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North Head Quarantine Station

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133-515: The North Head Quarantine Station is a heritage-listed former quarantine station and associated buildings that is now a tourist attraction at North Head Scenic Drive, on the north side of Sydney Harbour at North Head , near Manly , in the Northern Beaches Council local government area of New South Wales , Australia. It is also known as North Head Quarantine Station & Reserve and Quarantine Station & Reserve . The property

266-494: A British naval ensign erected at the site of the military encampment, and this had been performed on the evening of 25 January 1788 in a small ceremony conducted by Phillip and some officers and marines from Supply , with the remainder of Supply ' s crew and the convicts observing from on board ship. The remaining ships of the Fleet did not arrive at Sydney Cove until later that day. Writer and art critic Robert Hughes popularized

399-612: A NSW initiative, pricked the sensitivities of the British emigration officials, but nevertheless had positive outcomes. The review indicated that there was insufficient checking of the health of the emigrants before boarding; there was insufficient concern with diet during the voyage, especially for the needs of children; and that the formula of three children equalling one adult when allocating food and berth space aboard required reconsideration, as it led to excessive number of children in cramped spaces, with inadequate food. Finally it indicated that

532-587: A Settlement in New South Wales" (24 August 1783), with a fully developed set of reasons for a colony composed of American Loyalists, Chinese and South Sea Islanders (but not convicts). The decision to establish a colony in Australia was made by Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney , Secretary of State for the Home Office. This was taken for two reasons: the ending of transportation of criminals to North America following

665-464: A barracks for the single women in the former Sick Ground, surrounded by a double fence with a sentry stationed between them, to prevent communication with the women. Two new buildings were built in the Healthy Ground, each to house sixty people, with verandahs for dining. The original burial ground was levelled and the grave stones removed to the new burial ground, thus further removing the burials from

798-468: A channel marker for vessels negotiating the Sow and Pigs Reef . A 10-metre-high (33 ft) obelisk still exists on this site, which may be the original marker, making it potentially one of the oldest European structures on Sydney Harbour . Up until the 1830s, the majority of ships requiring quarantine were convict transports, and being under government contract, the somewhat informal proclamation of quarantine by

931-472: A document demonstrating the planning and construction of the station over its entire life. The landscape also has a strong interpretative value. The isolation of the Station, the long views out to other parts of the harbour, the contrast between manicured grassy areas and surrounding bush, which was alien to most of the inmates, and the strict classification of occupation areas within the Station, combine to trigger

1064-696: A historic house requires consulting the urban planning administration bureau, and the real estate administration bureau. As of 31 June 2011, there are 287 declared historic houses in Hangzhou, proclaimed as 5 batches. In the near future, it is going to issue the sixth batch which includes 51 historic houses. [REDACTED]   Colombia : National monuments of Colombia ; (in Spanish) Monumentos Nacionales de Colombia [REDACTED]   Comoros : National Committee of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Comoros) [REDACTED]   Republic of

1197-575: A light tram, a new reservoir, improved cleansing facilities at the wharf, a better hospital, new accommodation, and picket fences to delineate zones in the quarantine. Most of these suggestions were acted on, and some of the buildings survive. When the Commonwealth took over responsibility for the Quarantine Service after 1909, and particularly after the creation of the Department of Health in 1921,

1330-567: A new building phase. As a temporary measure, the hulk Harmony was purchased and moored in Spring Cove as a hospital ship. The Beejapore was an experiment in trying to reduce migration costs by using two-deck vessels, and the outcome was judged not to be a success. Fifty-five people died during the voyage, and a further sixty two died at the Quarantine Station, from the illnesses of measles , scarlet fever and typhus fever . The majority of

1463-432: A new group of First Class accommodation buildings were built in the Healthy Ground. From 1881 to 1894, a smallpox hospital ship, Faraway , was anchored off the Quarantine Station, and before that at Sirius Cove. The ship hulk had been converted to a hospital ship by the beginning of 1877, and was already in use during January 1877. Largely as a result of poor outcomes during the 1881-1882 smallpox epidemic, in 1884, Faraway

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1596-536: A pension of one shilling per diem to be paid to the survivors of those who came by the first vessel into the Colony. The number of these really 'old hands' is now reduced to three, of whom, two are now in the Benevolent Asylum, and the other is a fine hale old fellow, who can do a day's work with more spirit than many of the young fellows lately arrived in the Colony." The names of the three recipients were not given, and

1729-471: A prefabricated wooden frame for the colony's first Government House. The party had to rely on its own provisions to survive until it could make use of local materials, assuming suitable supplies existed, and grow its own food and raise livestock. The reverend Richard Johnson , chaplain for the colony, travelled on the Golden Grove with his wife and servants. Scale models of all the ships are on display at

1862-407: A very tangible and "human" link with the past for present generations and are a valuable historical and genealogical resource. Their research potential is enormous. The inscriptions record a variety of information which cannot be obtained from any other source, especially the feelings of non-English speaking migrants. The 1998 North Head Quarantine Station Conservation Plan archaeological survey forms

1995-519: Is academic as the notice turned out to be false, not having been authorised by the Governor. There were at least 25 persons still living who had arrived with the First Fleet, including several children born on the voyage. A number of these contacted the authorities to arrange their pension and all received a similar reply to the following received by John McCarty on 14 Mar 1842 "I am directed by His Excellency

2128-532: Is at the junction of the Wharf and Hospital roads, however no visible evidence remains, so it is not a landscape element except to those with knowledge of its existence. The unfortunate positioning of the First Cemetery, always in the view of the well and recovering, was soon recognised, and the subsequent cemeteries were moved out of the perceived landscape of those quarantined. The Second Cemetery (Site L1, 1853–1881),

2261-465: Is located east of the 3rd Class precinct. Three headstones remain in situ (two obscured by vegetation), and the outline of another two graves visible. The cemetery is separated from the experiential landscape of the quarantined unless they chose to visit it. The Third Cemetery (Site VA1, 1881–1925), is within the School of Artillery, on Commonwealth property. Two hundred and forty one burials are registered, and

