Garden Island 1850's (Historic Map)

Historic map of the Sydney Harbour Island of Garden Island as it was in 1857 before the establishment of the Navy Base
Due to land reclamation in the 1940's (building of Captain Cook Dry Dock) Garden Island is no longer an Island but a fully intergrated part of the Sydney Suburb of Wolloommoolloo
The map show 2 hills, only one is still in existance today, the second hill was "pushed" into the sea in the late part of 1800 to expend the size of the island and allow construction of numerous buildings. Now most of those building have an heritage listing (and i have postcards of those buildings available for sale in my online shop)
Garden Island is so-called because it was the colony's first food source when gardens were established on the island to feed the sailors of the navy warship HMAS Sirius in 1788. Graffiti there by First Fleeters is believed to be the oldest colonial graffiti in Australia. One carved FM 1788, another wrote IR 1788, while the third scrawled WB 1788. It is believed that FM was Frederick Meridith who served as steward to Captain John Marshall of HMS Sirius and the other men from the Sirius who tended the gardens. Sandstone fortifications built on the island during the 1820s to protect Sydney from a much-feared Russian attack also survive. Garden Island also boasts what is claimed to be Australia's first lawn tennis court. Built in 1880, it is still in use, although the lawn was replaced in 1960.