North Beach Precinct facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Beach Precinct |
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| Location | Cliff Road, North Wollongong, City of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1938–1938 |
| Architect | Harvey Ennis Gale |
| Owner | Land and Property Management Authority (LPMA); Wollongong City Council |
| Official name: North Beach Precinct; Northbeach; North Wollongong Beach; North Beach Bathing Pavilion; Wollongong Bathers Pavilion; Kiosk; Puckey's Salt Works; Tram Cutting; Battery Park; Smiths Hi | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape) |
| Designated | 17 June 2005 |
| Reference no. | 1737 |
| Type | Urban Park |
| Category | Parks, Gardens and Trees |
| Builders | W.J. Anderson |
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The North Beach Precinct is a special historical area in North Wollongong, Australia. It's found on Cliff Road in the City of Wollongong. This important place includes North Wollongong Beach, the North Beach/Wollongong Bathing Pavilion, Puckey's Salt Works, the old Tram Cutting, Battery Park, and Smiths Hill. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2005 because of its rich history and unique buildings.
Contents
Discovering North Beach's Past
Early Days and Industry
Long ago, Aboriginal people lived in the Illawarra region and enjoyed North Beach. They found lots of food along the coast. Later, European settlers arrived and claimed the land. This caused the Aboriginal population to shrink. However, descendants of these first people still live in the area today.
Coal was found here in the late 1700s. But it wasn't until the mid-1800s that coal mining really began. A successful mine opened in 1857. To move the coal, a special tramway was built in 1862. It ran along the coast, right past North Beach. This tramway was very important for the mine's success.
Around the 1890s, a pharmacist named Courtney Puckey started an experimental saltworks at the beach. He tried to make salt from seawater. This saltworks only lasted about ten years. But it's still an important part of the beach's history.
In the 1920s, Wollongong Council wanted to get rid of the tramway. They wanted to turn the area into a nice promenade (a walking path). The Mount Pleasant colliery closed in 1933 because of the Great Depression. In 1937, the company that owned the tramway decided to give the land to Wollongong Council. This happened in 1938, allowing the council to beautify the foreshore.
The Rise of Beach Culture
People in Wollongong have loved swimming in the sea for a long time. Early bathing spots were set up by 1839. At first, there were strict rules about when and where people could swim. Men and women had separate bathing areas.
In the 1880s, rules started to relax a bit. People began to enjoy sea bathing more freely. Wollongong was even called the "Brighton of NSW" because of its popularity as a seaside town.
In 1894, the first men's swimming club was formed. This was around the same time that surf life saving began in New South Wales. Life saving classes started to teach people how to be safe in the ocean.
After 1902, ocean bathing became super popular. But it also became clear how dangerous the surf could be. So, in 1908, a public meeting was held to start a surf life saving club in Wollongong. Almost 100 people attended! They talked about how surf bathing brought many tourists to the town. The Wollongong Surf Bathing and Life Saving Club was formed with 57 members right away.
The club's first practice session had 600 spectators. This shows how much interest there was in surf bathing! Soon, other surf clubs started in nearby towns like Helensburgh and Kiama.
In 1908, plans were made for dressing sheds at North Beach. The club and the council worked together to raise money. By the end of 1909, a timber dressing shed for men was built. It was opened at a surf carnival. A booklet promoting Wollongong even called the surf bathing "the best" and praised the club.
More facilities were added quickly. In 1910, a dressing shed for women and a kiosk (a small shop) were opened. These new buildings made North Beach even more appealing.
Over the years, the facilities kept improving. Extensions were added for children in 1912. A special room for the Surf Club was built in 1917. A soda fountain was even added to the kiosk! The Wollongong Municipal Council also hired a lifesaver to keep people safe.
North Beach became a major spot for surf life saving events. The first big surf carnival for the South Coast was held here in 1922. The Australian Championships were even held at North Beach in 1952!
Since the 1970s, different groups of young people, like surfers, have used the beach. It has also become a popular place for older Australians to meet up with friends and family.
