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Statement Of
Significance:
Following the demise
of the Tank Stream, Busby's Bore was a crucial element in the provision of
water to the early Colony of New South Wales between 1837 & 1880. It is
demonstrative of the attempt made by the Colonial Administration to ensure
an adequate water supply for Sydney residents. In addition, it was the first
major infrastructure tunnel to be built in Sydney, being excavated by hand
by convict labour. The tunnel stretches a distance of 3.6km beneath the
city. It remains substantially intact, apart from a small section beneath
Oxford Street, which was filled with sand in 1934. It has a high level of
archaeological potential, enhanced by its inaccessibility. It remains a
tangible reminder of the early public structures built predominantly with
convict labour. It is listed by the Australian Heritage Commission on the
Register of the National Estate and is included on the National Trust of
Australia (NSW) Register
Physical Description:
Excavated by hand, the bore stretches over a distance of 3.6km beneath the
City and varies from 1.2m to 1.5m in width. In places, it is up to 3m high.
The tunnel follows an erratic, meandering course, and as recent excavations
have shown, several dead-end spurs occur within its length. There are 28
vertical shafts and wells ranging from 6m to 8.4m which were tapped into the
bore. When work was completed in 1837, it had the capacity to supply
Sydney's population of 20,000 people with up to 1.5 million litres of water
per day. Irregularities in the tunnel surface were removed in 1872, when
cast segments were introduced to improve the flow. When the Bore returned to
service in 1872 there was a huge decrease in the amount of pumping provided
by the Botany Pumping Station. After this, the water became tainted from
various sources, including the tarmac of the new tram ways, and it was
consequently abandoned as a viable source of drinking water. |
Busby's Bore - Oxford
Street near
Riley Street.
N.b split roof slabs
caused by tram vibrations.
Created By: Sydney Water Archive
Creation Date: 01-01-1933
Copyright Holder: Sydney Water Corporation
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| Historical: |
Busby's Bore was the
first major infrastructure tunnel to be built in Sydney. It provided water
from the Lachlan Swamps (Centennial Park) via a tunnel to Hyde Park, and
later extended to the Harbour. It was the first piped water supply to
Sydney. |
| Aesthetic: |
The majority of
Busby's Bore is located underground. There are, however, 36 wells and
vertical shafts tapped into the bore. The aesthetic significance includes
the important surroundings where these wells and shafts meet the surface.
For example, 2 shafts are present on the grounds of the Victoria Army
Barracks. These shafts were used to supply water to the barracks and to the
former hospital. Centennial Park has a brass monument to signify the
presence of the bore, and Hyde Park (north) has a fountain to honour it's
construction. |
| Social: |
After the contamination of the Tank
Stream, Busby's Bore provided a source of freshwater to the city. It is an
important feature in the development of the city of Sydney. It is identified
by numerous community groups for it's significance. |
| Research: |
Excavated by hand, the bore stretches over
a distance of 3.6km under the city and varies from 1.2 to 1.5m wide and is
up to 3m high in places. The bore has high technological importance because
at the time of completion (1837) it was one the longest underground tunnels
built in Australia. |
| Rarity: |
It is unique as evidence of Sydney's
second water supply. The item is of technical significance. At the time of
completion, 1837, it was one of the longest underground tunnels built in
Australia. |
| Representative: |
Representative of the first major
infrastructure tunnel to be built in Sydney. |
Integrity
Assessment: |
Is considerably intact apart from a
section underneath Oxford Street filled with pipe and sand. |
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Historical Notes
By 1824, the Tank Stream had become so polluted that
Governor Darling engaged an engineer to find an alternative source. John
Busby, a Mineral Surveyor, proposed that water be taken from the Lachlan
Swamps (now Centennial Park). His plan was to convey water through an
underground tunnel or 'bore' to the City centre for distribution at the
Colony's racecourse, where Hyde Park is presently situated. The Lachlan
Swamps area was a low lying marsh containing a plentiful supply of fresh
water. It was part of a sandy region known as the Macquarie Reserve, and
covered the areas currently known as Moore Park, the Showgrounds, and the
Sydney Sports Stadium. Work commenced in 1827 on what is now the
south-eastern corner of Hyde Park and subsequently Sydney's first piped
water supply resulted. The project began with convict labour and was not
completed until 1837 when Sydney was again in the grip of a prolonged
drought. In the 1840's, construction began on the City's first water
reticulation pipes, laid from the bore to various parts of the township.
This led to the eventual augmentation of the Bore with the Botany System in
1859. It continued to serve the City and Woolloomooloo until the Upper
Nepean scheme was completed in the 1880's. |
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