Over the last four years, a group of committed and passionate people have worked to protect, conserve and acknowledge the history and heritage of the Bathurst Agricultural Research Station and now the work has been acknowledged.
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This has been undertaken in a number of ways including listing of the entire site on the National Trust Register, conducting a Petition of Concern with 196 signatures and heritage listing of the entire research station site in Bathurst Regional Council’s local environment plan.
The group has also obtained an interest from some 75 people to established a friends group at last year’s Heritage Trades Trail.
Now, in a move to further uphold of the history of the research station, the Friends of Bathurst Agricultural Research Station was registered through NSW Fair Trading at the end of April.
Group president Chris Bayliss said it’s exciting news for the group.
“It means we are a recognised body, which means we can open up and recruit members and have recognised group meetings,” he said.
“The objective of the group is to re-purpose the research station in the future and come to an arrangement with the owners to continue it’s upkeep.”
The group had been meeting informally once a month but the group will now require an executive group to keep up with the NSW Fair Trading standards.
Mr Bayliss is encouraging interested people and community groups to use the space at the research station.
“We’ve have a number of community groups show interest in using the site,” he said.
The objective of the group is to re-purpose the research station.
- Friends of Bathurst Agricultural Research Station president Chris Bayliss
The group is also planning to establish a botanic garden, an agricultural museum and education centre, a unique feature for the Bathurst region.
Retaining the site’s heritage, infrastructure and agriculture history, buildings and plantings is some of the group’s objectives.
The steering committee would welcome the interest and collaboration of Bathurst residents in future preservation, adaptation and re-purposing of the research station.
Interested community groups and people who are keen in becoming involved with the Friends of Bathurst Agricultural Research Station group can connect Mr Bayliss on 0409 710 055.
