| Physical description: | SITE & LANDSCAPE
The site is situated with dual frontages to Union and Edward Streets, generally rectangular in shape with a finger of land making an 'L' to Union Street.
The terrace embankments and driveway north from Union street are fairly densely vegetated with mature trees and shrubs including native and exotic species and flatter areas are grassed.
Vehicular and pedestrian access is obtained from both Union and Edward Streets, however the preferred and most used is Edward Street directly behind the buildings to a small visitor car park. (The buildings' street address is Edward Street).
Entry from Union Street is through a recessed entrance gateway via a formalised driveway up the south-facing slope to the front of the historic building complex.
To some extent 20th century building development near the historic building group has severed and/or changed the immediate landscaped gardens but remnants of the earlier plantings still remain close to the building. Views and vistas from the building group remain substantially unaltered from site development since the late 19th century. The semi detached villas and other subdivision developments to the south and west are screened by vegetation even through they remain close by in distance terms. The land slope and terraced vegetation to the south and west substantially screen nearby urban development from view. Views and vistas of suburban Sydney, the Harbour , Parramatta River and mountains to the west are visible above the tree line.
(Site notes from a visit 12/1/03, Stuart Read, landscape specialist, Heritage Office)
Shore School owns land immediately east and north of Graythwaite, and further west. This land all formed part of the Graythwaite estate under earlier owners, and comprises a range of buildings including houses built for Dibb's children, c.1880s, and later school development, c1900 and later.
Immediately west of the property (and under it) dives a railway line tunnel (half way along the western boundary) being the main northern line to Waverton/Hornsby. This runs directly west/east under the property.
The Terracing on the property is thought to have been made initially for grape/vine planting, although this was abandoned at some point as unsuccessful, much of the terraces facing south, an orientation not suited to ripening fruit. 3 or 4 major terraces face south, and an unknown number (vegetation is too dense to see as yet) to the west of the site, which is steeper. Ground levels appear to have been modified in terms of slope, as well as terracing.
Much deliberate and accidental tree planting has followed on these terraces, making the site rather secluded now, with the exception of long views from the main house south/south-sou-east to the city/Pyrmont, and west/west-south-west to Balmain/Leichhardt and the river.
Mature specimen trees remaining include perimeter plantings of Moreton Bay figs (Ficus macrophylla) lining boundaries to adjacent housing on Union Street (south) and Bank Street (west). These are at least 100 years old, some of them magnificent specimens, others planted closely (as windbreaks?).
Mature tree specimens across the site comprise mainly figs (about 40 large specimens) being a large number of Moreton Bay figs, also Port Jackson figs (F.rubiginosa), giant bamboo to the west of the main house, and to the south-east of the main building group, firewheel tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus), pepperberry tree (Nth NSW rainforest species - see below), Cook's pine (Araucaria columnaris) - a very tall specimen visible across (south of) the Harbour Bridge) on this ridge, Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), 4 Florida palms (Washingtonia robusta) and Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonae) line a carriage loop immediately south of the main house, and large numbers of white/grey poplar, Populus alba, some of which are suckers of older trees/regrowth clumps, spreading (but which probably represent earlier shelter belt or ornamental plantings of this species)(Recent (late 1990s) plantings of Populus x simonii have been put in east of the drive to replace rust-affected Lombardy poplars (P.nigra 'Italica').
A carriage driveway (date?) from Union Street is lined on the west with brush box (Lophostemon confertus) and on the east by camphor laurels (Cinnamomum camphora), which appear to be at least pre 1950s, possibly 1930s. A pepper berry / white walnut tree (Cryptocarya obovata) is east of the drive towards the top, near the house. This is a very rare rainforest species, native to northern NSW rainforests and once native to the Illawarra (apparently extinct in that district since the mid 1800s) and only one other specimen of it is known in Sydney, in Prince Alfred Park. Both may owe their presence to associations with colonial botanists James Backhouse and Alan Cunnungham, and then-director of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Charles Moore, who did much to promote the planting of NSW and Qld. rainforest tree species (Stuart Read, pers.comm., 28/6/2010).
A number of fruit trees remain/have been planted in the last 10/20 years in some cases on the banks immediately west and south of the main house. These may reflect replanting of earlier orchard areas. These include citrus (oranges, lemon, mandarin), fig, loquat, pomegranate, carob, peach, banana (extensive clumps of these), a quince tree, pawpaw, white mulberry (over 40 years old) etc.
Weed species/naturalising plants
A number of "weedy" species trees, sh, although volunteers are clearing the worst of these and replanting locally native and NSW rainforest species to replace them. "Weeds" may of course represent earlier deliberate plantings, which have reproduced themselves on site, or wild seedlings introduced by visiting birds dropping seeds or regenerating naturally with relatively little disturbance/changing light conditions as mature trees fall or are removed. Species include: white poplars (as above), long leaved privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium), small leaved privet (L.sinense), nettle tree (Celtis australis), camphor laurels (as above), sweet pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) (probably wildlings ex bird-dropped seed), brush box (as above), night cestrum (C.parqui), coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii), smooth leaved rambutan/native quince, Alectryon species (local native, some bird-seed dropped, some natural regeneration), bleedling heart tree (Omolanthus populnifolius), African olive (Olea africana), lantana (L.camara)- much of which has been removed since 2000 by volunteers, asthma plant (Parietaria sp.), Madiera vine, butterfly bush (Cassia tomentosa), fennel, moth plant (Araujia sp.).
BUILDINGS
The building group known as Graythwaite Nursing Home is positioned on an elevated part of the site at the north eastern corner is ringed by security fencing to prevent patients straying. The remainder of land steps down to the south and west with graded embankments and flatter areas to provide a terraced effect.
The three storey substantial building with associated single storey masonry buildings is the historic building known as Graythwaite. From on site inspections it was established that the periphery of mainly single storey buildings relates to the property's use since 1916 as a convalescent and nursing hospital. Physical evaluation of the perceived historical hub buildings was carried out during the study period and reinforces the notion that the three storey sandstone building has grown from smaller building complex, possibly dating to the 1830s.
The Graythwaite property comprises:
1. A substantial sandstone Victorian Villa with attached kitchen wings (generally 2 and 3 storeys respectively.) Single storey sandstone outbuilding with loft (former 1830s stables) Single storey masonry outbuilding (ashlar finish) (former secretaries office and staff dining room)
2. Single storey brick building (former recreation room)
3. Single storey brick outbuilding with attic (former 1880s stables)
4. Single storey hospital ward building and service additions and service addition c1918. Alterations to hospital ward (infill of veranda) c1936.
5. Service yard and car park.
6. Associated terraced and landscaped grounds.
7. Recent linking building.
1. Graythwaite is a former c.1823 residence which has been altered and has grown through the 19th century from a less prominent building to a grand villa c1882 and then undergone adaptation to a convalescent hospital and nursing home after 1916. Owing to the building's development over considerable time there remains recognisable features from all stages of its development. The building can be described as having three (3) main areas, a) the substantial sandstone Victorian Villa with attached Kitchen Wing, b) a single storey sandstone outbuilding with loft, c) and a single storey masonry outbuilding (ashlar finish).
For further analysis of the physical evidence on site, refer to the Conservation Management Plan prepared by Graham Edds and Associates for the NSW Department of Health dated February 2000 and endorsed by the Heritage Council of NSW in August 2000.
Archaeology
Two brick/stone lined cisterns were discovered to the west of the main house, and recently studied by Goddon Mackay Logan. One appears to be double brick lined, the other sandstone. |
