Grafton Bond Store

Grafton Bond Store
Grafton Bond Store
	Grafton Bond Store, facing north
Location	Hickson Road, Millers Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°51′49″S151°12′12″E / 33.8637°S 151.2032°E
Built	c. 1835; 1881; 1925; 1980s
Architect	William Wardell (1881 sections)
Owner	Transport for NSW
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Grafton Bond Store and Sandstone Wall; Part of Maritime Centre; Price Waterhouse Building
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	18 April 2000
Reference no.	1431
Type	Office building
Category	Government and Administration
	Location of Grafton Bond Store in Sydney

Last updated January 14, 2024

Grafton Bond Store is a heritage-listed former bond store and warehouse and now offices located at 60 Hickson Road, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The 1881 sections of the building were designed by William Wardell. It was incorporated into the new Maritime Centre (also known as Price Waterhouse Building) in the 1980s. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 April 2000.^[1]

History

Grafton Wharf was established at what was then Cockle Bay in about 1835. In 1881 it was bought by John Frazer and Co and was greatly enlarged, so that by 1886 it had a frontage to the east side of Darling Harbour of 131 metres (430 ft), and three piers "capable of receiving and shipping cargo of any character and weight". In 1886 there were 14 warehouses, with a large capacity of some 44,000 tonnes (49,000 short tons) of cargo and facilities for pressing 1600 bales of wool a day. It was claimed to be the largest bond warehouse complex in Australia. The building now known as Grafton Bond was part of this complex. In 1888 the stores became the property of Burns Philp & Co Ltd. The present building is a remnant of a much larger complex. The other components of the complex that survived the dramatic changes brought about by the 1893 depression and the redevelopment by the Sydney Harbour Trust, were demolished with the formation of Hickson Road in 1925, which cut across the whole Grafton Wharf site. At that time even this last large building was altered, though it remains largely as it was designed by William Wardell, one of Australia's greatest architects. Incorporated into the new Maritime Centre in the late 1980s, the refurbished Grafton Bond has been successfully adapted for this reuse.^[1]^[2]

The sandstone wall was associated with the growth of wharf facilities and the expansion of the western side of the city, and provides a level access to properties at Kent Street.^[3]^[1]

Description

The building stands monument like in Hickson Road below the glass towers in Kent Street, a juxtaposition of new and old which, when seen from the west across the water, is one of the most engaging views of Sydney. The building is long and narrow, four and five storeys high at Hickson Road, and three above the rock shelf behind. The Hickson Road facade three bays with plain parapeted gables, one with eaves and two with stepped parapets, one of which curves gracefully around the Napoleon Street corner. The lowest storey is sandstone. The east side, which once faced Jenkins Street, has three stepped gable parapets in the northern European manner, with catheads at the top. Internally the structure is of heavy hardwood posts and girders, with joists, herringboning and timber flooring. Some of the king post roof trusses are visible. It has recently been refurbished with the addition of two masonry service sections to the east linked by a partly glazed access gallery. The walls are built in English bond, of cream bricks believed to have been brought from Newcastle upon Tyne as sailing ballast. The Dutch gables bear the date 1881 and a monogram formed in red bricks, presumed but without certainty, to be John Frazers. The depressed pointed arches and round arches over openings, and banding in the walling, are laid in red-orange bricks.^[2]^[1]

The sandstone wall is a substantial cutting of the natural sandstone, on which a cut stone wall has been constructed, increasing the scale and providing level access to properties at Kent Street. A park reserve has been introduced at the top of the wall, adjacent to MSB offices. Once defining the natural harbour foreshore, the wall now forms an eastern boundary to Hickson Road.^[3]^[1]

The unusual inverted "V" voussoirs in contrasting brickwork, stepped parapet and curved corner contribute to the striking street facade.^[4]^[1]

Modifications and dates

Two of the original 1881 stores were demolished for the widening of Hickson Street in 1925. The building was refurbished and added to when the Kent Street Maritime Building was erected. The effect on the old building was the construction of two eastern appendages: the larger at the south end containing services, ancillary spaces and escape stairs in a curved design; the smaller at the north end containing stairs and an elevator. They employ complementary forms and colours. Between these a three-level partly-glazed access gallery was added, its bullnose roof cutting across the wide point. The third store was demolished in 1960s. Extensive conservation and refurbishment works were undertaken in 1988 as part of the redevelopment of the adjoining site with a modern multi-storey building.^[2]^[4]^[1]

