Opinion on the Timber Barracks at Middle Head
There is no justification to demolish the heritage Timber Barracks at Middle Head.
The Harbour Trust proposes to demolish the heritage Timber Barracks at Middle Head in favour of open space for public events.
The Harbour Trust proposes to demolish the 3 Heritage Timber Barracks and relocate the Parade Ground at Middle Head to create a pedestrian pathway, First Nations interpretation and landscaped open space for events.
The Harbour Trust justifies the demolition of the Barracks and relocation of the Parade Ground on the basis that “the buildings and Parade Ground occupy a parcel of land that is considered highly sensitive in terms of First Nations and natural heritage values of place.”
HPG’s response
The Harbour Trust’s obligation is to protect, conserve and interpret the heritage and environmental values of trust land, (Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act 2001 S6(b)).
HPG recognises and respects the three very important values of the Middle Head precinct – military, First Nations and environmental values. It is incumbent upon the Harbour Trust to protect, conserve and interpret these values. No value is more important than the other and each should be respected.
The Timber Barracks and Parade Ground are recognized as an important and integral part of the Middle Head Military Village, the only intact heritage military village in Australia.
The Barracks are of particular significance because of their varied military use dating back to 1951. They were built in response to perceived threats to Australia posed by the Cold War and tell the stories of the post WW11 years, including the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
They are a demonstration in built form of 200 years of forward defence of Australia from the Middle Head location. They provide a historical bookend to the first ever construction of defences at Middle Head against the French scare of 1801. As such they are of great significance to the story of the military occupation of Middle Head.
The demolition of these military assets will irreparably diminish the heritage values of the precinct.
The Timber Barracks have significant military heritage
The Heritage significance of the Barracks is specifically referred to in two Commonwealth Heritage Listings:
Listing ID 105587 notes that they are part of 10 Terminal Regiment Headquarters as being part of an “historically significant location of major defence works for Sydney Harbour,” and
Listing ID 105541 recognises the importance of the Barrack buildings as an integral component in the provision of housing for military personnel, leading to a wider understanding of a military site.
Heritage architects have described the Barracks as:
Moderate heritage and an “exceptionally rare collection of such barracks at the National Level,” Conservation Management Plan 2007 by Robertsons and Hindmarsh.
Graham Brooks, GBA Heritage, says “in my professional experience the proposed demolition of the Barracks buildings will generate a major negative “Significant Impact” on the statutory Commonwealth Heritage Values of Middle head and Georges Heights precincts and on the 10 Terminal locality in particular.”
The Barracks are a recognised component of the post WW11 cold war era.
1951-57: The first ever regular artillery regiment - 1st Field Regiment (gunners from HQ Battery, 104 Locating Battery and 111 Light Anti-aircraft Battery) established to protect the Nation from perceived threat of Communism.
1958-68: Staff and all students attending courses at the School of Military Intelligence nearby, for example, the first team deployed to South Vietnam in 1962 were given training in colloquial Vietnamese and completed a Code of Conduct course that was designed to increase resistance to interrogation if captured.
1969-1999: 10 Terminal Regiment soldiers who manned the regimental equipment used for delivering stores ashore over a beachhead. One of the most significant operations was the support given to the Australian Antarctic Research bases.
The Barracks, the associated 10 Terminal Head Quarters building, and the ‘tiger cages’ in the tunnels at Middle Head (together) are among the few tangible remnants of Australia’s commitment to Vietnam.
The Barracks have an intangible heritage, being the stories of the men who occupied them.
It is said that all units retain strong memories of their occupation and the important role played by their soldiers who lived there. One example is the role of the School of Military Intelligence at 10 Terminal during the Vietnam War and the role of the Australian Army Training Team who attended the courses.
Read Vietnam Veteran Victor Danko’s story here ➞
The Harbour Trust seeks to downgrade the recognised heritage values of the Barracks
The Harbour Trust says:
The Barracks are at the end of their life.
The Barracks were in pristine condition when handed over to the Harbour Trust in 2001. They have deteriorated through neglect of the Harbour Trust. Does heritage cease to be heritage when it is neglected? Eminent heritage architect Graham Brooks says NO.
The Harbour Trust has restored other dilapidated heritage buildings at Middle Head to preserve their heritage.
The Barracks were only meant to be temporary.
No evidence has been produced by the Harbour Trust to justify this statement. The Barracks were purpose built for Australia’s first permanent military regiment, Ist Field Regiment ( Royal Australian Artillery).The Timber Barracks and Parade Ground occupy a parcel of land that is considered highly sensitive in terms of first Nations and natural heritage values of place.
The Harbour Trust argues that the Barrack Buildings block the visual connection of the precinct to the water and thus erode the First Nations values of connection to’ land, sea, and sky.’
HPG considers that this is not reason enough to demolish heritage buildings when there remains a residual large expanse of land where the visual connection to the Harbour can be enjoyed.
The natural values of place have been greatly disturbed over time. In the 1830’s it was the location of Mr Bielby’s Farm and during the interwar years was cleared and levelled for use as a golf course fairway.
The Trust proposes to replace the Timber Barracks with:
An accessible pedestrian pathway providing a loop walk around the plateau.
There is ample space to create this pathway without demolition of the Timber Barracks.First nations interpretation.
HPG acknowledges the need for First Nations interpretation however First Nations values are located predominantly in the lower bushland and cliffs surrounding the plateau.
Should the Barracks remain there is abundant land for both military and First Nations heritage to be interpreted in a mutually beneficial and respectful manner.
Landscaped open space for events.
Events proposed by the Harbour Trust include open days, exhibitions, community festivals and concerts for:Up to 2,000 people for the course of the event.
Over a period of 3 days or less.
Operating up to 10pm.
May have restricted public access
This raises the following concerns:
There is only one road in and one road out.
Traffic congestion, limited available parking and crowds will follow.
Impact on the serene natural environment of Middle Head will change forever.
HPG supports restoration of and appropriate adaptive re-use of the Timber Barracks buildings.
HPG strongly supports the proposal for the adaptive re-use of the Barracks for a Middle Head Veterans’ Transition Centre as proposed by a Committee of Veterans.
The Middle Head Transition Centre (MHTC) aims to respond to the findings and recommendations of the royal commission into Defence and Veteran suicide. The Barracks will provide Australian Defence Force (ADF) members separating from Defence with a learning centre that supports and empowers veterans to assimilate effectively back into society and reduce the risk of suicide.
The MHTC proposes a good and compatible use of the Barracks which would provide a much needed and invaluable community benefit.