Order of the Star of the East’ Amphitheatre - Carroll Collection
The Star Amphitheatre was built on the hillside at Edward’s Beach in 1923-24 for The Order of the Star in the East, funded by money contributed through the selling of seats to view the second coming of Christ through Sydney Heads. The Order of the Star in the East had been established to prepare the way for the new ‘world teacher’, Krishnamurti, who would use the amphitheatre to address his audience. Its membership included such people as the Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin and architect, Walter Burley
Griffin, with Yeats, Oscar Wilde, Joyce, DH Lawrence and Gandhi influenced by it.
The story surrounding the amphitheatre is one of extreme controversy, doctrine splintering and radical
breakaway factions.
Australian Dictionary of Biography Dept of Religious Studies, University of Sydney.
Order of the Star of the East Amphitheatre
built to view the returning Christ
walking on the waters through your rugged cliffs;
Replaced by a red brick citadel.
“Suburbanisation had conquered all.”
In its place, rose Stancliff, a red brick citadel of 30 units. Not a distinguished piece of architecture, it nevertheless represents the origin of an important building type, the home unit. This played a role in what was seen by many, including governments, as a model for or a solution to post-war housing difficulties.
As the historian, Jill Roe, was to remark about this reincarnation, “…after many vicissitudes, suburbanisation had conquered all.”
For a rare video of Star amphitheatre right click on link below then click on go to etc The section showing the rare images of the amphitheatre is from 830 onwards in the video.
http://mosmanfaces.net/stories/gavin-souter
Gavin Souter - Journalist, historian, author and patron of the Mosman Historical Society. He wrote 'Mosman: a history' for Mosman Council in 1994.
