Rose Bay Sea Wall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rose Bay Sea Wall |
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The sea wall, pictured at extreme left, in January 2011
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| Location | New South Head Road, Rose Bay, Municipality of Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1924–1926 |
| Architect | Herbert E. Ross |
| Official name: Rose Bay Sea Wall, Promenade and its setting | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 22 August 2014 |
| Reference no. | 1932 |
| Type | Sea-wall |
| Category | Transport - Water |
| Builders | Woollahra Municipal Council |
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The Rose Bay Sea Wall is a special historical structure in Rose Bay, Australia. It is a sea wall, a road, and a lovely walking area called an esplanade. It was designed by Herbert E. Ross and built between 1924 and 1926. The Municipality of Woollahra Council built it. This important site is also known as the Rose Bay Sea Wall, Promenade and its setting. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 August 2014.
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History of the Rose Bay Sea Wall
The land where the sea wall stands today has a long history. Before European settlers arrived, the Cadigal people were the traditional owners of this area. They lived here for many years. By the mid-1800s, the Cadigal people were no longer in the Woollahra area.
Rose Bay's Past
The area we know as Rose Bay was once called Ginagulla by the Aboriginal people. This name meant "open sea." It's interesting because, a very long time ago, there was indeed an opening to the sea from this spot. You can still see signs of this ancient opening near Bondi.
Building New South Head Road
New South Head Road was a very important road. It was finished all the way to Vaucluse by 1839. This included the part that runs along Rose Bay. In 1848, a special group called the South Head Roads Trust took control of the roads. They also built tollgates to collect money for road upkeep.
In 1904, the NSW Government handed over the management of major roads to local councils. Many councils did not like this, as it meant more costs for them. So, the Minister for Works promised to fix and maintain the roads until councils could earn more money.
Road Widening and Traffic Growth
Traffic on New South Head Road grew steadily. By the 1890s, a tram line ended at the western part of Rose Bay. The tram service was later extended to Dover Road in 1900 and then to Watson's Bay Wharf by 1909.
Woollahra Council started buying land to make New South Head Road wider in 1917. They wanted to make the road bigger and straighter. The Council formed a committee to manage these improvements. Work began in 1918. New South Head Road became a main road under a new law in 1919.
The road widening happened in several steps. In June 1924, a famous architect named Herbert E. Ross offered to help the Council for free. He worked with the Council's engineer on the road improvements between Rose Bay and Lyne Park. The Council gladly accepted his offer.
Who Was Herbert Ross?
Herbert Ross was born in 1868. He studied science at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Then, he came back to Sydney and studied mining and civil engineering at the University of Sydney.
Ross managed gold mines in New South Wales and Queensland. He also worked as a metallurgist, someone who studies metals. By 1900, he had his own business as an architect and engineer.
In 1911, Ross teamed up with another architect, Ruskin Rowe. Their company, H. E. Ross and Rowe, became one of the biggest in Sydney. They designed many important buildings. One of their most famous works was the large headquarters for the Government Savings Bank of NSW at 44 Martin Place. This building is now used by the Commonwealth Bank.
H. E. Ross and Rowe also designed about 150 bank branches. They created many city office buildings, hotels, apartment blocks, warehouses, churches, and houses. The company faced challenges during the Great Depression. The partnership ended after Ross passed away in 1937.
The Rose Bay Sea Wall and Promenade Project
The Rose Bay Promenade was designed to be a beautiful place for everyone. It allowed both people walking and people driving to enjoy amazing views of Rose Bay and the harbour. The design made sure these views were the best they could be.
The concrete fences, called balustrades, were kept low. This allowed drivers to see over them from New South Head Road or from the parking spots. The main idea was to connect the harbour with the land and make it easy for people to experience the beautiful waterfront.
Opening the Sea Wall and Promenade
The Chief Secretary of New South Wales, C. W. Oakes, laid the first stone for the sea wall on 25 October 1924. Many important people watched this event. Oakes praised the Council's hard work, calling them "progressive and efficient."
In early 1925, architects Pitt and Morrow showed drawings for a shop and refreshment rooms near the Rose Bay jetty. The front wall of this building was part of the sea wall. This building had actually been built earlier, in 1909.
On 19 February 1926, the much wider New South Head Road was officially opened. It now included central tram lines. The lights along the promenade were also switched on. A large crowd watched the mayor of Woollahra, Alderman L. W. Robinson, open the new road. The Mayor said this part of New South Head Road was "the best piece of road in Australia today." He even said it was better than the famous St Kilda Road.
