Me-Mel (Goat Island) Magazine Precinct
National Parks and Wildlife Services, NSW
The Me-Mel, also known as Goat Island, Magazine Precinct, located in the heart of Sydney Harbour, was used in the colonial era as a stone quarry. In the late 1820’s when it was transformed into a gun powder repository due to growing concerns of accidental explosions while transporting and storing gun powder in central Sydney. Using convict labour and stone quarried from the site the first two buildings commenced construction in 1833. Additional buildings were added until the turn of the 20th Century, and today the site is a major tourist attraction.
Stokes Rousseau was awarded the contract to preserve, protect and refurbish the colonial period buildings in the Magazine Precinct. New major storm water retention systems, concrete retaining walls, asphalt, concrete paving and handrails were all added to the site. The adaptive re-use of the existing Colonial Magazine building and Scow Shed have now transformed the areas into function spaces, with the addition of a new commercial grade kitchen and bathroom, which will be made available for public hire.