2394-503: Is now minimised through a policy of controlled access. The inscriptions in Building A20 have a life limited to that of the paintwork and plaster render on internal walls. A preliminary analysis of European rock inscriptions was completed in 1983, and an interim report on the conservation of rock inscriptions at the Quarantine Station was completed in March 1999, as part of a joint project between

2527-677: Is owned by the Office of Environment and Heritage , an agency of the Government of New South Wales . The buildings and site were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The entire 277-hectare (680-acre) North Head site, including the Quarantine Station and associated buildings and facilities, was added to the Australian National Heritage List on 12 May 2006, and now forms part of

2660-572: Is removed. There has been natural weathering and corrosion of sandstone headstones and wooden cross grave markers. Uncontrolled public access to these cemeteries, especially the Third, can result in vandalism or theft of remaining headstones and grave markers. Some headstones from the First and Second cemeteries are now located in the artefact store within Building A20. Further research is required to relocate obscured graves. The cemeteries are powerful reminders of

2793-400: Is the conscious and enforced "classification" of the land, based on health issues, class and race. This includes the isolation of the hospital, seen but not approached from many parts of the Station; the wharf and "disinfection" area, which stood as a barrier between the inmates and the main line of escape, and the administration area, which "guarded" the land route out; the lateral separation of

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2926-687: The American Revolution , as well as the need for a base in the Pacific to counter French expansion . In September 1786, Captain Arthur Phillip was appointed Commodore of the fleet, which came to be known as the First Fleet, which was to transport the convicts and soldiers to establish a colony at Botany Bay. Upon arrival there, Phillip was to assume the powers of Captain General and Governor in Chief of

3059-1131: The Bundesdenkmalamt [REDACTED]   Azerbaijan : State Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage Samples of Azerbaijan [REDACTED]   Bahamas : Bahamas National Trust [REDACTED]   Bahrain : Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities [REDACTED]   Bangladesh : Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh and National Heritage Foundation of Bangladesh [REDACTED]   Barbados : Barbados National Trust [REDACTED]   Belarus : Cultural Properties of Belarus [REDACTED]   Belgium : National Heritage Site (Belgium) ; (in Dutch) Lijsten van cultureel erfgoed [REDACTED]   Benin : (in French) Liste du patrimoine mondial au Bénin [REDACTED]   Bolivia : Bolivian cultural heritage [REDACTED]   Bosnia : List of National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina , as maintained by

3192-623: The Eora , who seemed curious but suspicious of the newcomers. The area was studded with enormously strong trees. When the convicts tried to cut them down, their tools broke and the tree trunks had to be blasted out of the ground with gunpowder. The primitive huts built for the officers and officials quickly collapsed in rainstorms. The marines had a habit of getting drunk and not guarding the convicts properly, whilst their commander, Major Robert Ross , drove Phillip to despair with his arrogant and lazy attitude. Crucially, Phillip worried that his fledgling colony

3325-601: The Governor of the day was easy to enforce. One reason for the introduction of formal statutory regulation for quarantine in NSW in 1832 was the increasing rate of free immigrant vessels entering port. In 1831 thirty four immigrant ships had arrived, and this increased to 63 in 1832. The captains of these free vessels were less ready to comply with such informal and ad hoc processes, thus a legislated requirement for all ships entering port to be screened for disease, and quarantined if necessary,

3458-523: The Hero was in need of quarantine for smallpox in 1872. The passengers were kept aboard the ship, because the station could not adequately house them. The inadequacy was further publicised during the quarantine of the Baroda in 1873, when first class passengers had to do their own washing. Well-connected passengers ensured that government attention was focussed on the shortcomings of the Station accommodation. As result,

3591-751: The KONS of Bosnia and Herzegovina; State level Local level (entities, district Brčko, cantonal, and regional) [REDACTED]   Botswana : Sites and monuments in Botswana [REDACTED]   Brazil : List of National Historic Heritage of Brazil , as maintained by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage ; (in Portuguese) Listas de patrimônio do Brasil [REDACTED]   Bulgaria : National Institute of Immovable Cultural Heritage [REDACTED]   Cambodia : Law on

3724-459: The Museum of Sydney . The models were built by ship makers Lynne and Laurie Hadley, after researching the original plans, drawings and British archives. The replicas of Supply , Charlotte , Scarborough , Friendship , Prince of Wales , Lady Penrhyn , Borrowdale , Alexander , Sirius , Fishburn and Golden Grove are made from Western Red or Syrian Cedar. Nine Sydney harbour ferries built in

3857-561: The Sydney Harbour National Park . The complex operated as a quarantine station from 14 August 1832 to 29 February 1984. The concept behind its establishment was that, as an island-nation, the Colony of New South Wales , as it then was, was susceptible to ship-borne disease. Those who might have an infectious disease would be kept in quarantine until it was considered safe to release them. The isolation and strategic role of North Head

3990-536: The Aboriginal occupation of North Head; the changing attitudes to quarantine and its administration; the developing medical and epidemiological knowledge; the development of Australia's immigration policies, and the experience of individuals and groups within that history; the changing attitudes to class and race; the iconography used by inmates to memorialise their experience, in the 1,000 plus inscriptions, memorials and gravestones, and Australia's experience of war, both in

4123-647: The British colonies in North America; 12 are identified as black (born in Britain, Africa, the West Indies, North America, India or a European country or its colony). The convicts had committed a variety of crimes, including theft, perjury, fraud, assault, robbery, for which they had variously been sentenced to death, which was then commuted to penal transportation for 7 years, 14 years, or the term of their natural life. Four companies of marines volunteered for service in

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4256-763: The Congo : National Inventory of the Cultural Heritage of the Democratic Republic of the Congo [REDACTED]   Denmark : National Register of Sites and Monuments, as maintained by the Danish Agency for Culture [REDACTED]   Djibouti : List of monuments of Djibouti First Fleet The First Fleet was a fleet of 11 British ships that took the first British colonists and convicts to Australia . It comprised two Royal Navy vessels, three store ships and six convict transports . On 13 May 1787

4389-881: The Congo : Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Republic of the Congo [REDACTED]   Costa Rica (in Spanish) Monumento Nacional de Costa Rica [REDACTED]   Croatia : Register of Protected Natural Values of the Republic of Croatia [REDACTED]   Cuba : Consejo Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural [REDACTED]   Cyprus : Heritage Gazetteer of Cyprus [REDACTED]   Czech : (in Czech) Seznam národních kulturních památek České republiky , (in German) Liste der Nationalen Kulturdenkmale Tschechiens , as featuring on MonumNet [REDACTED]   Democratic Republic of

