Loreto Kirribilli School
Artefact provided archaeological monitoring and salvage excavation for Loreto Kirribilli's major $100m campus redevelopment, ensuring important historical heritage was carefully managed as the school created contemporary learning spaces for future generations.
The project
Location: Loreto Kirribilli School in Sydney on Cammeraygal Country
Artefact was contracted by Bloompark Consulting in 2020 to provide historical archaeological monitoring and salvage excavation as part of a NSW State Significant Development Application.
The works at Loreto Kirribilli were undertaken to meet with conditions for redevelopment approval as a State Significant Development (SSD-7919).
Artefact’s archaeological investigations unearthed the history of the site and our analysis and extensive surveying and reporting met the redevelopment conditions of approval, allowing the construction to move forward.
Heritage solution
An earlier Archaeological Research Design identified that the study area had the potential to contain historical archaeological relics. The Artefact team set out to investigate the site by undertaking salvage excavation.
A variety of building remnants and relics were uncovered with some dating as far back as the mid-19th century. Excavation revealed original sandstone and brick footings, steps and walls with the earliest dating to the time of Tremayne House – the first major development on the land around c.1860.
Further excavation unearthed an assortment of artefacts reflecting a combined 200 years of site inhabitancy. The assemblage included 42 perfume bottles (samples pictured), 20 alcohol bottles, eight skin cream jars and a collection of nineteenth century ceramic tiles, demonstrating a rich and diverse history.
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Bloompark Consulting
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Historical Archaeological monitoring and salvage excavation
Archaeological excavation report
“Our team excavated a site that demonstrated the rich history of Kirribilli through structural and artefactual remains, including substantial sandstone footings and retaining walls associated with James Milsons’ c.1860 Tremayne Estate and artefacts and landscaping associated with the YMCA girls hostel that occupied the site from the 1920s to 1950s. It was a privilege to be part of the evolution of the site into an educational institution.”
Jenny Winnett, Technical Director