Bellevue Hill - building a suburb

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The Cooper's Bellevue Hill-Bondi Estate, last of the large scale releases of the Cooper estate, was released as three subdivisions between 1912 and 1919. The 1912 release was centred on a newly constructed estate road named ‘Birriga’ – eventually the route taken by the extension of the Bellevue Hill tramway to Bondi Beach.  Agents promoted the outlook available from the estate – with views to both harbour and ocean – with emphasis also on the comparative proximity of the tram terminus, and the announcement of the up-coming extension of the tram route. See also: Bellevue Hill and Cooper's Bellevue Hill-Bondi Estate.

Drainage problems delayed agreement with Council and hampered construction work - the steep terrain compounded problems already posed by the fragile, sandy soil, easily subject to wash-away and collapse - but the estate was eventually rewarded when, despite a property downturn, 148 of the available 227 allotments were sold at the December 1912 auction for a total value of nearly £37,000.

This series of photographs of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, show the scale of works as cuttings and embankments re-arranged the natural landscape into a network of roads and building sites. In one image a road gang appear in miniature, dwarfed by their surroundings, and in others views of Rose Bay and the harbour can be seen in the background.

AlI photographs from Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive. Cooper's Bellevue Hill-Bondi Estate subdivision plans from the collections of the SLNSW.

Sales plan for the first subdivision of the Cooper's Bellevue Hill-Bondi Estate offered for sale in December 1912. The 1912 release was centered on the newly constructed estate road named ‘Birriga’ – eventually the route taken by the extension of the Bellevue Hill tramway to Bondi Beach. Image: From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales c028640011Construction of Birriga Road, previously known as Tram Road, near Bellevue Park. Handwritten on reverse: ‘Tram Road, near park’. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648Construction of Birriga Road, previously known as Tram Road, or Road A. Handwritten on reverse: ‘Slope of cutting also gutter extreme end of road A. Sharp bend’. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648aConstruction of Birriga Road, previously known as Tram Road, or Road A. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648bOne of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648cThe steep terrain compounded problems already posed by the sandy soil - easily subject to wash-away and collapse. Handwritten on reverse: ‘washaway’. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648dOne of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648eThe steep terrain compounded problems already posed by the sandy soil - easily subject to wash-away and collapse. Handwritten on reverse of photo: ‘washaway’. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648fOne of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648gConstruction of Birriga Road, previously known as Tram Road, or Road A Handwritten on reverse: ‘Road A. Slopes of Cutting. 2 chains from highest point’. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648hRoad gang working on the Coopers Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, showing the elevation of the roadway and associated earthworks. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate. , a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648iConstruction of Birriga Road, previously known as Tram Road, or Road A Handwritten on reverse: ‘Road A. Slopes of cutting. 2 chains from highest point’. One of a series of photographs taken of the construction of Birriga, Bundarra and Banksia Roads, and Benelong Crescent, formed as part of the Bellevue Hill Bondi Estate, a subdivision of the Point Piper Estate. Woollahra Libraries Digital Archive PF004648jSales plan for the second subdivision of the Cooper's Bellevue Hill-Bondi Estate offered for sale in 1915. Image: From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales c028640004Sales plan for the third subdivision of the Cooper's Bellevue Hill-Bondi Estate offered for sale in 1919. Image: From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales c028640005Sales plan for the residue of the third subdivision of the Cooper's Bellevue Hill-Bondi Estate offered for sale in 1921. Image: From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales c028640090