The Tingle Factor Box

Roaming Roy Finds A Little Piece Of Marine History - Marine Biological Station Park at Camp Cove

This week, Roy was looking back over the photographs we have taken over several years out and about, checking out interesting historic places. He was amazed to discover a few, even from his earliest visits, which he had not shared with his online friends! One of these places was the Marine Biological Station at Camp Cove. 

Today, most of what is publicly accessible of the former Marine Biological Station is a landscaped park which had some quite beautiful plantings when Roy visited back in 2012. Camp Cove is in Watsons Bay, and to get there by car, you will need to follow Pacific Street. Parking in the area is quite difficult, but there is also good access by bus and ferry. You can even visit by foot, as Camp Cove is on the coastal walk between the Harbour Bridge and inner South Head. The cottage associated with the Marine Biological Station is a private residence, and only open to the public on occasional open days. 

 

The Marine Biological Station has an intriguing history, dating back right to the 1800s. In 1881, the Marine Biological Station was built in an area which was then not nearly as populated as what we see today! The buildings were designed by a well known Sydney architect, John Kirkpatrick, but the most famous person associated with the site was Nikolai Nikolayevich Miklouho-Maclay. Miklouho-Maclay was a highly respected Russian scientist, and it was for him that the laboratory was built. He was, at the time, considered to be a world authority on marine animals like sharks and sea sponges, and the Marine Biological Station was to be a facility for him to use in his research. 

 

As well as being associated with an important figure in the history of marine biology and science, the Marine Biological Station was the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and of course also the first in Australia. In 1884 Miklouho-Maclay married Margaret Clarke, the daughter of Sir John Robertson who had five times been elected as premier of NSW. He lived at the station until 1886, when he returned to Russia, became ill and died two years later. He was just 41 years old. After Miklouho-Maclays death the cottage was taken over by the military and for the next century was used as a residence for married officers. Although the cottage itself is now a private residence, some of the land associated with the Marine Biological Station has been transformed into a beautiful little park, with interpretive signs to explain the history of this important place. 

Roaming Roy Sees The Light - Stained Glass

This week, Roy decided he wanted to learn a little more about something which he sees reasonably regularly - stained glass. Australian Churches, and many other public buildings like Libraries, have beautiful stained glass windows, but Roy has always wondered how stained glass even came to be. Who thought of putting colour and picture into a window? With the weather being wet and cold recently, it seemed the perfect time to find out. 

The windows which Roy features in this post are from the beautiful and historic St Matthews Church Anglican Church in Windsor, NSW. The Church itself is to be found at number 1, Moses Street in Windsor, and the Churchyard (which contains a stunning number of historic graves) is also bounded by Greenway Crescent.

Stained glass has a remarkably long and complex history, with references to stained glass dating right back to the 7th century in England. Coloured glass may even have been used in windows before this, though we have no direct evidence. However, coloured glass has certainly existed since the ancient world and the technique of making stained glass windows probably originates from jewellery making and mosaics, where coloured glass was widely used. However, the oldest complete windows in the world date from the 11th century and were created for the Augsburg Cathedral in Germany. Although stained glass windows are known to have existed before this, it is also this period which saw the beginning of stained glass as we know it. The Gothic through to the Renaissance periods (about 1100 to the 1500s) could be described as something of a golden age for stained glass window creation. In fact, it was during this age that the painting of stained glass windows actually become one of the most commonly practiced forms of painting! 

Most stained glass windows were made for Churches and Cathedrals, who had abundant funds to pay the artisans who created the exquisite artworks in glass. Many considered light to be the manifestation of God himself, and so not only did the windows feature religious subjects, they were carefully designed to cast a beautiful coloured light through the Church itself. Today, much of the symbolism used in the windows is difficult for us to understand, but once Churchgoers would have been taught the significant and symbolism, and could have ‘read’ the windows and their meaning. In fact, many believe the windows of Churches, with their beautiful religious imagery, had more impact than the words of the Priests and the sermons they preached! After the Renaissance, stained glass began to fall out of favour and much of the knowledge associated with the art form was lost. In the 19th century, and throughout the 20th century interest was revived, and new windows were created, yet the knowledge possessed by the artisans of the golden age of stained glass was unattainable. Even today, some colours and techniques cannot be replicated by modern methods, and the recipes for them have been lost. 

