KEEPING THE FOREST IN FOREST LODGE - Mick Tapsell's historical perspective
This little triangular patch of land, behind 77-85 Hereford St on Alfred Rd, belonging at the moment to the Lands Department, is a bit of an anachronism. It really shouldn’t be there. It has managed to survive because in the sixties a substantial portion of Glebe was earmarked for demolition to make way for a freeway from the city to the western suburbs. Lot 1 Alfred Rd (recently renamed 9 Alfred Rd), was on the southern edge of a cutting that was to go right through Forest Lodge hill. If you draw a rough line from south east of Wentworth Park to Lot 1 you can comprehend how much of Glebe was going to disappear.
In the meantime, a developer had bought the old dairy site, next to The Farmhouse at 75 Hereford St. When the 51 Units were built at No 77 in the seventies, the developer no doubt would like to have built on Lot 1, but the land had to be kept free for the new road. The developer managed to use as much of the old dairy land as he could, so his building goes right to the very boundary of Lot 1. Perhaps the idea was that the intended freeway below the building would have a sizable cutting, which would keep the building well clear of the actual road. However, it is still odd that the developer was permitted to build right to the boundary. At the time, three storey units in Glebe were considered good things, and certainly much better than the rows of old terrace slums. Nowadays, such a building would be considered inappropriate for the area, but the white brick with the mission brown trim was very trendy at the time.
Nevertheless, one local resident, who lived in 148 Hereford St, a Mr Robertson, was sufficiently horrified at the thought of an overlarge block of flats in his neighbourhood that he decided to do something about it. On his own initiative, he planted a lot of trees on the site. One cannot be absolutely sure if he planted the native trees at the rear on Lot 1, but given their age, it is quite probable that he did. He certainly planted the large trees on Hereford St at the front of the units. You can look at these today and be grateful for his initiative, for they give a natural screen to an otherwise forgettable piece of urban architecture. A walk around Forest Lodge hill will also reveal examples of the ubiquitous red brick blocks of the sixties and seventies, with no gardens or trees to speak of, just bland concrete around them. Old suburbs like Forest Lodge clearly display the mistakes in urban planning of past decades.
In the seventies, Government owned a substantial piece of Forest Lodge hill. Lot 1 and No. 75 Hereford St (the old Farmhouse) were in the hands of the Lands Department. No. 69 Hereford St, the largest piece of land, was owned by the Defence Department. The Farmhouse was sold first, bought by a developer in 1996, and despite the protestations of local residents who considered it of heritage value, promptly had three ordinary town houses, designed by a Leichhardt councillor, plonked in front of it. New arrivals to Forest Lodge are not even aware of the existence of the Farmhouse. Now out of sight, it won’t be long before it is also out of mind.
The Defence land went next. Local residents again tried hard to preserve the old Drill Hall on the site, but to no avail. Soldiers for the First World War were recruited there. 19 impressive town houses were built on this site, and about the same number of mature trees were liquidated. They have not been replaced. Hereford St was widened at No. 69, a benefit for the locals. The new houses were named Eternity, ironically a fitting reminder that once open space is developed, it is gone forever. Alfred Road (really just a no through laneway) was widened at the rear of No. 69 and is accessed via Upper Road, a one car width two way thoroughfare for the area. The entrance into Alfred Rd from Upper Road tests all the skill of the Sydney City garbage truck drivers each Tuesday.
Lot 1 remains. For over 30 years it has been lovingly cared for by the residents of Darrah Court, who have paid rent to Lands, maintained the space and improved it with new plants. The trees and shrubs have prospered. Birds have thrived there. A previously forgotten little patch that is now worth too much. The Lands Department, which should have more sense, wants whatever money can be made from it. What is required today is market value. A developer will pay too much for it, and then will have to squeeze every last bit of profit out of its odd shape. What is built on Lot 1 will perhaps be ugly, but will certainly be out of place. The last remaining piece of forest on Forest Lodge hill, gone for all eternity.
Mick Tapsell, long time resident of Hereford Street, Forest Lodge. May, 2006.
In the meantime, a developer had bought the old dairy site, next to The Farmhouse at 75 Hereford St. When the 51 Units were built at No 77 in the seventies, the developer no doubt would like to have built on Lot 1, but the land had to be kept free for the new road. The developer managed to use as much of the old dairy land as he could, so his building goes right to the very boundary of Lot 1. Perhaps the idea was that the intended freeway below the building would have a sizable cutting, which would keep the building well clear of the actual road. However, it is still odd that the developer was permitted to build right to the boundary. At the time, three storey units in Glebe were considered good things, and certainly much better than the rows of old terrace slums. Nowadays, such a building would be considered inappropriate for the area, but the white brick with the mission brown trim was very trendy at the time.
Nevertheless, one local resident, who lived in 148 Hereford St, a Mr Robertson, was sufficiently horrified at the thought of an overlarge block of flats in his neighbourhood that he decided to do something about it. On his own initiative, he planted a lot of trees on the site. One cannot be absolutely sure if he planted the native trees at the rear on Lot 1, but given their age, it is quite probable that he did. He certainly planted the large trees on Hereford St at the front of the units. You can look at these today and be grateful for his initiative, for they give a natural screen to an otherwise forgettable piece of urban architecture. A walk around Forest Lodge hill will also reveal examples of the ubiquitous red brick blocks of the sixties and seventies, with no gardens or trees to speak of, just bland concrete around them. Old suburbs like Forest Lodge clearly display the mistakes in urban planning of past decades.
In the seventies, Government owned a substantial piece of Forest Lodge hill. Lot 1 and No. 75 Hereford St (the old Farmhouse) were in the hands of the Lands Department. No. 69 Hereford St, the largest piece of land, was owned by the Defence Department. The Farmhouse was sold first, bought by a developer in 1996, and despite the protestations of local residents who considered it of heritage value, promptly had three ordinary town houses, designed by a Leichhardt councillor, plonked in front of it. New arrivals to Forest Lodge are not even aware of the existence of the Farmhouse. Now out of sight, it won’t be long before it is also out of mind.
The Defence land went next. Local residents again tried hard to preserve the old Drill Hall on the site, but to no avail. Soldiers for the First World War were recruited there. 19 impressive town houses were built on this site, and about the same number of mature trees were liquidated. They have not been replaced. Hereford St was widened at No. 69, a benefit for the locals. The new houses were named Eternity, ironically a fitting reminder that once open space is developed, it is gone forever. Alfred Road (really just a no through laneway) was widened at the rear of No. 69 and is accessed via Upper Road, a one car width two way thoroughfare for the area. The entrance into Alfred Rd from Upper Road tests all the skill of the Sydney City garbage truck drivers each Tuesday.
Lot 1 remains. For over 30 years it has been lovingly cared for by the residents of Darrah Court, who have paid rent to Lands, maintained the space and improved it with new plants. The trees and shrubs have prospered. Birds have thrived there. A previously forgotten little patch that is now worth too much. The Lands Department, which should have more sense, wants whatever money can be made from it. What is required today is market value. A developer will pay too much for it, and then will have to squeeze every last bit of profit out of its odd shape. What is built on Lot 1 will perhaps be ugly, but will certainly be out of place. The last remaining piece of forest on Forest Lodge hill, gone for all eternity.
Mick Tapsell, long time resident of Hereford Street, Forest Lodge. May, 2006.
posted by from Hereford Street at
1:51 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home