The following items are listed as heritage items on South Sydney Local Environment Plan (SSLEP) 1998:
Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children Group (former)
The hospital site, the former Administration Building, the Venables Building, and landscape plantings and interpretive objects are of historical significance for the provision of children's health facilities from 1906 to 1995, and for their ability to illustrate the history of health provision to children in NSW during this period. The Hospital site and surviving buildings have a history of association with prominent local figures, such as Lady Northcott and Lieutenant-Governor Sir William Cullen, and of prominent doctors Sir Charles Clubbe, Dr. P.L. Hipsley, Dr Robert Wade, Dr Margaret Harper, Dr Lindsay Dey, Sir Norman Gregg and Professor Sir Lormer Dods. The Hospital is also significant for its association with Sydney University as a teaching Hospital. The site and surviving hospital buildings and landscape plantings have social significance to the local and NSW community due to their long association with children's health provision. The original (1906) hospital buildings have aesthetic significance for their design by Kent & Budden architects.
Administration Building—Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (former)
(This is now known as the Alexandra building)
The Administration Building contributes to an understanding of the development and operation of the former Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. It is the icon building of the former hospital that clearly identifies as the core of the former hospital complex, a function it retained until the Hospital's closure in 1995. It has high aesthetic significance seen in its Federation Academic Classical style façade with its classical portico and pediment. Its aesthetic significance is also seen in aspects of the fit out of the interior particularly the boardroom. It is the building most identified with the former Children’s hospital and has strong links to the many children and parents that have been at the hospital, often in emergency and critical situations. Those links are retained in the visual connections with the building despite the change of use and relocation of the hospital.
Venables House—Nurses Quarters, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (former)
Venables House contributes to an understanding of the development and operation of the former Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. It is one of the original Hospital buildings planned in 1903, though not built till 1909, and extended in the 1920s. The building operated as nurses' quarters from 1909, and evidences the functioning of Hospitals in the early 20th century, with nurses accommodated on site. Venables House has particular historical association with Miss Nora Venables, 1897 matron of the Hospital at its Glebe site and who was still in charge of nurses when the Hospital moved to Camperdown, as the building was named in appreciation of her services to the Hospital. The original hospital buildings, including the original ‘L’ shaped section of Venables House, have aesthetic significance for their architectural style and purpose built design by Kent & Budden architects in 1903. The site and surviving hospital buildings including Venables House have social significance to the local and NSW community due to long association with children's health provision. Venables House is representative of nurses homes which were built as part of early 20th century Hospital complexes.
Sensitive redesigning of Venables House, incorporating the original cottage garden and large timber verandahs by heritage architect Geoff Bonus in 2000 was officially recognised by the state of New South Wales Planning department in the Premiers planning report – ‘Improving Flat Design’
Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (former)—landscape plantings
Substantial plantings have survived, including Hill's Figs along the Booth Street and Pyrmont Bridge Road frontages of the site, Hill's Figs and a Hoop Pine at the corner of Booth St & Pyrmont Bridge Road and relocated Canary Island Date Palms on the eastern side of Sterling Circuit. Landscaping and interpretive elements along the Orphan School Creek frontage of the site are historically significant. They represent socially and aesthetically early 20th century plantings in an institutional/Hospital setting, illustrative of the late 19th century philosophy of providing a pleasant landscape to promote health.
1832 Subdivision Plan
1841 Subdivision Plan
Source: Camperdown Project—Common Ground Model—Heritage Impact Statement—November 2009
It should also be noted that Etage is also an original hospital building, built in more recent times.
Item 44 - City of Sydney DA 941912_064 - G_HERTITAGE_IMPACT_STATEMENT_18112009_Part8