4522-797: The Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales [REDACTED]   China : Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位), designated by State Administration of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected at the City Level of Hangzhou are districts, artifacts or buildings legally declared to be "protected". According to the "Regularations of historic districts and historic buildings in Hangzhou" effectivated from 1 January 2005, historic buildings are those artifacts or districts that have lasted more than 50 years, and of significant values for history, science, and art study. In Hangzhou, declaring

4655-478: The First Fleet in existence as well as some letters. The exact number of people directly associated with the First Fleet will likely never be established, as accounts of the event vary slightly. A total of 1,420 people have been identified as embarking on the First Fleet in 1787, and 1,373 are believed to have landed at Sydney Cove in January 1788. In her biographical dictionary of the First Fleet, Mollie Gillen gives

4788-477: The First Fleet for use in anti-smallpox inoculations. In 2002, historian Judy Campbell offered a further theory, that smallpox had arrived in Australia through contact with fishermen from Makassar in Indonesia, where smallpox was endemic. In 2011, Macknight stated: "The overwhelming probability must be that it [smallpox] was introduced, like the later epidemics, by [Indonesian] trepangers ... and spread across

4921-416: The First Fleet mostly did not remain in the colony. Some returned to England, while others left for other ports. Some remained at the service of the Governor of the colony for some months: some of these were sent to Norfolk Island where a second penal colony was established. 1788 1789 1790: On Sat 26 January 1842 The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser reported "The Government has ordered

5054-501: The First Fleet were responsible for introducing smallpox to Australia's indigenous population, and if so, whether this was the consequence of deliberate action. In 1914, J. H. L. Cumpston , director of the Australian Quarantine Service put forward the hypothesis that smallpox arrived in Australia with First Fleet. Some researchers have argued that any such release may have been a deliberate attempt to decimate

5187-436: The First Fleet, he sought approval from about nine councils to construct a commemorative garden in recognition of these immigrants. Liverpool Plains Shire Council was ultimately the only council to accept his offer to supply the materials and construct the garden free of charge. The site chosen was a disused caravan park on the banks of Quirindi Creek at Wallabadah, New South Wales . In September 2002 Collins commenced work on

5320-458: The Governor to inform you, that the paragraph which appeared in the Sydney Gazette relative to an allowance to the persons of the first expedition to New South Wales was not authorised by His Excellency nor has he any knowledge of such an allowance as that alluded to". E. Deas Thomson , Colonial Secretary . Following is a list of persons known to be living at the time the false pension notice

5453-758: The NPWS, Sydney, North Sub-District and the NPWS Cultural Heritage Services Division. The recommendations of the 1983 analysis were: The 1999 Interim Report provided specific conservation recommendations for the Wharf Area and The Old Mans Hat inscriptions, and general conservation management recommendations for visitor management and monitoring. These recommendations are included as recommendations of this Plan. The inscriptions are valuable and unusual graphic illustrations of historical incidents and social patterns of Quarantine Station history. They provide

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5586-547: The Pacific Islands, some in islander languages, many being laments on their authors' detention or abuses directed at their detainers. Most of the inscriptions are on quarried or natural sandstone surfaces. A few occur on cement or plaster surfaces and several on built elements such as brick walls, drain covers and the Cannae Point flagstaff. Some have been re-worked in the past or are highlighted by paint. A large percentage of

5719-1009: The Preservation of Afghan Cultural Heritage [REDACTED]   Albania : List of Religious Cultural Monuments of Albania [REDACTED]   Algeria : List of cultural assets of Algeria [REDACTED]   Andorra : Bé d'interès cultural , as maintained by Patrimoni Cultural = Cultural Heritage of Andorra ; (in Catalan) Llista de monuments d'Andorra [REDACTED]   Angola : Património Histórico-Cultural Nacional [REDACTED]   Argentina : National Historic Monuments of Argentina ; (in French) Monument historique national (Argentine) [REDACTED]   Armenia : State Heritage of National Register (Armenia) [REDACTED]   Australia : Heritage registers in Australia [REDACTED]   Austria : Denkmalgeschütztes Objekt , as maintained by

5852-678: The President of the Royal Society , Sir Joseph Banks , the eminent scientist who had accompanied Lieutenant James Cook on his 1770 voyage , was advocating establishment of a British colony in Botany Bay , New South Wales . Banks accepted an offer of assistance from the American Loyalist James Matra in July 1783. Under Banks's guidance, he rapidly produced "A Proposal for Establishing

5985-520: The Protection of Cultural Heritage [REDACTED]   Cameroon (in French) : Liste de monuments du Cameroun [REDACTED]   Canada : The Canadian Register of Historic Places , while it confers no historic designation or protection itself, endeavours to list all federal, provincial, territorial and local sites. [REDACTED]   Chile : National Monuments of Chile , as maintained by

6118-406: The Quarantine Station core precinct can be properly described as a cultural landscape. It is a landscape heavily impacted by human activity, even the "natural" bushland areas are humanly modified; and the most obvious elements in the landscape are the various layers of human clearing and construction, amid large areas of bushland and interspersed with bush patches. The main developed area consists of

6251-441: The Quarantine Station has experienced over 150 years of quarantine activity, there is a layering of evidence on and in the ground that reflects the slow growth of the Station, the major development and redevelopment programs, and the subsequent removals and constructions. This evidence exists as independent evidence, though it is also complementary to the documentary evidence, and in large part cannot be interpreted without reference to

6384-493: The Quarantine Station is confined to the thin vegetated surface and the poorly consolidated sandy soils beneath. The fragility of the sites makes them prone to disturbance from excessive foot or vehicle traffic, erosion and animal burrowing. A preliminary Archaeological Management Plan has been prepared by the NPWS to accompany this Conservation Management Plan; and the policy recommendations of that Plan have been incorporated into this Conservation Management Plan. The landscape of