The project was not fully finished yet. Work on "plantations," or landscaping, was still happening. These gardens were planned for both sides of New South Head Road. When the lights came on, the promenade looked "beautiful." People immediately filled the area, enjoying the cool sea breeze. Many homes nearby also had their lights on, making the scene "brilliant." It was said that no other promenade in New South Wales could compare to Rose Bay for its beauty and size.
The project included special parking spots for drivers and tourists. Woollahra Council took over managing these works on 17 March 1926. However, by 1929, New South Head Road was controlled by the Main Roads Board. The tram service from the City of Sydney to Watsons Bay stopped on 10 July 1960. Buses replaced the trams.
In recent years, there have been discussions about expanding the Rose Bay Marina. Many people in the community have opposed these plans. They want to protect the existing water area of Rose Bay and the views from the Promenade.
Other Beautification Projects
In the 1920s, many local councils started "beautification" projects. A law passed in 1919 allowed councils to buy land for these projects. For example, bathing areas were built at Bondi Beach in 1930. The area around the Spit Bridge was improved in 1924. Balmoral got a promenade, bathing pavilion, and band rotunda around 1929-1930.
Vaucluse Council also improved Parsley Bay. They built a large kiosk in 1929 and a sea wall in the mid-1930s. Other groups, like the Nielsen Park Trust, also made improvements. They built a promenade and terraced areas along the harbour at the park's edge.
The widening of New South Head Road was not the first time land was reclaimed at Rose Bay. In 1902, sandy areas were filled in to create Lyne Park. This park was named after Sir William Lyne, a former premier of New South Wales. The road widening was one of many road improvement and beautification projects in Woollahra during the 1920s.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Woollahra Council spent a lot of money on street gardens and rock gardens. They planted thousands of plants. The Council had actually started planting trees as early as 1918.
After a long effort by the community and local politicians, the Rose Bay Sea Wall, promenade, and its setting were added to the NSW State Heritage Register in April 2014. The Council wanted the heritage listing to include the wide views of Rose Bay. This was to protect the view's social value and prevent new developments from blocking it.
In 2014, a special plaque was placed on the footpath near Rose Bay Lodge. It records that Sir Daniel Cooper, a merchant, once lived there. You can find more information about him and Sir John Hay, who also lived there, on the Woollahra Municipal Council's website.
What Does the Rose Bay Sea Wall Look Like?
The Rose Bay Promenade includes several parts. These are the sea wall, the low fence (balustrade) with lights, four sets of stairs to reach the water, the road itself, and footpaths. It also has landscaped areas with mature fig trees and parking bays. The old refreshment rooms are also part of it. The surrounding area, including Rose Bay Park and the waters of Rose Bay, completes the setting.
The sea wall is covered in cement. Above it is a strong concrete balustrade with 30 panels. On top of this are 29 evenly spaced light standards. These lights have single round glass globes. The balustrade and lamp standards are designed in a style called Inter-War Free Classical. The light standards use a design similar to the Tuscan order from ancient architecture.
Pairs of lamp standards stand next to openings for three sets of concrete stairs. These stairs lead down to the water or, at low tide, to the narrow beach below the sea wall. Two of these stair openings line up with streets that meet New South Head Road. Another set of stairs connects the northern footpath to the jetty and Rose Bay Park.
We don't know what the original footpath surface looked like. Around 1981, it had a concrete finish with brick borders. In 2007, the surface was redone with granite paving borders and a new layer of bitumen.
There are two special plaques on the structure. One is the 1924 foundation stone on the southern side of the balustrade. The other is a plaque on the northern side that honors Frank Pace, known as the "Lord Mayor" of Rose Bay.
A row of mature Hill's Weeping Figs creates a beautiful avenue along both sides of New South Head Road. These trees are typical of plantings from the 1920s. Their large trunks suggest they are likely part of the original design. Old photos show these trees when they were first planted and how they grew over time.
The building at the western end of the Rose Bay Promenade was built as refreshment rooms. It has been changed and extended over the years. It has been used by the Pier restaurant for a long time. Its original shape is still visible. It is a masonry building with cement-rendered walls and a terracotta tiled roof. The roof has a high gabled section with hipped sections on either side. Its front has original features, including a large gable with a cast cement cartouche, windows with leadlight glass, and bracketed eaves.
Condition of the Sea Wall
As of January 2014, the Rose Bay Promenade was in excellent condition.
Changes and Updates Over Time
Most of the work on the Rose Bay Promenade after it was built involved maintenance and repairs. However, a major upgrade happened in 2007.