Roaming Roy Gets Defensive - Middle Head Fortifications

This week, Roy decided it was time to get out and about in Sydney, to visit some of the spectacular places to be discovered in the area. He wanted somewhere bursting with history, which would be perfect for wandering and exploring, but which also offered a spectacular view to enjoy on a picnic. There was one place which seemed the ideal choice - Middle Head and its amazing fortifications. 

If you would like to visit Middle Head (including Georges Head) it is located in the Mosman area of Sydney. To get there, follow Middle Head Road until you reach the carpark. You will have to walk the final distance to the fortifications (which is approximately 100 metres, and an easy walk). Middle Head is just one part of the enormous, and very spread out Sydney Harbour National Park. 

Middle Head is just one of the seven headlands dotted around Sydney Harbour, and one of the three major headlands which define Sydney Harbours entrance. Being such a prominent headland, it was quickly recognised that the headland would be a strategic place to position fortifications. In fact, for more than a century Middle Head was an important part of Sydney Harbours Defences. As early as 1801, less than 15 years after European colonisation, Middle Head began to be fortified with a small fort being built. Yet the majority of the fortifications we see today date from the time between the 1870s to 1911. This was the major time when defence of Sydney Harbour moved away from Sydney Cove itself and to the headlands which flanked the entrances to the Harbour. 

The first major fortifications to be built at Middle Head were constructed in 1871 and designed by the colonial architect James Barnet. The site was chosen for its strategically important position - it was a perfect place for colonial troops to detect and fire upon enemy ships trying to enter the harbour. Indeed, the view we see as so spectacular today is also the view which made the site so strategic! So important was the location and fortifications that the network of defences at Middle Head continued to be upgraded until 1911. Although from above ground, the fortification may seem spread out and somewhat random (especially if you wander into the bush to see the more spread out areas), the entire complex is linked underground by a series of tunnels, rooms, gunpowder stores, and even gun rooms. The site was relatively unused after 1911, but was reopened in 1942, and actually added to. This is when the last fortifications on the site were built, in response to the Japanese Midget Submarine attacks on Sydney Harbour. The older fortifications were also updated at this time, to enable troops to protect the entrance to Sydney Harbour. The last troops to use the site were those who underwent training in the ‘tiger cages’ before going to fight in Vietnam. The fortifications were handed over to the National Parks in 1978. 

Rover Finds A Man Of History - Natural History That Is! Daniel Solander

This week, with Australia Day upon us, Rover decided he would like to learn more about an important person in Australian history, who he has several times encountered on his journeys out and about, particularly in the areas around Botany Bay. Most Australians would know the names ‘Captain Cook’ and ‘Joseph Banks’, but there was a third man who accompanied them, and who played a vital role in the collection of botanical specimens in the area, but who is less well known – Daniel Solander. Rover decided that this week, he would like to remedy that!

If you would like to visit some of the places which are connected to Daniel Solander, Rover recommends visiting Kamay Botany Bay National Park, where you can find Cape Solander, the monument to Daniel Solander, and the Banks Solander Track. To get to the National Park, follow Captain Cook Drive towards Kurnell and then turn right into Cape Solander Drive. If you follow the drive right to the end you will reach Cape Solander itself, but along the way there is plenty to see and do. Rover recommends a stop at the Visitor Centre precinct, where you can walk to the memorial, or enjoy the Banks Solander Track.

