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Item
Name of Item:	Bronte Beach & Park
Type of Item:	Landscape
Group/Collection:	Parks, Gardens and Trees
Category:	Urban Park
Primary Address:	Bronte, NSW 2024
Local Govt. Area:	Waverley
Property Description: Lot/Volume Code Lot/Volume Number Section Number Plan/Folio Code Plan/Folio Number
All Addresses
Street Address Suburb/Town LGA Parish County Type   Bronte  Waverley  Alexandria  Cumberland  Primary
Statement of Significance	The developed park behind the beach is a rare example of a beachside park retaining much of its 1920-1940 period character and layout. It is also unusual for a Sydney beach park not to have its beach and park elements separated by a road. Historical, cultural, natural and scenic value. Important aesthetic and historical associations with "Bronte House". State significance. Date Significance Updated: 07 Feb 00 Note: There are incomplete details for a number of items listed in NSW. The Heritage Branch intends to develop or upgrade statements of significance and other information for these items as resources become available.
Description
Physical Description:	Fine, small scale, sandy beach. Enclosed by sandstone headlands with park and reserve behind (formerly grounds of Bronte House). Valley form reserve extends west for about 1km. Unusual for a Sydney beach that the park behind is not divided by a road. The valley reserve remains in a naturalistic state (with one tall residential building intruding), but is quite overgrown with weed to the west and upper north slope. The developed park behind the beach retains much of its 1920-40 period layout and character. Elements from this era include the concrete promenade and paths, the shelter sheds, and the planting of Norfolk Island pines and Canary Island palms. Recent planting on bare hillside with local native species is Island palms. Recent planting on bare hillside with local native species is environmentally effective. Should be restricted to the higher edges and the eastern valley, and kept away from the flatter parkland of 1920-40's character. The geometric pruning of the native species is not sympathetic. The reserve to the west appears to have few native trees, mainly Coast banksia, on the southern slope. Could be replanted with a reconstruction of the native species once growing here. This should be however be respectful of the historic layout and cultural planting to "Bronte House". Part of upper valley has been planted with Coral trees (now self generating). Weeds include unkempt banks of Kikuyu grass and Caster Oil bushes. In the upper south west corner of Bronte Park (probably formerly in "Bronte House" grounds) there exists a naturalistic forest-like stand of mixed species. These include Coast mahogany (to 16m), Brush box (to 13m), Angophora ……….
Current Use:	Beach and Park
Former Use:	Beach and Park
History
Historical Notes:	Originally part of the grounds of "Bronte House". Early sketches by Mrs Robert Lowe show parts of the valley in its natural state. Subsequent modifications recorded in a thesis prepared by Sydney University students.
Historic Themes
Australian Theme (abbrev) New South Wales Theme Local Theme 4. Settlement - Building settlements, towns and cities Towns, suburbs and villages - Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages (none) -
Assessment of Significance
SHR Criteria a) [Historical Significance]	This item is of historical and cultural significance
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic Significance]	This item is of natural and streetscape/landscape significance
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	This item is of rarity value significance
Integrity/Intactness:	Substantially intact
Assessment Criteria	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.
Listings
Heritage Listing Listing Title Listing Number Gazette Date Gazette Number Gazette Page Local Environmental Plan      06 Dec 96       Heritage study
Study Details
Title Year Number Author Inspected by Guidelines Used Waverley Heritage Study  1990  L11/2010  Perumal Murphy Pty Limited    No
References, Internet links & Images
None
Note: Internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.
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Data Source
The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database Number:	2620391
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