79-572: Tresco may refer to: Tresco, Elizabeth Bay , a historic residence in New South Wales, Australia Tresco, Isles of Scilly , an island off Cornwall, England, United Kingdom Tresco, Victoria , a town in Victoria, Australia a nickname referring to the cricketer Marcus Trescothick Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
158-513: A Centenary Stonework Program to ensure its availability. The program was also a catalyst for private projects as well as conservation and maintenance research. Even though the government rescued large blocks and stockpiled it, shortages continue because developers excavate large building sites and break the material up into unusable pieces. According to the manager for the State Government's Centenary Stonework Program, Ron Powell, "There
237-640: A form of Silicosis or industrial dust disease. In 1908 questions were asked in the Legislative Assembly in the parliament of New South Wales about how likely the men cutting sandstone in Sydney were to contracting the disease and whether the Government should grant medical aid to them. The early administrators of the colony at Sydney Cove sent groups of prisoners to an area nearby, named The Rocks , to eke out what ever existence they could from
316-467: A highly favoured building material , especially preferred during the city's early years—from the late 1790s to the 1890s—its use, particularly in public buildings , gives the city its distinctive appearance. The sandstone is notable for its geological characteristics; its relationship to Sydney's vegetation and topography ; the history of the quarries that worked it; and the quality of the buildings and sculptures constructed from it. This bedrock gives
395-399: A history of heavy pruning. The bull bay/evergreen magnolia is in the western (upper front) garden between the driveway and northern boundary, it is also 120–140 years old, a small stunted tree that appears to be in decline. The Moreton Bay fig on the upper north-east facing terrace is a magnificent tree and one of the most outstanding individual specimens to occur on private property within
474-521: A person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history. Tresco is of State significance for its association with the prominent Sydney architect Thomas Rowe, initial leaseholder of the property, who designed and constructed the original building in 1867. Tresco is of State significance as the principal residence of the Captain-in-Charge of H.M.A. Naval establishments in Sydney from 1903, and as
553-410: A rare example of the fine houses built on the subdivided land, most of which have subsequently been demolished. it is therefore one of the few properties in the locality which is able to demonstrate the nature of residential development on prime Harbour front land, as the original large estates were broken up in the later decades of the 19th century. The place has a strong or special association with
632-725: A rare surviving example of a fine Victorian villa with an intact curtilage and garden overlooking the Harbour from the upper ridge of MacLeay Point. [REDACTED] This Misplaced Pages article contains material from Tresco, grounds and trees , entry number 780 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 13 October 2018. Sydney sandstone Sydney sandstone , also known as
711-464: A rare survivor, and for its ability t demonstrate construction techniques of late 19th century waterfront structures. Tresco , its outbuildings, gardens and landscape elements have scientific significance as good examples of conservation and restoration works undertaken in the late 20th century. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Tresco has State historical significance as
790-481: A small amount of the iron mineral siderite in varying proportions, bound with a clay matrix. It oxidises to the warm yellow-brown colour that is notable in the buildings which are constructed of it. The sand was washed from Broken Hill , and laid down in a bed that is about 200 metres thick. Currents washed through it, leaching out most of the minerals and leaving a very poor rock that made an insipid soil . They washed out channels in some places, while in others,
869-670: A strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. The building has a high level of social significance for personnel of the Royal Australian Navy for its role as the principal residence of the Navy, and the official residence of the Flag Officer-in-Charge of the Royal Australian Navy. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of
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#1732786854833948-442: A tidal swimming pool. A terraced garden to the north of Tresco slopes down to the harbour. The garden features a tall timber mast and a well landscaped and established garden, including four mature fig trees. There is the summerhouse and fernery at the western boundary, as well as concrete and brick pathways, which lead down to the bay , and the former boat pound, boathouse, and jetty. Tresco including its grounds and trees
