“I was built in 1876 and I’m Italian”

By Rozzi Smith

How does Italianate architecture from the 1800’s fit with Cabonne Council’s heritage colour card of 2018?

Ask Kerry Ferguson (the owner of 46 Bank Street) who discovered Council’s heritage rules when she and her family recently took to their home (and soon to be shopfront) with paint brushes and rollers – and a colour card respectful of the origins and heritage of the Italianate architecture her building represents.

“Why not Molong?” asks Kerry who it seems will be forced to comply with Council’s limited ‘heritage’ colour palette.

Kerry’s question is probably one the gentleman of the Board of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney may well ask today, if they could, – about the exciting building style they chose – 142 years ago – for the new settlement of Molong.

An architectural style of international origin and heritage – a building like no other which would provide a point of difference to the new commercial centre, named Bank Street.

A style which could also reflect early settlers and commerce builders ‘home’ linkages to London, UK, Italy, European and Mediterannean countries etc.
46 Bank Street provides a dilemma for today’s Council – one which has noticeably affected former Councillors, managers, planners, town builders, community members and continued to cause conflicts in a town where flexibility and moving forward to the future would be a much better outcome – for all.

Could 46 Bank Street be the ‘agent of change’?