Busby's Bore facts for kids
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| An 1857 sketch of the stand pipe in Hyde Park | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Centennial Park to College Street, via Surry Hills, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°53′52″S 151°13′42″E / 33.897833°S 151.228376°E |
| Start | Lang Park |
| End | Hyde Park |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | September 1827 |
| Owner | Sydney Water |
| Technical | |
| Design engineer | John Busby |
| Length | 3.6 kilometres (2+1⁄4 mi) |
Busby's Bore was Sydney's second main water supply. It is a historic underground tunnel that helped bring fresh water to the growing city. It stretches between Centennial Park and College Street in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia.
The tunnel was designed by John Busby. It was built from 1827 to 1837, mostly by convict labour. Today, it is owned by Sydney Water. Busby's Bore is a protected heritage site, listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
Contents
Why Was Busby's Bore Needed?
By the 1820s, Sydney's first water source, the Tank Stream, was very dirty. It was almost like an open sewer. The people of Sydney relied on wells or water brought in carts from faraway swamps.
In 1826, John Busby suggested a solution. He proposed building a tunnel, or 'bore', to bring clean water from the Lachlan Swamps. These swamps are now part of Centennial Park and Queen's Park. The water would flow to a reservoir in what is now Hyde Park.
How Was the Tunnel Built?
Construction of Busby's Bore began in September 1827. It took 10 years to finish. The tunnel was designed to use gravity to move the water. The ground sloped slightly, dropping about 53 centimetres (1 ft 9 in) over its entire 3.6 kilometres (2+1⁄4 mi) length. This allowed water to flow from the swamps all the way to Hyde Park.
The tunnel had to be rerouted in some places. This was because of soft, wet ground called quicksand. It also had to go around the sites of the Sydney Football Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The bore started near what is now Busby's Pond in Centennial Park. It ended in Hyde Park, close to the Oxford Street entrance. From there, pipes on stands carried water to other parts of the city.
Who Was John Busby?
John Busby was an expert in finding minerals and water. He had worked in England, Ireland, and Scotland. He came to New South Wales in 1824 when he was 59 years old. His main job was to find a good and lasting water supply for Sydney.
Before the bore, Sydney got its water from the dirty Tank Stream. There were also a few small springs and private wells. Many of these were not clean.
The Convict Workers
The entire tunnel was built by convict labour. Between 50 and 140 convicts worked on the bore. They worked 24 hours a day in three shifts. This was common in mining to prevent water from building up underground.
Busby said that most of the men were not trained miners. They had to learn on the job. The work was very hard. Prisoners often worked in water up to their waists. They mostly used picks to dig through solid sandstone. Sometimes, gunpowder was used, but it filled the tunnel with smoke.
Work started at the Hyde Park end and moved towards the swamps. By 1830, even before the tunnel was finished, it began supplying clean water. This was because it also collected water from springs along its path.
How Busby's Bore Changed Sydney
In 1833, pipes were added to supply water to ships in the port. By 1837, the tunnel was mostly complete. It was delivering about 1.5 megalitres (330,000 imp gal; 400,000 US gal) of water per day.
Later, in 1844, more pipes were laid. This allowed houses to connect to the water supply. Public fountains were also set up. In 1872, the bore was cleaned, and its flow increased to about 4.5 megalitres (160×103 cu ft) per day.
Busby's Bore was a huge project. It showed the need for a proper system to manage Sydney's water. It also played a big part in creating the Sydney Corporation in 1842. This was the first local government body in Sydney.
The bore was a major engineering achievement. It helped Sydney grow from a small penal colony into an important trading port.
What Does Busby's Bore Look Like Today?
The bore was dug mostly through solid sandstone. It was usually about 1.5 metres (5 ft) high and 1.2 metres (4 ft) wide. However, its size varied in different sections.
From 1859, Busby's Bore was slowly replaced by water pumped from the Botany Swamps. In 1934, a part of the bore under Oxford Street was filled with sand. This was done to prevent the road from sinking due to heavy tram traffic.
Busby's Bore is still owned by Sydney Water. It is listed on the New South Wales Heritage Register. This means it is protected and important to history.
Important Dates for Busby's Bore
- 1827 – Work began at the Hyde Park end.
- 1830 – First water started flowing from springs found during digging.
- 1833 – Pipes were laid from Hyde Park to supply ships.
- 1837 – The main tunnel was completed.
- 1844 – Pipes were laid to connect houses to the water supply.
- 1872 – The tunnel was cleaned, increasing water flow.
- 1890 – Other water systems started to take over.
- 1902 – Only supplied the Botanic Gardens.
- 1934 – The Oxford Street section was filled with sand.
- 2004 – A plan was made to use the bore again for city parks.
- 2006 – The NSW Government gave money to restore the bore.
Remembering Busby's Bore
There are a few things that remember Busby's Bore:
- 1962 – A fountain was built in Hyde Park. It celebrates the bore as Sydney's second water source and first piped water supply.
- 1988 – A stone monument, called a cairn, was placed in Centennial Park. It remembers Busby's Bore, the 100th birthday of the Water Board, and the opening of Centennial Park.
Why Busby's Bore is Important
Busby's Bore is a unique engineering achievement. It was very important for the growth of Sydney. It was built by convicts and helped create local government in New South Wales. This shows how Sydney changed from a prison colony to a busy trading port.
The tunnel and its surrounding areas can teach us a lot. They show us how people worked in the 1800s. They also show the technology and materials available back then.
The bore is still mostly intact and even used in some ways today. This makes it a rare survivor from the early 1800s in Sydney. It is a great example of how public works were built using convict labour and 19th-century engineering.
Engineering Heritage
The bore is recognized as a National Engineering Landmark. This is part of the Engineering Heritage Recognition Program by Engineers Australia.
Images for kids
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A memorial of Busby's Bore located in Centennial Park, erected in 1988.
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Fountain in Hyde Park, commemorating Sydney's second source of water and its first piped water supply.
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