Parramatta: Fight to save Wavertree heritage house at New Zealand St from disrepair

Parramatta is used to David and Goliath battles to rescue historic landmarks but the council is imploring the owner of a private sandstone abode to save it from more disrepair.

Parramatta Council wants the State Government to give it more powers to ensure heritage-listed property Wavertree in New Zealand St does not fall into more disrepair.

The 1840-built sandstone Victorian Georgian abode shares a connection to the historic All Saints Church nearby, as it was designed by the same architect James Houison, who built the grand abode for his daughter Annie, who later lived there when she married captain Hugh Fairclough in 1862.

Wavertree, named after Fairclough’s birthplace in Scotland, would have once faced Parramatta River and is decked out with sandstone chimneys and French doors.

But the local heritage-listed property has declined. It has deteriorating front fence palings, sagging gutters and missing roof tiles which could risk water entering the property.

Wavertree before it became neglected.

Labor councillor Patricia Prociv received an email from the daughter of the previous owners who sold the property in 2012 to relocate to Melbourne.

The woman, who requested not to be named, wrote to Cr Prociv imploring the council to carry out an urgent inspection of the property so its heritage status and “internal fittings are not lost forever’’.

The woman’s mother and stepfather renovated and maintained the property from the early 1980s, before selling it in 2012.

“Since that time, the property appears to have been left vacant and has been allowed to languish,’’ the woman said.

“It is now in a state of serious disrepair and it has a hole in the slate roof. Water spilling into the property will have significant impact upon the original and intact timber fittings of the home.’’

Fears are rising that water from roof holes could spill into the home.

However, the council wields little power to intervene because it is a private residence and attempts to contact the owner, who is understood to live in Hong Kong, since December have been unfruitful.

Most recently, council staff wrote to the owner, to explain the heritage value and seek co-operation in completing repairs but has not received feedback.

The failed attempts have led the council to request assistance from the Planning Minister, and Environment and Heritage Minister, to investigate making changes to legislation that would give it more power to prevent neglect of historic properties.

Cr Prociv said: “Because we can’t contact the owners to be let into the site, we don’t know the extent of the damage.’’

Under the council’s local heritage fund scheme, property owners can apply for the funds up to 25 per cent of the value of the work (or a maximum of $3300).

The council voted to write to the government at Monday night’s council meeting.

Parramatta heritage advocates are accustomed to fighting for heritage, including unsuccessful campaigns to save the heritage-listed Willow Grove and Royal Oak Hotel to make way for the government’s Powerhouse Museum and light rail respectively.

MORE NEWS

MP David Elliott dismisses running for Parramatta in the federal election

North Parramatta: Nick Henning is The O’Connell St Walking Dress Up Guitar Guy

Originally published as Parramatta: Fight to save Wavertree heritage house at New Zealand St from disrepair