ATP's Operating Blacksmith's Shop
One of the features of the ATP has been the continuation operation of Blacksmith’s shop in Bays 1 & 2 South at the ATP. The construction of the ATP even included the erecting of an acoustic wall so the workshop could continue to function in proximity to its new uses. From the very beginning it has been seen as maintaining a link to the buildings industrial past but that was at threat in 2008 with the RWA serving the occupants with a notice to quit by the 30th September 2008. Following a successful campaign and Open Day the RWA and the Blacksmiths entered into a Lease that preserves the operating Blacksmiths and recognises the importance of heritage preservation in the setting up of the Technology Park. Here you can explore the issues and this successful campaign.
This petition has been put out by the ALP Meredith Burgmann for Mayor campaign. The petition states: Save the Eveleigh Blacksmith Shop - We call on the Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, to ensure the heritage blacksmithing equipment in place in the Australian Technology Park is preserved. We also call on the Minister to ensure blacksmithing operation sympathetic to the history of the site are continued - “Sydney’s industrial heritage is fast disappearing and something as important as this needs to be kept,” Meredith Burgmann, SMH, 2nd August, 2008.
May 1996 Letter from M.N. Clarke Chairman of the Engineering Heritage Committee to the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning concerning Heritage retention at the Eveleigh Locomotive Workshop.
This letter was sent by the ATP to the Directors of Wrought Artworks by the ATP Managing Director Robert Domm. The letter puts the RWA position on the issue and includes a "without prejudice" offer to resolve the dispute. The letter was made available by the ATP in line with the letters last paragraph.
The following statement from Wrought Artworks responds to various statements made by the RWA and ATP Managing Director Robert Domm about Wrought Artworks. The initial statements are in bold and the response of the Wrought Artworks Director's follow.
An Open Day will be held on Sunday 17th August 2008 from 10am – 2 pm at the ATP's Blacksmiths Shop with tours on the hour of the workshop, blacksmithing demonstrations and explanations of steam powered blacksmithing assemblages by Guido the Blacksmith. The Blacksmiths have been served a Notice to quit by the RWA so unless this is overturned this will be the last opportunity to see the Guido working old Blacksmith Shop. Please download this poster to promote the Open Day. File is 633 KB JPG.
This is the text of Clover Moore's address to the Rally to Save Eveleigh at the Blacksmithing Workshop Open Day - 17th August 2008.
This is the leaflet handed out by Clover Moore about rail heritage issues and to encourage comment on the RWA's North Eveleigh Concept Plan.
At the successful Eveleigh Locomotive Workshops Open Day on 17th August a Public Meeting was held and a motion seeking to resolve heritage issues across the former Eveleigh Rail yards was unanimously passed. The full text of the resolution passed is given below:
This letter was sent by Kristina Keneally as the local member for Heffron to Wrought Artworks following representations from Wrought Artworks to their local member. Letter like this were probably sent to others who contacted the local member. Wrought Artworks has replied to the letter seeking to clarify some misconceptions contained in the letter.
In response to the letter from Kristina Keneally MP of 27th August 2008, Wrought Artworks replied to clarify a number of issues. As the content of the letter from Kristina Keneally was probably used in other replies from her electoral office the Wrought Artworks reply has been provided below.
This link is to a Youtube video from the Wrought Artworks openday. It covers extacts from a number of the speaches from the day and some footage of the day. The content covered is broader that the Blacksmith and covers the need for a heritage solution accross the entire site.
Keep the Tradition - Save the Eveleigh Blacksmiths Workshop - Don't let it be lost forever! logo
Keep the Tradition of Blacksmiths at Eveleigh - You are Invited to our Open Day Sunday August 17 2008, from 10 AM Corner Garden & Boundary St Redfern.
These photos were taken when Wrought Artworks signed their initial lease at the ATP. Wrought Artworks say that the lease was never countersigned and returned which is why they did not have a lease in 2008.