6517-479: The Quarantine Station itself. This has three main groups of buildings: the wharf and foreshore buildings at Quarantine Beach, the hospital group, and the buildings on the upper grassy slopes, with grassy cleared areas around these groups, delineated by bushland remnants and regrowth. This creates a semi-rural, village-like atmosphere which is uncommon in the otherwise closely developed Sydney metropolitan area. The cultural landscape has heritage values in its own right, as

6650-421: The Quarantine Station, Herb Lavaring BEM (1917–1998), took it upon himself to preserve and compile a museum of artifacts and other items of note and significance to the station's operations, including domestic implements, medical instruments, and hand tools for tasks ranging from blacksmithing to building construction. Lavaring collected these materials over the period 1963–1975 and also commenced restoration work on

6783-407: The Quarantine Station, but few required their passengers to be landed and accommodated. In the same period 29 merchant or naval vessels were quarantined, but again mainly for the cleansing of the ship rather than the landing of diseased crews. The run-down Quarantine Station had become unsuitable for passenger quarantine, and particularly for first and second class passenger accommodation, by the time

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6916-484: The Sydney Harbour National Park. One of the early quarantine officers was Dr James Stuart, a keen naturalist and painter. For many years Percy Nolan , an alderman and mayor of Manly, pushed for the removal of the Quarantine Station from Manly and called for its use as public open space. Over sixty years later, this far-sighted proposal became a reality. In the 1960s and 70s, the officer then in charge of

7049-551: The anchorage had deep water close to the shore, was sheltered, and had a small stream flowing into it. Phillip named it Sydney Cove , after Lord Sydney , the British Home Secretary . This date is celebrated as Australia Day , marking the beginning of British settlement. Contrary to popular belief, the British flag was not officially planted until 7 February 1788 when possession was formally proclaimed. There was, as always,

7182-472: The archaeological sites with a very high research potential for ongoing study of this important aspect of Australian history. In addition to the archaeological potential of buildings which have been demolished, the Quarantine Station buildings also offer the opportunity to research the archaeology of standing structures. As a tightly dated and well-documented group of buildings they have potential to provide information on changes in domestic living arrangements over

7315-460: The armed frigate HMS  Hyaena until it left English waters. On 20 May 1787, one convict on Scarborough reported a planned mutiny; those allegedly involved were flogged and two were transferred to Prince of Wales . In general, however, most accounts of the voyage agree that the convicts were well behaved. On 3 June 1787, the fleet anchored at Santa Cruz at Tenerife . Here, fresh water, vegetables and meat were brought on board. Phillip and

7448-463: The briefed study area (such as within the Department of Defence -owned property), these sites are detailed following the "precinctual" discussion. Each of these precincts and related Quarantine Station sites are examined below. Within the physical overview of the buildings and site elements of the various precincts, the "description fields" have been used, as appropriate. As a preamble to the precinct-specific overview, summary statements that relate to

7581-450: The cemetery retains many headstones and markers, protected by a chain wire three-metre high person-proof fence. This cemetery is even more removed from the Quarantine Station landscape than the second cemetery was. The Second and Third cemeteries become obscured and prone to bushfire if native vegetation is not regularly slashed. Erosion of grave sites occurs if the cemeteries are heavily visited or if stabilising vegetation, especially grasses,

7714-496: The changes in immigration policy and practice. The other major influence was the imperative to limit disruption to the increasingly commercially-sensitive shipping industry. As the dominant headland of the harbour, North Head was of importance in navigation from the time of the First Fleet . By 1809 navigational plans were showing an obelisk , located in what was to become the Quarantine Station precinct, presumed to have been used as

7847-477: The chief officers were entertained by the local governor, while one convict tried unsuccessfully to escape. On 10 June they set sail to cross the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro , taking advantage of favourable trade winds and ocean currents. The weather became increasingly hot and humid as the Fleet sailed through the tropics. Vermin, such as rats, and parasites such as bedbugs, lice , cockroaches and fleas, tormented

7980-499: The colony (John Fraser born 7 June 1789), is thought to be the female convict transferred from the "Prince of Wales" to the " Charlotte" during the stop over in Rio on 13 August 1787. Her husband, William Fraser was a convict on "Charlotte". The Fleet left Rio de Janeiro on 4 September to run before the westerlies to the Table Bay in southern Africa, which it reached on 13 October. This was

8113-493: The colony, these marines made up the New South Wales Marine Corps , under the command of Major Robert Ross , a detachment on board every convict transport. The families of marines also made the voyage. A number of people on the First Fleet kept diaries and journals of their experiences, including the surgeons, sailors, officers, soldiers, and ordinary seamen. There are at least eleven known manuscript Journals of

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8246-473: The continent to arrive in Sydney quite independently of the new settlement there." There is a fourth theory, that the 1789 epidemic was not smallpox but chickenpox – to which indigenous Australians also had no inherited resistance – that happened to be affecting, or was carried by, members of the First Fleet. This theory has also been disputed. After Ray Collins, a stonemason, completed years of research into

8379-499: The convicts, officers and marines. Bilges became foul and the smell, especially below the closed hatches, was over-powering. While Phillip gave orders that the bilge-water was to be pumped out daily and the bilges cleaned, these orders were not followed on Alexander and a number of convicts fell sick and died. Tropical rainstorms meant that the convicts could not exercise on deck as they had no change of clothes and no method of drying wet clothing. Consequently, they were kept below in

8512-451: The cultural landscape elements which provide the meaning and understanding of how these landscapes worked historically. These elements include the Quarantine Station cemeteries; monuments; fences and walls; boundary markers and walls; obelisks and cairns; and of course tracks, paths and roads. Three cemeteries functioned throughout the history of the Station. The approximate location of the First Cemetery (Site IIIA1, c.  1837–1853 ),

8645-471: The current basis of assessment of areas within the active Quarantine Station area. That report diagrammatically indicated the historical archaeological sites and structures within or adjacent the North Head Quarantine Station core precinct. The 1991 North Head archaeological site survey forms the basis of the assessment of areas outside the active Quarantine Station area. That report indicated

8778-424: The death rate for children fell from one in ten to one in seventeen, and that for adults also fell. With the improved conditions the rate of quarantine declaration of immigrant ships also fell in 1840, from three ships out of 43 in 1839 to one out of 40 in 1840. Immigration was reduced from 1842 due to the economic recession in the colony, as the decline in land sales had reduced the pool of funds earmarked to support

