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Newport Lakes and Trees (Former Newport Quarry)
Margaret Street and Graham Street and Perry Street and Bruce Street NEWPORT, Hobsons Bay City

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Hobsons Bay City
Newport Lakes and Trees (former Newport Quarry), Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Newport Lakes and Trees (former Newport Quarry), Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
Newport Lakes and Trees (former Newport Quarry), Hobsons Bay Heritage Study 2006
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Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

The site of the Newport Quarry, now Newport Lakes Park, comprising the land generally bounded by Margaret, Graham, Perry and Bruce Streets in Newport.

How is it Significant?

The site of the Newport Quarry is of local historic and social significance to the City of Hobsons Bay.

Why is it Significant?

Historically, it was significant as the source for much of the bluestone construction in the district in the nineteenth and twentieth century and is now significant as perhaps the only remaining visible example of a large basalt quarry in an area once known across the State for its bluestone supply. It has strong associations with many of the district's contractors who leased parts of its grounds. (AHC criteria A4, B2 and D2)

Socially, it is significant as an important community resource as a major public recreation area for the municipality. (AHC criterion H1)

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    • Physical Description 1

      Newport Lakes and Trees (Former Newport Quarry) - Physical Description 1

      Although progressively filled as a tip, from closure of this basalt quarry in the early 1980s, and landscaped for parklands, a considerable extent of quarry face is still recognisable. This takes the form of irregular terraced "boards" or steps on the working face, with some showing the long parallel drill holes from hand hewing building stone, by inserting wedges or "plug and feathers" to break away blocks of stone. Much of the quarry's later output was for crushed stone for concrete, rail ballast and "blue metal". The evidence of extraction for this material is less visible as mechanical equipment and blasting simply shattered the rock.

      The historical encroachment of the quarries on the residential area is still apparent along the lane behind Graham Street, and along the south of Percy and Bruce Street, where home owners once had sheer drops of 30 or 40 metres at their back fences. Mature pepper trees grow along the eastern fence line, presumably as a hardy screen from residential areas of the quarry activity.

      Integrity

      Newport Lakes and Trees (Former Newport Quarry) - Integrity

      Integrity

      Low

      Physical Description 2

      Newport Lakes and Trees (Former Newport Quarry) - Physical Description 2

      Context

      Surrounded by mainly later housing development.

      Historical Australian Themes

      Newport Lakes and Trees (Former Newport Quarry) - Historical Australian Themes

      Utilising mineral resources, Quarrying

      Physical Description 3

      Newport Lakes and Trees (Former Newport Quarry) - Physical Description 3

      Associations

      William Hall, Thomas Hoad Hall, Harry Emerton, and Herbert Hamer

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Hobsons Bay - Hobsons Bay Heritage Study

      Author: Hobsons Bay City Council
      Year: 2006
      Grading:

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