Located adjacent to the Kokoda Track Memorial Pathway, the Brays Bay Ship-Building Memorial is a tribute to the ship building that operated here from 1939 to 1945. Representing a ship a sculpture sits next to the entrance walkway which has ships’ names etched into it.
Operated by Tulloch, the shipyard built the bow and midsections of shallow draught vessels here. The stern sections were constructed at Granville. These small ships were needed for operations in coastal areas in Northern Australia and New Guinea. Up to 1945 when construction halted up to 24 ships were built here.
The entrance to the area recreates the slipway the vessels were built on, while the ship sculpture represents the bow section of a ship built here.
This is an interesting addition to the memorial walk while teaching us a little about the wartime industry in the area.
Entrance to the Ship-Building MemorialSculpture Representing the Bow Section of a ShipShip-Building MemorialShip-Building Memorial From the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk
Opened on 21st September 1893 what is now Rivendell School was originally the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital. Built from money from Walker’s will, the hospital treated over 70,000 patients convalesced at the hospital, including servicemen from the 1914-18 and 1939-45 World Wars. In 1977, the hospital was transformed into a specialized educational institution for students with mental health concerns and was renamed Rivendell School. The name reflects Rivendell From J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit as a place to rest and recuperate – a sanctuary for those on difficult journeys.
Designed by John Sulman the brick and sandstone buildings are of the Federation Free Classical style and were.
Current Use
Located in West Concord on Sydney’s Parramatta River, Rivendell School is a specialized educational facility located in Sydney, Australia. It caters to students who have mental health concerns or psychiatric conditions, providing a supportive and comprehensive learning environment. The school focuses on fostering wellness, resilience, and academic achievement for its students. With a team of dedicated professionals, Rivendell School offers tailored programs to meet the unique needs of each student, ensuring they receive the necessary support to thrive academically and personally.
Getting To Rivendell School
We travelled by train to Rhodes Train Station and then walked to the school. On the way we looked at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway and the Brays Bay Ship-Building Memorial. Bus 410 runs from the station to near the school, so you can take this instead. If travelling by car, parking is difficult to find because of the other hospitals in the area. The best option would be to park in the Kokoda Parking area.
The Grounds and Buildings
Walking around the landscaped grounds, is very relaxing as you would expect from the building’s original purpose. Make sure to look at the inside of the entrance gate as there are many sandstone carvings on the walls. The sandstone carvings are perfectly preserved, with the columns on the upper balcony of the main building looking magnificent.
Directly opposite the main entrance, on the Parramatta River, an old water gate was the preferred entrance when the school was used as a hospital. Although this is no longer in use. This is a great building in its own right and unique in Australia.
Rivendell School Entrance GateLandscaped entry drivewayStone carving above the front entranceStone carving inside the front entranceCarving on the entranceThe main buildingFront door entranceSandstone carving around the clockCaryatid columns on the upper balconyWalkway to the disused ferry wharfDisused ferry wharf
A modified Pacific Class Patrol Boat, MV Mercator is used by the Royal Australian Navy for navigation training. Based at HMAS Waterhen on Sydney Harbour, she provides training to officers and sailors from the RAN and other navies in coastal navigation, ship handling and watch keeping procedures. She is also utilised to assist Major Fleet Units (MFU) with boarding party training.
