A Vision For The Bays: Rozelle Bay

Introduction Located approximately four kilometres from Sydney’s CBD, The Crescent forms part of a larger projected aimed at rejuvenating a wider area referred to as The Bays.

The site outlined in this document sits at the northern end of Bicentennial Park. Currently, the site is under-utilised. It has the opportunity to provide the residents of Annandale and Glebe, as well as visitors, with an opportunity to experience Sydney from a unique perspective. With plans to redevelop the former Rozelle Rail Yards that sit to the northern end of the site, it is Important to provide future residents with a recreational area for all residents.

The site forms the termination point of close to three kilometres of uninterrupted public waterfront access. It interrupts pedestrian and cycling networks and isolates the Rozelle Bay light rail station from its immediate vicinity.

Figure 1: Site currently disrupts close to three kilometres of public waterfront access.

Photo: Jarrod Haynes, 2015

Rozelle Bay has a rich heritage as a working harbour. Any redevelopment needs to respect and compliment the previous land uses and any heritage listed structures in the vicinity. Any plans for the Rozelle Bay foreshore needs to be consider both the present situation as well as any potential changes that will be implemented during The Bays redevelopment timeline.

The site, which will be renamed to Crescent Park, will connect become a crucial point to connect many important sites along Rozelle Bay and in the surrounding areas. It will provide an access point for residents and visitors to the foreshore and surrounding parkland.

Figure 2: Site is currently underutilised. Public waterfront access is a key issue.

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Rozelle Bay - Heritage Rozelle Bay, and the suburbs that surround the bay, have played an important role in the industrial history of Sydney. The land around Rozelle Bay, which incorporates the present suburbs of Glebe, Annandale, Rozelle and Balmain, was once home to Sydney’s heaviest and most polluting industries.

Surrounded by ‘coal fired powerhouses, sawmills and drying kilns, steam locomotives, steam ships and foundries, Rozelle Bay formed a crucial part of Sydney’s working harbour.1 The bay was also used for the transportation of timber, as the depth of the bay ‘is greater in its channel than its neighboring areas’.2

A viaduct, once used to carry freight trains, runs along the southern and southwestern side of Rozelle Bay. The viaduct, now heritage listed, was constructed to provide an alternative route for an increasing number of freight trains that had to share the main line (which forms the main western line and main northern line) with an increasing number of passenger trains. The viaduct now forms part of the Central-Dulwich Hill light rail and is host to the Rozelle Bay light rail stop.

Rozelle Bay’s angular shape is a result of the large amount of infill and reclamation work that was carried out on the northern shore of the bay. A small proportion of the southern side of Rozelle Bay remains true to its natural form. This is largely the result of the relatively late development of the

Figure 1: Land reclamation works, Rozelle Bay. Source: Pictorial History of Balmain to Glebe.

suburb of Annandale. Until 1905, large parts of Annandale remained under control of the Johnston family who resisted encroaching development until 1876.3 The suburb of Annandale battled against the development of heavy industry and, as a result, Federal Park was proclaimed. The green space that lines the southern side of Rozelle Bay has been essential for the residents in both Annandale and Glebe.

1 2

John Williams, ‘Rozelle’, Sydney Journal, 3 (1) (2010), 38.

Joan Lawrence & Catherine Warne, A Pictorial History of Balmain to Glebe. (Balmain: Kingsclear Books Pty Ltd, 1995), 68.

3 Alan Roberts, ‘Annandale’, Dictionary of Sydney, accessed November 3, 2015, http://dictionaryofsydney.org/ entry/annandale.

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Analysis

South Wales. As an area within ten kilometers of Sydney’s Central Business District with a strong industrial past, measures should be taken to ensure that any proposed

The site is located on the western shore of Rozelle Bay, wholly within the suburb of Annandale.

recreational or entertainment facility does not detract from the local area. The viaduct

It is easily accessible from the surrounding suburbs such as Glebe, Rozelle and Balmain. The site

immediately opposite the site, which is now used for Light Rail services, is heritage listed. The

forms the termination point for a largely uninterrupted waterfront walk stretching around 3.5km

bridge is a ‘significant example of a heavy-duty structure in keeping with NSW Railway’s

from Glebe to Annandale. The site is surrounded by both major regional roads, such as the

policy to allow for anticipated future heavy traffic loads, locomotives and rolling stock’.2

City West Link, and major local roads, such as The Crescent and Johnston Street, that provide access to the surrounding suburbs and

Johnstons Creek, within 300 metres of the

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NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, “Annandale (Johnson Street) Underbridge”, NSW Office of

the wider Sydney metropolitan region.

site, is one of the earliest purpose-built

Immediately behind the site is the

drains in NSW, dating from 1890.3 There

Rozelle Bay Light Rail stop that provides

are also many heritage-listed buildings

connections with the southern end of

on Lilyfield Road in Rozelle that fall within

Sydney’s CBD and Dulwich Hill. The site

the immediate vicinity of the site but do

also has immediate access to two bus

not have direct access to the site.

stops on either side of The Crescent. This Figure 1: Intersection of The Crescent and The City-West Link. Two major roads in the area.

provides access to Balmain, Annandale,

Water quality is a major issue for Rozelle

Glebe and the southern end of the CBD

Bay. An investigation into Johnstons

through the 433 bus route.

