Dear Sir

The state and federal government have a duty to save and protect what is left of our dwindling heritage. As someone who went to school at OLMC Parramatta, I can tell you the damage the local council has done and private certifiers have done in removing our 2nd Settlement Heritage is beyond vandalism.

Tougher laws need to come into place and an individual heritage conservation commission set up to preserve, restore and protect what we have left of our colonial history.

Other cities around the world go out of their way to conserve with historical artefacts and buildings. In Australia we are backwards in that regard and property developers and all tiers of government seem to operate in checked and often within the loopholes of the law. The destruction of a 140 year old home before council could meet to restore the heritage order on it in Kiama is a case in point.

Stop heritage vandalism now

There will be nothing left

I would like to register my objection to the demolition of these beautiful old historical buildings. How can a Government justify this to destroy our history to display other historical items. It doesn't make sense. So please register my objection to this destruction.

I wish to add my voice to the others imploring the NSW state government to preserve the historic Willow Grove & St Georges Terraces.

I find it deplorable that the NSW government would demolish these buildings of significant historical and cultural significance within not just Parramatta, but the surrounding area as well.


I really do not understand how a building that has a heritage listing, will not be retained.

The government itself in its own report states “Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace are one of a kind in the Parramatta CBD and their loss would have a significant impact on the community's connection with heritage"


Parramatta Council has a wonderful vision for a public square alongside the river which incorporates Willow Grove and the St Georges Terraces which is sensitive to the historical significance of the area.

It also provides for green space which is fast disappearing or being overwhelmed by the increase in high rise and other high density development.


Keep the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo and instead create a museum and cultural destination within the historic Cumberland Hospital Precinct in North Parramatta.

Once buildings like these are gone, there is no bringing them back.

Please rethink this decision.

Save Willow Grove and the St Georges Terraces.


I have not made any reportable political donations.

I object to the Parramatta Powerhouse Museum being built because of the planned demolition of Willow Grove and St George Terraces. These heritage buildings should be preserved and if the government can backtrack on the Powerhouse, Ultimo decision, then morally it should do the same for Parramatta heritage buildings. Willow Grove and St George Terraces must be preserved under any circumstances.

Dear Sir,

I'm writing to express my objection to the destruction of Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace at Parramatta.
We seem to have lost so many properties that are part of our history, please help preserve this one.
We want a city with character and soul not one that's cold and has no heart.
Please preserve these beauties.

To whom it may concern,

We must not destroy our heritage. As a young country we are destroying our history and part of our story as a nation. Older building such as Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace are one of a kind and cannot and should not be replaced.

Please consider that The Old King’s School
in Parramatta was also recently refurbished as a new public school, the difference being efforts were made to keep the original structure of the building and it’s beautiful features.

I object to the Parramatta Powerhouse in place of our heritage buildings because we have so much to lose. These places are not only structurally appealing but hold many memories to earlier life in Parramatta and to early settlement as a whole.

As a school teacher, I wonder what will remain to teach children about the past if we have already destroyed most of it? History is an integral part of the curriculum, especially local history and heritage.

We must think of ways to care for and protect heritage sites instead of destroying them!

Save Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace!

Dear Sir,

I strongly object to the destruction of Willow Grove and St. Georges Terrace Parramatta.

My ancestors came to Australia in 1788 and one relative was a well known man in Parramatta. This is an amazingly historical area and as a Tour Guide I believe it should be preserved for future generations.

Please reconsider this destruction.

1. Keep the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo.
2. Create the Museum at the historic Cumberland Hospital Precinct near the gaol but away from the Female Factory site.
If built near the road large exhibits could be craned from a lowloader in or out by using a crane on the museum roof. Aided by holes through each floor.
3. Build Cultural Centre elsewhere in Parramatta or at the Museum Storage Centre at Castle Hill as there is a new DA extension before the Hills Shire Council now.
4. Save Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces, and realise the existing Parramatta Council vision for a public square alongside the river.

To whom it may concern,


I wish to state my objection to the proposed demolition of the beautiful heritage listed buildings known as St George Terrace, built 1881 and Willow Grove, built 1886 in Parramatta.

It seems that the continued agenda of the proposed destruction of these buildings is nothing more than a churlish backlash by the politicians and their bureaucratic minders since their plans to sell off the current Power House Museum for housing development was thwarted by a massive public opinion backlash.

Far too few buildings of this era remain, the mighty dollar from developers has overridden common sense and many such buildings have been destroyed to create unwarranted high rise eyesores.

The Planning Dept of NSW has the opportunity in this matter, to say no to further development and retain part of the area's history for future generations to inspect and admire.

To save this little bit of our colonial history the demolition of these buildings must be refused. There are many other sites more suitable and indeed flood free for the construction of the museum.

Time to do the right thing and say "NO"!!..

Firstly I would like to say that I am pleased that the original Powerhouse Museum will stay at Ultimo in the current buildings. It is a world class museum that preserves historic buildings as well as being purpose built to display a large collection. The building is award winning and easily accessible and should never have been considered for demolition.

Secondly I would like to state that I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because the plans currently involve the destruction of the heritage buildings Willowgrove and the St.Georges Terraces. These buildings are very important to the architectural and local history of both Parramatta and NSW. Parramatta is central to the social history of colonisation and these buildings are part of that rich cultural story that deserves preservation for all Australians. It is a travesty to destroy much loved and heritage protected buildings to build a museum purported to protect history. Such disregard for history is shocking and needs to be stopped.

Parramatta has lost too many historic buildings that can never be replaced. The recent wanton destruction of the Royal Oak Hotel, one of the oldest colonial pubs built Australia, shows us that once these buildings are lost they are gone forever and with them we lose part of what makes Parramatta unique and historically important to all citizens.

If a museum is to be built on the site it should be built around the historic buildings and include them in the story through sympathetic architecture that preserves the buildings in their entirety. The current design is ugly, impractical and will be unable to house or display many of the Powerhouse Museums exhibits.

An alternative site that could be used to display the collection is available at the North Parramatta Heritage Precinct and with the tram links it could prove to be a much better site and would allow the preservation of the historic buildings, landscape and indigenous sites. This use would also prevent any inappropriate high rise development.

A modern, civilised society protects its history and culture by preserving its architectural and social history to allow us to understand the development of our society and pass on this understanding to our children. Destruction of heritage buildings in Colonial Parramatta is a form of vandalism which needs to be prevented for the benefit of not just the people of Parramatta but for the citizens of Sydney, NSW and all of Australia.