THE iconic Catherine Hill Bay jetty’s heritage importance has increased since last week’s inferno, the town’s progress association says.
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The firestorm that swept through the seaside town destroyed the historic Wallarah House and Jetty Master’s Cottage – relics of the town’s coalmining history.
Timber sections of the jetty, formerly used to load coal, also suffered fire damage.
‘‘We’ve lost all our historical buildings now,’’ progress association president Sue Whyte said.
‘‘The jetty has become even more important.’’
Ms Whyte said it was the ‘‘only remaining structure’’ that showed the town’s coal history.
‘‘If it can be saved, we really should be saving it,’’ she said.
Lake Coal applied last year to the NSW government to demolish the jetty, but the matter had not been resolved.
Ms Whyte urged Lake Coal to engage a structural engineer with heritage qualifications to examine the jetty’s structural integrity, following the fire.
She said fire burnt through older parts of the jetty, but its steel and concrete structure remained.
A Lake Coal spokesman said its immediate priority was ‘‘to eliminate any danger to the public’’.
‘‘Work was carried out to extinguish a section of the headland that was still smouldering,’’ the spokesman said.
Damaged sections of the jetty that threatened public safety were recovered.
‘‘Once the area has been made safe and damaged material removed, Lake Coal will assess what further action is required.’’
Lake Macquarie City Council rejected in 2010 an offer from Lake Coal to own the jetty and receive $1million.
It was estimated three years ago that the jetty would cost $3million to restore and a further $3.5million over 10 years to maintain.
Councillors had previously called on Lake Coal to fully finance a trust to restore and reuse the jetty. They believed the company should give back to the community, after reaping millions of dollars in coal profits from the area.