Slate Roof Restoration & Replacement - Heritage Buildings
National Arts Centre, Darlinghurst - Welsh Slate & Sandstone
Welsh slate and sandstone were a feature on the beautiful, but disparate collection of buildings on this site were designed by ex convict, Francis Greenaway for what was originally the Darlinghurst Gaol. Construction on the gaol wall began in 1822, with completion of some of the cell blocks in 1840. The main material used for construction was Sydney sandstone, cut into large blocks by convicts. Convict markings on the blocks are visible along the upper half of the wall on Darlinghurst Road.
The site was used as a prison until 1912, when Long Bay Gaol opened for business. During the time it functioned as a prison, 79 prisoners were executed mostly by hanging. Famous inmates included Captain Moonlight and Jimmy Governor – both of whom were hanged on site. Henry Lawson also spent time in the prison for drunkenness and failure to pay alimony; he referred to it as “Starvinghurst Prison”.
