Mosque restoration underway

Published on 30 April 2019

Council is pleased to announce that work is now underway to restore and repair the city's historic mosque.

The mosque is of State significance for its rarity as the first mosque built in NSW and the only surviving Ghantown mosque in Australia.

In mid-2017 the State government announced it would provide $113,000 across two years to fund works at the mosque, with Council to match that amount dollar-for-dollar.

Council initially encountered difficulty in securing a builder with the skills to work on the timber and iron structure, which was originally constructed in 1887.

However in January 2019 Council was successful in engaging Sydney-based G & C Waller builders, who specialise in the conservation and restoration of historic buildings.

Council's Chief Operations Officer, Anthony Misagh, said it was extremely pleasing to see work on the mosque begin.

"This is a very delicate project given the age and cultural significance of the mosque, so we feel very fortunate to have secured a builder who specialises in this field and is able to travel to Broken Hill to undertake the work."

The planned works include structural repairs to internal walls, repair of timber framing, internal painting and cleaning, replacing rotten flooring, conservation works to the rear shed, recladding where required, new guttering, and improved security.

The restoration is expected to be completed by the end of May.