This group of maritime buildings was a 1902 transplant forced to its new location by an 1893 flood. Until 1893 the Pilot, his crew, and all their families worked at Grassy Head a few kilometers north of South West Rocks. In 1893 the valley was devastated by one of the worst floods in its history. It rampaged through the district finally bursting through the sand hills near South West Rocks to form a new entrance, the name it now bears.[1]
The Government of New South Wales decided in 1895 to stabilise this most recent breakout and close the rapidly shoaling channel under Grassy Head.[1]
Three thousand pounds was voted for a new pilot station at South West Rocks. The new site was pegged out on the eastern side of South West Rocks Creek (known locally as "Backwater Creek"), a small water body that lies between South West Rocks and the New Entrance.[1]
The lowest bid was that of C.B. Smith. The Department of Navigation then amended the plans but Smith agreed to incorporate the changes without increasing the charges. The cottages were pre-cut and were probably the first pre-cut buildings to be built in the Macleay Valley.[1]
The complex consisted of five cottages to house the pilot and his four crewmen. The boatman's cottages are numbered sequentially from 1 to 4 and eastward from the Pilot's residence. A boatshed on the banks of Back Creek connected by a flight of stone steps led to the Pilot's residence. The site was chosen due to the uninterrupted views it provided for the Pilot to observe the arrival and departure of vessels at the Macleay River to the northwest and harbouring in Trial Bay to the east. These views were essential for the conduct of the Pilot service and rapid deployment of boat crews.[1]
A signal station and flagstaff was built on the headland adjacent to the maritime buildings. This little building was fitted out with lockers for the flags and windows with copper flaps on three sides to act as rests for a telescope. When the crew were delayed by working on the bar or attending to the beacons in the river, their wives would light the beacon a short distance from the station. The first Pilot was Captain John Jamieson who had been in charge of the station at Grassy Head.[1]
The wooden Pilot Launch "MV Macleay" was built and commissioned for service at the South West Rocks Pilot Station. This vessel was one of four pilot boats built to one design for the Maritime Services Board (the other pilot boats were "Camden", "Hastings" and "Nowra"). The "Macleay" was constructed by Holmes of Sydney. The keel was laid in 1935 and the vessel was commissioned into service in the same year. The "Macleay" replaced the launch "MV Ajax" which came into service in 1932 but was destroyed by fire on 21 September 1934. The boat was housed in a boat shed on the eastern bank of South West Rocks Creek where the concrete slab of the boat shed still remains. The "Macleay" serviced the Trial Bay area until the vessel was decommissioned in the 1960s. Some years later, the "Macleay" was found at Dora Creek, Lake Macquarie. With funding from a local businessman, Kempsey Shire Council purchased the "Macleay" and returned it to the Pilot Station complex where it is now situated under a covered shelter in the yard of Boatman's Cottage 2.[1]
In 1991 the Macleay River Historical Society urged the community of South West Rocks to organise a working group to restore the boatman's cottage no1. Kempsey Shire council instigated a planning amendment enabling the listing of the Pilot station group of buildings at South West Rocks as items of environmental heritage on its LEP.[1]
In 1992 the community of South West Rocks restored Boatman's Cottage No 1.[1]
Subsequent representation secured the use of the land for essential heritage purposes and tourism. In 1998 Council obtained a grant of $24,000 under the NSW Department of Planning Heritage Assistance programme. The purpose of the grant was for the restoration of the cottage which formed part of the Pilot Station Group and which was in a state of disrepair at the time of application.[1]
Council Operations department supervised the restoration, which was carried out by the community under the direction of Al Geronomi. The plan of restoration and construction was prepared by Messrs David Boram and Associates, Architects and Planners.[1]
It was decided to use the cottage as a maritime museum and visitors' information centre. The opening was performed by His Excellency Rear Admiral Peter Sinclair AC, Governor of New South Wales, on 10 September 1993.[1]
Boatman's Cottage 1 was used prior to 1990 by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.[1]
Boatman's Cottage No. 2 was formerly used as a holiday cottage for staff of the Maritime Services Board. The cottage was later transferred from the office of Maritime Safety and Port Strategy (MSS) to the Department for Land and Water Conservation.[1]
Boatman's Cottage No. 3 has been used as a police station since the closure of the Pilot Station.[1]
Description
The Pilot Station complex is located in an area known as the Horseshoe Bay Reserve on the southern side of Trial Bay. The Reserve is bordered by:[1]
South West Rocks Creek (Backwater Creek) to the west
Trial Bay and Saltwater Creek to the north
Arakoon State Recreation Area to the east and
Fig Tree Lane, Livingstone Street, Memorial Avenue, Paragon Avenue, Mitchell and Landsborough Streets and Phillip Drive to the south.[1]
Horseshoe Bay Reserve incorporates part of the Crown Land Reserve Number 82364 which is listed for Public Recreation. The Reserve is administered by the Department of Lands. Part of the Reserve includes a lease for the operation of the Caravan Park and sub lease for the operation of a Kiosk. Native Title was extinguished on the Reserve as of 22 May 1995.[1]
