Cautious optimism on Powerhouse

The government this week said it might consider keeping "some Powerhouse presence at the current site in Ultimo".

Arts Minister Don Harwin said the Government would consider retaining the current building at Ultimo as a "cultural space". The government will soon begin public consultation on the plans with a final business case to be released later this year. This is a real step forward in our campaign to stop the sell off of the Powerhouse.

See the Sydney Morning Herald article here

Minister Harwin said the government was still committed to delivering a museum for Western Sydney but that selling the current site was not essential to funding the Parramatta development.

This is a reason to be cautiously optimistic. With 400,000 artifacts, 95 per cent of which are in storage, there's ample scope for the Powerhouse collection to be shared between two sites along the lines of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

The Technological Museum opened in Ultimo over 120 years ago, and the Powerhouse identity is manifestly linked to the historic Ultimo Power Station.

Western Sydney residents deserve a museum which reflects their unique cultural and historic heritage, and Ultimo residents deserve to keep their 100 year old museum site out of the hands of developers.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign to save the Powerhouse. This has been a mighty effort considering both NSW Labor and the Liberals have supported the move.

We will be launching a campaign to ensure that we can secure the future of the Powerhouse in the coming weeks and will keep you informed.

Showing 4 reactions

Rhonda Davies commented 2017-04-24 17:10:06 +1000
I was raised near Parramatta and believe the powers that be are missing a great opportunity by stealing the Powerhouse museum off Sydney instead of following their own history. There is a great chance to explore and conserve the agricultural history post 1788 that began around Parramatta. Along with this how the Indigenous people used the land could also be studied and recorded, with the elders assistance. Much better than destroying the Sydney Power House for developors and another asset sale by this Government, the Lands Title sale was bad enough.
Jon Firth commented 2017-04-23 17:28:00 +1000
A glimmer of sense, keep the PHM where it is and make another i n the west. You can never have too many museums.
Lee Whitmore commented 2017-04-21 18:37:10 +1000
Saving the Powerhouse would be wonderful!
Gemma Pitcher published this page in News 2017-04-21 15:31:18 +1000

FERRIES AT ANNANDALE AND WEST BALMAIN

Imagine hopping on a ferry at Annandale or West Balmain and being in the heart of the city within minutes.

In 2020, we won the campaign for a Glebe ferry. Now, we have the opportunity to connect more of our area to the ferry network. New ferries at Annandale and West Balmain will provide a faster, smarter route into the city without adding to the traffic on our roads.

Both Labor and the Liberals want to build more polluting and destructive tollways across Sydney. But we have costed a comprehensive plan for a world-class public transport system that makes getting around our city fast and easy.

Dear Transport Minister,

New inner west ferry services would provide efficient, fast and environmentally sound travel to and from the area for workers, tourists, students, pensioners and the general public.

I therefore ask that the Government build on the success of the Blackwattle Bay ferry and establish a ferry service at Rozelle Bay for the Annandale area and reinstate the ferry at West Balmain.

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