Daniel Solander, though perhaps less well known than his companions Captain Cook and Joseph Banks, is an extremely important man in Australian history. He was born in 1733 in Sweden, the son of a Reverend, from whom he probably received much of his early education. In 1750, he enrolled at the University of Uppsala, where he studied languages and humanities. However, it was also here that he met the celebrated Carl Linnaeus, who was then the professor of botany. Linnaeus was impressed by Solander and convinced his father that the boy should study natural history. Just six years later, in 1756, Solander actually edited Linnaeus’s book Elementa Botanica. Linnaeus encouraged Solander to go to England and in 1760, with letters of introduction to two of the leading naturalists of the time, John Ellis and Peter Collinson, he made the journey. Solander did not return to the university to present his thesis, but was soon being referred to as Dr Solander none the less.

Solander declined roles in Europe, including the Chair of Botany at the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences, and the role of successor to Linnaeus at the University of Uppsala. Instead, he remained in England, cataloguing the natural history collections of the British Museum, promoting the Linnaean system of classification and being accepted as a fellow of the Royal Society by 1764. Through his work, Solander met Joseph Banks and in 1768 he was invited to join the scientific staff aboard The Endeavour. Solander accompanied Banks and Captain Cook, and was actually the first university trained scientist to ever set foot on Australian soil. He assisted Banks in making an enormous collection of specimens of Australian natural history, and after their return to England, became Banks secretary and librarian. He continued to explore the natural world with Banks, collecting materials from places including Scotland, Iceland, Wales and the Isle of Wight. He lived with Banks and died at his home in 1782, after suffering a stroke.

Roaming Roy Is Quarantined - North Head Quarantine Station

This week, Roy decided that with the holidays well underway, it was time to look back on a visit he made to a place which played a central role in the history of holidays. Many people coming to Australia, whether for a permanent move, on holidays, or returning from time overseas, would first stay in the Quarantine Station at North Head. Today, the Quarantine Station is a fascinating holiday destination in itself, and has a fabulous museum, which Roy plans to focus on today.

If you would like to visit the Quarantine Station it is located at North Head in Manly, Sydney. To get there you will need to go to Manly. At the Ferry Wharf, turn left and then take the second left (which has a signpost directing you to North Head). Next, turn into Darley Road and drive up the hill. Pass through the stone arch and follow the road until you reach the car park for the Quarantine Station. Park your car and catch one of the shuttle buses (which are free) to the wharf precinct of the Quarantine Station. There is plenty to see and do when you arrive, including a cafe, a restaurant, historic buildings, a beach, various walks, and of course the fascinating museum which Roy is focussing on today.

Between 1835 and the 1980s, the Quarantine Station at North Head was used keep those who were sick or had been in contact with the ill, away from the general population. By doing this, dangerous and highly contagious diseases ranging from Smallpox to The Plague were controlled in Australia, minimising the risk to the main population, and keeping the risk of outbreak under control. Most people cared for by the Quarantine Station came from overseas, on boats or, later in the 20^th century, planes. Many ships were put into quarantine because passengers on board were ill, and if this was the case, all passengers and crew on board the ship would be quarantined. However, there were occasions when local residents of Sydney and the surrounding areas were also housed at the Quarantine Station. When local outbreaks of dangerous diseases occurred, those who were sick or at risk of communicating the disease to others were sent to the Quarantine Station for treatment and to ensure they did not make others ill.

The museum at the Quarantine Station is excellent, and outlines much about the history of the Quarantine Station, those who resided there and the diseases which caused their quarantine. Roy was particularly taken with the displays which showed the accommodations of the various classes at the Quarantine Station! Yet there was so much more to see and discover, with the displays outlining some of the most important quarantine cases, such as the Smallpox epidemic in 1881, which saw many Sydney residents quarantined, and the Spanish Influenza epidemic following World War 1, which saw returning soldiers put into quarantine. Of course, with such dangerous diseases being quarantined, not all left the Quarantine Station, and many were buried in the various cemeteries around the site. At the museum, you can also see some of the early graves of people who did not survive the dangerous diseases, and learn a little about their history and stories.