Backwater Creek separates the South West Rocks township from the main entrance to the Macleay River which lies further to the west. To the north of the Pilot Station residences is the flagstaff on Point Briner. Laggers Point, a north-running extension of Smoky Cape, provides shelter from south-easterly winds and enabled the use of Trial Bay as a harbour. The main part of the township of Trial Bay lies to the southeast of the Pilot Station. A caravan park is situated to the west, north and east of the Pilot Station buildings.[1]
The complex consists of the Pilot's residence, three of the four original cottages, the signal station and flagstaff at Point Briner, the steps leading to the old boat shed boat which housed the Pilot launch in the adjacent Back Creek, the wooden hulled Pilot launch "Macleay" and the vistas - north towards the entrance to the Macleay River and SE towards the Trial Bay harbour area.[1]
The Pilot's residence and the three existing cottages are of timber construction with red tiled roofs. The red tiles, while not original, retain a feature which caused comment at the time of construction when they were described as "rather glaring". The floors are tallowwood and the linings are mahogany. The doors and windows are timber and timber framed. Brick chimney pots are intact.[1]
The Pilot's residence was built with three bedrooms and the boatman's cottages had 2 bedrooms. The out buildings of the Pilot's residence are intact. The outbuildings include a "Rocket Shed", storeroom, another shed in the form of a garage, a yard shed, an outside toilet and an outside shower.[1]
Boatman's Cottage 1 is currently used as a museum and Visitor Information Centre. The out buildings of this cottage are intact.[1]
Boatman's Cottage 2 has been faithfully restored and is a fine example of the Pilot Station Group. The Boatman's Cottage No. 2 comprises a single storey three bedroom weather board residence constructed in approximately 1902. Significant features of the dwelling and curtilage include: 1) Lounge room with original fireplace/chimney; 2) Kitchen; 3) Bathroom; 4) Outside, attached laundry/toilet; 5) Front veranda enclosed; 6) Paling fence; 7) Steel mesh front fence; 8) Tile roofing. The cottage is currently used as a craft centre.[1]
Cottage No. 3 has been used as a police station since 1932.[1]
Cottage No. 4 was removed in 1968 to make way for a block of units.[1]
The wooden signal house and 19m wooden flagstaff on Point Briner are intact. The small signal house, (2.4m x 3m and 3.2m in height,) was fitted with lockers for the flags and there were windows with copper flaps as rests for a telescope on three sides. A black ball would be hoisted on the yardarm to signify if the river bar was closed to shipping. Cones and balls could be used to signal the conditions on the bar, the depth of water and the weather. A set of international flags and Alidis lamps were on hand at all times. The flags are now in the possession of the South West Rocks Maritime Museum.[1]
Concrete steps (1.15m wide and 7.4m in length) lead from the Pilot's Cottage to the site of the old boat shed are intact as is the concrete slab on which the boat shed was originally built. The shed and stepped access were built around 1902 in conjunction with the Pilot's residence.[1]
Spatially, the complex retains its position and functional layout of various elements which provided convenient control of the movement of vessels in Trial Bay.[1]
The wooden hulled Pilot Boat "MV Macleay" is 34 feet (10.4m) overall, 28 feet (8.5m) on the waterline and had a 9-foot (2.7m) beam. The vessel was fitted with a Reynolds-Newbury (Manchester) diesel 20hp engine and was self righting. The concrete slab of the boat shed where the Pilot boats were kept is still in situ on the eastern bank of South West Rocks Creek. In 2003 a shelter for the vessel, partially funded by a $10,000 Heritage Incentives Program grant, was constructed by Kempsey Shire Council. The shelter has stabilised the deterioration of the vessel which, although not seaworthy, is in fair condition.[1]
Condition
All the cottages were reported to be in reasonable condition as at 24 May 2006. The Pilot cottage was in need of repair but was not derelict.[1]
The grounds of the cottages have not been disturbed by redevelopment and retain potential for archaeological for evidence of the inhabitant's lifestyles and working methods during the active life of the complex.[1]
The various components of this complex, including the vistas, substantially retain their original form and, therefore, evidence of their original function. Minor alterations, including the enclosure of the veranda of the Pilot's residence do not impact substantially on that integrity. The original function and authenticity of the complex is further emphasised by the presence of the "MV Macleay", a Pilot boat that was built specifically for the South West Rocks Pilot Station and which was serving at the Pilot Station when it closed in the 1960s.[1]
The profile of the adjacent caravan park has minimum impact on the vistas.[1]
The main visual intrusion of the site arises from the residential building erected on the site of Boatman's Cottage No. 4. However, this does not impede the key vistas to the entrance of the Macleay River, to Trial Bay Harbour to the south east or the vistas directly east of the Pilot's residence.[1]
Modifications and dates
The whole group was built during the original construction in 1902. The Pilot cottage had an open veranda. The enclosure of the veranda has timber-framed windows which is a sympathetic addition probably about 1910. A small addition at the side was approved by the Department of Navigation in 1905 to house a post office.[1]
