney Harbour National Park, is a protected national park that is a heritage-listed former penal site and defensive facility occupying a small island located north-east of the Royal Botanic Garden and approximat ...

. Dawes Point received additional subterranean powder magazines and the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

provided a garrison. Dawes Point Battery also became the

command post Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...

for the fortifications around the inner harbor. Colonel George Barney was given the task renovating Sydney's fortifications and an extension of Dawes Point in 1860. Sydney's Harbour defences had been relocated to the entrance of Port Jackson by the end of the 19th century, thus rendering Dawes Point obsolete. The battery was then used to store the Commandant of the Australian Military from 1901 and 1903. Most of the fort was demolished in 1925 to make way for the construction of the

. In 1932 the remaining buildings that served as a headquarters for Dorman and Long, the British company responsible for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge were demolished and the whole area landscaped and set aside for public use. In 1995 archaeological investigations were carried out at the Battery site, and the findings were incorporated into a new interpretive park which was opened to the public in 2001. The park was named "Dawes Point, Tarra" acknowledging the

Cadigal The Cadigal, also spelled as Gadigal and Caddiegal, are a group of Indigenous people whose traditional lands are located in Gadi, on Eora country, the location of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Gadigal originally inhabited the area that ...

name for the area.

Description

The archaeological remains of the Dawes Point Battery (1791-1925) have been excavated during the past few years. They include the floor of the original powder magazine, the circular battery with evidence of 4 gun emplacements (5th emplacement probably under the path), underground magazines, a stone ramp and the footings of the officers' quarters. Five 42-pounder cannons, muzzle loading, one on replica wooden carriage installed on an original emplacement the other four are not in situ and without carriages. Manufactured in 1843-1844, as indicated by date stamps on metal work.AM037; AM086; AM092-093 Built by 1788.

Condition

As at 3 November 2000, the first known building on the site was Dawes' observatory built in early 1788. A powder magazine was constructed in 1789 followed by the Battery in 1791. It was expanded substantially in 1819. Further buildings were constructed in the 1850s and at the end of the century. The site had also been used as a cemetery for prisoners executed at Old Sydney Gaol (1797-). All buildings were levelled between 1925 and 1932 during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The archaeological remains revealed to date are unparalleled in Australia because they represent a broad range of significant historical periods. Archaeological sites from the 18th century are exceedingly rare with only the remains of First Government House and parts of the Dockyard on the western side of the Cove bearing witness to the first 10 years of white settlement in the Sydney CBD. Only a handful of the colonial architect Francis Greenway's structures survive. With the excavation of the semi-circular battery floor an interesting part of his work has been rediscovered. Greenway's quarry on the site is a good example of the careful mining of stone from this period in Sydney. The archaeology of the Battery floor and underground magazines also reveals elements constructed under the direction of George Barney, one of Australia's most important Colonial Engineers in the mid 19th century, such as the 1850s gun emplacements. Together with the presence of movable heritage associated with the site, the Battery is an important archive of military history. The archaeological remains also have a strong aesthetic appeal as evocative ruins of Australia's colonial past. Battery exposed in 1995, along with remains of Officers Quarters (1856) and parts of Guardhouse (1819-1830s). Some remains of 1789 magazine and pre-1819 battery also revealed. Remains subject to conservation and interpretation 1997-8. Interpretive park opened 2000. The lower battery has not been excavated and represents a significant archaeological resource. The archaeology is partly disturbed.

Modifications and dates

Developments on the site have occurred as follows: *1789Powder magazine *1791Battery 1791 *1801Battery improvements *1819Greenway constructions *1856Battery improvements *1904Military function ceases *1924-32Bridge works *1930-40'sTree planting and park creation *1955Archaeological excavation *2000Partial reconstruction and interpretive park 2000

Further information

The Dawes Point Battery remains have been excavated, conserved and interpreted and these works have won several prestigious awards since 2001. These awards are: *2001 - Energy Australia National Trust Heritage Awards for Tourism *2002 - RAPI Award for Masterplan, Signage and Interpretation *2002 - RAIA (NSW) Lloyd Rees Award for Outstanding Urban Design *2002 - RAIA (NSW) Award for Architecture, Conservation and Reuse *2002 - Institute of Engineers Awards Highly Commended Heritage "Tara" Interpretation has won: *2005 - Energy Australia National Trust Heritage Award for Interpretation and Presentation

Heritage listing

As at 30 March 2011, the Dawes Point Battery remains and site are of State heritage significance for their historical and scientific cultural values. The site and building are also of State heritage significance for their contribution to The Rocks area which is of State Heritage significance in its own right. The post 1788 archaeological remains at Dawes Point revealed to date are extremely important for their research potential. Such archaeological sites from the 18th century are exceedingly rare with the remains of First Government House and parts of the Dockyard on the western side of the Cove being some of the few examples bearing witness to the first 10 years of white settlement at Sydney Cove. Only a handful of the colonial architect

's structures survive. With the excavation of the semi-circular battery an interesting part of his work has been rediscovered. Likewise, Greenway's quarry on the site is the only example of the careful mining of stone from this period in Sydney. The archaeology of the Battery floor and underground magazines also reveals elements constructed under the direction of

, one of Australia's most important Colonial Engineers in the mid 19th century, such as the 1850s gun emplacements. Together with the presence of the cannon from this time, on their original timber block supports the Battery is an important archive of military history. The archaeological remains also have a strong aesthetic appeal as evocative ruins of Australia's colonial past. Dawes Point is important for its cultural values to several identifiable groups within NSW society including present and former residents of The Rocks and

Millers Point Millers Point is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the north-western edge of the Sydney central business district, adjacent to The Rocks and is part of the local government area of the C ...

