I object to the Parramatta Powerhouse because I believe that "Willow
Grove" and "St George's Terrace" Heritage Buildings should NOT be
demolished. It is inconceivable that the State Government would demolish
such well-known Heritage buildings in order to construct a large
"so-called modern" building in order to celebrate the History of the
area.

Although I live in a Regional City, Bathurst, I often visit the
Parramatta area and am well aware of the significance of the above
Heritage buildings.

Bathurst has in the past lost some of its heritage buildings. However,
many people who own heritage houses in Bathurst have been restoring them
in recent times to keep the heritage alive for future generations.

The State Government should look at other land which it owns in the
general area of Parramatta for a more suitable place to build a new
Museum. The existing Heritage Buildings should be retained and restored
if necessary to serve as a "true example" of the type of buildings which
were constructed in their era.

The State Government should listen to its people, especially those who
are experienced and passionate about history and heritage, and make an
appropriate decision regarding the way money should be spent to
celebrate history and heritage.

Please keep "Willow Grove" and "St George's Terrace" for the education
of young people and a living history of the early days of Parramatta.

I am writing to object to the Powerhouse (MAAS) Parramatta plans as they stand, particularly in regard to the destruction of Willow Grove and St George's Terraces.

I am all for the development of the MAAS in Parramatta as a valuable arts resource for the community, and was pleased to see common sense finally prevailing in the announcement that the MAAS would maintain a presence across both Ultimo and Parramatta sites, however the proposal to destroy heritage listed buildings in order to build a museum designed to showcase Sydney's design history is nothing short of cultural vandalism and the destruction of national heritage.

With the slightest of adjustments the planning and design could easily be modified to include the two heritage buildings. This would not only preserve our history for future generations, but also provide invaluable educational opportunities on site for public and curriculum-based learning in Australian colonial heritage, as well as provide a genuine tourist drawcard for the local area as a part of the wider museum.

To destroy these buildings in order to erect plaques describing what used to be there is no substitute for the educational possibilities they would provide if the buildings remained in situ, and any person of any common sense should be able to see how ridiculous and short sighted it would be to follow the currently planned course of action.


I write not only from the point of view of a private citizen, but also as a professional in the heritage, education and tourism sectors, with many years' experience in what captures the imagination of international tourists, interstate visitors and school groups of all ages. Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces represent an unparalleled opportunity to incorporate genuine heritage into a modern museum complex. This opportunity should not be missed.

Please don't tear down Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace at Parramatta
I feel like there is nothing additional to say ... the fact that this is even being considered is disgusting.

Please don't destroy Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace at Parramatta!

As someone from a newer suburb of Sydney, I think it is wrong to destroy our history. I leave my suburb to travel to places like Parramatta to enjoy the beauty of our past. Do not take that away from the community and spoil it for future generations.

The current proposal for “Powerhouse Parramatta” has not been thought through with any care. Parramatta people deserve something better than a compromise patching up a very long public dispute. In particular:
It requires the destruction of two heritage buildings,
It cannot (and does not even attempt to) reflect the deep history of Western Sydney, before and after 1788,
It is located on a physically problematic site, and
It is not designed for a proper arts centre.
Please send the idea ack to the drawing board, and consult Parramatta residents in deciding the concept[t, as well as its execution.

Our historic buildings are irreplaceable and should be preserved for future generations. Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces are heritage listed and it is vital that they are protected as per the intention of their listing as items of historic significance. Rome would be just another city if the Roman structures had been removed to make way for the newer buildings – I think you will agree that this would have been a travesty. We should project our past in the same way and ensure it remains in place for us to enjoy well into the future.


I urge you to protect these valued and unique buildings and remind our community of the importance of preserving our built history before it is all gone.

Please, please find a way to circumvent any plan to destroy Willow Grove and
St. George's Terrace Parramatta in the process of building a Museum at Parramatta.


It is a tragedy to destroy the surviving last historical remnants of early Colonial Australia at Parramatta. So much
has already been lost over the years. These buildings, practically 200 years old, are a prized reminder
of the settlement of the area of Parramatta. It is sadly ironic that we should even think to destroy historical buildings in order
to erect a functional building that most likely shall display the 'images' of what once was real and living history.

Alas I have not been able to access the EIS for the Power House
But what I do know is that WILLOW GROVE must be saved and retained at all costs
Any firm of Power House museum can go anywhere in Australia EXCEPT on that site.
In my 50 years on this planet I've never heard anything as ridiculous as destroying heritage to display history
It makes no sense
Please accept this email as my response to the submission

I object to the Parramatta Powerhouse development for a number of reasons.

This proposal to destroy the historic WillowGrove Villa and the St Georges Terrace is barbaric,

How can a museum to celebrate and preserve history be created at the expense of these two significant heritage items?

These two items are part of Parramatta's, and indeed, NSW's built history. They are also part of our social history. Ad once they are gone, they are gone forever.

I am also concerned about the proposed site - especially the flooding issue. I am old enough to remember when the old David Jones car park site was severely inundated by the flooded Parramatta river. How the current museum proposal can proceed at this location given its propensity to flood?

There is another site in Parramatta that could be found (adjacent to the new stadium perhaps?), that would enable a world class museum to be built in Parramatta. A site that would be flood free and would enable the preservation of Historic WillowGrove and St Georges Terrace.

Please be aware that I managed to create an account on the NSW Major Projects portal to make this submission, but then the site wouldn't let me proceed, with a repeated message saying an unexpected error had occurred. Probably due to the flood of submissions opposing this proposal.