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FRIENDS OF EVELEIGH - UPDATE - DECEMBER, 2007.

The following update was produced by Friends of Eveleigh on 6th December 2007.

PETER GARRETT TAKES THE REINS

With the Federal Election now over, Friends of Eveleigh are looking forward to continuing an objective relationship with the new Minister for Heritage and the Arts, the Hon. Peter Garrett MP. It will be interesting to see his approach to true Australian Heritage and saving something for the future.

The Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh has appeared on the National Trust of Australia’s, Top 10 Heritage at Risk list Nationwide and immediately the other NSW nomination, the Hammerhead Crane at Garden Island was granted funds by the Federal Government to start work on this project. This crane being owned by the Navy is a Federal Government responsibility.

The nationally recognised Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh on the other hand is the NSW State Government’s responsibility but to date the Premier has failed to acknowledge or recognise the danger that this unique Heritage building faces. No comment from the Premier places him completely out of touch with the overwhelming response from the citizens of NSW from all walks of life; academics, conservators, professionals tradespeople, unions and residents of the local community, who all insist that the retention of the last remaining fully operational original heritage Railway Workshop in NSW is of vital importance - historically, socially and economically.

As a centrally located city workshop/museum/base for ALL Rail Heritage groups throughout NSW the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh would give ALL Rail Heritage groups an equal opportunity to experience working in this unique heritage environment whilst “BUILDING ON THE 120 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS RAILWAY OCCUPATION OF THE LARGE ERECTING SHOP, EVELEIGH”.

The Review into Tourism in NSW in July,2007, provided a timely opportunity for the Friends of Eveleigh to put forward ideas of what can be achieved within the Heritage Rail Network in NSW using the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh as a Sydney CBD base. The idea/concept certainly generated a large amount of positive feedback from Rail Heritage groups and members of the public throughout all of New South Wales.

We understand that the Minister for Transport and the Office of Rail Heritage are fully aware of the NSW’s Public’s strong sentiment and their requirement that the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh be retained by Railcorp as an active Rail Heritage Centre for ALL RAIL HERITAGE GROUPS, FOR ALL OF NEW SOUTH WALES. The Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh in fact belongs to ALL THE PEOPLE OF NEW SOUTH WALES, the NSW State Government being the Custodian on Behalf of the People of NSW.

LECTURE/FORUM AT THE NATIONAL TRUST CENTRE

On Thursday, 13th December, 2007 commencing at 6.00pm in the Annie Wyatt Room of the National Trust Centre, Observatory Hill, Sydney a Lecture/Forum titled: “Buildings, Machines, and Ghosts” - Finding Cultural Heritage and Social Values at The Eveleigh Railway Workshops. The Speaker for the evening being noted Australian Industrial Heritage Historian and Scholar - Associate Professor Lucy Taksa, Director Industrial Relations Research Centre University of NSW. Every one is most welcome to come along and enjoy this extremely important National Trust heritage event.

JANE BENNETT’S EXHIBITION AT THE NATIONAL TRUST CENTRE

Well-known Sydney artist Jane Bennett will be exhibiting her latest works - Trains, Cranes & Ships: Eveleigh Railway Workshops and the Hungry Mile at the National Trust Centre from 1-14 December, 2007. Jane’s most recent paintings focus on the Eveleigh Railway Workshops in Redfern, the Hammerhead Crane at Garden Island and the Hungry Mile at East Darling Harbour. Trains, Cranes & Ships – Eveleigh Railway Workshops and the Hungry Mile can be seen in the Annie Wyatt Room and Board Room of the National Trust Centre, Observatory Hill, during normal business hours. The exhibition will also be open from 12 noon to 5 pm on the weekends between the 1st and 14th December. Further information regarding this Exhibition is available on the National Trust NSW, website.

To our many friend and supporters, Friends of Eveleigh would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank them for their help and encouragement during the past 12 months and to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas.

- and remember, as Peter Garrett says - “don’t loose sight of the past”.