The construction of a state-of-the-art Collections Facility in Bathurst is forging ahead.
A $4.6 million development, the project is being jointly funded with $2.3 million coming from the NSW Government, matched with a further $2.3 million from Bathurst Regional Council.
The NSW Government also contributed $100,000 towards the fit out of the facility.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole joined Mayor Robert Taylor at the site of the development in Leena Street, South Bathurst, and was impressed with progress on the multi-million dollar development.
Mr Toole said the Central Tablelands Collections Facility is a purpose-built, large scale repository, conservation and learning facility for regional NSW.
“The facility will accommodate valuable and fragile collections, archives and other significant cultural items currently held under the custodial care of Bathurst Regional Council,” Mr Toole said.
“It will also provide much-needed storage along with collection management services including cataloguing, preventative and material conservation treatment, curatorial inspection of collections, digitisation, virtual classroom and onsite learning facilities.”
Mr Toole said the Collections Facility would cater for large collections through to collections from smaller regional volunteer run museums, historical societies, collection groups, education facilities and private collections.
It will also enhance Bathurst Regional Council’s existing cultural industry partnerships with the University of Melbourne’s Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, M&G NSW Digitisation Project and outreach programs and The Australian Museum through the Somerville Collection.
Mayor Robert Taylor said the facility enhances Bathurst’s reputation as a cultural hub.
“We have an extensive collection of artworks and documents of significant cultural and heritage value housed across our museums, gallery and library and to be able to bring those together into a state-of-the-art facility will ensure we safeguard them for future generations,” he said.
“The $4.6 million project is jointly funded by Council and the NSW Government and it is exciting to see the progress on site.”