In 2003, a study looked at the condition of the concrete sea wall, balustrade, stairs, and light standards. It found cracks and damage from salt in the sea wall. Other parts showed signs of crumbling and rust. The study suggested ways to fix these issues.
The big restoration and upgrade in 2007 included repairs to the balustrade, light standards, and stairs. The sea wall itself mostly stayed the same, with only small repairs. But the concrete balustrade needed significant work. Damaged sections were removed and fixed with special cement. Rusted steel inside was replaced with stainless steel. A thin layer of new cement was put on the balustrade to blend the repaired and original parts.
All the original lamp standards were replaced with exact copies. New glass globes were installed that fit the size of the columns. The old ones had been much larger or even double globes.
The footpath was rebuilt to its original 4-meter width. It now has a new granite paving pattern with a border on the sea side. Strips of granite also cross the footpath at each light standard.
The fig trees were kept safe. Native grasses and shrubs were planted underneath them. New trees were planted where old ones had to be removed. Special porous asphalt was installed to protect tree roots and help with drainage. New timber and steel street furniture and steel posts were also added.
The stairs were rebuilt on top of the existing ones. New handrails made of timber with steel wire were installed.
A new secondary lighting system was added. The old lights were too far apart, and the fig trees blocked the street lighting. Low grey metal pier lights were placed on the south side of the footpath. They are low to light the path without blocking views of the harbour.
A system to treat and recycle stormwater was also built into the upgrade. Rainwater is collected in large tanks under the parking bays. It is then filtered and can be used for watering plants and maintenance.
Future ideas included a viewing deck, which was approved but not built, and a two-way bicycle path.
Woollahra Council carried out these works. Conybeare Morrison designed the project, and Eco Civil was the contractor. The upgrade won the Woollahra Heritage Conservation Award in 2008.
More Information
The Rose Bay Promenade looks much like it did when it was first built. Many repairs and changes were made to the northern edge in 2007. This affected some parts of the balustrade, lighting, northern footpath, and its base. However, these repairs and reconstructions in 2007 have kept and even improved the site's overall importance. No original details or style have been lost.
Why is the Rose Bay Sea Wall Important?
The Rose Bay Sea Wall, Promenade, and its setting are important for New South Wales's history. It is a great example of one of the earliest and largest public improvement projects from the 1900s. It was made for both people walking and people driving to enjoy. It clearly shows how much more popular cars became in the early 1920s.
Its importance is also linked to the famous engineer and architect Herbert Ross. His architectural company was one of the biggest in Sydney. They designed well-known buildings like the former Government Savings Bank and the Royal Automobile Club.
The Rose Bay Sea Wall, Promenade, and its setting are also important for their beauty. They have high-quality architectural elements in the Inter-War Free Classical style. It was an early and unique design that brought together low balustrades, parking spots, lights, and landscaping. All these parts were designed so that both walkers and drivers could enjoy the beautiful views of Rose Bay. The design created a clear line between the waters of Rose Bay and the shore. This is why 20 meters of the bay waters are included in its heritage listing. Experiencing this connection between land and water was a key part of the original plan.
The Sea Wall Promenade and its setting are a good example of a 1920s public improvement project. It is still mostly in its original form. It uses the Inter-War Free Classical style and features trees typical of street and park plantings from the 1920s.
The Rose Bay Sea Wall was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 August 2014 because it met the following important criteria:
- It shows how New South Wales's history unfolded.
The Rose Bay sea wall, promenade, and its setting are important because they are one of the earliest and largest public improvement projects for walkers and drivers. It clearly shows how much more people started using private cars in the early 1920s. It has been used for fun and harbour activities for a long time, and people still enjoy it today.
- It is strongly connected to important people in New South Wales's history.
This site is important because of its link to the famous engineer and architect Herbert Ross. His architectural company was one of the largest in Sydney. They designed many well-known buildings, like the former Government Savings Bank and the Royal Automobile Club.
- It shows great beauty or creative and technical skill in New South Wales.
The sea wall, promenade, and its setting are important for their beauty. It was an early and unique design that brought together low balustrades, parking spots, and other features in the Inter-War Free Classical style. It was designed so that both walkers and drivers could enjoy the wide views of Rose Bay.
- It shows the main features of a type of cultural or natural place in New South Wales.
This site is important because it is a good and mostly unchanged example of a 1920s public improvement project. It uses the Inter-War Free Classical style and features trees typical of street and park plantings from the 1920s.
Images for kids
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The sea wall, pictured at extreme left, in January 2011