1027-539: A variety of sandstone. Iron and aluminium oxides are found within laterite , which was formed by the weathering of Hawkesbury sandstone. Crushing strengths and fire resistance tests carried out on Sydney sandstone showed that the compressive strength was 2.57 tons per square inch, or 39.9 megapascals (MPa). The crushing strength for ashlar masonry and lintels averaged 4,600 pounds per square inch (31.7 MPa). Recent tests have recorded compressive strengths of up to 70 MPa. In fire resistance tests, designed to assess
1106-407: Is a heritage-listed residence located at 97 Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay , City of Sydney , New South Wales , Australia. It was designed by Thomas Rowe and built by Rowe from 1867 to 1883. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The property has previously functioned as a private residence, navy housing, and homestead and
1185-479: Is described as early Victorian, with seven full-length windows and a small window on the first-floor landing. The entrance portico was Italianate style, an open verandah to the north-overlooking Elizabeth Bay, and a single-storey kitchen to the south. Rowe was born in England in 1829 and came to Australia in 1848. He commenced work as an architect in Sydney in 1856, previously working in the building industry. He
1264-425: Is largely symmetrical in plan, features two wings to the east and west. A two-storey wing extends to the south, and forms the western boundary of the service courtyard and contains the garage at the rear. The main entrance is on the west through a sandstone portico of Italianate detailing, with a balcony above. The main house features a central hall and stair, connecting the two levels, with main rooms extending to
1343-495: Is located to the northern end of Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay. It is a wedge-shaped site, occupying a prominent position on Macleay Point sloping down towards Elizabeth Bay. The site is bound on the south by a high stonewall to Elizabeth Bay Road. Both the east and west boundaries are bounded by early brick walls, and towards the Bay are dominated by tall modern apartment buildings. The site has impressive waterfront facilities and
1422-460: Is nothing stopping developers at all from just trashing it". In 2008, a Sydney city councillor said that planning laws stand, City of Sydney Council can allow the yellowblock to be "harvested" but cannot mandate that developers excavate the stone in a way that preserves it. Conservation and a revival in use has caused some clashes between principles and practice. In spite of the shortages, the revived industry continues to quarry, process, and supply
1501-527: Is reinforced by its prominent setting high on the ridgeline above a fine and extensive waterfront garden, which provides a superb outlook over the inner reaches of Sydney Harbour . The terraced garden makes an important contribution to the special character of the Elizabeth Bay area for its collection of mature trees, particularly the large Moreton Bay fig, early landscape layout, pathways, steps, garden details and waterfront structures. The place has
1580-400: Is significant as a substantially intact example of a Victorian waterfront villa and estate. The original Italianate style villa was designed by prominent architect, Thomas Rowe (1867) with later additions by George Westgarth, including garden layout and landscape elements (1883). The property was the principal residence of the Captain-in-Charge of HMAS Naval Establishments in Sydney from 1903 and
1659-422: Is very detrimental to native flora and fauna. It destroys habitat, alters landform, drainage and soil conditions, creates waste pollution, and usually generates noise and dust ... Existing features ... can be removed or obliterated, and local waterways affected by sedimentation. More widely, the extraction and processing of sandstone requires considerable energy, with its related environmental impacts." The impact on
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#17327868548331738-525: The Hawkesbury sandstone , yellowblock , and yellow gold , is a sedimentary rock named after Sydney, and the Hawkesbury River north of Sydney, where this sandstone is particularly common. It forms the bedrock for much of the region of Sydney , Australia. Well known for its durable quality, it is the reason many Aboriginal rock carvings and drawings in the area still exist. As
1817-590: The Illawarra escarpment . Sandstone escarpments box in the Sydney area on three sides: to the west the Blue Mountains , and to the north and south, the Hornsby Plateau and Woronora Plateau . These escarpments kept Sydney in its bounds and some people still regard the spatial boundaries of the city in these terms. Six kilometres of sandstone and shale lie under Sydney. In Sydney sandstone,