8911-420: The diseases contracted by the military personnel buried in the Quarantine Station cemeteries, and in the direct defence of Sydney. An unusual aspect of the collection of historical archaeological evidence at the Quarantine Station is that it all contributes to the understanding of this one theme of quarantine as well as to associated broader themes, and a large amount of evidence appears to have survived. This vests

9044-417: The disruption to shipping caused by traditional quarantine practices led to the progressive move away from detention-based quarantine in Britain through the middle years of the 19th century. When the 1832 Quarantine Act was passed in NSW, Viscount Goderich , British Secretary of State for War and Colonies, warned that quarantine was prejudicial to the trade of the kingdom and that the colony should be aware of

9177-516: The diverse range of rock carvings and headstones from the major burial grounds. The items collected by Lavaring were preserved, and many have since found their way into state and federal collections, including the National Museum in Canberra, where a muzzle-loading rifle and a set of manacles are preserved (the latter being used to ensure that no one left the station without medical clearance). One of

9310-461: The dock at Deptford, was commissioned, and the command given to Phillip. The armed tender HMAT Supply  (1759) under command of Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball who was also commissioned to join the expedition. Lt. David Blackburn was the ship's Master . On 15 December, Captain John Hunter was assigned as second captain to Sirius to command in the absence of Phillip, whose presence, it

9443-412: The first census of 1788 as reported by Governor Phillip to Lord Sydney, the non-indigenous population of the colony was 1,030 and the colony also consisted of 7 horses, 29 sheep, 74 swine, 6 rabbits, and 7 cattle. The following statistics were provided by Governor Phillip: The chief surgeon for the First Fleet, John White, reported a total of 48 deaths and 28 births during the voyage. The deaths during

9576-483: The first, second and third class passengers, with the administration area interposed between third class and the rest, imposing class distinctions in the landscape; and the lateral and elevational separation of the Asian accommodation, away from first and second class, and below third class, imposing a racial layer on top of the class one. The following discussion of the Quarantine Station cultural landscape refers specifically to

9709-455: The fleet under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip , with over 1,400 people ( convicts , marines , sailors , civil officers and free settlers), left from Portsmouth , England and took a journey of over 24,000 kilometres (15,000 mi) and over 250 days to eventually arrive in Botany Bay , New South Wales , where a penal colony would become the first British settlement in Australia from 20 January 1788. Lord Sandwich , together with

9842-964: The fleet. With Phillip in London awaiting Royal Assent for the bill of management of the colony, the loading and provisioning of the transports was carried out by Lieutenant John Shortland , the agent for transports. On 16 March 1787, the fleet began to assemble at its appointed rendezvous, the Mother Bank , Isle of Wight . His Majesty's frigate Sirius and armed tender Supply , three store-ships, Golden Grove , Fishburn and Borrowdale , for carrying provisions and stores for two years; and lastly, six transports; Scarborough and Lady Penrhyn , from Portsmouth ; Friendship and Charlotte , from Plymouth ; Prince of Wales , and Alexander , from Woolwich . On 9 May Captain Phillip arrived in Portsmouth,

9975-407: The following historical archaeological sites and structures within or adjacent the North Head Quarantine Station study area: All of these sites and structures are related to the history of the Quarantine Station, and are significant physical evidence of the development and contraction of quarantine functions over time. However, the vast majority of buildings and archaeological sites are located within

10108-416: The following statistics: While the names of all crew members of Sirius and Supply are known, the six transports and three store ships may have carried as many as 110 more seamen than have been identified – no complete musters have survived for these ships. The total number of persons embarking on the First Fleet would, therefore, be approximately 1,530 with about 1,483 reaching Sydney Cove. According to

10241-500: The foul, cramped holds. On the female transports, promiscuity between the convicts, the crew and marines was rampant, despite punishments for some of the men involved. In the doldrums , Phillip was forced to ration the water to three pints a day. The Fleet reached Rio de Janeiro on 5 August and stayed for a month. The ships were cleaned and water taken on board, repairs were made, and Phillip ordered large quantities of food. The women convicts' clothing had become infested with lice and

10374-634: The garden. On 26 January 2005, the First Fleet Garden was opened as the major memorial to the First Fleet immigrants. Previously the only other specific memorial to the First Fleeters was an obelisk at Brighton-Le-Sands, New South Wales . The surrounding area has a barbecue, tables, and amenities. First Fleet Park is situated in The Rocks , near the site of the First Fleet's landing. The area has remained in public ownership continually since 1788, under

10507-467: The heavily laden transports surged through the violent seas. In the last two months of the voyage, the Fleet faced challenging conditions, spending some days becalmed and on others covering significant distances; Friendship travelled 166 miles one day, while a seaman was blown from Prince of Wales at night and drowned. Water was rationed as supplies ran low, and the supply of other goods including wine ran out altogether on some vessels. Van Diemen's Land

10640-417: The historical imagination and allow the visitor to empathise with those quarantined here. The landscape is also visually important not only to visitors to the Quarantine Station but also to viewers from other headlands, suburbs or on the harbour. Many distinctive or prominent landscape elements contribute to the multiple layering of human experience on the landscape. A strong element in the cultural landscape

10773-757: The historical inscriptions, the historical archaeology sites, and cultural landscape features for the study area have been informed by the 1985 and 1992 Conservation Plans 1 and 2, and by NPWS publications and other reports. Quarantine internees commenced a tradition of making inscriptions, including poems, initials, memorials and drawings, in the 1830s. This continued throughout the life of the Quarantine Station. Nineteenth and early twentieth century examples include engraved and painted inscriptions on soft sandstone faces, structures and slate storm-water drain covers. Eight hundred and fifty four examples have been recorded, though at least 1,000 other examples exist. The inscriptions commemorate quarantine events, ships and people from

10906-415: The idea in his 1986 book The Fatal Shore that an orgy occurred upon the unloading of the convicts, though more modern historians regard this as untrue, since the first reference to any such indiscretions is as recent as 1963. The First Fleet encountered Indigenous Australians when they landed at Botany Bay . The Cadigal people of the Botany Bay area witnessed the Fleet arrive and six days later

