Address: 31 and 44 De Quency Road and 34-48 Genevieve Road Suburb / Nearest Town: Bullaburra 2784 Local Govt Area: State: Blue Mountains NSW DUAP Region: Sydney West Historic region: Sydney Parish: Jamison County: Cook Other/Former Names: Area/Group/Complex: Group ID: Aboriginal Area: Curtilage/Boundary: Item Type: Landscape Group: Landscape - Cultural Category: Other - Landscape - C Owner: Local Government Admin Codes: Code 2: Code 3: Current Use: Former Uses: Assessed Significance: Local recreation reserve. Local recreation reserve. Local Endorsed Significance: Statement of Significance: Gundungurra Indigenous Land Use Agreement (Aboriginal heritage statement): This land is listed under Schedule G of the Gundungurra Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA). The ILUA recognises the particular importance of certain land within the Blue Mountains Local Government Area to the Gundungurra Traditional Owners, and is a 10 year, legally binding agreement under the Native Title Act 1993. The information in this inventory sheet does not include the significance of this site to the Gundungurra Traditional Owners, and therefore does not represent a complete history, or represent the views of the Gundungurra ILUA Consultative Committee or the values they attribute to the land. The inventory sheet should be read as the European history only, and it is recognised that this history may have impacted on the Aboriginal cultural significance of the site. Statement of significance: has historical significance at the local level as a rare example of a public bushland park donated and developed with walking tracks and a bush swimming pool by a real estate developer. Since 1992, the has developed a high level of local significance as demonstrated by the community campaigns to enlarge and restore this park. The bushland and walking tracks of the 1920s of are typical of the central Blue Mountains. Page 1
Historical Notes or Provenance: Real estate developer Sir Arthur Rickard purchased land originally owned by Sir Henry Parkes and subdivided it (DP72180) building a post office/store and tennis courts and railway station (opened 16/2/1925). Gully land in the centre of the subdivision was dedicated to the Blue Mountains Shire as a park and Rickard dammed a local creek to provide a bush swimming pool and constructed tracks connecting streets in the subdivision to the pool and Minnatonka Falls. The opening up of the 'Bullaburra estate' for sale was announced on 27/4/1925. At this time Rickard's company was in 'voluntary liquidation'. The tracks are a curiosity, having never been mapped until the mid 1980s (Smith 1986 p.114). The only references to them in guidebooks were in 1926 and 1927. The Blue Mountains Encyclopaedia of 1926/27 and Harry Phillips guidebook of November 1927 had this entry: 'A special feature of the district is Bullaburra Park, of about 38 acres, with a fine swimming pool and pathway through a romantic glen'. The subdivision was extensively advertised in the Sydney media up until about 1930 (eg. Daily Telegraph 20/11/1927, Daily Guardian 28/5/1929). Locals claim that the tracks and pool were in good condition until the 1950s when siltation and pollution began to cause damage and track maintenance ceased. In January 1992 a Bullaburra precinct committee was formed (Blue Mountains Gazette, 1/9/1992). One of its aims was the rejuvenation of. This became an Advisory Committee under the Local Government Act on 9/12/1993. The committee has contributed a large amount of voluntary labour to the restoration of the park and its tracks. The park was enlarged in 1997 with the addition of former Landcom Land in Genevieve Road (former school site) (Blue Mountains Gazette, 13/8/1997) after a five year campaign by local community activists, Blue Mountains City Council resolved to prepare a management plan for the park (BMCC:1997). In 2003, Blue Mountains City Council resolved to formally gain title to land at the eastern end of De Quency Road to ensure it was protected as part of (BMCC:2003). Only the and Warrimoo tracks (also built by Rickard) are in the unique category of walking tracks made by real estate developers. Themes: National Theme State Theme Local Theme 8. Culture Leisure Reserves Designer: Maker / Builder: Unknown Unknown Year Started: 1925 Year Completed: 1925 Circa: No Page 2