1896-611: The New South Wales and Commonwealth governments. The house was provided to the Admiralty as the official residence of the Naval Officer-in-Command at Garden Island in Sydney. In 1913 the leasehold was transferred to The Commonwealth of Australia, however it was not until 1922 that the freehold was also acquired. From 1913 (and thus throughout World Wars I and II) Tresco was the official residence of
1975-464: The City of Sydney local government area. The total floor area of the existing house is approximately 454 square metres (4,890 sq ft). Tresco consists of two storeys, including a basement crawl space, and two driveway entrances. There are two courtyards to the rear of the house, which are separated by a high brick wall. A service courtyard is created by the high brick wall to the south and by
2054-562: The City of Sydney local government area. It is significant within the local government area as an individual specimen with special aesthetic, visual, cultural, historical, and social values. It has achieved massive proportions and its canopy completely dominates the upper eastern terrace lawns of Tresco . It is a particularly prominent specimen in this elevated location on Macleay Point and is visible from many public vantage points around Rushcutters Bay. The other two figs are much smaller and may be associated with later foreshore reclamation works to
2133-542: The Department of Defence. Between 1991 and 1997 Tresco was substantially conserved and restored by conservation architects Otto Cserhalmi and Partners. The site works included, the stabilization of rock overhangs and retaining walls, and improvements to site drainage. Works to the house included repairs to the roof and stonewalls, the repair or reinstatement of many of the original internal finishes and fittings. New bathrooms were also installed at this time. In 1997 it
2212-481: The Elizabeth Bay Estate subdivision and was one of the first leaseholders to erect a building. Tresco was constructed by Rowe and completed in 1868. He resided there until 1876. The original house constructed by Rowe consisted of a two-storey sandstone house with a slate roof, comprising 13 rooms. There also included notable features such as a coach house, stables, and garden. The original design
2291-499: The Flag Officer-in-Charge of the Royal Australian Navy since 1913. Tresco has further significance in terms of its historic, cultural and social links with the original land grant to Alexander Macleay. From the 1820s period until subdivision in 1867, the grounds were part of Macleay's Elizabeth Bay House estate. Tresco remains as one of the few surviving original land parcels dating from this time of subdivision by George Macleay. Summary of scheduled items (cultural planting): Two of
2370-508: The Flag Officer-in-Charge of the Royal Australian Navy. The property only underwent minor changes during the naval presence. Alterations included the reconfiguration of bedrooms to the main house, rooms to the south and garage, enclosure of the north verandah, and installation of plasterboard ceilings to the ground floor rooms of the main house. In 1988 the management of Tresco passed to the Defence Housing Authority, of
2449-478: The Pyrmont peninsula has been described as an example of "systematic destruction of ecology in favour of economy ... The peninsula may be an extreme example of what happens when 'progress', 'development', 'economic growth' take the box seats of society." Towards the end of the 20th century, it was realised that more stone would be needed for future conservation work. The New South Wales State Government established
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2528-564: The Royal Australian Navy since 1913. Tresco has State significance as a Victorian villa in the Italianate style which retains its architectural integrity as an intact and rare example of the fine residences that once characterised Macleay Point. It is significant as an example of craftsmanship and construction techniques used in the mid to late nineteenth century and recent conservation and restoration works (1991–1997). The house garden and waterfront structures make an important contribution to
2607-439: The bay, with better housing and pubs for entertainment. Millions of cubic feet of sandstone was excavated from Sydney's Cockatoo Island to create a dry dock on the island. In the early days settlers found at hand a convenient substitute for stone in the hardwoods, and in Sydney sandstone was so plentiful and so easily worked that no one thought of going afield to explore for something better, and even today [1915] freestone, as
2686-458: The building: 'It has a fine facade in warm-coloured stone ... forming a richly modelled surface'. Demolition of sandstone buildings in The Rocks was forestalled in part because of a Green Ban . A revival began when the heritage value of these older buildings was recognised. Contemporary reports have noted the contribution of sandstone quarrying to ecological degradation. "Sandstone quarrying