11039-466: The importance of "not aggravating by unnecessary restrictions the embarrassment inseparable from a strict quarantine on British Vessels". The initial quarantine practice of housing the sick on board the vessel in which they arrived, was dispensed with after the experience with the long detention of the Lady Macnaghten in 1837, and the subsequent heavy demurrage claimed for that delay. After that time

11172-554: The indigenous population. Hypothetical scenarios for such an action might have included: an act of revenge by an aggrieved individual, a response to attacks by indigenous people, or part of an orchestrated assault by the New South Wales Marine Corps , intended to clear the path for colonial expansion. Seth Carus, a former Deputy Director of the National Defense University in the United States wrote in 2015 that there

11305-432: The inscriptions are in good condition, easily located and readily legible. Aspect, topography and environmental agents [sun, wind, rain] affect the condition of inscriptions but the major factor is the quality of stone, i.e. the softer less silicified the sandstone the faster it deteriorates. Seeping ground water, lichen, moss, wind and vegetation abrasion and visitor contact are additional agents of deterioration. The latter

11438-463: The journey and maintain their health. The Dutch colony of Cape Town was the last outpost of European settlement which the fleet members would see for years, perhaps for the rest of their lives. "Before them stretched the awesome, lonely void of the Indian and Southern Oceans, and beyond that lay nothing they could imagine." Assisted by the gales in the " Roaring Forties " latitudes below the 40th parallel,

11571-453: The journey, a death rate of just over three percent. It was soon realised that Botany Bay did not live up to the glowing account that the explorer Captain James Cook had provided. The bay was open and unprotected, the water was too shallow to allow the ships to anchor close to the shore, fresh water was scarce, and the soil was poor. First contact was made with the local indigenous people,

11704-551: The last port of call, so the main task was to stock up on plants, seeds and livestock for their arrival in Australia. The livestock taken on board from Cape Town destined for the new colony included two bulls, seven cows, one stallion, three mares, 44 sheep, 32 pigs, four goats and "a very large quantity of poultry of every kind". Women convicts on Friendship were moved to other transports to make room for livestock purchased there. The convicts were provided with fresh beef and mutton, bread and vegetables, to build up their strength for

11837-417: The latter. Because the land-use over this period has been solely devoted to quarantine, the evidence is, on the whole, only impacted by later quarantine activity, so the understanding of both the creation and the destruction of the former buildings and landscape elements contributes to the story of quarantine. Because in many cases current building a relocated on the same sites as earlier building, and as many of

11970-406: The low-lying land of the present-day site of Manly and the mature vegetation through that urban development. The Quarantine Station is situated on the western side of North Head, on the natural amphitheatre of land centred on Quarantine beach. The site was originally designated as all the land with a 500-metre (1,600 ft) radius of the beach. The area is fringed by a continuous tract of bushland on

12103-519: The mid-1980s are named after First Fleet vessels. The unused names are Lady Penrhyn and Prince of Wales . The majority of the people travelling with the fleet were convicts, all having been tried and convicted in Great Britain , almost all of them in England. Many are known to have come to England from other parts of Great Britain and, especially, from Ireland; at least 14 are known to have come from

12236-480: The migration scheme. Immigration was at a standstill from 1842 until 1848, and only one ship was quarantined in this period. The resumption of immigration in 1847-48 led to a review of the adequacy of the Quarantine Station, but no real increase in accommodation resulted. The arrival of the Beejapore in 1853, with over one thousand passengers, at a time when the Quarantine Station could accommodate 150 persons, triggered

12369-518: The morning of 24 January, the party was startled when two French ships, the Astrolabe and the Boussole , were seen just outside Botany Bay. This was a scientific expedition led by Jean-François de La Pérouse . The French had expected to find a thriving colony where they could repair ships and restock supplies, not a newly arrived fleet of convicts considerably more poorly provisioned than themselves. There

12502-415: The most historic features of the quarantine station is the series of engravings along the escarpment adjacent to the jetty. The carvings were executed by people staying at the quarantine station, and cover an extensive period that stretched from the early nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Some were executed by stonemasons and sculptors and show a high degree of skill. More carvings are located at

12635-495: The nature of quarantine changed for merchant shipping. The Commonwealth drew together the Quarantine Stations in the various states, and tried to diversify the operations so that some ships were intercepted at out-lying ports before they reached Sydney. Albany, Melbourne and Thursday Island, in particular played a major role in this new pattern of nationwide quarantine. The growth of the other states also meant that shipping

12768-424: The new colony . A subsidiary colony was to be founded on Norfolk Island , as recommended by Sir John Call and Sir George Young , to take advantage for naval purposes of that island's native flax ( harakeke ) and timber. The cost to Britain of outfitting and dispatching the Fleet was £84,000 (about £9.6 million, or $ 19.6 million as of 2015). On 25 October 1786 the 10-gun HMS  Sirius , lying in

12901-463: The next day coming aboard the ships and giving orders to prepare the fleet for departure. Phillip first tried to get the fleet to sail on 10 May, but a dispute by sailors of the Fishburn about pay, they refused to leave until resolved. The fleet finally left Portsmouth, England on 13 May 1787. The journey began with fine weather, and thus the convicts were allowed on deck. The Fleet was accompanied by

13034-420: The north, south and eastern sides, and by the harbour on the western side. The curtilage for this Conservation Management Plan is the western side of North Head, which has the Quarantine Station as its core. In order to allow description and analysis of this study curtilage, five precincts have been delineated within the study curtilage as follows: In addition, where Quarantine Station-related sites occur beyond

13167-423: The north, was an excellent site for a colony with sheltered anchorages, fresh water and fertile soil. Cook had seen and named the harbour, but had not entered it. Phillip's impressions of the harbour were recorded in a letter he sent to England later: "the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security ...". The party returned to Botany Bay on 23 January. On

13300-546: The pages linked below have as their primary focus the registered assets rather than the registers themselves. Where a particular article or set of articles on a foreign-language Misplaced Pages provides fuller coverage, a link is provided. [REDACTED]   United Nations [REDACTED]   Europe [REDACTED]   Antarctica [REDACTED]   Organization of Turkic States [REDACTED]   Arab League [REDACTED]   Caribbean Community [REDACTED]   Afghanistan : Society for

