The A to Z of 2205 : Eve St

It has taken a fair while between posts to get this street up. Eve St has lots of interest to me, mainly because it is adjacent to some fascinating wetlands.

Eve St was named after an early landowner in the area, Benjamin Eve.

In inner urban Sydney there are some remnant natural habitats which have been degraded over the years. It's always a battle to protect them, and the Eve St salt marsh wetlands are no exception. They are bordered by a motorway and recreational lands, including a bike path and golf range. Efforts have been made in more recent years to rehabilitate them. They provide a haven for local and international birds who come to feed and rest there.

I am not sure of its status at the moment; last time I was there access was denied (officially).

Eve St also has a bikepath along it which I've ridden a few times. It connects Marsh St with the continuation of the path to Kyeemagh and Botany Bay. [In the other direction you can reach Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush and Ryde].

The entrance to Eve St is from busy Marsh St, just near the Wickham St intersection, or from Brennans Rd off West Botany St. It is a no-through road at its southern end, where the cycleway continues along the Barton Park Golf Range.

We'll start our look at Eve St from the Marsh St end.

Below: Looking along Eve St from Marsh St


Below: Looking slightly northeast from Marsh St across the reserved land towards the M5 motorway


Below: Looking southeast from the corner you can see the Arncliffe fire station, on West Botany St/Wickham St intersection


Below: Across that patch of grass in the photo above, visible in the adjacent backyard is this old sandstone outbuilding:


Below: Looking towards Marsh St from near the elbow bend in Eve St:


Below: Part of the way along this stretch is Eve St Reserve


Below: The M5 from Eve St Reserve


Below: Eve St Reserve on the right, and straight ahead the cycleway where it joins Eve St, having come under the M5 from Marsh St.


Below: Looking across to the reserve from the end of the cycleway


Below: Images of the cycleway as it curves under the M5






Below: The wetlands from the cycleway




Below: The Wetlands


Below: Access denied


Below: The wetlands



Below: Looking along Eve St towards the cycleway (which joins at right at the bottom)


Below: Enjoying the cycleway



Below: From the crest of the hill, looking north



Below: Looking south over the golf driving range





Below: And the cycleway continues towards Botany Bay

The A to Z of 2205: Athelstane Ave, Arncliffe

One of the fine houses along Wollongong Rd was "Athelstane", built by William George Judd. Judd left school at ageseven, later worked in the brick pits of St Peters and attended school at night. He became an egga nd butter salesmanbeofre opening a produce store. By the late 1870s he had obtained a financial interest in the district's brickworks. he was elected to Rockdale Council in 1882 and served several tems as Mayor. In 1906 he was appointed the first president of Sutherland Shire.

After World War Two, the Department of Education resumed the land that "Athelstane" was on, desite the objections of Judd's son and daughter-in-law who lived there still and did not want to sell. Temporary buildings were erected. Students were transferred from nearby Wilsons Road Public School, which was too small. Athelstane Public School opened on 20 June 1952, and the old house demolished in September 1954. The school operated from a conglomeration of temporary weatherboard (some of which are still there) and aluminium structures until 1973 when a campaign by arents and teachers resulted in a new school being built.

Judd had subdivided his land, which was seven acres, one rood and twenty-four perches and put in Athelsatnd and Horsell Avenues.

Today I go to Athelstane whenever there is an election on in order to vote.

Below: State election March 2007. Athelstane Avenue entrance.
Below: Looking along Athelstane Avenue from Wollongong Rd. The school is on the right. In 1968 Mum and dad considered buying the house on the left, 1 Athelstane Avenue. They bought in Bexley instead.

Below: Interesting gate
Below: I'm always a sucker for jasmine, even though it rambles everywhere and can take over your garden! Here's a nice sunny spot on this fence. The house is California Bungalow style.

Below: Athelstane Avenue is now a dead-end where it meets Hirst St, Fripp St, Lorraine Avenue and John St at the roundabout.
Below: From the dead-end looking towards Wollongong Rd

Below: This beautiful shrub was in the front garden of a house in Athelstane Avenue. I posted it on Sydney Daily Photo and it emerged that it is a Leucospermum from South Africa. To keep an eye on this plant, visit Sydney Daily Photo Extra.

Below: Here is a sub-divided block, where one house is built behind, and there is access along a side easement.


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Photos taken 04 Aug 2008 (and Mar 2007)