Thursday, October 19, 2006

Blackwall foreshore & The Boulevard

(Random walkies)

Couldn't be buggered trekking up to Gosford. Walked in Woy Woy along the Blackwall foreshore instead. Very pleasant walk looking at some nice old houses and across the water to St Huberts Island and Mt Pleasant on Saratoga and so forth.

Huckleberry Finn's The Boulevard Woy Woy

This was a fish&chip shop most recently I think. The paint on the sign's fairly fresh but I can't remember when it shut. A Dear Old Thing who grew up just down the road gave me its history of occupation. It was an oyster merchants shop in the late 1920s.

That's the Watersedge Motel on the left of it. Eighties reno. It used to be the Super Fit Clothing Company factory from 1947 to 1965 or 66. Look at the windows just above the veranda. Those are the original factory windows.

Hard to pick the style. Due to the apparent age of the materials and the symmetry of the facade, I'm plumping for Inter-War Free Classical (circa 1915 - circa 1940).

Caprice Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy

Caprice Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy, just down the road from the pub and Huckleberry Finn's.

This place leaves me gobsmacked. Why the fuck would anyone build directly across the road from such a pleasant view of the water and be so careful to make sure the view was lost to the occupants? Barmy.

Also, I'm not loving the whole red brick slabbiness of it. It's fifties yes, but it's such a claustrophobic example of fifties architecture. It'll be gone in a few years. The Dear Old Things living out their last years in it will pop off (hopefully gently) and it'll be razed to the ground and a block of snappy white two-storey units slapped up in its place and flogged at 300,000 each.

Federation repro on Blackwall foreshore Woy Woy

Federation repro on Blackwall foreshore Woy Woy. I like this one. Plenty of the repro is half-arsed but this one looks good. Even the chimney is pretty close to the real thing. The house isn't a slavish copy of the Federation Queen Anne style (circa 1890 - circa 1915) but a slavish copy would be tricky to fit round modern building regulations and might look a bit precious anyways. This is better.

That veranda's a lot deeper and wider than it looks. Plenty of room for sitting and watching the fisherman row past.

Ducklings on Blackwall foreshore Woy Woy

Ducklings are starting to be seen along the water. They shelter in the mangroves and make short excursions into the big wide world. This lot are waiting near the Duck Feeder's house.

Stands of pine on Blackwall foreshore Woy Woy

Near Park Road I think. They sound beautiful in even the slightest wind. The Queen Anne repro is just out of sight on the left.

Not too hot today. Yesterday was back into the mid 30s (around 80F) with a nice bit of wind at lunchtime, and we'll be back up there next week.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Huckelberry finns used to be a fish and chip shop i cant remember when it cosed either but i think it was within the last 5 years or so, also the watersedge hotel used to be a arcade called "Civic Arcade" after it had been a factory I remember walking through there as a kid and it had about 12 shops and they were all very small - there was a butchers in one of the front shop and a take away and the TAB in the back shops

cheers
Michael

Anonymous said...

I have cute duckling pics too! I like that federation repro.

Spike said...

Michael - Couldn't remember if I'd seen it open but that 5 years rings a bell.

Had no idea it'd been an arcade but I get the impression The Boulevard once had far more foot traffic than it has now.

Aesthetic - Gorn then, show us yer duckies.

Anonymous said...

There used to be a flemings supermarket in the building where the hock shop is now and that wouldve been the main shopping area so i suppose there couldve been more foot traffic than now, I cant remember, there are some photos of that area taken around 1970 or so on that gosford and district photo website

cheers
Michael

Anonymous said...

Spike
I can not believe it
just had a look at the photo of
the library..and sitting there are
a couple we met on a coach trip
last year.........when we were over
staying in koolewong........
how about that then
made my day.......yay...
what a great blog this is....
makes me feel like I am there
and I just wish I was
we are having so much rain here
in our part of the uk..I know you need it so badly.........
so should not moan.......!!
thanks again..
ps..hope you are finally over the flu.........

Spike said...

Michael - Ta. Now I think about it there's quite a seventies look in that area. 50s as well I think.

Am resisting going to that site again. Can't leave once I'm there :)

Pattie - The couple in this photo?

what a great blog this is....
makes me feel like I am there


I could wish for no higher praise. Seriously.

Re the rain, if I send empty jars will you send rain?

I have finally seen off the cough from that flu, thank yer for asking. Next flu season I intend to wear one of those spacesuits that keep off the germs.

Anonymous said...

yes spike that couple in that photo
it is a man on the left and a woman on the right isnt it??
I think the ladies name is Mary
and I think he was Bill
they live in woy woy.....cant remember the address.....
we went to the great ocean road.
they were on the coach
lovely couple........
so strange eh..ha ha....
who knows who I will spot next..!!!
you had better start taking shots of people....lol .lol...next...

Spike said...

I think it is. Delicious coincidence if it is.

I am crap at people photos. Much better at stuff that doesn't move.