Cliffbrook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cliffbrook |
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Cliffbrook House, pictured in March 2013.
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| Location | 45-51 Beach Street, Coogee, City of Randwick, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1921 |
| Architect | John Kirkpatrick (attributed) |
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| Owner | University of New South Wales |
| Official name: Cliffbrook | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 609 |
| Type | Mansion |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
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Cliffbrook is a very old and important building in Coogee, Australia. It has been many things over the years, including a home, a school, and a government office. Today, it is used by the University of New South Wales for research and administration. The building was constructed in 1921, and its design is thought to be by John Kirkpatrick. Because of its history, Cliffbrook was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Cliffbrook
First People: Indigenous History
Before the 1780s, Aboriginal people lived in the area around Cliffbrook. They used the land for fishing and important cultural activities. You can still find signs of their presence, like rock carvings and special grinding grooves.
In 1789, Governor Philip, an early European leader, mentioned a "long bay" which we now call Long Bay. It's believed that Aboriginal people have lived in the Sydney area for at least 20,000 years. The local Aboriginal group in the Coogee area was the Cadigal people.
Early European Settlement: Colonial History
One of the first land grants in this area was given to Captain Francis Marsh in 1824. He received 12 acres of land.
The name Randwick comes from a town in England called Randwick, Gloucestershire. Two brothers, Simeon and James Pearce, suggested the name. Simeon was born in the English Randwick. The brothers played a big part in developing both Randwick and Coogee. Simeon arrived in Australia in 1841 as a surveyor. He built his home, Blenheim House, on land he bought from Marsh and named his property "Randwick".
Simeon Pearce worked hard to get a road built from Sydney to Coogee, which happened in 1853. He also helped make Randwick an official suburb. He wanted a church built that looked like the one in his hometown. In 1857, the first St Jude's church was built.
Randwick grew slowly at first. It was quite far from Sydney, with swamps and sandhills in between. Travel was difficult; a horse-bus started in the late 1850s, but it often got stuck in the sand! Passengers sometimes had to get out and push.
From the beginning, Randwick had different kinds of people. Wealthy families lived in large, fancy houses. But working-class people lived simpler lives, often working in market gardens, orchards, or piggeries. Even on the big racing estates, many jockeys and stablehands lived in small huts or tents. There was also a very poor group of immigrants in a place called Irishtown, now known as The Spot. They lived in makeshift homes and did the toughest jobs to survive.
In 1858, the NSW Government passed a law allowing towns to become municipalities. This meant they could collect money and improve their areas. Randwick was the first suburb to apply and became a municipality in February 1859.
Randwick was also a place for sports and even illegal activities. An early racecourse, the Sandy Racecourse, was quite dangerous. In 1863, John Tait started Randwick Racecourse, which became very successful. He was the first person in Australia to make horse racing a business. The racecourse helped Randwick grow a lot. Trams soon replaced the horse-buses, connecting the suburb to Sydney. Randwick became a busy and lively place, and it still is today.
Today, some old houses have been replaced by apartment buildings. Many people from Europe have made their homes here. Students and workers from the nearby University of NSW and Prince of Wales Hospital also live in the area.
The Story of Cliffbrook House
The land where Cliffbrook stands today was once part of a much larger property called "Cliff-Brook". This land was first given to Lewis Gordon, a government surveyor, between 1845 and 1846.
Lewis Gordon built a house on the estate, but we don't have records of it today. The property changed hands a few times. In 1859, it was sold to John Thompson, a local businessman and Australian footballer. He became the Mayor of Randwick in 1873. John Thompson is believed to have built the original Cliff-Brook mansion in the 1860s.
The first mansion was built in the Victorian Italianate style. Its main walls were made of stone from the site itself. It had large verandahs and a grand entrance hall with tiled floors. There were also stone stables and a coach house.
In 1889, the property was sold to George Hill. He is thought to have added towers to the mansion. However, Hill faced financial difficulties and the property was taken over by the Bank of New South Wales in 1899.
In 1905, Sir Denison Miller, who worked for the Bank of New South Wales, was asked to live in the mansion for free. Six years later, Miller, who had become the first Governor of the Commonwealth Bank, bought the estate. He paid A£8,000 for the land and house. He later sold parts of the foreshore to Randwick Council.
