The future of a number of World War II structures around Coffs Harbour will be reexamined after a unanimous council vote.
Mayor Nikki Williams said the council will seek funding to preserve the sites in a way that encourages tourism while paying “homage to our veterans” and the region’s military history.
The sites: Of the six known one has been demolished, one has been repurposed into a cartoon gallery, and the other four have been left to crumble.
The sites include bunkers and observation posts.
Previous actions: A draft Conservation Management Strategy for one site, known as Bunker Headland, was presented to City of Coffs Harbour council in February 2016 but has not been actioned.
What’s next: The council will now explore the possibility of heritage listing and funding through state or federal avenues.
Council staff will provide a report on options for “preserving and making better use of these important reminders of our history”.
The mayor suggested a tourist trail as one possibility.
30 years later: Completely restored and transformed in 1996, the National Cartoon Gallery - located in a 32-metre concrete bunker - is seeking its own recognition.
“We're looking at getting National Trust Status, for the building itself and also for the cartoon collection, because there's nothing else like this that people can access, enjoy and get to know more about anywhere else in Australia,” board director Margaret Cameron told the Mid North Coaster.
Impressive collection: The gallery holds the largest private collection of contemporary cartoons in the Southern Hemisphere, with 26,000 cartoons dating back to the 1950s.