Royal Oak Hotel Parramatta demolition begins for light rail
Heritage buffs are shattered as bulldozers have moved in to start demolition on an iconic Parramatta pub, which is set to make way for the State Government’s controversial light rail project.
Parramatta
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After a long campaign to save more than 200 years of heritage, machinery started chipping away at the Royal Oak Hotel at Parramatta last night to make way for the $2.4 billion Parramatta Light Rail.
Residents and heritage campaigners captured the gradual erosion of the 207-year-old pub on video and photographs at the corner of Ross and Church streets after 10pm.
The pub is being demolished to make way for the controversial light rail, the State Government’s project to deliver 12km of light rail from Westmead to Carlingford.
Among the shattered members of the community is Lorraine George, who is a sixth-generation niece of Sirius ship First Fleeter founder William Tunks, whose son John built the Royal Oak.
“It’s not just family point of view, it’s the whole precinct in Parramatta that’s such a valuable aspect to protect,’’ Mrs George said.
“The saddest part for us, apart from the Royal Oak, is there just doesn’t seem to be any respect for the heritage.’’
Convict John Metcalf established the pub as the Shamrock, Rose and Thistle in 1813 before Tunks built and ran the Royal Oak.
The Cobb & Co Stables at the back of the site, will be retained, during the six-week demolition project.
The stabling yards were used when horse racing was held at Parramatta Park.
But Parramatta Labor councillor Donna Davis expressed concerns that the stables were not adequately protected from construction.
“The stables should have a protected zone around 2m and that was certainly not evident last night,’’ she said.
“Last night there was a front-end loader parked right next to the stables.
“Now the focus has to be on protecting the stables and now that’s not very evident that’s being done.’’
Heritage supporters are also still lobbying for details from a salvage report to be released so the community can be aware of features that can be retained.
“This is their pub,’’ Cr Davis said. “They’ve been drinking there for 200 years and they want to know what's being saved.’’
Historic gems include pressed metal ceilings and fireplaces, which are believed to unveil more historic treasures concealed during renovations.”
However, a Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the pressed metail ceilings could not be salvaged because of lead dust contamination.
She said materials including exterior tiles, the laneway wall bricks attached to the Cobb & Co Stables and some sandstone foundation blocks had been removed in the salvage process.
“A number of internal fixtures and fittings were removed by the Royal Oak Hotel’s previous owner prior to Transport for NSW taking possession of the property,’’ she said.
The spokeswoman said that, under the Planning Department’s conditions, the Heritage Archival Recording and Salvage Report for the hotel would be shared with stakeholders including the Department of Premier and Cabinet – Heritage NSW, the NSW Heritage Council, Parramatta Council and local historical societies.