The NSW government has announced that six reserves and parks along the inner Sydney Harbour have been added to the state’s heritage register in recognition of “their unique cultural, environmental and industrial histories.” According to a communique from the state government, the listing follows extensive consultation with local councils, heritage experts, and community groups.
The parklands are located around the headlands and the water planes connecting the northern and southern shores of the harbour. Collectively, they have been described as “the green necklace” – a term originating from a 2018 cultural landscape study the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) NSW.
The NSW government’s communique notes, “These landscapes represent the ever-evolving nature of land and water use on Sydney Harbour, showcasing the change from undisturbed bush to industrial use to green space preservation.”
“Each park and reserve has its own story that has been shaped by thousands of years of Aboriginal connection and more recent layers of industrial, artistic and community history,” the release reads. “They reflect how people have interacted with, altered, and valued the land over time.”
Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe also noted, “They are not only green spaces but living archives of Sydney’s cultural and industrial evolution, and a reminder of the rich and enduring Aboriginal history we are surrounded by.”
The heritage-listed parks include:
- Badangi Reserve, encompassing Berrys Island Reserve and Wollstonecraft Foreshore Reserve
- Ballast Point Park, a park built on a former Caltex Oil site in Birchgrove
- Balls Head Reserve in Waverton, “a rare surviving natural headland” that was declared a public reserve as the result of an environmental campaign in the 1920s and 30s.
- Berrys Bay (Carradah Park) in Waverton, the former site of a BP refinery
- Yurulbin Park and Foreshore in Birchgrove, an early example of the transformation of industrial land to public use that recaptures the qualities of an Indigenous landscape and was also the 1994 launch site of the Australian government’s Local Government Reconciliation Program.
According to the communique, the protection of the parklands is also intended to retain the harbour’s “natural beauty for generations to come.”
“Listing these landscapes means their heritage value will be safeguarded into the future, in a context where Sydney’s built environment is fast growing. The listing is a shift away from traditional listings such as physical buildings and instead recognises the importance of a cultural landscapes and the environment in NSW’s rich history,” the release notes.
Shape commented, “I want to acknowledge the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects for starting this listing process many years ago, and congratulate them on the wonderful outcome of their work and advocacy.”
AILA NSW president David Moir commended Sharpe’s foresight in protecting the landscapes.
“These iconic landscape elements, integral to the internationally significant Sydney Harbour setting, are foundational to the city’s identity as a global destination,” Moir said.
“Through visionary landscape planning and design, once-derelict industrial sites have been transformed into inclusive public spaces where communities can connect with nature in an increasingly urbanised environment. Their inclusion on the State Heritage Register and the commitment to their ongoing conservation reflect enduring community values and a deep respect for our shared landscape legacy.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
