Campbelltown’s Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant back on the market
The historic Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant and surrounding land is back on the market.
Macarthur
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The historic Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant and surrounding land is back on the market.
The restaurant, built in 1845, is one of Campbelltown’s oldest buildings and is listed by Campbelltown Council as historically significant, but has fallen into a dilapidated state since a fire ripped through the building in 2005 and forced its closure as a restaurant.
It was built as a steam mill house and was later used as a maternity hospital.
It is also known as the Old Kendall Mill House, according to its listing on the Campbelltown Local Environment Plan.
Campbelltown Council has been attempting to preserve the iconic CBD building since 2005 but its private ownership has been a roadblock to any work being done.
The listing for the land on selling agent LJ Hooker Commercial’s website describes the area as a “strategically positioned potential development site at the southern end of busy Queen St” and as having a development application concept for 74 units and 113m2 of commercial space with a 32m height limit.
LJ Hooker Commercial real estate agent Darren Zammit said the land had been on the market for several weeks and had attracted interest from prospective buyers.
“The owner is seeking about $7 million,” he said.
“We’ve had interest but a major factor is the Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant, which is heritage listed, obviously whoever buys it would like to put apartments on the land.
“They’ve been doing their own investigations into how that could happen.”
Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society president John White said it was disappointing to see the building in its run-down state and was hopeful any sale would see a buyer return it to its former glory.
“This is the problem with heritage buildings that have been let go to the extent that this has,” he said.
“The people with the money to buy something like this are usually developers.
“Developers who value the heritage of a site are extremely rare.
“All we can ask for is a development that is sympathetic to the site, we just have to hope for the best.”
Mr White said he hoped to see a buyer come in who had plans for the site other than a high-rise apartment complex.
“Personally, I would look at building a boutique hotel or a wine bar if I had the money,” he said.
In 2016, then Campbelltown Council Heritage protection subcommittee chairman Liberal Cr Ted Rowell said a proposal for a 72-unit 10-storey was not appropriate for the site.
“We definitely would like to see the current heritage building restored to put it back to its former glory,” Cr Rowell said at the time.
“It has a lot of history and it would be a shame to lose it. I would rather see a commercial development rather than a residential development.
“The proposal has been considered to be an overdevelopment and would impact upon the heritage significance of the site.”
The Macarthur Chronicle reported the site was listed for sale for $3.5 million in 2007.
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