Parliamentary Answer on Heritage Assistance Grant - 2000

Answer 9/8/2000

0878—EVELEIGH RAILWAY WORKSHOPS PRESERVATION

Mr Kevin Rozzoli to the Deputy Premier, Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Minister for Housing—

(1) Did your Department offer a grant of $300,000 towards the development of a conservation plan for the preservation of Nos 1 and 2 locomotive workshop buildings at the Eveleigh Railway Workshops on the condition that it was matched by a similar grant from Australian Technology Park?
(2) If so, what is the current status of the grant?
(3) Did your Department commission Godden, McKay Pty Ltd, Heritage Consultants of Redfern to develop a management plan for the preservation and interpretation of movable items associated with the Eveleigh Workshops.
(4) If so, what is the current status of this work?

Answer—

(1) A Heritage Assistance Grant of $300,000 was made to the Australian Technology Park for the conservation and interpretation of machinery in Bays 1 and 2 (the property of the State Rail Authority) at the Eveleigh Locomotive Workshop. The Grant was not for building conservation. This Grant was to be matched by the Australian Technology Park (ATP) on a $ for $ basis. Approximately $80,000 has been expended on conservation works for the machinery ($40,00 from the Heritage Assistance Grant and an equal amount from the ATP).

(2) ATP's function as manager of the Eveleigh Workshops will cease mid July when the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) will become manager of the Park. The Heritage Office, which administers the Heritage Assistance Grant Program, has indicated that the residual funding of the grant of $260,000 will be made available to the SHFA on a $ for $ basis, to continue the work of conservation and interpretation.

(3) Godden, Mackay Pty Ltd was engaged to develop the Eveleigh Workshops Management Plan for Moveable Items and Social History on behalf of City West Development Corporation, State Rail Authority and the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning.

(4) A Property Control Group, consisting of representatives from the State Rail Authority, Heritage Office, Powerhouse Museum and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority's heritage specialists, has met regularly since March to address the issue of conservation and interpretation of the machinery. The Heritage Council endorsed plan by Godden Mackay Pty Ltd is the basis for treatment of the collection.