2765-534: The bush its distinctive smell. Other types of sandstone found in Sydney include sandstones in the Mittagong formation , Newport Formation Sandstone , Bulgo Sandstone , Minchinbury Sandstone , and other sandstones which occur within other layers of sedimentary rocks; such as sandstones within Ashfield Shale , Bringelly Shale and Garie Formation . Bald Hill Claystone is considered by geologists to be
2844-439: The character of the area, forming a prominent element in the landscape of Elizabeth Bay from the Harbour. The property is associated with prominent Sydney architect Thomas Rowe and George Wesgarth. Rowe designed and constructed the original house in 1867 and Wesgarth was responsible for the only significant additions and alterations – the garden layout and landscape elements in 1883. It is also associated with George Macleay , who
2923-487: The city some of its "personality" by dint of its meteorological , horticultural , aesthetic and historical impact. One author describes Sydney's sandstone as "a kind of base note, an ever-present reminder of its Georgian beginnings and more ancient past." Sydney sandstone was deposited in the Triassic Period probably in a freshwater delta and is the caprock which controls the erosion and scarp retreat of
3002-652: The colony in 1788, settlers and convicts had to work with the stone, using it for building and trying to grow crops on the soil over it. The sandstone had a negative effect on farming because it underlay most of the available flat land at a very shallow depth. In the late 19th century, it was thought that the sandstone might contain gold . Some efforts were made at the University of Sydney to test this idea. Reporting on them in 1892, Professor Liversidge said "The Hawkesbury sandstone and Waianamatta shale was, of course, derived from older and probably gold-bearing rocks hence it
3081-419: The construction of an extensive east wing, and a second floor to the kitchen wing in 1883. He was also responsible for much of the garden design and layout, including the summerhouse, fernery, boathouse and boat pound. Westgarth was to reside at Tresco until 1891, after which time the house was let to various tenants. In 1902 the leasehold was conveyed to The Crown, and management of the property assigned to
3160-458: The cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Tresco has scientific significance for its ability to reveal the quality and complexity of 19th century joinery, plasterwork detailing and colour schemes, in addition to its general construction. While such construction is not unique in Sydney, Tresco is a fine example of craftsmanship and residential construction techniques used in the 19th century. The Boat Pound has scientific significance as
3239-471: The currents formed sand banks that show a characteristic current bedding or cross-bedding that can often be seen in cuttings. At a time in the past, monocline formed to the west of Sydney. The monocline is a sloping bend that raises the sandstone well above where it is expected to be seen, and this is why the whole of the visible top of the Blue Mountains is made of sandstone. From the beginnings of
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3318-458: The end of the 19th century and cutting the stone became more difficult than before as depths increased. The combination of slowing demand and technical difficulties forced quarries out of business, although restorations and extensions of important public buildings still required Sydney sandstone. After the Saunders quarries closed, Pyrmont yellowblock sandstone was no longer available. The stone
3397-475: The figs are in the lower harbour-side terrace near the northern and southern boundaries. The third is on the north-eastern upper garden terrace near the villa. This latter fig has a massive, dense canopy. All are between 120 and 140 years old. The carob bean is in the western (upper front) garden adjacent to the sandstone boundary wall to the public footpath (Elizabeth Bay Road). It is a small, stunted tree, some 120–140 years old, which appears to be in decline, with
3476-406: The following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. Tresco is of State historical significance as one of the few surviving original land parcels created in the 1867 subdivision of the Elizabeth Bay Estate at MacLeay Point. Many of the other parcels were further subdivided in the 20th century, as a reflection of
3555-469: The foreclosure of his mortgage to his son, William Sharp Macleay , in 1845. Upon William's death in 1865, the property passed to his brother, George , who returned to England. MacLeay Point was subdivided in 1865 at the direction of George MacLeay. Allotments were sold on a leasehold basis, and a covenant placed over the deeds made it obligatory to build a substantial house to the value of A£ 500 within 5 years. In 1865 Thomas Rowe bid and secured lot 48 of
3634-548: The form of sculptures and finely carved details. The sculptor William Priestly MacIntosh , for example, carved ten of the explorers statues for the niches in the Lands Department building in "Pyrmont Freestone ". Saunders's quarries, known locally as Paradise , Purgatory . and Hellhole , were so named by the Scottish quarrymen who worked there in the 1850s. The names related to the degree of difficulty in working