13433-399: The passengers and crew had to be housed in tents. The biggest impetus for change came not so much from a concern about poor housing, but rather a concern for the morals of the married women and the "200 single women let loose in the bush" that represented the undeveloped station at that time. The resulting changes to the station, besides the use of the hospital ship, included the construction of

13566-470: The past 150 years. Since 1992 a number of the potential sites have been confirmed by the location of above-ground evidence, or the identification of evidence during works. A systematic survey and recording program is required both within and outside of the Planning Area to identify the complete historical archaeological resource. This comprehensive survey is required as much of the archaeological resource of

13699-480: The project. Additional support was later provided by Neil McGarry in the form of some signs and the council contributed $ 28,000 for pathways and fencing. Collins hand-chiselled the names of all those who came to Australia on the eleven ships in 1788 on stone tablets along the garden pathways. The stories of those who arrived on the ships, their life, and first encounters with the Australian country are presented throughout

13832-528: The purpose of the Quarantine Station, its successes and failures and of its internees. They have historical, archaeological, genealogical and educational significance and special significance for descendants of those interred in them. Heritage register This list is of heritage registers , inventories of cultural properties , natural and human-made, tangible and intangible , movable and immovable, that are deemed to be of sufficient heritage value to be separately identified and recorded. In many instances

13965-452: The rest. Phillip intended to select a suitable location, find good water, clear the ground, and perhaps even have some huts and other structures built before the others arrived. This was a planned move, discussed by the Home Office and the Admiralty prior to the Fleet's departure. However, this "flying squadron" reached Botany Bay only hours before the rest of the Fleet, so no preparatory work

14098-412: The rock formation known as Old Man's Hat. The Quarantine Station was established primarily to regulate the risk of disease importation through the migration of free and convict Europeans, and the arrival of merchant shipping. There was always a close link between the requirement for quarantine and the ebb and flow of sea-borne immigration; and the growth of the Quarantine Station from the 1830s parallels

14231-484: The ships and deceased internees. They are located throughout the place with concentrations around the Wharf Precinct and The Old Mans Hat. English and other European, Asian and Arabic languages were used. The most recent inscriptions are a series of written examples on internal walls of Building A20, deriving from its use as a detention centre for illegal immigrants. Most of these appear to have been written by people from

14364-464: The sick were removed from their ship and housed ashore, while the ship was fumigated and scoured for return to the owner with the minimum delay. A consequence of this decision was the construction of permanent accommodation and stores buildings at the Quarantine Station at North Head. The alarming experiences of quarantine in 1837 and 1838 prompted a review in the colony of the organisation and conditions aboard immigrant ships. The final report, arising as

14497-597: The surgeon-superintendent aboard ship required more authority to regulate and promote good health and good order among the emigrants. The subsequent reorganisation of the system resulted in interviews and medical checks on would-be emigrants before embarking them; vaccination for smallpox of all emigrants; the signing of undertakings to follow the directions of the surgeon-superintendent on voyage and better definition of his role and powers; improvements in diet and hospital accommodation aboard; and moves to prevent overcrowding. The rate of mortality improved dramatically. In 1840

14630-410: The surviving buildings have a long history of their own, all sub-floor deposits are considered to have archaeological potential. The changes over time reflected by the surviving buildings and features and the archaeological sites reflect various aspects of the history of quarantine, public health and society as a whole. The stories able to be illuminated by the physical evidence include, among many others:

14763-436: The twentieth century is perhaps shown most dramatically by the fact that though the post-WWII immigration was vastly more than had gone before, the number of ships or aeroplanes quarantined plummeted proportionately. Sydney received nearly 700,000 assisted immigrants between 1946 and 1980, or nearly double the number it had received between 1831 and 1940, yet only four ships were quarantined in that period and at least one of those

14896-559: The two ships of French explorer La Pérouse , the Astrolabe and the Boussole , sailed into the bay. When the Fleet moved to Sydney Cove seeking better conditions for establishing the colony, they encountered the Eora people, including the Bidjigal clan. A number of the First Fleet journals record encounters with Aboriginal people. Although the official policy of the British Government

15029-618: The view of the Healthy Ground. Eight quarters were also built for the Superintendent. The downturn in immigration during the economically stagnant period of the 1860s, triggered by the colonial government cancelling the regulations to provide assisted passage to migrants in 1860, limited the use of the Quarantine Station, and the willingness of the government to spend money on its upkeep. As a result of this downturn between 1860 and 1879 only 138 immigrant vessels arrived [compared with 410 between 1840 and 1859], and of these 33 required cleansing at

15162-592: The voyage included one marine, one marine's wife, one marine's child, 36 male convicts, four female convicts, and five children of convicts. In September 1786 Captain Arthur Phillip was chosen to lead the expedition to establish a colony in New South Wales . On 15 December, Captain John Hunter , was appointed Phillip’s second. By now HMS  Sirius had been nominated as flagship, with Hunter holding command. The armed tender HMAT Supply  (1759) under command of Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball had also joined

15295-621: The zone of most intensive quarantine activity, which is more or less contiguous with the current NPWS managed area of the Quarantine Station. The NPWS has carried out a number of historical archaeological surveys of areas of the Quarantine Station itself, though there has as yet been no systematic survey of the entire study area. These surveys have identified a large number of former building sites and other features, and has indicated where as yet unlocated building sites might be located. The site numbers beginning with "P" relate to "Potential Sites". Forty-eight such sites had been identified by 1992. Because

15428-481: Was a "strong circumstantial case supporting the theory that someone deliberately introduced smallpox in the Aboriginal population." Other historians have disputed the idea that there was a deliberate release of smallpox virus and/or suggest that it arrived with visitors to Australia other than the First Fleet. It has been suggested that live smallpox virus may have been introduced accidentally when Aboriginal people came into contact with variolous matter brought by

15561-404: Was a tanker. In all, between 1828 and 1984 at least 580 vessels were quarantined at the Quarantine Station. More than 13,000 people were quarantined at the station of whom an estimated 572 died and were buried there. North Head is situated at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. It is a huge sandstone bluff rising 80 metres (260 ft) above sea level. At the time of European settlement North Head

