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Post Office & Town Hall Facade (far left) |
Heritage Advisory Service
Council's Heritage Advisory Service was established in 1986, and since that time there has been a marked improvement in the appearance of commercial and residential buildings throughout the city.
The ultimate aim of the Service is to create enthusiasm amongst the public to preserve significant aspects of the past.
An example of assistance given by the service is free professional advice from a qualified Heritage Advisory who visits Broken Hill on a monthly basis. Arrangements can be made to contact the Heritage Advisor through Council's Environmental Services Department on telephone (08) 8080 2270.
Items of Local Significance Council's Local Environmental Plan lists 357 items as "Heritage Items". These items vary from recognisable buildings such as the Court House or Post Office, to shops or hotels, to mine changehouses or headframes. Over 10 residential properties are also listed as items of local heritage significance.
The Local Environmental Plan also sets aside three heritage conservation areas in Broken Hill. These are known as the Argent Street Heritage Conservation Area, Oxide Street Heritage Conservation Area, and Rainbow Avenue Heritage Conservation Area. Work to properties listed as Heritage items, or within a Conservation area, may require development consent, please contact Council's Environmental Services Department for information.
Residential Buildings Conservation Policy Broken Hill - City Council has introduced a successful policy aimed at encouraging improvements to residential buildings within the city. This policy was introduced in 1991. Funding is available to residents to assist them in repainting the exterior of their house to help preserve the heritage character and to encourage restoration within the city. Assistance is provided in the following manner: - an amount of up to $300 grant per property with such an amount not to exceed 50% of the total approved work; - an amount of up to $1000 loan per property with such an amount not to exceed 50% of the total approved work. For any further enquiries regarding funding, contact Council's Environmental Services Department on telephone (08) 8080 2270.
Heritage Trails - A heritage drive has been developed for Broken Hill. It is fully signposted and is approximately 40km in length located within city limits. A heritage walk has been developed for the centre of the city. An illustrated booklet and map has been published to serve as an interpretive guide to the heritage trails. As part of the Trail, unique outdoor interpretive signage has been designed for Broken Hill. The signs are extremely popular with visitors, and have been copied all over the country.
Heritage Awards - Heritage certificates are awarded on annual basis for exemplary paint schemes and for general building restoration.
Verandah Revival Program - Council encourages business owners to undertake restoration work to verandahs in the city. Council offers financial assistance by way of a low interest loan (full amount or part thereof), payable over four years. Work as part of this program can be either replacement of the verandah or restoration of the existing verandah. This funding has been made available under the State Government's Heritage 2001 Program.
Photographic Service - The Broken Hill City Library has an important archival photographic collection which continues to expand. This photographic collection is available for research and display, and is useful in heritage interpretation and restoration of architecture throughout the City, Copies of photographs are also available for purchase at the Library. The Environmental Services Department has 'before and after' photographs that have been compiled to show the dramatic impact of building and restoration work and to illustrate the effectiveness of the Heritage Advisory Service which assisted the upgrading of many buildings.
Contact details
Environmental Services
08 8080 3340 (ph)
08 8080 3424 (fax)
council@brokenhill.nsw.gov.au
