Sydney Central Station
The project
Location: Sydney Central Station on Gadigal Country
Artefact led archaeological investigations for one of Australia’s largest public transport infrastructure projects at Sydney Metro's Central Station. The team provided heritage advice from planning to construction. Findings informed a heritage interpretation program, to share the site's rich history with future generations.
Sydney’s transport hub at Central Station was upgraded to incorporate the new Sydney Metro City and Southwest services. The Central Precinct has become an exciting new place for business and the community by renewing up to 24 hectares of land in and around Australia’s busiest transport interchange – Sydney’s Central Station. The Precinct cost around $48M to deliver.
Since 2017, Artefact worked with the various providers across a range of projects to identify and manage the industrial heritage left from over 160 years of railway development.
The station has functioned as the main transportation hub in Sydney for over 100 years and continues to provide new transportation access to the city of Sydney through the Light Rail and Metro services. The CMP provided a course of action for the conservation of the Central Station Precinct and its associated buildings, structures, landscape, Indigenous and non-Indigenous archaeological potential, and movable heritage items.
Along with occupying the location of the former Devonshire Street Cemetery, the footprint of Central Station extends over the site of the first and second Sydney railway stations, and a host of supporting infrastructure. This includes the former locomotive workshops, turntables, goods sheds, carriage workshops, steam-train servicing facilities, electrical train services and historic tramway overlaying the 1840s Blackwattle Drain.
Artefact prepared a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the State Heritage Register (SHR) listed Central Railway Station and Sydney Terminal Group.
Heritage solution
Central Station Precinct site also contains over 40 built heritage items and Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal archaeology.
The CMP included a review and gap analysis, historical context, significance assessment, archaeological management, Aboriginal archaeological management, policies, fabric management, and an inventory sheet review and update.
The area was divided into five sub precincts to assist with giving a comprehensive overview of the heritage items. Overall, 12 major heritage items were located within the study area including the Mortuary railway station and gardens, the railway overbridge and the former parcels post office.
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Sydney Metro, Transport for NSW
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GIS-based archaeological zoning plan
Archaeological assessment and monitoring
Conservation Management Plan
GIS-based archaeological zoning
Artefact produced a GIS-based (geographic information system) archaeological zoning plan of Central Station based on historical plans, to identify the locations of former buildings and structures on the site from 1854 onwards.
Utilising the GIS system, Artefact provided onsite industrial heritage expertise to identify archaeological remains, determine the significance of the remains, and present management measures for implementation during works.
Artefact archaeologists undertook monitoring during ground disturbing works to identify items discovered by the works, assess their significance and ensure that they were managed according to agreed permit conditions.
1903 map of Sydney Central Station
Outcomes
The CMP identified opportunities for further archaeological research at Central Station. Potential investigations could focus on the following historical uses of the overall study area, including information regarding the Aboriginal and early European occupation of the study area.
Additionally, non-Aboriginal archaeological research could be conducted to determine the location of the first and second railway station, or the history of the institutional development to the north of the study area. It was recommended that further archaeological research be considered for the use of the Devonshire Street Cemetery, which was uncovered during Metro Station works. There is also potential to understand the changing railway network layout and historical use of the Sydney Yards to the south of the study area.
In addition, a key component of the CMP was a Heritage Interpretation Plan which was developed in consultation with stakeholders such as the NSW Heritage Council and local councils.
It outlined a framework for ongoing consultation with relevant parties including Sydney Trains and Aboriginal groups to ensure the preservation of heritage values. The CMP was delivered in a timely manner required to guide the construction stage of the project.
Artefact identified remains from the first railway turntable in NSW dating back to 1855 as well as the remains of the 1860s-era Locomotive Shed and the 1870s-era Goods Shed.
We also found the cobblestone surface of Sydney Yard and part of the old Devonshire Street.
What our clients say
“Heartfelt gratitude for the outstanding work your team have done on the Sydney Terminal Building Revitalisation Project [Central Station].
Your timely and efficient services have been of great help to the team. I appreciate Artefact’s dedication and professionalism, and the way you have always gone above and beyond to meet client’s expectations.
Your expertise has made a huge difference in meeting our deliverables and deadlines.”
Enis Ruzdic, Aurecon Group