Brief History Of Artarmon

Below is some information about Artarmon. It includes a brief history of Artarmon, information about Conservation policy regarding Artarmon and an insight into Artarmon's unusual history from a local resident.

History

Ever wondered how Artarmon became the way it is? Following is a brief history derived from Artarmon - Past & Present, by Grace Warner, 1988 and information from our office experiences.

Artarmon was given its name by the prominent local landholder, William Gore, who was also Provost Marshall of the Colony and famously embroiled in the Rum Rebellion. He received his land grant in 1810 and named his farm after his family's ancestral Irish home 'Ardthelmon' (pronounced Art-e-mon).

Other land grants had been made as early as 1794 on the traditional lands of the Camaraigal people. Various farming activities followed until the late 19^th century. By this time, Gore's Artarmon Estate was mostly owned by Thomas Broughton who dedicated lands for roads. Most significantly, the Artarmon Station on the North Shore train line was opened in 1898. Residential subdivision immediately followed.  

On 15 October, 1898, Australias oldest real estate Company, Richardson & Wrench held the first sale (by auction) of lots in the Artarmon Estate.

Most houses were built in the 1920's and 1930's with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 being a major catalyst to development generally on the North Shore. The 1980's through to the present has seen another generational change and wave of renovation.

Some units were constructed east of the train line in Elizabeth Street in the 1940's on land not subject to restrictive covenants (see later section Conservation Policy . However, most medium density and high rise development took place in West Artarmon following an inspired town planning decision in 1969 confining units to appropriately rezoned areas.

Further south, the area adjacent to the Pacific Highway (formerly Gordon Road) was being literally dug out as NSW's largest brickworks.This area, together with the residential streets of St Leonards and Gore Hill south of the expressway was mostly rezoned to permit light industrial uses.

The opening of the express way in 1982 had a number of impacts on Artarmon. The city became accessible much more quickly making it just one traffic light away from the city and the majority of the light industrial area was physically cut off from the residential areas. However, the on-ramp greatly increased traffic into West Artarmon and the days of having a chat on Hampden Road were gone forever.

There are now three Artarmons - the east, characterised by wide leafy streets and beautiful free standing houses; the west with a combination of well planned low and highrise units and townhouses and a residual pocket of semi-detached and free-standing houses and the light industrial area. All are highly prized.

Conservation Policy

Conservation areas are created by local Councils under planning law to protect areas with a distinctive character from unsympathetic development. Proposed changes to properties within such an area must be compatible with surrounding development especially in terms of building materials, height, scale and general aesthetics.

East Artarmon has a distinctive character of architecture and streetscape that has been preserved mostly intact. This is largely due to restrictive covenants placed on development at the time of subdivision and sale from 1898 on.

These covenants generally specified that there be no more than one single storey dwelling per allotment, building materials to be substantially of brick or stone with a tile or slate roof, and that each home cost over 500 pounds or 600 pounds (which was a lot of money especially early in the 1900's). In addition the subdivision featured streets laid out in a regular, linear patter with wide nature strips.

Legislative changes and court decisions in the 1980's led to property owners often being able to overturn the covenants, combined with a push to revitalise and substantially extend the old homes. Whilst in many cases this was handled sensitively in other it was not.

In 1989 the Urban Conservation Committee of the National Trust recommended that the east Artarmon area be placed on its register in recognition of the intactness of its mainly Federation and Californian bungalow style houses. However, this had no force at law.

Willoughby City Council followed the National Trust's decision by listing the Artarmon Conservation Area under its Local Environment Plan 1995 and specifically under Development Control Plan No.19. This gave it statutory control over the type of development in the area including demolition, subdivision, new construction alterations and extensions.

It is important to note that the inclusion of a property in a conservation area does not make it into a Heritage Item. Significant renovation and extension (including into a second storey) is usually permissible provided it is achieved sympathically.

By endeavouring to outlaw small subdivisions such as dual occupancy and a typical development, the conservation policy has sought to enhance the attractiveness of the area and property values.

Did You Know?

Theatre

For many years Artarmon had a picture theatre "The Sun." Today the site is occupied by home units at 38 to 42 Hampden Road

Medical Centre

The medical centre currently located on the corner of Hampden and Broughton Road was, a number of years ago, a Grocers shop "Moran & Cato." Sugar was weighed up in the store; large rounds of cheese in cheese cloth was cut by a wire and often a taste given to the customer before purchase; biscuits were sold loose in a paper bag having being picked out of a large tin.

Real Estate

The first estate agent actually in Artarmon was P.R Cook & Co Estate Agents and agents for North British Insurance situated in the small premises corner of Wilkes Ave and Elizabeth Street. Their sold sign can still be faintly seen.

Dancing

Dancing opposite St Basils Anglican church in Broughton Road (now unit blocks 3 and 5) was a hall where dances were regularly held. Also the old Masonic Hall (corner Jersey and Hampden Road) had a large dance floor both were very popular as were nearby The Dispensary Hall (now where Chatswood Chase stands, the old Chatswood Town Hall and the North Sydney Council Chambers Hall. The most popular were the quick step, jazz waltz, barn dance, Canadian 3 step and La Bomba.

Wilkes Ave

For many years there were two confectionary shops, a chemist, a jeweller/watchmaker and a fruit shop. This is completely different from what is there today.

Corner Francis Road & Hampden Road

The premises where Liquor land currently trades was for many many years Mr Musgraves Butchery.

Hampden Road

Some of the businesses located years back included three grocers, one hardware, one hame and beef delicatessen, one bank, 2 milk bars, 3 shoe repairs, 2 hairdressers, 1 bank, 1 paper shop and 1 real estate.

Trams

Trams used to terminate at the corner of Penshurst Street and Victoria Ave and eventually the line progressed to the railway station. In the years before more modern trams were in service ticket sellers stood on a running board swinging along to each compartment collecting fares and issuing a ticket - would anyone do that work today?

Chatswood

Used to boast 3 picture theatres in Victoria Ave, The Arcadia - The Kings on west side of railway and The Dreadnought (Later The Esquire) on the east side - all were filled to capacity on Saturday nights, with top fill bookings essential. The Arcadia had an Electronic organ which was donated to Willoughby Council.

 

The information contained herein has been provided by our Principal and third parties, which we merely pass on without any representation or warranty given, intended or implied by us to its correctness and with no liability accepted by us in this regard. You must rely upon your own inquiries as to its accuracy or otherwise.