Tenants at the Eveleigh Railway Yard have been told to leave
by the Redfern-Waterloo Authority (RWA) despite their ongoing efforts to
preserve heritage value of the site.
Wrought Artworks have been operating the original
blacksmithing bays at the Eveleigh Locomotive Workshop since 1991, running
their business and maintaining the heritage and old machinery of the workshop
under the heritage requirements of the Australian Technology Park (ATP).
The RWA is not obliged to adhere to heritage orders because
it has powers to override the Heritage Act. The Redfern-Waterloo Authority Bill
was passed in 2004 as part of Planning Minister Frank
Sartor’s vision to redevelop the area.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore
said the Eveleigh Locomotive blacksmithing bays are on one of the most
important sites in Sydney in terms of its
archaeology, social history and importance to Sydney’s industrial past.
“Retaining this workshop is essential to protect and
preserve Sydney’s
industrial heritage,” Ms Moore said.
She said she has written to the Minister for Redfern-Waterloo
requesting he review the decision to evict Wrought Artworks and consider
alternative arrangements to maintain the workshop.
The RWA notified Wrought Artworks of their eviction and
termination of their licence after they installed a section of new concrete
flooring to remedy a potential walkway hazard at their own expense – a task
which had been left incomplete after the ATP upgraded the blacksmithing
workshop as part of a site hazard review in 2005.
Joint partner of
Wrought Artworks, Guido Gouverneur,
said the action showed the RWA is not taking its position as stewards of the
national estate responsibly.
“Rather it treats the largest and most integral steam
powered blacksmithing machinery collection known in the western world as a play
thing, to be tossed about and destroyed like a cat plays with a mouse,” Mr
Gouverneur said.
He said the RWA has got “dollar signs in their eyes” and
sees the site as valuable land they can develop once the tenants have been
evicted.
The RWA mission statement says the Authority aims “To
establish Redfern Waterloo as an active vibrant and sustainable community by
promoting and supporting greater social cohesion and community safety, respect
for the cultural heritage and orderly development of the area in consideration
of social, economic and other sustainable developments.”
The proposed eviction also threatens the employment of four
blacksmith apprentices, an increasingly rare industrial trade.
Greens councilor Chris Harris
said it is a “bit curious” that the RWA had made this decision given that an
acoustical wall shields the surrounding buildings from any noise.
“I’d like to know what’s motivated all of this, obviously
there’s been a change of heart, and we’d like to know why,” Mr Harris said.
In 2001 Mr Gouverneur was awarded National Australia Day
Citizen of the Year from South Sydney Council for his dedication in conserving
the machinery at Eveleigh.
In a statement to The City News, Robert
Domm said, “The private business in question (Wrought
Artworks) is currently operating at the ATP without paying any rent and without
having any legal lease or licence.
“This is obviously not a tenable situation in the long
run and the ATP has tried on a number of occasions to resolve this issue,” Mr
Domm said. “The private business asserts that it has a right to remain at
the ATP in perpetuity on a rent-free basis and refuses to accept that the
landowner has effective rights over its own property.”
Mr Gouverneur said his letters to board members of the RWA
have been met with a “customary code of silence”, and that they would not meet
to discuss their aspirations for the future of the blacksmithing shop.
Wrought Artworks is currently seeking legal advice.
Source: www.alternativemediagroup.com/ThreadView.aspx?tid=6177