Fire destroys another historic building

The former isolation hospital building at Sydney's historic North Head 
Quarantine Station was destroyed by fire last week. A similar fire 
destroyed the Quarantine Station's former "third class" accommodation 
building several weeks ago.

The Station has been at the centre of a bitter struggle between the Carr 
Government and the English hotel chain, Mawlands, on one hand, and 
historians, architects, local residents, and concerned citizens on the 
other.

Two years ago, in accordance with its commitment to privatisation of public 
assets, the NSW government agreed to lease the Quarantine Station, which 
formerly belonged to the Commonwealth Government, to Mawlands.

Up until now the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has administered 
the site, a popular destination for tourists, Sydney residents, and those 
seeking to utilise the buildings for weddings, conferences, etc.

The proposed Mawlands deal, which the State Government has supported in the 
teeth of all arguments against it, would effectively alienate the site from 
the public for up to 45 years, and would result in substantial 
modifications to the site, with a view to making it more commercially 
attractive to the lessees, but against the recommendations of conservation 
experts.

On the limited information available it appears that the lease would 
generate considerably less revenue to the state than if the National Parks 
and Wildlife Service continued to run the site.

The arrangement has been bitterly criticised as a sell-out of a beautiful, 
unique site of major historic importance to the state and the nation. There 
are few remaining quarantine station sites in Australia now, and the Sydney 
site, which was formally established in 1832, is the largest and most 
intact. It has much to tell us about the early history of the nation, and 
of our attitude to new arrivals, our medical systems, etc.

A recent report on the environmental aspects of the Mawlands proposal 
resulted in more than 1000 submissions from the public, most of which were 
opposed to the proposal.

As a result, the State Government decided to hold a commission of inquiry 
into the matter. That inquiry commenced its hearings this week.

It is expected to throw a great deal more light on the government's dogged 
support of the leasing arrangement, and could result in the cancellation or 
modification of the leasing proposal.

However, the two fires have already thrown light on the government's 
attitude to, and treatment of, the Quarantine Station. Since acquiring the 
site in 1984, the State Government has gradually reduced the amount of 
funding for its administration and maintenance.

This has resulted in a remarkably poor standard of security and fire 
preparedness, as tragically demonstrated in the fires that destroyed two of 
the biggest buildings on the site.

The Carr Government will be hard pressed to face down the growing criticism 
of its treatment of this extraordinary site of the early European 
occupation of the nation.