NAC's sister suburb

By Dejan, 25 September, 2020
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In early 1920 North Arm Cove was simply too far from everything and anything. Only hope was that Port Stephens would become a large port. It didn't. Newcastle did. So plans for "Port Stephens City" never realized.

But Griffin's idea of creating a "model suburb" and "model community" started being realized in the area closer to Sydney. At the time Castlecrag was about 2-2.5 hours away form Sydney. Sitting on a peninsula in the Middle Harbour it has been designed on the same planning principles North Arm Cove few years before - integration with natural environment, street pattern following contours (instead of unrelated grid) and hidden communal tracks linking communal places between private properties without fences.

But most importantly suburb was intended as a community and plans, same as in NAC, included all the functions needed for such an aim - school, hospital, shops, parks, communal areas, places for art and culture, for young and grown ups.

Suburb of Catlecrag with neignbouring Middle Cove and Castle Cove (total of about 7000 residents) is today part of much larger city but still keeps its quiet streets and feel of leafy neighbourhood.

These days North Arm Cove is about 2-2.5 hours from Sydney.

 

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