Roaming Roy Goes To Church - St Matthew's Anglican Church, Windsor - Part 2

This week, Rover wanted to share a little more about the amazing history of St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Windsor. St Matthew’s is an amazing place, with a truly extraordinary history, and of course is strongly associated with some of the most famous names in Australia’s European history, such as Governor Macquarie and Francis Greenway. Yet there is more to the history, and much of it is to be discovered inside the Church itself.

If you would like to visit St Matthew’s Anglican Church, it is located in Windsor, between Sydney and the Blue Mountains. The Church itself is to be found at number 1, Moses Street in Windsor, and the Churchyard (which contains a stunning number of historic graves) is also bounded by Greenway Crescent. There is plenty to see and discover in Windsor itself, or if you are simply breaking your journey, opposite the Church is McQuade Park, where there is plenty of space for a picnic, to kick a ball, or run off some excess energy!

St Matthew’s is historically important for many reasons, but some of the interior design and furniture have their own amazing stories to tell. The two which particularly intrigued Rover were the pipe organ, and beautiful Apse. Originally, there was no music to be heard in St Matthews, as Governor Macquarie felt that people came to hear the word of God. Later, local militia sat in the back three rows of the centre block of pews, and played music for the parishioners, and in 1840, the Church had a pipe organ installed in the gallery. This pipe organ, which cost £320 to build, was the first to be built in the colony. Choir stalls were also built, and both these and the pipe organ were removed from the gallery into the south east corner of the chancel. However, today the pipe organ and choir stalls are again to be found in the gallery, where they were first built.

The apse is also stunningly beautiful and full of history. Within the domed apse are give arches, which are painted with beautifully ornate scrolls. On these scrolls are the text of the Lord’s Prayer, Exodus XX, the Ten Commandments and the Apostles Creed. Arching overhead, painted on the beautiful dome of the apse is a night sky depicted in graduating shares of blue and resplendent with golden stars. John Tebbut, who was a local astronomer in Windsor, and an important figure in Australian history in his own right, lay on the floor and marked out the stars as they appeared on that particular night. Since then, the stars we see in the sky have moved a few degrees, but the ceiling of the apse continues to depict that moment when the famous astronomer captured the night sky.

Roaming Roy Goes To Church - St Matthew's Anglican Church, Windsor

This week, with Christmas rapidly approaching, Roy decided it was time to once again visit one of the amazing and historic Churches to be found dotted around the Sydney Basin, and NSW in general. Almost every town has, or once had a Church, or even more than one, and many of these buildings have a remarkable history. One which Roy had been meaning to visit, and thought was particularly beautiful and interesting, was St Matthews Anglican Church, in Windsor.

If you would like to visit St Matthew’s Anglican Church, it is located in Windsor, between Sydney and the Blue Mountains. The Church itself is to be found at number 1, Moses Street in Windsor, and the Churchyard (which contains a stunning number of historic graves) is also bounded by Greenway Crescent. There is plenty to see and discover in Windsor itself, or if you are simply breaking your journey, opposite the Church is McQuade Park, where there is plenty of space for a picnic, to kick a ball, or run off some excess energy!

Windsor was the third place to be settled after European colonisation, with settlement first beginning in 1791. There was little assistance from the Government at this time in building public buildings, and before St Matthews was established, another three buildings were used to hold Church services. It wasn’t until 1810, when Governor Macquarie proclaimed the establishment of the settlement he called Windsor that the Government became involved. Macquarie ordered that the ‘outward signs’ of settlement must be established, and these included a school, a gaol, an inn, and of course, a Church. He selected the site on which St Matthew’s was to be built, while colonial architect Francis Greenway provided the design for the building.