Physical Description: Physical Condition: Modification Dates: Recommended Management: Management: The Park includes a track connecting Boronia and Cottle Roads via Minnatonka Falls with a side track to De Quency Road and a bush swimming pool. Track is in good condition. Swimming pool dam wall broken. Track and environmental restoration by local community groups from 1992. Additions to Park in 1997 and 2003. List on Blue Mountains Local Environment Plan 2015. Further Comments: Criteria a) Criteria b) has historical significance at the local level as a rare example of a public bushland park donated and developed with walking tracks and a bush swimming pool by a real estate developer. Early associations with real estate developer Sir Arthur Rickard who purchased, developed and dedicated the land to Blue Mountains Shire as a park. Criteria c) Criteria d) Since 1992, the has developed a high level of local significance as demonstrated by the community campaigns to enlarge and restore this park. Criteria e) Criteria f) Criteria g) is in a rare category of public reserves, as it was donated by a real estate developer. The bushland and walking tracks of the 1920s of are typical of the central Blue Mountains. Integrity / Intactness: References: Author Title Year Anon., Bullaburra Reserves, Blue Mountains Echo (5 June 1925). 1925 Anon., First Precinct Committee, Blue Mountains Gazette (1 January 1992) Anon., Anon., Red Gum Rehabilitation, Blue Mountains Gazette (5 July 1995). The Blue Mountains Encyclopaedia, Blue Mountains Local Government Tourist Agency. Anon., Bullaburra, Bullaburra Bushcare Committee. 1995 Blue Mountains City Council, Council's Claim of Ownership, Blue Mountains City Council, Business Paper (18 November 2003). 1992 1995 1926 2003 Page 3
Blue Mountains City Council, Bullaburra, Blue Mountains City Council Minutes (25 November 1997). 1997 H. Phillips Blue Mountains & Jenolan Caves Illustrated Tourists Guide, The Author, Willoughby, N.D. [1927] Jim Smith How to See the Blue Mountains (2nd Edition), Megalong Books, Katoomba. 1986 Studies: Parcels: Author Title Number Year Jim Smith Walking Track Heritage Study, NPWS SHI 1998 3900082 Blue Mountains City Council LEP 2015 Heritage Review 2016 Jim Smith LEP 1991 Consultant Review 2010 Parcel Code LotNumber Section Plan Code Plan Number LOT 292 DP 13407 LOT 1 DP 721806 LOT 58 DP 7290 LOT 57 DP 7290 LOT 56 DP 7290 LOT 55 DP 7290 LOT 54 DP 7290 Latitude: Location validity: Map Name: Longitude: Spatial Accuracy: Map Scale: AMG Zone: Easting: Northing: Listings: Name: Title: Number: Date: Potential Heritage Item LEP 2015 Am5 BL009 Local Instrument: LEP 2015 Local Identifier: BL009 Draft Instrument: Technical Comment: Update Notes: (i) New listing. Data added / altered NPWS. Jim Smith 2010. Aboriginal Heritage: (ii) Heritage Review 2016 - Aboriginal statement added (SR/Oct2016) The Blue Mountains Local Government Area is within the Country of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples and Blue Mountains City Council respects their cultural heritage and deep ongoing connection to this Country. Page 4
This inventory sheet documents the European occupation of the site only, and the heritage significance of the place in this context (assessed against the heritage criteria set by the NSW Heritage Council). This does not therefore, represent a complete history of the place, or represent the perspectives of Darug and Gundungurra Traditional Owners in relation to the colonial impacts on this site. Consultation with Traditional Owners and other Aboriginal stakeholders is required, before Aboriginal Cultural Heritage that may be associated with this place, can be recorded. Data Entry: Date First Entered: 19/08/2010 Date Updated: 15/02/2017 Status: Basic Page 5
Image: Caption: Location Map Copyright: City Planning Image by: City Planning Image Date: 16/03/2011 Image Number: Image Path: Image File: b00.jpg Thumb Nail Path: Thumb Nail File: Page 6
Image: Caption: Entrance to Copyright: City Planning Image by: City Planning Image Date: Image Number: Image Path: Image File: b01.jpg Thumb Nail Path: Thumb Nail File: Page 7