Addresses
Type of place
Retaining wall
Period
Federation 1890-1914, Interwar 1919-1939
Remnant porphyry retaining wall, eastern side of Ithaca Creek along boundary with 37 Mossvale Street, Ashgrove
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Porphyry retaining wall, Ithaca Creek
Porphyry retaining wall, Ithaca Creek
Addresses
Type of place
Retaining wall
Period
Federation 1890-1914, Interwar 1919-1939
The porphyry stone wall along Ithaca Creek was likely constructed in the 1910s, when Ithaca Town was experiencing a boom in population. In response to this growth, the Ithaca Town Council undertook numerous civic works, amongst which was the construction of stone walls and embankments in Ashgrove, Paddington, Bardon and Red Hill. In addition to the wall, work along this section of Ithaca Creek included a bridge linking Kenwyn Road and Mossvale Street, which was requested by local residents in 1914 and installed in 1926. The wall's weathered appearance contributes to the streetscape of Kenwyn Road and Mossvale Street on both sides of Ithaca Creek.
Geolocation
-27.448280 152.997616
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Walls: PorphyryCriterion for listing
(E) AestheticInteractive mapping
Geolocation
-27.448280 152.997616
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Walls: PorphyryCriterion for listing
(E) AestheticInteractive mapping
History
In the first decade of the twentieth century, the Ithaca municipal area experienced a housing and population boom following the expansion of the tramways system into the area. Subsequently in the 1910s the Ithaca Town Council embarked on a programme of civic improvements, including the establishment of Lang Park, the Ithaca Swimming Pool, and the Ithaca Children’s Playground; the formation and metalling of roads; tree planting; and the establishment of numerous embankment gardens, small reserves and street gardens throughout the suburbs of Red Hill, Kelvin Grove, Paddington, Rosalie, Bardon and parts of Milton.
It is likely that the Ithaca Creek porphyry wall was part of these works. The creek and wall is on the boundary between Red Hill (Kenwyn Road) and Ashgrove (Mossvale Street). The land on the Red Hill side abutting the creek was part of the Woolcock family holding. The residence ‘Kenwyn’ was on the site, though closer to Arthur Terrace than the creek. On the Ashgrove side was Portion 685, largely undeveloped until the twentieth century and probably offered for sale as part of the Mossvale Estate in 1914.
In 1913 the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board laid pipes and prepared to supply water to Kenwyn Street residents. A year later the residents of the area applied to the Ithaca Town Council for a bridge to be built ‘joining the foot of Kenwyn street and Waterworks Road’. As these two streets do not connect, it is possible that the reference to Waterworks Road was the as-then unnamed Mossvale Street.
Mossvale Street was marked on street directories in 1916 but no occupants were listed there until 1923. It remained quiet through the twentieth century, being remarkable in 1952 as a lawn road which was mowed by the residents. The area was ‘swampy’ and flood-prone and was frequently inundated throughout the twentieth century.
Statement of significance
Relevant assessment criteria
This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:
References
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Brisbane City Council, Detail Plan 1926
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Brisbane City Council City Design Stone kerbs and road surface features Heritage Management Protocol, 2003
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Brisbane City Council City Design, Stone Retaining Walls and Embankments Conservation Plan, 2005
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Brisbane City Council, Ithaca Bridge Conservation Management Study, Ithaca Creek Porphyry Retaining Wall Site Report and Merthyr Rd Conservation Management Plan, 2001-2
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National Library of Australia, Trove newspapers, The Telegraph, The Brisbane Courier, The Courier Mail.
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised January 2022)