Greenways first design, which was built by Henry Kitchen, was plagued with problems. In 1817, when construction first began, Macquarie deposited a Spanish Dollar under the cornerstone of the building, but later the same night, the coin was stolen. He deposited another coin the next day, which was again stolen! Work commenced, but it was so slow that Macquarie sent Greenway to find out exactly what was going on. Greenway reported that the work, and even the bricks themselves, were inferior and what had been done was razed to the ground. Greenway designed a whole new building for the Church, and oversaw the building process, directing the stonemasons and construction team. With Greenway directing work the Church was completed quickly and with great skill, with the building sufficiently completed that Church services were able to be held there as early as September 1821. The next year, the Church was consecrated by the Reverend Samuel Marsden, who was then the Colony’s Principal Chaplain.

Rover Finds A Fascinating Forest - Mount Annan Coastal River Flat Forest

Rover is very lucky to be able to visit so many wonderful places, and sometimes he enjoys just sitting and looking through the photos of places he has been and reminiscing about the amazing things he has discovered. He was looking through the photographs when he discovered this set of pictures, which show a rather extraordinary place – a Sydney Coastal River Flat Forest. This is an amazing type of environment, which is today highly endangered.

If you would like to visit the Sydney Coastal River Flat Forest, there are pockets of remaining forest to be found around Sydney, but the one Rover visited was at Mount Annan Botanic Gardens. The forest was a lucky discovery when Rover was exploring the Stolen Generation Memorial Walk, along the road into the Botanic Gardens. If you would like to visit the Australian Botanic Garden, it is at Mount Annan, not far from Camden. To get there, take the M5, and exit onto Narellan Road and then follow the signs to the ‘Australian Botanic Garden’.

As you might suppose, given the name, this particular type of rainforest is found specifically on the river flats found in the floodplains of Sydney. It is a special type of forest, with a very tall layer of Eucalyptus trees, which in original, remaining stands of the forest can be 40 metres high. Much of the forest which is remaining today is regrowth though, and so significantly smaller than the forest once would have been. In addition, this type of forest is endangered, and there are not a lot of areas which are remaining, and those which are, are often in very poor condition. The example at Mount Annan Botanic Garden is actually very healthy, with the river washing nutrients down from the surrounding hills, and these nutrients feeding the thriving forest.

Sydney Coastal River Flat Forest is often made up of specific species like the forest red gum, blue box, river peppermint and swamp gum. At Mount Annan, Forest Red Gums dominate, and the specimens in the area are up to 30 metres high. Like other forests which are familiar to Australians, there is a mid story which may be made of smaller trees and shrubs, but the understorey is a little unusual, being made up predominantly of grasses, scramblers and forbs. Rover hadn’t heard of forbs, but learned that they are flowering herbaceous plants, which don’t fall into the grasses category. Such an understorey, which is made up mostly of soft-leaves plants is unusual in Australia, and makes the Sydney Coastal River Flat Forest very special indeed. The forest is also particularly important because it helps to maintain the health of many rivers around Sydney, playing a role not only in supporting the ecology of the riverbank and river system itself, but also stabilizing the banks of these rivers.

Rover Visits A City Of The Dead - Rookwood Cemetery

This week, with Halloween having occurred so recently, Rover decided it was the perfect time to visit a cemetery. Rover loves cemeteries, with their beautiful statues, their lovely gardens and of course with their extensive history. Cemeteries are places which are simply brimming with history! Of course, there are many to choose from too, but Rover decided that Rookwood would be perfect. Being the largest necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, it should certainly satisfy his interest!

If you would like to visit Rookwood Cemetery, it is a huge area not far from Strathfield and the gates are open from Sunrise to Sunset each day. There are several different ways to enter, but when Rover visited we entered from Barker Road (off Homebush Road), and then followed Necropolis Drive. There are many fascinating memorials and monuments within the cemetery which are well worth exploring, but the site is so huge that Rover recommends driving between the different sections and then wandering. Rover thinks it would be impossible to see everything in a single day.

