Everything about Rodd Island New South Wales totally explained
Rodd Island is a small island on the
Parramatta River in
Sydney,
Australia. It lies in the centre of
Iron Cove, between the suburbs of
Drummoyne,
Russell Lea,
Rodd Point,
Haberfield and
Leichhardt. It is located west of the
Sydney Harbour upstream and the
Harbour Bridge. Today the island is uninhabited, and forms part of the
Sydney Harbour National Park. The island has had various other names over its history: Rabbit Island, Rhode Island, Snake Island and Jack Island.
History
The island is named after
Brent Samuel Rodd, who had a long association with the island and the local area. He first attempted to buy the island from the government in
1842. The Rodd family, who lived on the western shore of
Iron Cove in what is now the suburb of
Rodd Point, used the island for recreation. Rodd tried again to purchase the island in
1859 and even put down a deposit of 17 pounds on it. However, the transaction was never completed and the island eventually became part of the first public recreation reserve in Sydney Harbour in
1879. Despite being a solicitor,
Rodd managed neither to purchase the island, nor to have his deposit refunded.
Between
1888 and
1894, the island was used as a laboratory by scientists working for the
Pasteur Institute, who were researching the use of the
chicken cholera microbe to control Australia's
rabbit population.
Louis Pasteur sent his nephew, Doctor
Adrien Loir to conduct the experimentation in Australia and facilities were constructed on the island.
Pasteur was interested because he'd been conducting similar research in
France and
Henry Parkes had offered a 25,000 pound reward to anyone who could solve the rabbit infestation problem. However, the research received an unfavourable report in
1889 and from June,
1890, the facilities were used to manufacture sheep and cattle vaccines for
anthrax and
pleuro-pneumonia.
The island was briefly home to
Sarah Bernhardt's dogs. They were quarantined there during her
1891 world tour at the suggestion of Loir. Bernhardt was a frequent visitor to the island during her time in
Sydney.
After
1894, the laboratories were demolished and the research station residence was converted into a dance hall, which still stands there, along with two summer houses and a gazebo constructed in the early
20th century. At this time, the island was managed by the Rodd Island Recreation Trust. Further changes were in the pipeline but never went ahead because of an outbreak of
bubonic plague in Sydney in
1900. The Sydney Harbour Trust took over managing the island and they doubled its area by reclaiming land from the bay and constructing sea walls. Once the outbreak of the plague had finished, the island became a recreation area.
During the
Second World War, from
1944, the island was used as a training base for the
US Army. After the war, it reverted back to its former use as a recreation area. The island became part of the Sydney Harbour National Park in February,
1982, and is now a popular picnic area and function centre. Loir's restored house was opened to the public in
1996.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Rodd Island New South Wales'.
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