ASN Building The ASN Building (Australian Steam Navigation
Company Building) or Ordnance Bond Stores are located on
Hickson Road at The Rocks in Sydney. These warehouses
were known as Bond Stores , where goods remained in the
storage until importers paid the custom duty on them.The
building was designed by architect, William Wilkinson
Wardell in Pre-Federation Anglo Dutch Style. Completed
between 1884-1885, the five storey, four bay warehouse
and a single bay of four stories of offices was built in
polychrome brick and sandstone and featured capped Dutch
gables. Sydney Cove was the hub of the States commerce
and international shipping transport until the late
nineteenth century. The land was originally leased to
John Baugham in 1794 but he sold the lease to Robert
Campbell (Sydney's first merchant entrepreneur) in 1798.
Campbell erected the Wharf House then later sold part of
his grant to the ASN company in 1876.  Michael Metcalfe
(1813-1890), a prominent Sydney merchant was one of the
founders of the Australian Steam Navigation Company and
following the demise of ASN Co, he was responsible for
the building of the Metcalfe Bond Stores. Construction of the
building commenced in 1884. In 1887 the Crown aquired the
ASN Co building and a few years later it became the
Government Ordnance Bond Stores. In 1906 the building was
handed over to the Department of defence and in 1950 was
occupied by the Australian Commonwealth Offices. Remains
of hoist pulleys are still visible on the outside of the
building. |
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