Dear Members and Supporters,

Please see below an update on current matters.

Draft Master Plan for Middle Head

The Harbour Trust released a Draft Master Plan for their Middle Head, Mosman site, on Tuesday 14 March 2023, with guidelines for the proposed development of designated heritage buildings and the construction of new buildings in the historic / heritage Middle Head precinct. The Master Plan is on public exhibition until 5.00 pm 18 April 2023.

The Middle Head precinct comprises heritage assets, including military / colonial buildings, evidence of Indigenous occupation, natural environmental values and social / community activities. 

Click here to be directed to the Draft Master Plan >

The Headland Preservation Group (HPG) is reviewing the Draft Master Plan in detail. HPG will provide you with an outline of our response in the next few days. In the meantime, I suggest that you familiarise yourselves with the Plan. Please don't be intimidated by the length of the document. Chapter 4 of the Draft Master Plan contains the most important details.

"New dawn for Sydney lookout with plans for headland walk, events, weddings"

In the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH 14 March 2023) journalist Michael Koziol wrote:

"A draft master plan released on Tuesday proposes to demolish several derelict dormitory buildings at the former military site (at Middle Head) and reconfigure or resurface the concrete car parks to open up the site for community festivals, sporting events, concerts and conferences."

Read the SMH article here >

HPG has three initial concerns regarding the Draft Master Plan:

1. Events

How many and what type of events can Middle Head sustain? The Plan proposes medium-sized events for between 500 to 2,000 per day. This is over and above current traffic volumes. Middle Head is at the end of a peninsula with one road access through a residential area with minimal public transport. HPG understands that the site will only provide 321 car spaces. Traffic chaos surely looms as a significant issue.

2. Demolition of Barracks

The Sydney Morning Herald article describes the 'derelict dormitory buildings' (better known as the Barracks) as having no heritage value. It is important to set the record straight. 

Built in the 1950s, the Barracks are the only remaining examples of this type of two-storey construction in Australia. The Barracks military quarters were continuously occupied until 1998, including in 1963 by AATTV (Australian Army Training Team Vietnam), the first specialist training team and military contingent from Australia to enter the Vietnam War. The Harbour Trust's Conservation Management Plan 2007 rated these Barracks as possessing heritage value, ranked as moderate.

Over the past 20 years, the Barracks have been subjected to demolition by neglect. They are now marked for certain demolition. It is important that at least one Barracks building be restored to tell the story of the various regiments who occupied them. The Barracks form part of the Middle Head Military Village and should be retained for interpretative purposes, be adaptively re-used by our veterans and / or provide overnight accommodation for those embarking on the 80km walk from Bondi to Manly. [Links to the site]. 

3. No New Buildings

The Draft Master Plan proposes demolishing the existing sports facility at Middle Head Oval and constructing a new sports pavilion on the eastern side of the oval. The Statutory Plan covering this precinct only provides for "improvements and additions" to sporting facilities at Middle Head Oval. It does not reference the construction of new buildings in the Middle Head precinct.

HPG considers that a new pavilion in this important heritage precinct would damage its heritage values irreparably.

Read the letters to the editor in response to the SMH article here >

Harbour Trust Drop-in information sessions

The Harbour Trust is hosting two drop-in sessions to answer questions about the Draft Master Plan.

Session 1: Tuesday 21 March 2023, 3pm-6.30pm at 1110 Middle Head Road, Mosman NSW 2088

Session 2: Saturday 1 April 2023, 10am-2pm at Mosman Junction (near St.George Bank), Military Road, Mosman NSW 2088

For more information >

Guard House / Middle Head Café

HPG has been made aware that some weeks ago, the Harbour Trust advised the Middle Head Café lessees, Dany and Christelle, that their café is to be demolished to make way for the relocation of sporting facilities at Middle Head Oval. The café occupies the former Guard House to the Middle Head Military Village. HPG understands that Middle Head Café has operated successfully for over ten years and is very popular with the community.

The recently published Middle Head Master Plan states that "The draft Master Plan proposes examination of the guardhouse building and associated café function" and proposes to relocate the changing facilities at Middle Head Oval to this location. The café will likely be demolished and relocated within the proposed sporting facility or the proposed interpretation centre. In either instance, it is unlikely that Dany and Christelle will be able to continue as lessees of the existing Middle Head Café.

Dany and Christelle are very concerned that their tenure could be terminated at any time.

HPG understands that over the past 4 weeks well over 1,500 members of the community have signed a petition to retain the café in its current location. HPG supports retaining the Guard House and its existing use as a café.

Should you wish to support the continued use of the Guard House as a café and sign the petition you can do so here >

Environmental Education Centre development for Middle Head Fort

HPG has previously conveyed its concern regarding the heritage impact of the proposed amendment to the Sydney Harbour National Park Plan of Management to allow the construction of new buildings at Middle Head Fort.

The Department of Education proposes constructing a new covered outdoor learning centre (COLA), including storeroom and amenities block, adjacent to and overshadowing the historic Soldiers Institute building.

We have registered our opposition to this development with the Hon. James Griffin MP, Minister for Heritage and Environment, and the Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC, Minister for Education and Early Learning (via Felicity Wilson MP, Member for North Shore) and requested that the proposed amendment to the Plan of Management be withdrawn. 

Unfortunately, HPG has not received written advice that the proposed amendment has been withdrawn. In the meantime, the NSW Department of Education has published A Project update / March 2023 advising that the Project is underway.

Candidates Forum response to this development

At a recent Candidates Forum attended by Felicity Wilson (Liberal), Godfrey Santer (Labor), James Mullan (Greens), Helen Conway (Independent) and Victoria Walker (Independent), HPG asked each of the candidates their stance on the proposed amendment to the Sydney Harbour National Park Plan of Management to allow new buildings to establish an Environmental Education Centre in the Middle Head Fort.

The unanimous response from the candidates was to halt progress, reassess the environmental and heritage impact and listen to the community.

For further information >

HPG is, on behalf of its members and the wider community, forever vigilant in protecting the heritage of Sydney Harbour Federation Trust sites for all Australians in perpetuity. As your representatives, we greatly appreciate and rely on your support.


Warmest Regards,
Jill L'Estrange
President
Headland Preservation Group