The North Beach Bathing Pavilion and Kiosk
Around 1924, people started talking about building a new, bigger pavilion to replace the old dressing sheds. But it took a while for this to happen. The economic depression made it hard to find money for big projects.
In 1935, the Surf Club suggested building a new clubhouse and public dressing sheds with a kiosk. They had already raised some money. The government also helped by providing funds for building projects to help people find work during the depression.
The North Beach Surf Club built a new clubhouse, which opened in 1936. It was designed by J. Hugh Britten. But the old dressing sheds and kiosk were still in use. They had some problems, like privacy issues for the women's dressing area.
Finally, in late 1937, Harvey B. Gale, the Council's Health Inspector, was asked to design new dressing rooms and a kiosk. His plans were approved, and construction began in 1938.
The new dressing pavilion and refreshment kiosk opened on November 12, 1938. They were designed to hold 2,000 people! The local newspaper, the Illawarra Mercury, described them as very modern and beautiful. The buildings were made of warm red bricks with cream details. They had sweeping lines and a cloister effect (like a covered walkway). The inside was bright and spacious, with showers and mirrors.
Even though they were new, the Kiosk had some problems by 1946, like a leaky roof and termites. But the buildings were still very important for big events, like the State Championship Carnival in 1949-50 and the Australian Championships in 1952.
In the years after the war, the Surf Club often leased the Kiosk and Pavilion. Club members and their families would manage the buildings and keep the beach clean. The Bathing Pavilion was updated in the late 1960s with new seating and concrete floors. This showed how popular North Beach still was.
In 1983, an article in Heritage Australia magazine highlighted the beauty of Wollongong's old buildings, including the North Beach Pavilion. It said the buildings, with their ocean setting, created a "precinct of considerable grace."
However, in the 1980s, there was a threat to the buildings. New owners of a nearby resort wanted to demolish the Bathing Pavilion. But the community fought back to save it. The Council then decided to look for ideas to renovate the Pavilion.
In the 1990s, there were proposals to turn the Pavilion into restaurants. But some community groups and unions opposed these plans because they would change the building too much. The Surf Club even suggested turning it into a cultural and community center.
Finally, the Pavilion closed for a big renovation in 2011 and reopened in 2012. It was restored and now includes a cafe, a new walking path, and a rebuilt seawall. Today, it houses a popular pizza restaurant, bar, and kiosk.
Architecture of Beach Pavilions
The time between the two World Wars (the "interwar period") was important for building beautiful surf and bathing pavilions along the coast of New South Wales. These buildings showed how much Australians loved the beach. Surfing and sunbathing were very popular.
Many of these pavilions were built in the 1930s. They provided much-needed jobs for people who were unemployed during the Great Depression. The government helped fund many of these projects.
Wollongong had many beautiful beach buildings from this time, though some have been lost. The North Beach buildings were built a bit later than some others. The South Beach Pavilion, opened in 1936, was designed with a central building and wings for dressing areas.
Other famous beach pavilions from this time include the Thirroul pavilion, opened in 1940, which has an Art Deco style. In Sydney, the Bondi Pavilion, opened in 1930, was very grand. It could hold 12,000 visitors and had dressing areas, shops, and even a ballroom! The Manly Surf Pavilion, built in 1938, was known for its modern design.
Other notable pavilions were built in Newcastle, like Nobby's Beach Surf Pavilion and Bar Beach Surf Pavilion, which combined Spanish Mission and Art Deco styles. These buildings were designed to offer many facilities for beachgoers.
Few of these interwar pavilions remain today, making the North Beach buildings even more special.
What North Beach Precinct Looks Like
The North Beach Bathing Pavilion and Kiosk are very important to how North Beach looks. They help guide people walking and cycling along the coast. From a distance, the bathing pavilion stands out against the cliff behind it. Both buildings look similar to the Surf Club nearby, sharing a similar style. The grassy and paved areas around them are also key to how people use the beach for fun.
Both the North Beach Bathing Pavilion and the Kiosk are examples of the "Interwar Functionalist" architectural style. This style was popular in the 1930s and later. It uses simple shapes, light colors, and straight lines. Buildings in this style often have plain brick walls and hidden roofs. This style is common in Wollongong.
