Heritage campaigner’s home looks assured
By Mick Roberts
The future of 1840s sandstone terraces – once home to heritage activist Juanita Nielsen ‘ looks assured with City of Sydney Council formally deciding to add 198-202 Victoria Street to a list of sites to be considered for addition to the City Plan 2008 Heritage item Schedule.
The City News can reveal that the NSW Heritage Office is not considering the terraces for a protection order despite reports to the contrary. A NSW Heritage spokesperson said the building has not been nominated for inclusion on the NSW State Heritage Register to strengthen its protection against demolition.
However, Council’s decision to include the building on the City Plan 2008 Heritage item Schedule is a step in the right direction, according to the Kings Cross and Potts Point Heritage Society.
The terrace was where Juanita Nielsen published her fortnightly newspaper Now, which relentlessly campaigned against the destruction of local heritage by developers. Her disappearance in 1972 is believed to be a direct result of her campaign.
A City of Sydney Council spokesman said the inclusion of the terraces on the heritage schedule is due to the social significance rather than the architectural significance of the residence.
‘Her vocal support of the green bans and her refusal to sell this house may explain why she disappeared’ assumed murdered,’ the spokesperson said.
‘As a person who has become integral to the ‘Sydney story’, as measured by popular recognition, number of web sites, books etc, the significance of this place increases as the only remaining tangible connection to her, in the absence of a body.’
Kings Cross and Potts Point Heritage Society president Andrew Woodhouse said heritage is only about one thing: significance.
‘It is not a ‘look’ and can be anything from an old WWII air-raid bunker, a tank stream tunnel to Captain Cook’s original log book,’ he said.
‘We support this move and we support inclusion of this site on the state and federal heritage registers as well,’ Mr Woodhouse said.
