Maitland gets Heritage Funding

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

It’s one of the oldest towns in New South Wales and now the State Government have funnelled almost $45,000 into Maitland to help protect its heritage sites.

It’s part of the Heritage Grant Program, set up by the Baird Government to help protect heritage sites to towns across the State.

Scot MacDonald

A bulk of the funding will go to Maitland Council, as it works to refurbish timber windows at the Walka Water Works.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald says Maitland has a special need to protect heritage sites.

“It’s one of the fastest growing LGAs [in the State],” he said.

“That also means you’ve got to protect the heritage as well.”

A small, $5000 portion will be given to Dunmore House owner Paris Osbourne to refurbish guttering and collector boxes at the historic house.

“$5000 goes a long way to protecting those old historical houses,” MacDonald says.

“Anybody associated with them would know keeping water away from some of the old buildings is very, very important.”

Dunmore House is one of the oldest buildings in Maitland, constructed in the early 1800’s by convicts.

The site was declared heritage listed in 2012.

Morpeth up for the state heritage register

BY JACINTA LEE

The town of Morpeth could soon be registered as a state heritage site.

The Morpeth Heritage Conservation Group lodged an application with the NSW Department of Planning today, to help preserve the town's unique identity.

The street layout almost matches its original design from 1845, and conservationists are eager to keep it out of developers' hands.

"A lot of developers and people against what we're doing say we're against progress," Simon Brooker, President of the Conservation Group, says.

"Essentially, we're just trying to protect the valuable heritage of the town for future enjoyment."

Bulga Residents Heated Over Proposed Mine Expansions

BY BRIDGET GUNN

Two Wonnarua Aboriginal elders have been arrested in a peaceful roadside protest in Bulga.

The protest was against the proposed expansion of the coal mine in Bulga, which would destroy many sites of Aboriginal and European cultural heritage, and would have a large impact on the residents of Bulga.

Source: ABC News

Rob McLaughlin from Bulga says the proposed expansion would destroy the endangered woodland and the Wallaby Scrub Road, part of the Great North Road.

"They are going to destroy a world unique, critically endangered Warkworth Sands Woodland, along with the Wallaby Scrub Road, which is part of the Great North Road, built back in the 1820's."

According to McLaughlin, the residents of Bulga are not going down without a fight.

"Rio Tinto don't know whats hit them," he says.

"The people of Bulga are firm in our resolve, we will be there every day. It is part of our European history and we are not giving up.

"If they need to get the police out every day, they will have to."

Wackworth mine pit aerial
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

The Lock the Gate Alliance Inc Facebook page has received a huge amount of support,with over 60,000 responses.

McLaughlin believes that this is because the public is realising the full national scope of the governments control in issues such as that in Bulga.

"It's not just about this little tiny place called Bulga, it's a bigger question. It's about peoples rights in New South Wales to protect their environment and their homes."

For more information see https://www.facebook.com/Lock.The.Gate.Alliance/