It was more than an hour before last year’s fire, which devastated the iconic Jolly Frog Family Hotel in Windsor, was brought under control.
The venue had hosted a number of artists including INXS, AC/DC and Cold Chisel and was once one of the region’s top entertainment venues.
Eventually, the 130-yea-old pub enjoyed by generations of Hawkesbury people, was described as an eyesore by residents as it sat empty for almost two years before the fire.
Police alleged the fire was deliberately lit, which led to the arrest of a Windsor man last year.
He was charged with three offences in connection with the fire and is due to face Penrith Local Court next month.
Located on Bridge and Macquarie streets, the building is now considered unsafe for anyone entering due to the discovery of asbestos and the damaged roof.
An active campaigner and Independent candidate for Hawkesbury, Kate Mackaness, said she wouldn’t give up until Council ensured the property was restored, which brought so much joy and happiness to the community.
‘‘I walked around the venue at the gateway to Australia’s oldest town, last week and noticed the security fence is on the ground, the door on the bottom level has been kicked open and all the panels have been damaged,’’ Ms Mackaness said.
‘‘It’s an invite for anyone to go in there and create mischief. The damage at the moment is horrendous and there have been concerns that most of the material in the building is being stolen and souvenired.’’
She said that if the Jolly Frog was demolished then ‘‘God help the rest of Windsor’’.
‘‘I am ashamed at what Council is allowing to happen. The Hawkesbury is a special place and if you eradicate a heritage element of the region, you eradicate Hawkesbury’s economic potential,’’ she said.
‘‘A majority of residents have great memories of the Frog as a genuine local pub. That shouldn’t be taken away from them.’’
‘‘There is no tarpaulin on top of the building to protect the interior from rain, windstorms or even to stabilise the structural elements. It’s a disaster waiting to happen, a human and a landscape disaster.’’
The Gazette contacted Council’s general manager Peter Jackson for comment but he did not reply before deadline, but back in August he said the building had been secured on many occasions, but unknown people kept breaking in.
‘‘At this stage we are unable to access the upper level of the building to place a tarp on it as it’s unsafe,’’ he said in August.
‘‘A heritage assessment of the building is being undertaken at the moment to work on the building as a whole rather than have interim measures that may or may not work.’’
At that time he said Council was working with the owners with the aim of retaining the building.
Council’s director of city planning Matt Owens said there was no timeframe for when any work would start.
The building was originally a boarding house and was converted into a pub and named the Carrington Hotel in 1886 by Robert Huggins.
In the early 1950s it traded as Podesta’s Hotel. A famous flood photo of the early 60s shows the whole ground level underwater.
It was named the Jolly Frog around 1973.