The flagstaff and flag locker were integral parts of the Pilot Station. After restoration of the boatman's cottage No.1 in 1997, the flagstaff was lowered, repainted and re-erected securely. The locker was painted and re-roofed by volunteers of the newly formed South West Rocks branch of the Macleay River Historical Society. Since 2001 the fence has been mended and painted.[1]
Heritage listing
The Pilot Station complex at South West Rocks is of State significance in demonstrating the importance of the shipping trade along the east coast of New South Wales and the central role of Pilot Stations in maintaining those routes. While the "highway of lighthouses" assisted ship's captains to navigate past headlands and coastal shoals, the Pilot service was essential to safe passage entering and leaving port. Substantially intact, the South West Rocks Station and associated vistas are a strong representation of an in-situ maritime precinct and the role of these facilities in providing safe passage. Of a total of 21 Pilot Stations established in New South Wales, most have been demolished, had their buildings relocated or retain only a small portion of the original facility. Only at Kiama is there an in-situ Pilot's residence and a comparable associated complex. The South West Rocks Pilot Station therefore possesses significant potential for the study of the management of coastal shipping and navigation in this State.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.
The South West Rocks Pilot Station precinct is of State significance as evidence of the importance of the development of patterns of coastal shipping to the New South Wales economy and the crucial role of navigational services in providing safe passage. The success of coastal shipping was central to servicing the centralised commercial needs of Sydney as well as regional communities and economies before the spread of rail and road links. Pilot stations were as essential to the safety of shipping arrivals and departures at coastal ports as lighthouses were to passage between ports.[1]
The Pilot Station was relocated from its original site at Grassy Head, a few kilometres to the north, following an 1895 decision to stabilise the mouth of the Macleay River. This relocation is therefore associated with the late 19th century State Government investment in high cost port infrastructure at relatively minor ports such as the Macleay River, Coffs Harbour and the Manning River. The costsof these projects lead to the eventual retreat from investment in coastal trade, prioritisation of rail infrastructure and the demise of the Pilot Service at minor ports.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.
The South West Rocks Pilot Station and associated vistas are of local significance as a distinctive aspect of South West Rocks landscape/seascape interaction. With the sea as a background, the buildings provide a positive and sensory connection to the history and life-style at South West Rocks in the early 20th century. The presence of the diesel Pilot boat "MV Macleay", on display in the yard of Boatman's Cottage No.1, a vessel which served at this Pilot Station, provides a level of visual coherence in interpreting the function of this facility the is unmatched in this State. The design of the Pilot boat, the buildings and associated structures exemplifies the style and technology of the Pilot Service at that time.[1]
The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
The social value of the Pilot Station complex to the local communities at South West Rocks and the lower Macleay River is evidenced by the site being listed on the Kempsey Shire Council Local Environment Plan, the submission of a nomination for listing on the State Heritage Register and an ongoing community campaign for appropriate management of the various components of the site. This includes community working groups and successful submissions by Kempsey Council for Department of Planning Heritage Assistance Program funding to maintain the cottages and Pilot boat "Macleay".[1]
The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.
The South West Rocks Pilot Station precinct is of State significance for its potential for archaeological research and comparative study with the sites of other less intact pilot stations on the New South Wales coast to better understand the everyday functioning of the stations and working of the Pilots and boatmen.[1]
The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.
The South West Rocks Pilot Station precinct is of State significance for its rarity. Twenty-one pilotstation facilities once operated along the New South Wales coast. Most of these have been completely or partially demolished and many of were much smaller than the South West Rocks complex. The only comparable station still in situ and with the original buildings substantially intact is the Kiama Pilot Station. The South West Rocks complex is therefore one of only two, substantially intact pilot station complexes surviving in New South Wales - one north and one south of Sydney.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.
The South West Rocks Pilot Station complex and associated vistas are of State significance as an example of the facilities that were once in place along the length of New South Wales coast from the Queensland border to Twofold Bay in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As one of only two substantially intact facilities in New South Wales, the site is representative of the 21 such facilities that were once an integral part of coastal navigation services. The complex includes the principle characteristics of these facilities - Pilot's and boatman's residences, flagstaff and flag locker for signalling to ships, access to the Pilot boat and boatshed, the Pilot boat itself and views of the key approaches to the port or harbour.[1]
The Macleay River is a river that spans the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia.
