Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the gates of the former Australiana Pioneer Village on Sunday, determined to stop the sell-off that would rob them of their heritage.
The 500-strong crowd included community members of every age and from all walks of life. Many held placards with messages such as Save the Village, Don't Sell Our Heritage and Keep Your Hands Off Our Village, and some were decked out in Australiana clothing.
The Friends of the Australiana Pioneer Village organised the rally to fight Hawkesbury City Council's recent decision to sell the Village, and they garnered plenty of support from locals on the day.
Friends' President Lesley George made the group's resolve known when she addressed the crowd gathered in Wilberforce.
"We'll get those gates open by hook or by crook and we'll all be in there by Australia Day next year," Mrs George said.
The Friends' business manager Sid Kelly said the Council was "fresh out of ideas" when it came to the Village, and their approach had been to "get rid of the problem".
"It's a bloody disgrace," he said.
"Shame on you, you are endeavouring to destroy a national icon."
Greens MP Sylvia Hale backed the Friends and implored people to lobby all levels of Government, including NSW Planning Minister Kristina Keneally, to save the Village. She said recent changes to the NSW Heritage Act meant the Village was in danger of being removed from the NSW Heritage Register.
"What I really do fear, if this village is sold, whoever buys it will say we've got to take it off the heritage register, and once they do it will be impossible to get it back on," she told the crowd.
"I'm concerned it [the Village] could be one of the first items with an application to remove it from the register."
Meanwhile, Riverstone MP John Aquilina vowed to support the community in its fight to save the Village. Mr Aquilina said he had spoken with Planning Minister Kristina Keneally, who had promised to make sure the Village stayed on the State heritage register.
Another speaker who held her own amongst the politicians and councillors was 10-year-old Amy Barry (pictured).
Amy spoke about how she and many of her classmates had never seen the inside of the Village because it had been closed since she was born.
She went on to urge the Council to listen to the people of the Hawkesbury and not sell the property.
"I was recently reading a brochure published by the Hawkesbury City Council titled Shaping Our Future. It stated that one of our main goals was to retain and manage key heritage assets," she said.
"The Pioneer Village is a key asset not only to the Hawkesbury but to Australia."
Chris McLachlan, whose parents founded the Village in the 1960s, also addressed the vocal crowd. He described the potential sell-off as a "disgusting situation".
"A number of councillors said it was never profitable... I challenge any of them to prove that. I have got documentary proof the Village made money from day one," he said. "It was successful and it will be successful again when Council gives it back to us."
His speech was never going to be popular, but Hawkesbury Mayor Bart Bassett still took to the stage to explain why he and seven other councillors voted in May to sell the Village.
He said councillors could not sign off on the Friends' business plan because it proposed a 99-year-lease and was financially open-ended; but he did offer a compromise. Mayor Bassett said the Council was willing to look at "how we might be able to move forward". "If it stacks up we can vote to proceed with the plan," he said.
In response Mrs George said the Friends were "happy to negotiate" with the Council.
"At least we've got the opportunity to keep going, by the support and number of people there I think the the council might be listening."
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