Graythwaite | save our heritage

Wonderful news - Local member Joe Hockey announces a $25 million Australian Government commitment to save Graythwaite. Labor Candidate, Mike Bailey, provides bipartisan support

In truly fantastic news, local member and Federal Cabinet Minister, Joe Hockey, has announced that the Australian Government will provide a total of $25 million to help save Graythwaite. The Hockey package is carefully crafted to both meet the legal requirements of the Trust established by Sir Thomas Dibbs to care for our returned soldiers and sailors and to provide for the restoration of the historic mansion, which has suffered significant deterioration over the past 25 years.

Full details are provided in this media release. To summarise, the Australian Government will put a proposal to the Supreme Court that ownership of Graythwaite be transferred to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust with the Government providing $20 million to the NSW RSL to be spent on aged care facilities for veterans. In addition the Commonwealth will provide $5 million for the restoration of the Graythwaite mansion. The grounds would be leased to North Sydney Council to provide a much need park for the North Sydney CBD, while the mansion would in part be used by the RSL to be used as the headquarters of its Lifecare services.

Labor candidate for the seat of North Sydney, Mike Bailey, has offered bipartisan support for the saving of Graythwaite, issuing this media release that says in part: "I am pleased to announce today that, provided Mr Hockey's proposal for Graythwaite is sound, Kevin Rudd and Labor will fully support it."

However, it will still be up to the Supreme Court to decide the future of Graythwaite. We believe that the Commonwealth's proposal is a compelling one that meets all of the needs of both the Dibbs Trust and of all of those interested in Graythwaite. However, that does not guarantee Court agreement.

If the Supreme Court does accept the Australian Government's proposal then WE HAVE WON!!!! and Graythwaite will be saved for the public for all time!

The Graythwaite Estate is one of the hidden gems of Sydney. Located at 50 Union St North Sydney [map] the Estate consists of a magnificent three storey Victorian sandstone mansion set in six acres of landscaped gardens. It has expansive views across Sydney Harbour to the Royal National Park and the Blue Mountains.

With its sweeping lawns, towering figs and rainforest glades, it is almost impossible to believe that such a magical place is just an easy five minute walk from the heart of the North Sydney CBD. In fact, in terms of its size and proximity to the CBD, the only comparable property in Sydney is Government House.

No one would think of building medium density housing or allowing commercial development in the grounds of Government House, but that is precisely what NSW Health envisages for Graythwaite [map].

Not only is Graythwaite the only remaining large area of parkland close to the North Sydney CBD, but the Estate is also a unique and priceless part of our heritage. Dating from the 1830s, it was entrusted to the State in 1915 by Sir Thomas Dibbs. His extraordinary gift was made in the immediate aftermath of the terrible news of Gallipoli reaching our shores. He wanted his home to be used as a convalescent home for the wounded Anzacs. Graythwaite is a living link to Gallipoli and all that it means to our national identity.

To read some of the sad stories about the ANZACs who lived and died in Graythwaite and how it was used as an ANZAC Hostel for the most incapacitated of those who came back from the Great War read this piece by well known historian, Associate Professor Melanie Oppenheimer.

In 1994 NSW Health initiated a process to sell-off Graythwaite for development. Concerted public opposition and the looming state election saw these plans temporarily shelved. With the property no longer suitable for use as a nursing home, NSW Health is again seeking to sell Graythwaite.

In March 2006 the Northern Sydney and Central Coast Area Health Service commenced action in the Supreme Court to enable it to sell Graythwaite for development. The first part of this court case was decided in August 2007. The Court found that the current use of Graythwaite, as a nursing home for patients with no prospect of recovery, was not consistent with the use for which Sir Thomas Dibbs gave the Graythwaite, namely convalescence. This was despite Graythwaite having been used since 1919 as a nursing home for persons with no prospect of recovery. As a consequence, the Court determined that the Graythwaite Trust had failed in its present form.

The Court has now commenced a second round of proceedings to determine the best use for Graythwaite as close as possible to the purpose for which it was given. Two such schemes have been proposed to the Court.

One, by NSW Health, proposes the sale of Graythwaite, the proceeds to be used for a rehabilitation facility at Ryde Hospital. This proposal ignores all of Graythwaite's values and is simply a grab for cash.

The other proposal, by the Australian Government, is that the purposes of the Graythwaite Trust be fulfilled by the grant by the Commonwealth of $20 million to the RSL for use for the provision of care services to veterans, that the grounds of Graythwaite be leased for a peppercorn rental to North Sydney Council for use as a regional park for the North Sydney CBD, that the Commonwealth provide $5 million for the restoration of the Graythwaite mansion and that part of the mansion be used by the RSL's Lifecare program. This proposal is supported by the Commonwealth, North Sydney Council and the Friends of Graythwaite.

Should the Court reject the Commonwealth's proposal then the RSL has a secondary proposal very similar to NSW Health's with Graythwaite being sold for development but that the sale proceeds be directed to the RSL to provide for veterans care. Again this proposal would be a disaster for Graythwaite and all of its values.

What we need to do now is to get the NSW Government to recognise that Graythwaite is not just a Health issue and that the State and the Nation would lose far too much should Graythwaite be sold. With the Commonwealth now having come to the party, we now need to get the NSW Government to support the Commonwealth's proposal as a major win for the people of New South Wales. Please email or write to the Premier to state your support.