Recent construction of sandstone walling to the north.^[3]^[1]

Heritage listing

Grafton Bond has historic significance as a remnant of what was claimed to have been the largest bond store complex in Australia. It is a complex building redolent of the busy wharfage area of earlier times and of a large mercantile facility which was once an important part of the city. It has aesthetic significance as an excellent example of urban commercial utilitarian design, by an eminent Australian architect, William Wardell and its design displays the Northern European influence evident in much of the work of the architect, such as the three stepped gable parapets on the eastern elevation. Its recent refurbishment and well contrived juxtaposition with modem glass towers is a most successful conservation project. It has scientific significance for its fine craftsmanship and its clever response to the hilly terrain of this part of Sydney.^[1]

Grafton Bond Store was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 April 2000 having satisfied the following criteria.^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

The site is associated with the historic development of wharfage and mercantile facilities in this area of Sydney. It is a remnant of what was claimed to be the biggest bond store complex in Australia. It is part of the Dutch-influenced over of William Wardell, one of Australia's most eminent 19th-century architects. The sandstone wall is significant for its association with the growth of wharf facilities and expansion of the western side of the city.^[3]^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

The former Grafton Bond building is a skilled piece of design in bichromatic brickwork and sandstone, using bricks imported from Britain. The style displays the Northern European influence evident in much of the work of the architect, William Wardell. Prominent on a curved corner site, it is a fine and bold element in the streetscape. Its refurbishment and incorporation into a design focussed upon the new, large scale buildings, separated by an effective plaza, has aesthetic value as a good example of adaptive re-use and infill development. The sandstone wall is significant for its distinctive and prominent contribution to Hickson Road and vicinity.^[3]

The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

The sandstone wall is significant for its distinctive and prominent contribution to Hickson Road and vicinity.^[3]

The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The building displays fine craftsmanship, demonstrating traditional materials, forms, structures and details. Its integration into a dramatically steep rocky site is masterful.^[1]

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The combination of a number of related unusual aspects, including the use of very uncommon British bricks, display a strong Dutch influence, and an unusual, gracefully curved end, make it particularly rare example of warehouse design.^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.

Grafton Bond is representative of the historic development of wharfage and mercantile facilities in this area of Sydney. It is also representative of the work of William Wardell, one of Australia's finest architects.^[1]

Related Research Articles

The former Grafton Gaol, later called the Grafton Correctional Centre and then Grafton Intake and Transient Centre is a heritage-listed former medium security prison for males and females, located in Grafton, Clarence Valley Council, New South Wales, Australia. The centre was operated by Corrective Services NSW an agency of the Department of Attorney General and Justice of the Government of New South Wales. In its last correctional use, the centre detained sentenced and unsentenced felons under New South Wales and/or Commonwealth legislation. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

William Wilkinson Wardell (1823–1899) was a civil engineer and architect, notable not only for his work in Australia, the country to which he emigrated in 1858, but for a successful career as a surveyor and ecclesiastical architect in England and Scotland before his departure.

Hornby Lighthouse, also known as South Head Lower Light or South Head Signal Station, is a heritage-listed active lighthouse located on the tip of South Head, New South Wales, Australia, a headland to the north of the suburb Watsons Bay. It marks the southern entrance to Port Jackson, as well as lighting the South Reef, a ledge of submerged rocks. It is the third oldest lighthouse in New South Wales. Designed by Mortimer Lewis and listed on the Register of the National Estate and on the New South Wales State Heritage Register since 2 April 1999, with the following statement of significance:

A dominant Sydney landmark which appears to have been in continuous use since the 1840s as a controlling point for shipping entering and leaving Port Jackson. The building complex, designed by the Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis in the early 1840s, is an architectural important example of an early Victorian public work associated with port activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George McRae</span>

George McRae was a Scottish-Australian architect who migrated from his native Edinburgh to Sydney, where he became Government Architect of New South Wales and designed some of Sydney's best-known buildings, including completion of the Sydney Town Hall, the Queen Victoria Building, and the lower entrance to Taronga Zoo.