Creek, Whites Creek and Hawthorne

Figure 3: Johnston Street Viaduct: one of the heritage listed structures in the vicinity.

Canal, all of which feed into Rozelle Bay, In the most recent census, Annandale had a population of 8,669. A large proportion of Annandale residents (28.3%) are tertiary educated, far above the state average of 14.2%. A large Figure 2: The Site features extensive views of Sydney’s CBD

proportion of Annandale’s

population (57.1%) work, on average, more than 40 hours a week whereas the state average

found ‘extremely high concentrations of Environment and Heritage, accessed 30 October 2015, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4803229.

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NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, “Johnsons Creek Stormwater Channel No 55”, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, accessed 30 October 2015, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4570348.

Figure 4: Both water pollution and rubbish pollution are major issues for the site

metals and nutrients’ that were likely ‘responsible for the sporadic fish kills that have occurred

is only 45.8%.1 The suburb would definitely benefit from greater access to the Rozelle Bay wa-

at the mouths of Hawthorne and Debroyd Canals’.4 Inaction on behalf of Leichardt and

terfront and surrounding green space.

City of Sydney councils would be detrimental towards any plans to create a recreation and entertainment area on the site.

The immediate vicinity comprises some of the oldest and most sought-after real estate in New

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Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Annandale (NSW)”, Australian Bureau of Statistics, accessed 30 October 2015, http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/ /census/2011/quickstat/SSC10039?opendocument&navpos=220.

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Leichardt City Council, Leichardt State of the Environment Report 2009-2010. By Leichardt City Council,

2009.

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Figure 1: Location of Strengths.

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Figure 3: Location of Opportunities

Strengths: - Proximity to Sydney CBD (around 4km) - Proximity to public transport (bus & tram) - Proximity to major roads that connect the site with the city and its surrounding suburbs - Proximity to parkland - Harbour views

Opportunities: - Better connect the site with surrounding public transport - Increased signage to engage visitors - Opportunity to lessen noise pollution - Enact measures to lower water pollution and rubbish pollution

Weaknesses: - Lack of parking in surrounding area - Lack of signage on pedestrian routes - Lack of amenity - Lack of amenities (public toilets, cafes, shops) - Pollution (noise pollution, water pollution)

Threats: - Public transport overcrowding - Traffic - Existing land uses - Site’s distance from amenities such as public toilets, cafes and shops

Figure 4: Location of Threats

Figure 2: Location of Weaknesses.

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Vision

place to catch a glimpse of the New Year’s Eve fireworks. The park also provides glimpses of both North Sydney and St Leonards skylines.

A modern, accessible and functional park, linking the Rozelle Rail yards with almost three kilometres of uninterrupted waterfront parkland.

The park will be landscaped and an artificial beach will be created to allow for paddling. Crescent Park will be become a retreat for existing residents of Annandale as well as the future residents of the Rozelle Rail Yards development.

The park will also provide an innovative and architecturally challenging playground for both the children of the Rozelle Rail Yards development and existing locals, as well as visitors from across Sydney.

Recommendations It is my recommendation that the site be used as an active passageway to link Bicentennial Park with the former Rozelle Rail yards and Rozelle Bay station. This will reconnect residents and pedestrians with the waterfront, greatly increasing the value of the site for the local community.

I have also recommended that a playground and an artificial beach should be built to ensure

Figure 1: Aerial view of site at the southwestern end of Rozelle Bay. Source: The Bays Precinct Transformation Plan, Oct Crescent Park is designed to provide the future residents of the Rozelle Rail Yards redevelopment with a small but modern and functional park to connect the site in with the wider

that both residents and visitors enjoy the site to its fullest potential.

Crescent Park should be designed not only as a continuation of almost three kilometres of uninterupted parkland, but also to provide locals and visitors with an area to rest and refresh.

area. The park forms a continuation of uninterrupted waterfront parkland that stretches from the northwestern end of Wentworth Park around to The Crescent in Annandale.

Crescent Park will provide both locals and visitors with amenities that are not available in the immediate vicinity. Amenities such as a small, modern, environmentally friendly and efficient toilet block as well as facilities to wash and care for your dog.

The park will provide visitors with stunning views of Sydney CBD and will be the perfect

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References Leichardt City Council. Leichardt State of Environment Report 2009

2010. By Leichardt City Council, 2009.

N.S.W. Office of Environment and Heritage, “Annandale (Johnston Street)

Underbridge”, N.S.W. Office of Environment and Heritage, accessed

25 October 2015, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/

ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4803229.

N.S.W. Office of Environment and Heritage, “Johnstons Creek

Stormwater Channel No. 55”, N.S.W. Office of Environment and

Heritage, accessed 25 October, 2015, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/

ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4570348.

Roads and Maritime Service, “Average Daily Traffic Volume”, Roads and Maritime Service, accessed 25 October 2015, http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/about/ corporate-publications/statistics/traffic-volumes/index.html.

Roberts, Alan, ‘Annandale’, Dictionary of Sydney, accessed November 3,

2015, http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/annandale.

Williams, John, ‘Rozelle’, Sydney Journal, 3 (1) (2010), 35-43.

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