Manly Warringah War Memorial, which includes Manly Dam, could finally be added to the State Heritage Register if the 2021 nomination for inclusion becomes successful.
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In 2019, the Northern Beaches Council decided to nominate the park on the National Heritage List for its national significance as a war memorial but the nomination was unsuccessful.
This time, Council is seeking to gain heritage status for the war memorial park not just on a national level, but on a state level after putting it forward for the State Heritage Register as well. Although the dam is already on the State Heritage Register, the rest of the park is not yet included on the list.
Located at Curl Curl Creek, Manly Dam first opened in 1892 as a water supply dam for locals in the area. It was one of the only two ‘Independent Water Supply Schemes’ in the Sydney metropolitan area; the other was at Parramatta.
Manly Dam Wall shortly after construction, ca. 1890s (Photo credit: www.sydneywater.com.au)
Over the years, the dam wall was raised so that the reservoir could supply neighbouring suburbs, all the way up the coastal strip as far north as Mona Vale. But as the population grew, the dam’s capacity became insufficient and pumping from the dam ceased in 1933.
It was then recognised as a war memorial after the First World War. At the time, the park’s management was given to a group of ex-servicemen. Some parts of the park were named Gallipoli, Suvla Bay, and Anzac Cove during that time.
Photo credit: New South Wales War Memorials Register
The park was officially named Manly Warringah War Memorial Park in 1939. It houses two memorial monuments: the first is an unconventional, contemporary design with two standing columns and one column lying on the ground and a sphere on a low plinth near the water; whilst the other one is a polished grey granite plaque set upon two unpolished lighter coloured granite steps with an accompanying flagpole.
Photo credit: New South Wales War Memorials Register
If granted heritage status this time around, the memorial park will be placed alongside other heritage sites in the suburb, including the Manly Dam near King Street and the Manly Cove Pavilion at West Esplanade.