15694-458: Was burnt. As additional clothing for the female convicts had not arrived before the Fleet left England, the women were issued with new clothes made from rice sacks. While the convicts remained below deck, the officers explored the city and were entertained by its inhabitants. A convict and a marine were punished for passing forged quarter-dollars made from old buckles and pewter spoons. Ellen Fraser , Mother of second child of English parents born in

15827-573: Was designed in 1759 by shipwright Thomas Slade, as a yard craft for the ferrying of naval supplies. Measuring 170 tons, she had two masts, and was fitted with four small 3-pounder cannons and six 1 ⁄ 2 -pounder swivel guns. Her armament was substantially increased in 1786 with the addition of four 12-pounder carronades. Ropes, crockery , agricultural equipment and a miscellany of other stores were needed. Items transported included tools, agricultural implements, seeds, spirits, medical supplies, bandages, surgical instruments, handcuffs, leg irons and

15960-478: Was exposed to attack from those described as "Aborigines" or from foreign powers. Although his initial instructions were to establish the colony at Botany Bay, he was authorised to establish the colony elsewhere if necessary. On 21 January, Phillip and a party which included John Hunter, departed the Bay in three small boats to explore other bays to the north. Phillip discovered that Port Jackson , about 12 kilometres to

16093-462: Was linked to the mainland by only a narrow sand spit that separated the harbour from the sea. Early depictions of North Head show the dramatic upheaval of the land form that sloped from the high cliffs on the eastern seaboard back to the protected waters of the harbour to the west. Today North Head appears as a natural extension of the Manly peninsula due to the filling of medium rise building development on

16226-759: Was more evenly distributed in terms of destination than had been the case in the nineteenth century. In the period 1901 to 1940, Sydney and Melbourne had roughly similar numbers of assisted immigrants (134,864 and 115,988 respectively), and the other States had, in combination, more immigrants than either Sydney or Melbourne, totalling 174,526. By 1958 there were 39 "first ports of entry" into Australia. Thirty-two sea ports had staff capable of carrying out quarantine inspections, ten ports were "landing places" for air entry; major quarantine stations with accommodation were established at five ports, and there were three minor quarantine stations at other Ports. The impact of improved medical science, immunisation, and quarantine procedures in

16359-487: Was needed. Another problem with the changing nature of the shipping entering Sydney was the increasing time constraints placed on the captains of commercial vessels, necessitating rapid turn-around in port-time wasted in port, and in quarantine, was income lost. The convict ships, under government contract, could be isolated for the period of quarantine with little added expense, but free commercial carriers sought demurrage from government for any delays it imposed. In part,

16492-564: Was not following Britain's lead in abandoning quarantine regulations. In response the Assistant Health Officer was based at Watson's Bay from 1882, to reduce delays in inspection. The Shipping Owner's Association also requested the provision of Asiatic accommodation at the Quarantine Station, a better supply of water there, the supply of a steam launch to take supplies to the quarantined ships, and printed instructions for Captains of quarantined vessels.11 The issue of abandoning quarantine

16625-422: Was possible. Supply reached Botany Bay on 18 January 1788; the three fastest transports in the advance group arrived on 19 January; slower ships, including Sirius , arrived on 20 January. This was one of the world's greatest sea voyages – eleven vessels carrying about 1,487 people and stores had travelled for 252 days for more than 15,000 miles (24,000 km) without losing a ship. Forty-eight people died on

16758-459: Was published, in order of their date of death. At this time New South Wales included the whole Eastern seaboard of present day Australia except for Van Diemen's Land which was declared a separate colony in 1825 and achieved self governing status in 1855-6. This list does not include marines or convicts who returned to England after completing their term in NSW and who may have lived past January 1842. Historians have disagreed over whether those aboard

16891-401: Was raised again in 1882, and in his report on the issue the new Health Officer, C.H. Mackellar, dismissed the suggestion and suggested a federation of quarantine efforts, to detect and cleanse infected ships as they reached the continent at places such as Thursday Island and Albany , not just as they reached Sydney. Mackellar also recommended the upgrade of the Station, with the introduction of

17024-563: Was recognised in 1828 when the first vessel, the Bussorah Merchant , was quarantined at Spring Cove. The importance and future role of North Head was reinforced by Governor Darling 's Quarantine Act of 1832 , which set aside the whole of North Head for quarantine purposes in response to the 1829–51 cholera pandemic in Europe. The station is now home to a hotel, conference centre, and restaurant complex known as Q Station, and remains part of

17157-406: Was sighted from Friendship on 4 January 1788. A freak storm struck as they began to head north around the island, damaging the sails and masts of some of the ships. On 25 November, Phillip had transferred to Supply . With Alexander , Friendship and Scarborough , the fastest ships in the Fleet, which were carrying most of the male convicts, Supply hastened ahead to prepare for the arrival of

17290-480: Was some cordial contact between the French and British officers, but Phillip and La Pérouse never met. The French ships remained until 10 March before setting sail on their return voyage. They were not seen again and were later discovered to have been shipwrecked off the coast of Vanikoro in the present-day Solomon Islands . On 26 January 1788, the Fleet weighed anchor and sailed to Port Jackson . The site selected for

17423-415: Was to be supposed, would be requisite at all times wherever the seat of government in that country might be fixed. Sirius was Phillip’s flagship for the fleet. She had been converted from the merchantman Berwick , built in 1780 for Baltic trade. She was a 520 ton, sixth-rate vessel, originally armed with ten guns, four six-pounders and six carronades, Phillip had ten more guns placed aboard. Supply

17556-401: Was to establish friendly relations with Aboriginal people, and Arthur Phillip ordered that the Aboriginal people should be well treated, it was not long before conflict began . The colonists did not sign treaties with the original inhabitants of the land. Between 1790 and 1810, Pemulwuy of the Bidjigal clan led the local people in a series of attacks against the colonists. The ships of

17689-503: Was upgraded, at Mort's Dock , to a more suitable floating hospital with two wards and 100 beds. The ship was thereafter officially known as the Floating Quarantine Hospital. As steam navigation became more common, the costs of delays to shipping schedules by quarantine became more pressing. By the 1870s the detention of a steamer could cost from £20 to £300 per day, and shipping agents and owners could not see why Australia

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