Premier Street Sewer Vent and Cottages, historic site in New South Wales, Australia
The Premier Street sewer vent is a brick chimney built between 1898 and 1900 as part of the neighborhood's waste management system. It sits on a small hill where three large sewer lines meet, with two Queen Anne Revival cottages standing on either side, all made of load-bearing brick with decorative terracotta details.
The vent and cottages were built by the Public Works Department of New South Wales between 1898 and 1900 during expansion of the sewer system. The site was protected as part of the State Heritage Register in 2002, recognizing its importance to the city's infrastructure history and as an example of worker housing from that era.
The site reflects how the city supported its workers by providing housing next to their workplace, a practice that was uncommon at the time. The cottages and vent represent the relationship between essential infrastructure and the people who maintained it in daily life.
The site is located in a quiet residential neighborhood and is visible from the street, particularly when approaching from the south where the hill location makes it stand out. The cottages are privately owned homes, but the exterior and surroundings can be viewed and appreciated from the street.
In 2017, the vent stack was shortened by 10 meters to meet modern earthquake and wind safety codes, with the removed bricks repurposed to build part of the surrounding fence. This demonstrates how the site has been maintained while adapting to contemporary safety requirements.
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