The Cliffbrook mansion we see today was built in 1921. It was designed by architect John Kirkpatrick in the Federation Free Classical style. The original stone buildings were taken down to make way for this new residence.
John Kirkpatrick was a well-known architect in Sydney. He designed important buildings like the Colonial Mutual Life Building and the Commonwealth Bank in Pitt Street. He also designed grandstands at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
There's some debate about who exactly designed Cliffbrook. Some think it was Kirkpatrick, others suggest E. A. Scott, another architect. It's possible they even worked together.
The new house was named Cliffbrook, and the older residence on the estate became known as "Gordon Court".
Sir Denison Miller passed away in 1923. The property was sold to Welki King, and then later to the Australian Government. During World War II, the army used the estate as a school for tropical medicine.
After 1945, "Gordon Court" was sold and later demolished for new houses. The main Cliffbrook site was bought by the Commonwealth Government in 1959. It became the headquarters for the Australian Atomic Energy Commission (AAEC) from 1953 to 1981. This group is now called the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).
Between 1953 and 1981, many changes happened to the site. Several new buildings were added, including office buildings. Photographs from 1965 show some of these new buildings. The main Cliffbrook house itself also had some changes in 1963-64, like opening up the kitchen and altering bathrooms.
In 1981, ANSTO moved its headquarters to Lucas Heights. The Commonwealth Government decided to sell the property in 1988. Because it was so important, a special order was put in place to protect it. In 1993, the University of New South Wales took ownership of Cliffbrook for research and administration. It was officially added to the State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
What Does Cliffbrook Look Like?
Gardens and Walls
Cliffbrook sits on a large block of land with a well-kept garden. There are lawns around the main house and a paved driveway leading up to its entrance. Three tall Norfolk Island pines stand in the front yard, giving a great view from Beach Street. You can also see different types of palm trees and a large Moreton Bay fig tree in the garden.
The property has old stone boundary walls. The western wall is made of sandstone. The northern wall is also stone, and it was built before the current Cliffbrook house. These walls show how old the property is.
The Garage
The garage is a simple building made from recycled sandstone. It was likely built in the 1920s or early 1930s. It has been changed many times over the years. There's also an old petrol pump near the garage, but it doesn't work anymore.
The House Itself
Cliffbrook is a two-storey building made of dark red bricks with sandstone details. It's designed in a style called Inter Wars Free Classical. It has a slate roof, copper gutters, and brick walls with sandstone blocks at the corners. The windows and doors are made of white-painted timber.
Inside, the rooms are quite simple but elegant. The main living rooms have molded plaster ceilings. Many of the original wooden doors, windows, and skirting boards are still there. They were originally stained dark, but some have been painted white.
Why Cliffbrook is Important
As of 2011, Cliffbrook is considered very important to the history of New South Wales.
It's important because it's linked to the original "Cliff-brook" estate of John Thompson, who was the Mayor of Randwick in 1873. It's also connected to Sir Denison Miller, the first Governor of the Commonwealth Bank.
The house might be one of the last works of John Kirkpatrick, a famous Sydney architect. He designed many big buildings like the Colonial Mutual Life Building and the Commonwealth Bank. Another architect, E. A. Scott, might also have been involved in its creation.
Cliffbrook is a beautifully designed house. It looks grand and impressive, fitting for someone like Sir Denison Miller. Its design is special because it mixes an older style (Italianate) with a newer one (Inter Wars Free Classical), which was rare in the 1920s. The building also shows high-quality craftsmanship in its brickwork and carpentry, showing the building techniques of the 1920s.
Cliffbrook was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because it meets several important criteria:
- It shows the history of New South Wales: Cliffbrook is connected to important historical figures like Sir Denison Miller and possibly famous architects John Kirkpatrick and E.A. Scott.
- It shows great design and skill: The house has a high standard of architectural design. It's well-proportioned and looks impressive. Its mix of old and new styles makes it unique for the 1920s.
- It can teach us about history: The building's excellent craftsmanship in brickwork and joinery can help us understand building techniques and materials used in the 1920s. It also shows how new building methods, like reinforced concrete and terrazzo floors, were being used.
See also
- Australian residential architectural styles