3713-462: The high land values of the locality. This Estate was subdivided and sold on a leasehold basis, the freehold title being retained by James Macarthur-Onslow. This is thought to be an unusual form of real estate development for the period. Tresco, its early gardens and features such as the Boat Pound, was one of the first buildings to be constructed after the 1867 subdivision, and survives intact as
3792-418: The house included repairs to the roof and stonewalls, the repair or reinstatement of many of the original internal finishes and fittings. New bathrooms were also installed at this time. As at 12 September 2008, Tresco has National significance for its role as the principal residence of the Captain-in-Charge of HMA Naval Establishments in Sydney from 1903 and as the residence of the Flag Officer-in-Charge of
3871-537: The land and build housing for themselves. These first occupants hewed out sandstone from the outcrops and built simple houses. Convicts were also employed tunnelling through what is called the 'Argyle Cut' in The Rocks. The rock was dumped in the mangrove swamps at the head of the Tank Stream to begin to make Circular Quay . Later development in The Rocks area led to bond stores and warehouses being built on
3950-543: The main buildings of the University of Sydney, the stone was supplied from the Pyrmont quarries where there were at least 22 quarrymen working by 1858. Among them was Charles Saunders, licensee of the hotel 'The Quarryman's Arms' who became Pyrmont's biggest quarrymaster. Pyrmont yellowblock not only had good hardness, texture, and colour, it was also suitable for carving and so it could be incorporated into buildings in
4029-416: The main house, rooms to the south and garage, enclosure of the north verandah and installation of plasterboard ceilings to the ground floor rooms of the main house. Between 1991 and 1997 Tresco was substantially conserved and restored by conservation architects Otto Cserhalmi and Partners. Site works included stabilization of rock overhangs and retaining walls and improvements to site drainage. Works to
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#17327868548334108-489: The main living rooms feature fireplaces, and ornate brass pendant or wall mounted light fittings. The first floor is divided into two sections. The larger section to the west consists of four bedrooms, bathrooms and utility room. The eastern section consists of the master bedroom, dressing room and bathroom, the entrance marked by an arch. There is carpet to bedrooms and hall, lath and plaster ceilings, and ornate cornices and ceiling roses . A two-storey wing extends to
4187-492: The material's connection with Sydney's geology as well as its flora and fauna. For example, the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney commissioned sculptor Chris Booth to design a living sculpture (entitled Wurrungwuri) for its grounds, officially unveiled 9 March 2011. One of the two main pieces of the sculpture is a 'sandstone wave', consisting of about 200 tonnes of sandstone blocks in an undulating form reminiscent of
4266-457: The north, and smaller rooms to the south, at each level. At ground level, three large living rooms, such as the dining, drawing and billiard rooms, which open out to an enclosed verandah to the north. To the south are the smaller study, library, preparation rooms and toilets. There is cedar joinery throughout, including door and window architraves , skirting , staircases and cupboards, as well as, suspended timber floor, polished floorboards. Each of
4345-543: The property. Nevertheless, these two figs have group significance within the overall composition. It is believed that the largest fig, carob bean and bull bay / evergreen magnolia are the last surviving remnants from the former gardens of the Elizabeth Bay House estate (on this site). The carob bean / St. John's bread plant has been grown in Sydney since 1828 (Botanic Gardens) and was available in nursery lists from William Macarthur at Camden Park from 1843. It
4424-547: The residence of the Flag Officer-in-Charge of the Royal Australian Navy since 1913. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. Tresco has aesthetic significance at State level, as a large and impressive mid to late 19th century two storey sandstone villa, in the Victorian Italianate style, which retains its early architectural integrity. The aesthetic significance
4503-499: The resistance to collapse of a building in a fire, the sandstone came through better than some of the very hard stones, especially the granites . (The stone was subjected to temperatures approaching 800 degrees Celsius, for 15–30 minutes and plunged into cold water.) The quality of the sandstone known to Sydneysiders as yellow block became well known early. Called on by the Colonial Architect, for example, to be used in