The ASN Co building is a heritage-listed building located at 1–5 Hickson Road, The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Completed in 1885 and built in the Pre-Federation Anglo Dutch style under the direction of William Wardell and his associate, Walter Liberty Vernon, the building served as the principal offices and warehouse for the Australasian Steam Navigation Company until the company's merger in 1887, when the Government of New South Wales acquired the land used for ordinance facilities and later as government administration offices. Since 1989 the building has been owned by the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority and its successors. The building is currently used as an art gallery to display the works of Ken Done.

The Rocks branch of the English, Scottish and Australian Bank is a heritage-listed former bank building and now restaurant located at 131–135 George Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by William Wardell and built during 1886. It is also known as the English Scottish & Australian Chartered Bank (former) - Amo Roma Restaurant and Vault Restaurant; the Institute of Marine Power Engineers; Five Bells; and Ox on the Rocks. The property is owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

The Campbell's Stores is a heritage-listed former warehouse building in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The Victorian Georgian building previously served as store houses and maritime bonded warehouses. It was built from 1850 to 1861. It faces Campbells Cove, an inlet in the north-west of Sydney Cove. In the 1970s, along with the general decline of commercial shipping activities in Sydney Cove, the building was converted for use as tourist-orientated restaurants and bars.

The Captain Cook Hotel is a heritage-listed pub located at 33–35 Kent Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point, Australia. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Argyle Stores is a heritage-listed former custom house and bond store that now serves as offices, bar, function rooms and restaurant located at 12–20 Argyle Street in the inner-city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Henry Cooper designed the east wing, and the designer of all other wings is not known. The Argyle Stores were built from 1826 to 1878, and is also known as Argyle Bond Stores and Cleland Bond Store. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

Cleland Bond Store is a heritage-listed former warehouse and bond store and now department store and shops located at 33 Playfair Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1913 to 1914. It is also known as Cleland Bond Store (part of Argyle Stores) and Cleland Store. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

The Old Bushells Factory is a heritage-listed former Bushells Tea factory and warehouse, now used as shops, offices and an art gallery, located at 86–88 George Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. No. 86 was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon; and both buildings were built from 1886 to 1912. It is also known as the Old Bushells Factory and Warehouse; Bushells Place; Bushells Warehouse and Bushells Offices; and Health Commission Building (Bushell's). The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

The Metcalfe Bond Stores is a heritage-listed former bond store and warehouse and now shops and offices located at 68–84 George Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1912 to 1916. It is also known as New Metcalfe Bond Stores. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

The Old Mining Museum building is a heritage-listed former chemical laboratory and mining museum and now commercial building located at 36–64 George Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon and built from 1902 to 1909. It is also known as Mining Museum (former), Earth Exchange and Sydney Geological and Mining Museum. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

Sydney Cove West Archaeological Precinct is a heritage-listed precinct that contains The Rocks police station, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, car park, parks, shops and roads located at 112–156 George Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The precinct previously contained a commissariat store, Maritime Services Board offices, dockyard and Department of Labour & Industry offices. Buildings in the precinct were developed in various stages since 1797 to date, with heritage-listed buildings dating from 1797 to 1939. The precinct is also known as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Maritime Services Board, Colonial Government naval dockyard, Commissariat Stores, Colonial Hospital, Kings and Queens Wharf and First Fleet Park. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 August 2011.

The MSB Stores Complex is a heritage-listed former warehouse and gas manufacturing plant and now offices and storage located at 2–4 Jenkins Street in Millers Point, Sydney, Australia. It was built from 1844. It is also known as Maritime Services Board Office and Store and Australian Gas Light Company Stores and Offices. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 April 2000.

