Convict Lumber Yard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Convict Lumber Yard |
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| Location | 98 Scott Street, Newcastle, City of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1801–1930 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Owner | Foreshore Pty Ltd; Newcastle City Council; Royal Newcastle Hospital |
| Official name: Convict Lumber Yard or Stockade Site; Stationmaster's residence and Paymaster's office; Convict Lumberyard; Stockade | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological-terrestrial) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 570 |
| Type | Yarding/ Loading Facility |
| Category | Manufacturing and Processing |
| Builders | Multiple |
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The Convict Lumber Yard is a very old and important historical site located at 98 Scott Street in Newcastle, Australia. It's mostly an archaeological site, meaning scientists dig here to find clues about the past. Over many years, this spot was used as a place where convicts worked with timber, a prison-like stockade, and later, for buildings related to shipping and railways.
Today, you can still see some old buildings like the former station master's residence and the paymaster's office. Under the ground, there are also remains of the many different things that happened here. This site was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 because of its amazing history.
Contents
A Journey Through Time
This timeline shows the main events that happened at the Convict Lumber Yard site:
- 1801: The very first convict settlement in Newcastle began right here. This is when the Lumber Yard started its operations.
- 1822: Newcastle stopped being a main penal (prison) settlement. Convicts were no longer kept here, but the lumber work continued.
- 1831: The Lumber Yard was officially closed down.
- 1832: The Lumber Yard reopened. It became a base for convicts who were building the Nobby's breakwater, a stone wall protecting the harbour. It was known as 'The Stockade' then.
- 1840: The practice of sending convicts to New South Wales ended.
- 1846: Nobby's Breakwater was finished. The convicts gradually left the site.
- 1857: The Great Northern Railway opened, changing how goods and people moved around.
- 1858: A goods yard, where trains loaded and unloaded items, started operating at Circular Wharf nearby.
- 1879: The Berthing Master's house was built. This building is now called the Paymaster's Office.
- 1885: The Traffic Manager's residence was constructed. This building later became known as the Station Master's residence.
- 1900s-1930s: More buildings were added for railway employees and the Railway Institute, including a hall and a tennis court.
- 1940: The old Berthing Master's Office became the Paymaster's Office.
- 1967: The Railway Institute Hall was taken down.
- 1987: Enterprise Park opened. The first archaeological dig happened, uncovering old wells, a forge (a place for metalwork), and brick paths.
More archaeological digs took place in June 1989 and October 1992, helping us learn even more about this special place.
What Can We See?
Archaeologists have found many interesting things at the Convict Lumber Yard site.
Ancient Aboriginal Campsite
During the 1987 archaeological digs, evidence of an Aboriginal open campsite was found. This included stone tools, showing that Aboriginal people used this land long before European settlement. This kind of evidence is now quite rare in city areas like Newcastle.
Convict Era Discoveries
The excavations also uncovered physical proof of the convict period. These finds include:
- A brick drain and a stone sump (a pit for collecting water).
- Parts of a kiln floor, where bricks were made.
- An old well.
- Pieces of the brick convict barrack, which was built around 1818.
- Bricks from the collapsed convict hospital.
- Various brick pathways used by the convicts.
Railway Era Buildings
More recent structures from the railway period are still standing today. These include:
- The large and impressive Station Master's residence.
- The two-storey Paymaster's Office.
- The concrete slab remains of Brett's sailmakers' loft.
- Some brick remains of the Railway Institute Hall.
The site has a very high potential for future archaeological discoveries. The buildings that are still standing are in good condition, preserving a piece of Newcastle's past.
Why This Place is Special
The Convict Lumber Yard site, including the Station Master's residence and Paymaster's office, is incredibly important for many reasons:
A Glimpse into History
This site is special because:
- It offers rare proof of a convict industrial workplace. Many convict structures were thought to be lost, but this site shows they existed.
- Archaeological digs here can reveal even more about the convict period and the site's later history.
- It clearly shows major parts of Newcastle's history, especially its convict past and its development as a railway and port city.
- It helps us understand and share Newcastle's history with the community.
- It provides evidence of Aboriginal occupation, which is rare in urban Newcastle.
Beautiful Design and Views
The site is also important for its looks:
- The Station Master's residence is a great example of a late Victorian-style house. It shows excellent design.
- The buildings that are still there add to the unique look of Newcastle, especially since many old railway buildings are part of the city's charm.
- From the site, you can enjoy beautiful views of the harbour and the foreshore.
Community Connection
This site has a strong connection with the Newcastle community:
- Local people have been very involved in supporting the archaeological digs and helping to protect the site.
- Combined with old documents and stories, the site can help us understand major parts of the history of Newcastle, from its convict beginnings to today.
Learning from the Past
The site has the potential to teach us a lot:
- It shows the impressive building skills of convicts in early 19th-century Newcastle.
- It can provide information about the convict period that we can't find in old documents alone.
- It can also tell us about how the site was used after the convict stockade closed.
- It offers rare evidence of Aboriginal occupation in urban Newcastle.
Unique and Rare History
This site is uncommon because it provides:
- Rare evidence of a convict stockade and workplace.
- Rare evidence of an early industrial site.
- Physical evidence (which is becoming rare) of how large organizations paid their employees in the past.
A Typical Example
The Station Master's residence is a good example of the quality of design and housing provided for important employees of the NSW Railways in the 1870s and 1880s.
