Royal Botanic Gardens Palisade Fence Heritage Conservation

Project Type: Stonemasonry

Location: Tarpeian Way, Sydney Opera House, Sydney

Year Completed: 2022

Scope of works: The cliff wall was built in 1880 enabled the extension of Macquarie Street and is known as the Tarpeian Way. It provides a dramatic backdrop to the Opera House forecourt and gets its name from the famous rock on Capitoline Hill in Rome where prisoners were hurled to the deaths in ancient times. What are now the Opera House iron gates, were originally the Governor’s private gates, and built in 1870.

RJC was appointed in 2021 to undertake the following works:

• Erection of scaffolding over 400 m of the project in 3 stages,
• Removal of existing palisade fencing,
• Installation of 350 plinth stones and sandstone columns.
• Restore Palisade Fencing by removing cutting at base removing all previous coatings and extend fence using 100mm of 316mm Stainless Steel and prime with Zinc Rich primer and coat in 2 coats of Murobond Bridge paint.
• Reinstall using traditional hot molten lead up to stone height and dress suit rounded profile.

Duration: 12 months

Client: Heritage Stoneworks