Helensburgh & District News

August 2007 - Vol.17 No.7

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By Michelle Neathercote

A major new public artwork of a 2.5 meter bronze sculpture of a coalminer standing on a plinth is in danger of being abandoned because of ‘heritage impact concerns’ over its preferred placement near the Post Office building.
Scott Smith, who is leading the artwork’s development as part of the Helensburgh Beautification Project, said many years of planning and persistence had gone into the project which has secured $90,000 in sponsorship from Helensburgh Coal and the local Coalminers Union.
“We have done extensive pre-approval planning for a DA submission to Council with their guidance, including design of the sculpture (with local artist Gaye Porter) and landscaping with several on-site meetings to help identify any potential obstacles to the project,” said Scott.
Scott said every group’s preferred option for the sculpture is in the existing courtyard area at the Post Office. A significant cost saving has been negotiated with Telstra to replace the two public phones with a heritage style phone cabinet on the building’s side. But the project may not go ahead as Council’s Heritage Department has indicated it won’t approve the sculpture there, as its “inappropriate in this position, creating an obstruction to the view of the Post Office building that diminished its heritage qualities”.
“We are baffled by this response, as the sculpture creates an immediate visual representation of our fascinating culture and rich heritage, gives relevance to our newly adopted brand ‘Historic Helensburgh’ and draws together many other significant historical sites and restorations for the benefit of the community and our visitors,” said Scott.
“The side of the Post Office is private land so its out, and we consider the department’s preference for next to the car park or in Charles Harper Park, to be a poor substitute for what is meant to be a central object in our town, that relegates it to be out of sight and at the mercy of vandals.
“The roundabout can’t be used as it could distract a driver and we also want people to be able to get up get close to the figure, take photos and read about the town’s history.”
Other alternative locations that have been rejected include the hotel (rejected because of the building’s ‘heritage qualities’), at the PO corner in a newly planted area (advised ‘too close to roadside and destructive to that work’), or beside the PO in Walker St (posed ‘a distraction to motorists’).
“It is disappointing and frustrating that after all this hard work we are being treated in this way,” said Scott, who said had always shared a good working relationship with Council staff, but has now had to “to seek a political resolution through the Lord Mayors office” with another on-site meeting planned to stop the demise of the project.

NEWS FLASH!

The Lord Mayor and various departments of Wollongong Council met on-site at Helensburgh Post Office on the 26th June with members of the sculpture project to finalise the placement of the sculpture. The good news is that Scott Smith and his team have successfully gained the agreement of all parties which now allows them to proceed with the Development Application as the next stage of planning.