Selling the shire’s oldest house, Gunyah cottage at Sylvania, would be the equivalent of knocking down George Washington’s house, a Sutherland Shire councillor has said.
The timber workman’s cottage at 5 Evelyn Street North, sits on a 588 square-metre block and is the only remaining building of the c1879 mansion Sutherland House from which the shire got its name.
The house was heritage-listed in 1993 and the council purchased it in 2003 with the intention to develop and sell the site.
But the property was never restored and has fallen into disrepair and is now considered surplus to council requirements and council staff have recommended it be sold at public auction.
Last Monday the council voted to sell the property but not before an emotional debate.
Deputy mayor Peter Scaysbrook said the council was selling a piece of the history of not only of Sutherland Shire but of modern Australia.
“We pride ourselves on being the birthplace of modern Australia yet we are prepared to trash the oldest built structure in Sutherland Shire,” Cr Peter Scaysbrook said.
“It would be the equivalent of knocking down George Washington’s house.
“Can we look pass the balance sheet for just one minute.
“This is a piece of history that once gone cannot be replaced.
“This is the last vestige in Sutherland Shire of the era when modern Australia was born.
“Not withstanding its ongoing heritage listing , I am concerned for the future of this building.”
Cr Ray Plibersek called on the council to save the building and see of it could be restored.
“It’s an historic property, the oldest standing in Sutherland Shire,” he said.
“It is dilapidated but I don’t think we should sell it and then perhaps in a few years time have to approve a development application that will lead to its demolition.
“My suggestion is that we do not proceed with the sale but use it as a project with the local TAFE where young students work to restore the building which will be saved for future generations.
“I move that the sale not proceed and that the council’s general manager liaise with TAFE and other trade institutions to see if they are interested in restoring the building.”
But Cr Tom Croucher said the council should proceed with the sale saying the that nearby residents were concerned because the building had been occupied by vagrants.
He said he had the council had run out of options for the building.
“I’ve suggested a playground, an historical park. I’ve run out of viable options for it. Whoever buys it are still subject to the heritage order,” he said.
Cr Barry Collier also supported the sale.
“I visited it last weekend and shocked at the state,” he said.
“This has taken 14 years to get here. 14 years of neglect. The person who buys it will have to develop it in accordance with the heritage plan.”
He said the cost of keeping the property would be the council services the council would have to forego while the property is maintained.
Cr Kent Johns said he would have preferred an expression of interested for an interested party to restore it and develop it as a child care centre or something similar.
“But I think we have waited too long,” he said.
Mayor Carmelo Pesce said he had visited the site four years ago and saw then the amount of work that was needed to restore it.
“I am a carpenter and I understand how much it would cost,” he said.
“If we want to see it restored I believe this is the way we could do it. The best option is to give it to someone who knows that they have to restore it and we will get our heritage back.”