Kempsey is a town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia and is the council seat for Kempsey Shire. It is located roughly 16.5 kilometres inland from the coast of the Pacific Ocean, on the Macleay Valley Way near where the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway line cross the Macleay River. It is roughly 430 kilometres north of Sydney. As of June 2018 Kempsey had a population of 15,309 (2018).
South West Rocks is a town located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, near the mouth of the Macleay River. It is approximately 40 km (25 mi) from Kempsey. Jerseyville is located nearby.
Berry railway station is a heritage-listed single-platform intercity train station located in Berry, New South Wales, Australia, on the South Coast railway line. The station serves NSW TrainLink diesel multiple unit trains travelling south to Bomaderry and north to Kiama. Early morning and late night services to the station are provided by train replacement bus services. In the past, the station precinct also catered to freight trains carrying cattle and dairy products.
Arakoon is an eastern suburb of the town of South West Rocks in Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia. At the 2016 census, Arakoon had a population of 420 people.
Jerseyville is a small village on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia in Kempsey Shire. It is on South West Rocks Road, near South West Rocks. It is situated between Spencers Creek and the Macleay River. The village consists of only a handful of streets. It is a satellite suburb of South West Rocks and is a well-known fishing village. The town was originally called "Robinson's Wharf" and was founded in the 19th century after George Robinson subdivided his property. It was also known as ' Pelican's Island'. Its importance during the next generation or so was based upon the fact that coastal shipping was the main method of transport between the major Australian cities and the Macleay River Valley.
Trial Bay Gaol is a heritage-listed former public works prison and internment camp at Cardwell Street, Arakoon, Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia. The property is owned by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 14 May 2010.
Werris Creek railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located at the junction of the Main Northern, Mungindi and Binnaway–Werris Creek lines in Werris Creek in the Liverpool Plains Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The station serves the town of Werris Creek and was built between 1877 and 1880. The station is also known as Werris Creek Railway Station, yard group and movable relics. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Smoky Cape Lighthouse is a heritage-listed active lighthouse located on Smoky Cape, a headland in Arakoon east of the town of South West Rocks, Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia, and within the Hat Head National Park. It directs boats towards the entrance to the Macleay River, which is located just to the north of the lighthouse.
Kempsey railway station is located on the North Coast line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the town of Kempsey, opening on 3 December 1917 when the line was extended from Wauchope. It was the terminus of the line until it was extended to Macksville on 1 July 1919.
The Montague Island Light is a heritage-listed active lighthouse located on Barunguba / Montague Island, an island in the Tasman Sea, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) offshore from Narooma on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. The lighthouse is located at the highest point of the island. It was designed by James Barnet and NSW Colonial Architect and built from 1878 to 1881 by J. Musson and completed By W. H. Jennings. It is also known as the Montague Island Lightstation and its setting. The property is owned by the Office of Environment and Heritage, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, and the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.
The Barrenjoey Head Lighthouse is a heritage-listed lighthouse at Barrenjoey Headland, Palm Beach, Northern Beaches Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by James Barnet, the New South Wales Colonial Architect and built by Isaac Banks. It is also known as Barrenjoey Head Lightstation. The property is owned by Office of Environment and Heritage, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The lightstation was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Georges Creek, a perennial stream that is part of the Macleay River catchment, is located in the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia.
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.
Bellbrook is a locality in the Kempsey Shire of New South Wales, Australia along the Macleay River. The mountain village is classified by the National Trust as a heritage village and is part of the Macleay Valley Coast.
Homewood is a heritage-listed house and farm at 1279 Nulla Nulla Creek Road, Bellbrook, Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was the childhood home of country music singer Slim Dusty. It was designed by his father, David Kirkpatrick, and built from 1915 to 1916 by Kirkpatrick and Thomas Ryan. It is also known as Melody Farm. The property is now owned by Slim Dusty's widow, Joy McKean Kirkpatrick. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 27 January 2012.
Kempsey Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at Belgrave Street, Kempsey, Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet, and was built by Gabriel and McMorrine, with additions in 1903-04 built by Hocking Brothers. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.
Brownlow Hill Estate is a heritage-listed former residence and working farm and now residence and dairy farm located at Brownlow Hill Loop Road in the outer south-western Sydney settlement of Brownlow Hill in the Wollondilly Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed and established by Alexander Macleay and built from 1827 by George Macleay, his son). It is also known as Lowe's Hill and Glendaruel (Glendaurel). The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 25 January 2001.
Macleay Shire was a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.
Nutley, David (1995). A port with no trade: factors influencing the development and spatial organisation of maritime communities in the lower Macleay Valley, northern New South Wales.
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