Little Coogee

Item details


Name of item:	Little Coogee
Type of item:	Landscape
Group/Collection:	Landscape - Natural
Category:	Wetland or river
Primary address:	Parramatta Park, Parramatta, NSW 2150
Parish:	St John
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Parramatta

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Parramatta Park	Parramatta	Parramatta	St John	Cumberland	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Parramatta Park Trust	State Government

Statement of significance:


	This area is associated with the recreational use of the Parks during the latter part of the nineteenth century into the twentieth century. The area has high social significance for its use as a beach and swimming hole and its association with Mr Noller. Its picturesque location gives it high aesthetic significance.
	Date significance updated: 05 Dec 97
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the OEH copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Physical description:	"Little Coogee" is the area between the causeway and the Rangers Cottage. It is today a grassy picnic ground area.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The area is still used extensively for picnicking. There may be some archaeological remains here related to earlier activities but evidence of the older kiosk and dressing pavilion are likely to have been destroyed by the construction of the new Visitor Centre.
	Date condition updated:30 Jun 03


Current use:	Recreation
Former use:	Recreation

History

Historical notes:

Although swimming had taken place in this area since the days of the convicts (one drowned in the water hole in the vicinity in 1817), Little Coogee did not officially become a public place of swimming until the Park trustees agreed to remove pre existing bathing restrictions, in January 1912. There were requests for dressing sheds, as it was noted that people swam there day and night. During the same period the first mention of the name 'Little Coogee' was made in the records of the Trust, in regard to the 'Little Coogee Life Saving Club' (February 20, 1912). An official investigation of the water at Little Coogee in 1923 found it not to be polluted. By 1924 the Trust was receiving income from boats and bathing sheds. By 1926, two shelter sheds are listed (one of which still survives), a refreshment kiosk and dressing sheds. There was also a bus service via Ross Street and the Causeway. (Flynn, M. 1996).The Ranger, who lived at the Dairy Precinct, played a large role in the regulation of Little Coogee. Public toilets were built east of the Dairy Cottage with separate male and female pathways. The decline of the water quality and the availability of a swimming pool nearby saw the end of the crowds as still seen during the early 1960s. (Varman,R.V.J. 1997)

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Little Coogee is historically signficant for its association with the recreational phase of use of the Park.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Although there is no longer a sand beach in this location, this is still one of the picturesque river side locations in the Park.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	Little Coogee is still remembered today as a popular local swimming spot.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Little Coogee is perhaps representative of river side swimming holes in western Sydney.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Objective:As a long term aim, Little Coogee will be managed to reinterpret the now lost ‘beach’ area that was a popular swimming and boating spot in the 1920s. Actions: To this end the Parramatta Park Trust will introduce a series of sand inlets between rock ‘headlands’, which will simulate the previous sand deposits, such that the beaches will not be eroded by river action. These small ‘beaches’ should be of a scale to create a sense of intimacy. Materials should reflect alternating period of sand deposition and removal together with exposed underlying sandstone formations with grass and Casuarina plantings behind. (Parramatta Park Landscape Master Plan 2002, p.51)

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register
Archaeological zoning plan		43
Heritage study		418

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	DPWS	2000	Parramatta Park Landscape Masterplan
Written	Flynn, M.	1996	The Ross Street Gatehouse: its historic context in relation to Parramatta Park.
Written	Varman, R.V.J.	1997	Archaeological Zoning Plan for Parramatta Park Trust

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	State Government
Database number:	4681043

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

All information and pictures on this page are the copyright of the Heritage Division or respective copyright owners.