The Oswald Bond Store is a heritage-listed former wool bond store and now offices at 1–17 Kent Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by A. L. & G. McCredie and built by J. R. Locke. It is also known as Hentsch's Bond Store. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Walsh Bay Wharves Precinct, also known as the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, is a heritage-listed former wharf precinct, now converted to hospitality and entertainment purposes, at Hickson Road, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by H. D. Walsh, who also supervised its construction from 1912 to 1921. It includes the MSB Bond Store No. 3 and the Parbury Ruins. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Dalgety's Bond Stores is a heritage-listed former warehouse complex and now commercial building located at Munn Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1875. It is also known as Munn Street Bond Stores. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Royal George Hotel is a heritage-listed pub located at 115–117 Sussex Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1903. The adjoining former Cuthbert's Patent Slip building, assumed to date from 1869 and also heritage-listed, has also been incorporated into the hotel complex in recent decades. The hotel now operates as the Slip Inn. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Sussex Hotel is a heritage-listed hotel at 20 Sussex Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1913 to 1915. Historically known as the New Hunter River Hotel, it was known as the Big House Hotel from 1973 until 1991, then as Napoleon's Hotel, Moreton's on Sussex and Moreton's Hotel before adopting its current name. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Grafton Bond Store and Sandstone Wall". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H01431. Retrieved 13 October 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence .
1 2 3 Sydney City Council, 1989
1 2 3 4 5 6 Anglin 1990:1043
1 2 Anglin 1990:1032

Bibliography

Anglin Associates (1990). Maritime Services Board Heritage and Conservation Register : Sydney Harbour.
Heritage Unit, Department of Public works & Services (1999). Marine Ministerial Holding Corporation S170 Register.
National Trust of Australia (NSW) (1973). National Trust of Australia (NSW) Classification/West Rocks Area.
Sheedy, D. (1973). National Trust of Australia (NSW) Classification.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Grafton Bond Store and Sandstone Wall , entry number 1431 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 13 October 2018.

External links

Media related to Grafton Bond Store at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[nswshr-1431-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Grafton Bond Store and Sandstone Wall". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H01431. Retrieved 13 October 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence .

[nswshr-1431-1431-2-2] 1 2 3 Sydney City Council, 1989

[nswshr-1431-1431-1-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Anglin 1990:1043

[nswshr-1431-1431-3-4] 1 2 Anglin 1990:1032

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Millers Point historical attractions
Residential buildings	Alfred's Terrace Argyle Place Nos. 1-7 Nos. 6-8 No. 9 Nos. 10-12a Nos. 22-32 No. 34 Nos. 36-38 Nos. 40-44 Nos. 46-48 No. 50 Nos. 52-60 Nos. 62-64 Argyle House Bettington Street Nos. 56-60 Nos. 66-68 Blyth Terrace Clydebank Dalgety Road Terraces Nos. 7-13 Nos. 15-25 Nos. 27a-35a Darling House Eagleton Terrace Hexam Terrace High Street Nos. 2-36 Nos. 3-9 Nos. 38-72 Nos. 74-80 House of Bodleigh Katoomba House Kent Street Nos. 18-22 Nos. 24-26 Nos. 21-29 No. 28 No. 30 Nos. 32-40 Nos. 37-47 No. 42 No. 44 No. 46 Nos. 48-50 Nos. 49-51 Nos. 52-54 Nos. 53-55 Nos. 56-58 Nos. 59-63 Nos. 60-62 Nos. 71-73 Nos. 75-79 No. 81 Nos. 82-88 Nos. 83-85 Nos. 90-92 Nos. 115-121 Nos. 123-125 Linsley Terrace Lower Fort Street Nos. 1-19 No. 20 Nos. 21-23 No. 22 Nos. 24-26 Nos. 25-35 No. 28 Nos. 30-42 Nos. 39-41 No. 43 Nos. 47-53 No. 55 Nos. 57-61 Nos. 63-65 Nos. 67-73 Nos. 75-77 No. 79 Merriman Street Nos. 14-16 No. 18 Nos. 20-48 Milton Terrace 18-20a Munn Street Osborne House Regency Townhouses Stevens Terrace Toxteth Trinity Avenue Nos. 2-4 Nos. 14-22 Undercliffe Cottage Undercliffe Terrace Vermont Terrace Windmill Street Nos. 1-63 No. 65 No. 69 No. 71 No. 73 Nos. 82-84 Nos. 86-88 Nos. 90-92 Winsbury Terrace
Commercial buildings	Argyle Street Railway Substation Dalgety's Bond Stores Grafton Bond Store MSB Stores Complex Oswald Bond Store Post Office Sydney Observatory Windmill Street No. 67
Churches	Garrison Anglican Church Precinct St Brigid's Roman Catholic Church
Pubs and hotels	Captain Cook Harbour View Hero of Waterloo Lord Nelson Palisade Shipwrights Arms
Other significant historical features	Millers Point & Dawes Point Village Precinct Walsh Bay Wharves Precinct