The structure, which has stood in the centre of Bathurst since 1933, was built to honour the men and women of the district who served and died during the First World War, but it has since become a memorial for locals who lost their lives in subsequent wars and peacekeeping operations across the world.

It was intended that the carillon be played by a clavier – a large wooden keyboard played with closed fists – but an electro-pneumatic system was installed instead.

A Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE) report in the development application lodged with Bathurst Regional Council shows the upgrade will include a clavier and additional bells.

The current top octave of bells will be replaced, a new higher octave of bells will be purchased and installed, and a new “Clock-o-matic” system that automatically strikes the bells every 15 minutes will be purchased and installed.

“The clavier is required to make the carillon into a functionally expressive musical instrument,” the SoEE states.

The carillon would then be able to be played with “variable intensity”, however the upgrade would not alter the “ground tone or note being played”.

The SoEE states while a “more musical sound” would be possible after the upgrade, it would not result in additional noise.

“Given that the new additional bells are smaller than any of the present bells, the overall volume of sound simply cannot increase as the large bells offer the bigger sound,” it states.

“It was always intended that the carillon be played. It was why the returned personnel who served on the Western Front decided on a carillon as a fitting tribute and memorial – they had heard similar bells in Flanders and elsewhere in Europe.”

When works do commence two large 50-80 tonne cranes will be located in Kings Parade during two separate work phases.

“The first phase will lift the roof and remove the upper register bells and frame in one operation,” the SoEE states.

“When the new bells and frames arrive, a month or so later, the cranes will return and the procedure repeated.”

During both phases, an area around the carillon will be fenced off as cranes work overhead.

The SoEE states that Russell and Church streets will not be closed during works.

While the present scope of works only includes new bells and the claviers, council has also endorsed plans to replace the carillon’s Eternal Flame with a hologram.

No external works are proposed during the upgrade, with no internal works required to the building itself.