North Beach Bathing Pavilion
The North Beach Bathing Pavilion is a long, single-story building. It has a central part with tall walls that hide the roof. On each side are large open dressing areas. The men's dressing area is on the south, and the women's is on the north. The building has a dark brick base and lighter bricks for the rest.
Sometimes, during big storms, seawater can get into the base of the building. But it usually doesn't flood. Some parts of the brickwork and metal show wear from the harsh beach conditions.
The building looks very much like it did in 1938. Some small changes have been made over time. For example, the concrete stairs on the eastern side are new. Some openings have been bricked up. The flagpoles were moved to the roof, and a clock was added to the eastern side.
Inside, the basic layout is still the same. But some changes were made in the late 1960s and 1970s. The seating in the dressing areas was replaced. New concrete floors were put in. The women's dressing area still has many of its original cubicles.
North Beach Kiosk
The Kiosk also looks very much like it did when it was first built. However, some parts of it are showing wear.
Outside, some minor changes were made during construction. A timber screen and gate were added to the porch by 1955. A garage was built on the eastern side, which also serves as a shower area for beach users. Some windows have been changed.
The northern side of the Kiosk shows the most wear. The brickwork has been repaired, but not perfectly. Steel beams above windows are also corroding and need fixing. Some signs and other items have been added to the western side that don't look very nice.
Inside, the shop area has been changed. It now has two parts: a sales area and a food preparation area. The original counter was removed, and new tiles were laid on the floor. But some original features, like the textured walls and ceiling, are still there.
Some rooms have changed their purpose. What was once a store is now a scullery (a small kitchen). A kitchen area was added to another room. Some doors have been installed where there weren't any before. Other rooms, like the bedrooms, still look mostly original. The laundry and bathroom also keep their original look.
Why North Beach Precinct is Special
The North Beach Precinct in Wollongong is very important to the history of New South Wales. It shows how popular surfing and beach culture became in the 1900s. It also has important reminders of Wollongong's industrial past.
The North Beach Bathing Pavilion and Kiosk are great examples of the Interwar Functionalist architectural style. They look beautiful together and with the nearby Surf Life Saving Club. The old tramway cutting reminds us of the coal mining days. The site of Puckey's Salt Works can teach us about how salt was made in NSW long ago.
It's rare to find beach buildings and old industrial sites so close together. This makes North Beach Precinct even more unique. The buildings are also important to the Wollongong community. People care deeply about them, as shown by the discussions about their future.
The North Beach Precinct was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2005 because it meets several important criteria:
- It shows the history of NSW: It shows the history of coal transport and salt making. It also shows how important beach culture became. The buildings are a "marvellous monument" to how much Wollongong people love the beach. They also show how the government helped build public facilities during the Great Depression.
- It's linked to important people or groups: The buildings are strongly connected to the North Wollongong Surf Bathing and Life Saving Club, which helped get them built. They are also linked to Wollongong City Council and its architects, J Hugh Britten and Harvey Ennis Gale, who designed the buildings. Courtney Puckey, who started the saltworks, is also an important figure.
- It's beautiful and well-designed: The Bathing Pavilion and Kiosk are good examples of the Interwar Functionalist style. They look great together and add to the beauty of North Beach. They "make an architectural and aesthetic precinct of considerable grace."
- It's important to the community: The buildings are highly valued by the community. People have actively debated their future, showing how much they care. Lifesavers still use the Bathing Pavilion to watch over the beach and keep people safe. The beach is also a special place for different groups, from surfers to older residents.
- It can teach us more: The site can help us learn about how beaches were managed and used in NSW throughout the 1900s. The archaeological site of Puckey's Salt Works can teach us about salt production.
- It's rare: It's rare to find such a complete group of interwar beach buildings in NSW. It's also rare to see beach architecture and old industrial remains so close together.
- It shows key features of a type of place: The Bathing Pavilion and Kiosk are well-preserved and located perfectly near North Beach and the Surf Club. They show what a leisure environment linked to beach activities has been like since the 1930s.