; people involved in the fight to save the Rocks in the 1970s; descendants of the many artillerymen and their families who were stationed at Dawes Point; and Bridge construction and maintenance workers, their families and descendants. Dawes Point, as a setting for the Harbour Bridge, is valued for its aesthetic and engineering significance by several identifiable groups including the Institution of Engineers (Australia) and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects The 1789 Foundation Stone (now with the Mitchell Collection in the NSW

State Library A national library is established by the government of a nation to serve as the pre-eminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, they rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuab ...

) and the five 1850s cannon contribute strongly to the heritage significance of the Place, in addition to being significant in their own right. Dawes Point maintains vestiges of all periods of its occupation. The Point has been terraced and filled with each successive land use. All of these land uses have been closely linked with the site's unique position, occupying as it does a prominent headland with vistas up and down the harbour. Dawes Point Park still encompasses more than 90% of the area set aside for military purposes in the 18th century. Very little of this area has been alienated from public use, allowing the potential for interpretation of this period of the site's history in particular. The layers of history at Dawes Point have great potential to be used as a rich educational, cultural and tourism resource. The excavation, conservation and interpretation of the Dawes Point Battery remains has won several prestigious awards since 2001, indicating the historical, social, technical and research significance the place holds, not only for the public, but also for professional bodies. Dawes Point Battery remains was listed on the

on 10 May 2002 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. The Battery was the first permanent fortification for the settlement and highlighted the tension between the British and other colonising European nations for dominion over the Pacific. Illustrates the construction of defence sites which are reasonably rare. The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history. The Battery has connections with many prominent engineers and architects, particularly Dawes, Greenway, Barney, Hickson and Bradfield. Each of these men were directly responsible for a significant layer in the history of the Battery. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. Location on a prominent point of the harbour and set at the most northern part of the picturesque and historic The Rocks district. The Battery remains contribute to the open landscape of the Dawes Point Park which in turn showcases the magnificent landscaped setting for internationally recognised icons of Australia, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. Dawes Point is important for its cultural values to several identifiable groups within NSW society including present and former residents of The Rocks and Millers Point; people involved in the fight to save The Rocks in the 1970s; descendants of the many artillerymen and their families who were stationed at Dawes Point; and Bridge construction and maintenance workers, their families and descendants. Dawes Point, as a setting for the Harbour Bridge, is valued for its aesthetic and engineering significance by several identifiable groups including the Institution of Engineers (Australia), and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. It listings on the registers of the National Trust and the National Estate demonstrate the esteem the site is held in by the wider community. The excavation, conservation and interpretation of the Dawes Point Battery remains has won several prestigious awards since 2001, indicating the historical, social, technical and research significance the place holds, not only for the public, but also for professional bodies. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. The post 1788 archaeological remains at Dawes Point revealed to date are extremely important for their research potential. Such archaeological sites from the 18th century are exceedingly rare with the remains of First Government House and parts of the Dockyard on the western side of the Cove being some of the few examples bearing witness to the first 10 years of white settlement at Sydney Cove. Only a handful of the colonial architect Francis Greenway's structures survive. With the excavation of the semi-circular battery an interesting part of his work has been rediscovered. Likewise, Greenway's quarry on the site is the only example of the careful mining of stone from this period in Sydney. The archaeology of the Battery floor and underground magazines also reveals elements constructed under the direction of George Barney, one of Australia's most important Colonial Engineers in the mid 19th century, such as the 1850s gun emplacements. Together with the presence of the cannon from this time, the Battery is an important archive of military history. The archaeological remains also have a strong aesthetic appeal as evocative ruins of Australia's colonial past. The 1789 Foundation Stone (now with the Mitchell Collection in the NSW State Library) and the five 1850s cannon contribute strongly to the heritage significance of the Place, in addition to being significant in their own right. Dawes Point maintains vestiges of all periods of its occupation. The Point has been terraced and filled with each successive land use. All of these land uses have been closely linked with the site's unique position, occupying as it does a prominent headland with vistas up and down the harbour. Dawes Point Park still encompasses more than 90% of the area set aside for military purposes in the 18th century. Very little of this area has been alienated from public use, allowing the potential for interpretation of this period of the site's history in particular. The layers of history at Dawes Point have great potential to be used as a rich educational, cultural and tourism resource. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. The Dawes Point Battery Remains is a rare historical precinct that contains evidence and associations of over 200 years of European occupation and as a contact site between the Eora and European cultures. It spans occupation and activity that includes scientific, defence, engineering and social values for the length of European occupation on the site. It is a magnificent landscaped setting for the Sydney Harbour Bridge and holds evidence of the Bridge's construction. It is the first defence installation set up in Australia and has rare surviving examples of subterranean powder magazines.

Gallery

File:Dawes Point-Tarra - 1.jpg, Cannons at the Dawes Point "Tarra" interpretive park File:Dawes Point-Tarra - 3.jpg, Cannons at the Dawes Point "Tarra" interpretive park File:Dawes Point-Tarra - 4.jpg, Cannons at the Dawes Point "Tarra" interpretive park File:Dawe's Point Battery - Dawe's Point, Sydney, NSW (7875777976).jpg, Point "Tarra" interpretive park

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * *

Attribution

External links

* {{Barracks Batteries Bunkers and Forts in Sydney, state=collapsed 1791 establishments in Australia Military installations established in 1791 18th-century fortifications Former Barracks in Australia Batteries in Australia Buildings and structures in Sydney Forts in New South Wales History of Sydney Dawes Point, New South Wales New South Wales State Heritage Register sites located in The Rocks Military installations in New South Wales Tourist attractions in New South Wales Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register New South Wales places listed on the defunct Register of the National Estate