Last stop for old Eveleigh rail yards

Mr Dunnett spent all his working life with NSW railways; beginning as an apprentice at the Eveleigh yards and retiring there as a communications officer in 1992.

He, along with other heritage enthusiasts, are outraged over State Government plans to transform the site into a residential complex for 2,500 people, providing 3000 jobs in the process. The $550 million project will include a 16-storey apartment complex just 100 metres from The Block under the redevelopment proposal.

Mr Dunnett, along with the Friends of Eveleigh, has slammed the plans to redevelop the site, saying they will destroy an important part of Sydney’s industrial heritage.

Planning Minister Frank Sartor announced the historic North Eveleigh workshops’ transformation into 1260 new flats, including up to 200 reserved for affordable rental housing earlier this month.

Mr Dunnett has labeled the proposal for the National Trust listed rail yards as disappointing. He co-authored a report on the best options to preserve the sites heritage for the University of Armidale.

“My personal view is that the site should have been retained as a working rail museum,” Mr Dunnett said.

“The present proposal will undermine the heritage significance of the area.”

Mr Sartor said the urban renewal project would retain heritage buildings, blending them with a vibrant new living community.

The expected $100 million raised from selling the public land will fuel the upgrade of Redfern Railway Station with a pedestrian bridge and other needed infrastructure.

University of NSW Associate Professor Lucy Taksa, a member of the Friends of Eveleigh, has been a part of the long battle to preserve the rail yards as a working museum for over 20 years.

Since writing her honours thesis on the importance of the rail yards in 1983, Professor Taksa has been on a campaign to preserve the site.

“The more I learn about Eveleigh, the more I realise its importance to the state and the nation,” she said.

The latest announcement by Minister Sartor has enraged her.

“I’ve always wanted to see part of the site made available for a living heritage centre, along the lines developed in other former workshop sites interstate,” Professor Taksa said.

“The latest plans lack any tangible linkage of heritage. No one will understand what the bricks and mortar mean unless they are told through interpretive means,” she said.

“There needs to be a working section for conserving and maintaining rolling stock, so as to preserve the sites heritage and provide training in the heritage trades.”

Mr Sartor said the urban renewal project would retain heritage buildings, blending them with a vibrant new living community.

The announcement comes after Mr Sartor invited tenders to submit designs, and develop the landmark $2.5 billion Barangaroo project at East Darling Harbour last month.

The North Eveleigh Concept Plan is on exhibition until June 12. Community information sessions will be held at Yaama Dhiyaan, 255 Wilson Street (Next to Carriage Works Entrance North Eveleigh) on Tuesday May 20 (4-6pm), Wednesday May 28 (4-6pm), Wednesday June 4 (4-6pm), Saturday June 7 (2-4pm) and Wednesday June 11 (4-6pm).

Photo: University of NSW academic Lucy Taksa and former Eveleigh Railway Yards worker Brian Dunnett take a walk back in time through the site earmarked for redevelopment