War on highrise in Hurlstone Park ramping up as suburb gets ‘poster bombed’

THE community-led fight to halt highrise development in Hurlstone Park has stepped up its creative approach with amusing posters propping up around the suburb’s heritage items.

Carmel Elliott, Max Ulm and Sofia Markeikis are unhappy with the changing face of Hurlstone Park. Pictures: Tim Clapin

THE community-led fight to halt highrise development in Hurlstone Park has stepped up its creative approach with amusing posters propping up around the suburb’s heritage items.

The suburb has been ‘poster bombed’ with signs that read “keep calm and protect our Hurlstone Park” and include references to cult classic Aussie films The Castle and Crocodile Dundee.

The posters are the brainchild of Cheryl Rose, who has lived in the suburb for 16 years, and were created due to her fear Hurlstone Park was losing its “heritage and unique” feel.

“There’s highrise going up and completely surrounding the suburb,” Ms Rose said. “I feel like Donald Trump has come in and built a wall around us. And we’re not even in Mexico.”

Late last year, Canterbury-Bankstown Council released its Hurlstone Park Heritage Study which identified 51 properties with heritage significance. In September, shortly before those findings were released, two historic homes at Floss St and Duntroon St were demolished to make way for a boarding house with 47 rooms.

A few more of the posters propping up around Hurlstone Park.

Ms Rose said she decided to create the posters in such a way as she believed it would be more “attention grabbing” than traditional protest signs.

“I wanted to raise awareness about what is happening to Hurlstone Park and get people to stand up,” she said.
“We can’t just let them come in and destroy our area.”

The Hurlstone Park Association has been the main body fighting for the suburb to retain its character. Association committee member Marie Healey said she was completely behind the posters and their message.

“These posters represent a strong community that loves this small suburb. We really feel it’s the jewel in the crown of the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA,” she said.

“We are working to ensure its great heritage, green spaces and village feel are protected for current and future residents.”

Last year, Greater Sydney commissioner Morris Iemma told The Express due to Hurlstone Park’s unique character, the suburb’s scope for development was “limited”.