4582-415: The ripple marks from the ancient river that brought the grains of sand are distinctive and easily seen, telling geologists that the sand comes from rocks formed between 500 and 700 million years ago far to the south. This means that the highest part of the visible lines almost always faces approximately south. It is a very porous stone and acts as a giant filter. It is composed of very pure silica grains and
4661-427: The sandstone is often called, is nearly everywhere employed by architects and builders. Demand for Pyrmont stone surged in the years following the gold rush when prosperity meant that many public and private buildings were constructed. From the 1870s, various building sites had up to 300 masons working and carving the stone. Historians have reported that during this period, there were more masons working in Sydney than
4740-572: The site of an asylum for the insane. The site for Tresco formed part of the original 22-hectare (54-acre) property granted to the Honourable Alexander Macleay , Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, by Crown grant in 1831. In 1839 MacLeay constructed a stone mansion named Elizabeth Bay House on the property, as well as extensive stables, museums, and a large garden of interesting plants, specimen trees, an orchard and orangery. Financial trouble forced MacLeay to submit to
4819-410: The south housing at ground level, kitchen and stewards rooms, and a garage to the rear. The wing features a semi enclosed timber posted verandah on the eastern side under the main roof, which provides access to bedrooms at the upper level and into the main house. As at 26 June 2007, the property only underwent minor changes during the naval presence. Alterations included reconfiguration of bedrooms to
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#17327868548334898-485: The south wing, and a partially enclosed two-storey timber verandah to the west. The villa has 13 rooms. Tresco is a two-storey pick axed sandstone block building in the Victorian Italianate style. The building has a hipped , slate tiled roof, with a central valley, lead ridge capping, stone chimneys and timber lined boxed eaves . The building consists of two main sections. The main house, which
4977-482: The stone and its quality. The best stone was 'Paradise', a soft rock that is easy to carve and weathers to a warm, golden straw colour. The Paradise quarry was near present-day Quarry Master and Saunders Streets, Purgatory quarry was near present-day Pyrmont Bridge Road, and Hellhole was where Jones Street now is, near Fig Street. Before World War I, quarries opened up in other Sydney suburbs, such as Botany , Randwick , Paddington and Waverley . The men who worked
5056-836: The stone for building, landscaping, commercial, and conservation work in Australia and there are public courses available in Stonemasonry . It is now also used as a contemporary building material in major constructions and restorations such as Governor Phillip Tower and the Commemorative Museum, winning international architectural awards for excellence. Architects, such as the Robin Boyd Award winner Graham Jahn , describe Sydney's sandstone buildings as "wonderful". A small, highly skilled team of stonemasons responsible for maintaining Sydney's sandstone buildings
5135-434: The stone were highly skilled and organised. Their trade union was the first in the world to win the eight-hour working day in 1855. The daily wages for quarrymen and masons in 1868 has been cited as ten shillings , while labourers earned seven to eight shillings per day at that time. Stonecutters were subject to a range of lung diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and a disease known as "stonemasons' phthisis", now known as
5214-461: The title Tresco . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tresco&oldid=1010874228 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Tresco, Elizabeth Bay Tresco
5293-418: The whole of Europe. It was estimated that by 1928 total production of dressed sandstone from Pyrmont was more than half a million cubic yards (about 460,000 cubic metres) and much was carted away to build other places. The main public buildings in Sydney, completed from the 1850s until the 20th century were built in sandstone from Pyrmont where some 50 quarries operated. In 1909, for example, when an enquiry
5372-514: Was "the rock foundation of most suburban gardens". Sandstone buildings were considered old-fashioned and many were demolished. Some gained a reprieve after much debate. The Queen Victoria Building , for example, a grand and ornate building occupying an entire Sydney block and faced with Pyrmont stone, was threatened with demolition and replacement by a car park. A great debate among supporters and opponents of demolition followed. One architect, Elias Duek-Cohen, referred to its material in his defence of
