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Physical Description

The site comprises the land to the north to the Park Hyatt Hotel, to the harbour sea wall to the east, and to the south east covering the site of the original Campbell Stores building - see the site plan to this listing. The new Metcalfe Stores, on the site of the Campbell gardens, is a related site.
Campbell's Stores comprise eleven gable fronted, three storey high rectangular plan bays. The bays are oriented almost due east west and, when constructed, were built partially on reclaimed land and were only about 20 metres from the wharf edge. The building as a whole is oriented almost due north-south. The northern-most bay (Bay 11) is of different materials and construction to the other ten bays and was the last built being completed about 1890s. It abuts the homogenous series of ten bays which are immediately to the south. Bays 1-10 are almost identical measuring 8.1 metres wide and 15.8 metres long. Bays 1-10 have a continuous front (east facade) and rear (west facade) with openings in both. The ground floor in all bays is presently a concrete slab while Level 2 and Level 3 floors are timber boards on timber joists. The simple roofs are slate sheathed with lead capping and copper-lined trough gutters. Bays 1-10 are sandstone constructions both internally and externally to the top of Level 2, with brick above, including the gable ends.
The first five bays to be constructed were built in 1851/52 and are the present Bays 6-10. A further three bays, which are the present Bays 3-5 were completed around 1858 and the final three bays were finished by 1860. Of these last three bays, the southern-most and the final one to be completed was demolished in 1958 to make way for the first overseas shipping terminal at Circular Quay. This left two bays, now known as Bays 1 and 2, and the remaining eight to form the group known as the Campbell's Stores. The building was stepped up towards the south with a rise of about 0.3 metres between Bays 1 and 2 and Bays 4 and 5, the change in level being most evident by the string course at gable level and the second level sill course. When originally completed the building was only two storeys high.
(Godden Mackay 1996: 52)

Note: This building contains a hydraulic hoist and single cylinder gas engine which are important items located within the building.

Style: Maritime Georgian; Storeys: 3; Facade: Sandstone (Bays 1-10) to the top of Level 2, with brick above, including the gable ends. Bay 11 is brick.; Side Rear Walls: Sandstone; Internal Walls: Sandstone; Roof Cladding: The roofs are slate sheathed with lead capping and copper-lined trough gutters; Floor Frame: The ground floor in all bays is a concrete slab while Level 2 & 3 floors are timber boards on timber joists; Roof Frame: Timber

Modifications

Sometime between 1882 and 1887, the third level was added to the stores. Unlike the lower two levels, this addition was in dry pressed, well consolidated brick, laid in English bond. The stone gable end was completely removed and replaced with brick. In c1895 or 1915 an additional bay was built on the northern end. In 1958, the southern bay was demolished for the construction of the Overseas Passenger Terminal. Since then, Campbell Stores have undergone at least two adaptations. The first was sometime before 1970 and little is known of it. The newly established SCRA oversaw the most fundamental change in usage of Campbell's Stores from commercial to tourist uses, and the greatest change in fabric since the addition of the third level in 1883. The restoration, commenced in 1974/75 and completed 1978/79 was one of the first major restoration projects in Sydney, and included replacement of damaged sandstone and construction of a service tunnel along the full length of the western side of the building. In general, the work done in the 1970s has remained unchanged until today. (Godden Mackay 1996:, SCRA Annual Reports 1975-79:) Some remedial work has been undertaken to stonework in poor repair since 1996. (P Wyborn)

Condition

Externally, the building is in fair condition: there are cracks in the walls and sandstone pointing is required (P. Wyborn 1999). Internally, some sections of sandstone walling on the lowest level are in a highly deteriorated condition. Also, much alteration which has caused damage to or obscured significant fabric and fitout work has been undertaken (Godden Mackay 1996: 146-148)
The Campbell's Stores site has potential archaeological, scientific and research significance relevant to earlier uses and the development of the site. (Ibid: 89)
Timber gantries have been removed and are in storage at 190 Cumberland Street. Preventative maintenance has been undertaken to the remaining timbers.(P. Wyborn 1999)

Archaeology Assessment Condition: Partly disturbed. Assessment Basis: Terraced into hill slope from Campbells Cove. Investigation: Archaeological Assessment

History

The land is part of grant to Robert Campbell, 29 June 1814 (Lot 1, Section 86). Robert Campbell, who was to become the "merchant prince" of the colony, purchased two and a half acres of land beside Sydney Cove for the sum of 700 pounds in 1799. By late 1801 some storehouses had already been constructed together with a solid sea wall at the waters edge. At that time his house (to be called Wharf House) and a small timber jetty were under construction. Campbell gradually built up an impressive complex of wharf and storehouse buildings, culminating in the construction of Campbell's Stores. The first group of five storehouse bays were built between 1839 and 1842. During the years 1854-1858 another four bays were added, and the remaining two bays were added between 1859 and 1861
(SCRA 1978: CC/01). The Campbell family sold their interests in the 1870s to the ASNCo. By the 1960s the warehouse was owned by Metcalfe & Co who built the nearby bond store in 1913 (see AR009).

Campbells Stores demonstrate a number of aspects of the history of Sydney, its harbour and its commercial life from the nineteenth century. Campbells Stores were a typical warehouse built for commercial storage purposes by its owners. There were a number of other such stores built before them. Of these, Moore's Warehouse, which has been moved from its original location still survives, as does the Argyle Bond Store in Argyle Street. Campbells Stores were built at Sydney Cove on the site of the first privately owned wharf in Australia. The Stores were built for the Campbell family, one of the earliest free immigrant merchant dynasties to be established in Sydney. Construction of these stores in 1851-2 reflected the changing commercial fortunes of Sydney and the Campbell family. The original construction of the Stores was probably as much a response to the economic revival of the late 1840s to the initial impact of the gold discovery. The stores were enlarged in the 1880s, by the Australasian Steam Navigation Company, as part of their refurbishing of the wharfs they had bought from the Campbell family, and not in the 1890s, as previously thought. This enlargement of the store demonstrates the evolving commercial development of Sydney Cove and the expansions and contradictions of the corporate world of Sydney shipping. (Godden Mackay 1996: 16-17)

In 1887, the property was bought by the State Government. The Stores Branch of the Government Printing Office was located adjacent to the northern end of the stores prior to 1895,who were later housed in an additional bay (Bay 11), constructed in c1895 or 1915. Alterations were made as part of the Hickson Road construction in 1915 including entries at Level 2 from Hickson Road, and cutting the corner of Bay 10. In 1901 Campbells Stores was transferred to the control of the Sydney Harbour Trust who, like all previous owners, leased most or all of it to commercial enterprises. This use continued after the transfer of the Stores to the Maritime Services Board in 1930. The southernmost bay was demolished in 1958 as part of the construction of the Overseas Passenger Terminal. The transfer of the Stores to the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority in led to the restoration of the buildings which commenced in 1973, which reflects the philosophical approach to conservation of the time. The subsequent new restaurant uses reflected the growing recognition and interest in historic buildings and role of The Rocks as a tourist area. (Godden Mackay 1996: 26-27 & 90-96)

See also: Item No 4500466 Single cylinder gas engine

[Archaeological History - Lease to Robert Campbell (See also: AM026-027; AM029-030; AM163; AR013; AR017; AR025-026; AR028-031; AR041; AR052; AR149-151; AR155]

Internet links

Webpage	Source
Restaurants of the Rocks
Rocks Self-Guided Tour	Attraction Homepage
Restaurants of the Rocks	Attraction Homepage

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