Rookwood Cemetery, also known as Rookwood Necropolis, is a simply enormous place. At nearly 300 hectares, it is the largest cemetery not only in Australia, but in the Southern Hemisphere. What’s more, it is actually the largest Victorian Cemetery still in active use in the whole world! Rookwood’s history begins in the 1840s, when cemetery space in Sydney was rapidly filling up. Governor Macquarie had established a burial ground known as the Devonshire Street Cemetery in 1818, but by the 1840s the cemetery was rapidly filling up. A new, larger, cemetery was desperately needed and at first Randwick was proposed as the site, but this plan was abandoned due to complaints from residents. A railway line had been established between Sydney and Parramatta in 1856, so the Government began to look along the line for somewhere which would be suitable. The trend was increasingly to put cemeteries away from settlements or at the very least on the outskirts of cities and towns, so this plan also fit with the new fashion.

The Government eventually found the perfect site in 1862 at Haslem’s Creek and purchased the land from Edward Cohen. Formerly, the land had been part of a large estate granted to magistrate and parliamentarian Henry Grattan Douglas and the whole property was known as ‘Hyde Park’. The site was ideal though, relatively isolated, and with plenty of land. The Government divided the cemetery into denominations according to the census information, granting 21 hectares to the Church of England, 14 hectares to the Catholics and leaving 23 hectares as non-denominational burial space. The Cemetery, then known simply as ‘The Necropolis’ was officially opened in 1868, after the passing of The Necropolis Act, but it wasn’t all that long before it became clear that more land still would be needed. In 1879 the remaining 233 hectares of the old ‘Hyde Park’ were purchased to extend the cemetery. Of course, there is still history to be discovered in this huge and fascinating cemetery, and Rover is sure to revisit in the future to share more!

Rover Takes Flight - Qantas Heritage Collection Part 2

 

This week, Rover is returning to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport to continue to discover more about the fascinating history of Qantas. Rover was fascinated by the little museum he discovered at the airport, and even more so by the rich history of Qantas which he discovered. 

 

If you would like to visit the Qantas Heritage Collection, it is located on the mezzanine level of the Sydney Domestic Terminal at the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. The museum is actually very near to gate 13, and is open to the public between 9:30am and 4:30pm on Monday to Friday. You can visit the collection for free and not only examine the wonderful, permanent collection, but also gaze out over the planes which are coming and going from the terminal. The view is superb!

 

The introduction of the luxurious flying boats to the fleet soon brought major changes for Qantas itself. Where Qantas had, essentially, been based in Brisbane since the company was formed, the flying boats began and finished their journeys at Rose Bay in Sydney. This was the catalyst for Qantas’s move from Brisbane to Sydney in 1938, and the move was completed, according to Norm Roberts, one of the station engineers for Qantas, using just two flying boats and in a single afternoon! The flying boats, many of them the famous Catalina’s, remained in service until 1958, when the last of them were sold. After the Second World War, Qantas began to look to not only rebuilding their passenger service, but also extending and modernising their fleet of aircraft. In 1946 they put in an order for four new, long range, pressurised aircraft with Lockheed. These aircraft were the famous Constellations. 

 

The first of the Constellations arrived in October of 1947, and on December 1 Qantas commenced the famous Kangaroo route from Sydney to London. The flight, then, took 4 days. Also in 1947, the Australian Government made the decision to purchase all remaining Qantas shares, putting the formerly privately owned company in the control of the Government. In 1954 Qantas was given the honour of carrying Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on their Australian tour, and in 1956 the fleet, now with 34 propeller driver aircraft, carried a record number of passengers, all heading to Melbourne for the Olympic games. 1956 was an important year for Qantas, the year when they made their longest continuous trip, from Athens to Darwin, carrying the Olympic flame and also the year when the Boeing 707-138 Jetliners were ordered. A year later Qantas House in Sydney was opened as the new headquarters of the company and in 1958 Qantas began their round the world service, circumnavigating the world in 6 days and becoming a familiar sight in the airports of 23 countries. The future of Qantas was assured, and today their fleet of planes continue to be a familiar sight world wide.