5451-643: Was an alderman on the Sydney City Council and, later the first mayor of Manly . He founded the Institute of Architects in NSW and was president of the Metropolitan Board of Water Supply and Sewerage . The leasehold for Tresco passed to William Oswald Gilchrist in 1876, and then to George Charles Westgarth in 1880. Westgarth and his family resided at Tresco from 1880 to 1891. William
5530-400: Was done on the sandstone of the clock tower of Sydney Town Hall as part of a four-year, $ 32 million project to restore the building. The capitals on top of the tower columns needed replacement because they had been badly affected by weather and pollution. The work required about 26 cubic metres of yellow block sandstone. Sculptural uses of Sydney sandstone make aesthetic and symbolic use of
5609-409: Was established early in the 1990s. In 2015 a NSW government proposal to outsource the tasks they carried out threatened the loss of their skills, but this did not go ahead. Sydney's significant sandstone buildings, such as Sydney Hospital , have required the attention of these expert stonemasons, as most of Sydney's sandstone buildings date from the 19th century. For example, in 2012, conservation work
5688-486: Was not unreasonable to expect to find gold in them." The sandstone is the basis of the nutrient-poor soils found in Sydney that developed over millennia and 'came to nurture a brilliant and immensely diverse array of plants'. It is, for example, the "heartland of those most characteristic of Australian trees, the eucalypts ". As plants cannot afford to lose leaves to herbivores when nutrients are scarce so they defend their foliage with toxins. In eucalypts, these toxins give
5767-449: Was often planted in churchyards and large church-owned estates in the colony. It is now relatively uncommon in the City of Sydney local government area. The bull bay / evergreen magnolia was recorded as "received at Elizabeth Bay" (house estate) in a list of plants from Camden Park (William Macarthur) in 1836. It was a highly prized ornamental tree in the 19th century, and remains a relatively common element of large former gardens throughout
5846-585: Was originally indigenous lands. Before 2004 it was owned by the Royal Australian Navy and served as an official residence for the senior naval officers in New South Wales. Elizabeth Bay had been the site of a fishing village established by Governor Macquarie in c. 1815 for a composite group of Cadigal people under the leadership of Bungaree (d.1830). Elizabeth Bay had been named in honour of Elizabeth Macquarie . Sir Thomas Brisbane , Governor 1821–25, designated Elizabeth Bay as
5925-411: Was responsible for the subdivision and James Macarthur-Onslow who held title until 1922. It is therefore one of the few surviving original land parcels created in the 1867 subdivision of the Elizabeth Bay Estate at Macleay point and for the unusual manner in which the estate was sold. Tresco, grounds and trees was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied
6004-552: Was sold by the Federal Government to the Anstee family for $ 9 million and it last traded in 2004 when Janette and former art collector and options trader, David Waterhouse bought it. Since then it has had extensive work, bringing its interiors into the modern era, converting the stables into an office and cellar and adding a one-bedroom apartment above the garage. The 3,300-square-metre (36,000 sq ft) site
6083-567: Was still appreciated in the 20th century. In 1938, for example, appreciation of the stone prompted criticism of proposals to use brick in Sydney especially in ecclesiastical architecture . "It Is doubtful if any country in the world has a building stone more perfectly suited for church building than our Sydney sandstone, even for the most delicate and intricate tracery." By the middle of the 20th century, when new modern building materials, such as steel and structural reinforced concrete, had begun to be used, sandstone use had changed. By 1953, sandstone
6162-518: Was the first manager of the Australasian Steam Navigation Company . George's second wife was the granddaughter of Sir G. W. D. Allen, Lord Mayor of Sydney 1844–45, and several of his 8 children were born at Tresco , including the fourth son Dudley, who presented the original bill of the sale signed by his father in 1880. Westgarth was responsible for the only major additions and alterations to Tresco , which included
6241-860: Was undertaken about remodelling the Parliamentary Buildings in Macquarie Street it was reported that "the external work, excepting the southern flank, was to be carried out in Sydney sandstone and the main flight of steps in stone obtained from the Purgatory quarry". Many of Sydney's early sandstone buildings remain but many have been demolished. Demolished buildings include: Vickery's Warehouse, Pitt Street; Robert C. Swan & Co warehouse, Pitt Street, Mason Bros stores, Spring Street; Harrison Jones & Devlin warehouse, Macquarie Place; Mutual Life building, George Street; The Union Club, Bligh Street. Quarries were being worked out by
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