Tank Stream
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The Tank Stream was a small fresh water stream emptying into Sydney Cove in New South Wales, Australia. The colony of New South Wales was originally planned to be founded in 1788 at Botany Bay, but there was no fresh water, amongst other problems. This led Governor Arthur Phillip to look for a more suitable site in Port Jackson and Sydney Cove was chosen because it had 'the finest spring of water'.
On January 26, 1788 the fleet was brought round from Botany Bay and new colony was formally inaugurated.
The Tank Stream began in marshy ground on the western side of what is now Hyde Park and, at high tide, entered Sydney Cove at (roughly) what is now the intersection of Bridge and Pitt Streets. The catchment area was about 65 hectares, roughly corresponding to the current Sydney central business district. In 1790, three tanks were cut into sandstone beside the stream, giving it its name.
The Tank Stream soon proved inadequate to meet the needs of the growing colony and it was officially abandoned in 1826, though it had been little more than an open sewer for much of the preceding two decades. Sydney's next supply of water was Busby's Bore, which began supplying water in 1830.
In 1850, city planning necessitated the draining of the swamp that fed the Tank Stream. Starting in 1860, the Tank Stream was progressively covered and is now only a storm water channel.
Parts of the Tank Stream still exist today under the streets of the Sydney CBD, access is controlled by Sydney Water. Tours of the Tank Stream are run by the Historic Houses Trust in conjunction with Sydney Water. These tours are usually offered twice a year, most commonly in April and November. A ballot system is used to allow people an equal chance of securing a ticket. There is an historical information centre behind locked gates underground at the beginning of the tour.
[edit] References
- The Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage of Sydney, W.V.Aird, 1961.
