SOME of Auburn Street’s most significant heritage buildings are to be spruced up early next year in readiness for Goulburn’s 150th Birthday (as a city) celebrations.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council at its last meeting agreed to subsidise the cost of repainting the facades of nine buildings through its Heritage Grants program. Significantly, though, for the overall appearance of the city’s face to the world, none of the owners of Auburn St’s worst eyesore buildings sought grants.

They still have an opportunity to benefit from the Heritage program next year, when the Council calls for another round of grant applications in September.

Goulburn’s 150th birthday celebrations will showcase the city in March, 2013, with wide media coverage and thousands of visitors in town. The Council, heritage bodies, Chamber of Commerce and tourism promoters have grown increasingly concerned that uncared-for, peeling and damaged facades on many CBD buildings will paint Goulburn as a dowdy and backward community, lacking pride in its heritage assets.

The Heritage Grants scheme is designed to encourage and help property owners “do the right thing” by the city and its history. It is part-funded by the NSW Government, through Goulburn Mulwaree Council, with up to $2500 available to owners of each property, on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Painting and renovation work on some buildings to score grants will require owners to contribute more than the Council’s amount.

Council also will consider doubling its $2500 grant to owners of the Dimmeys building to help with refurbishment of its Montague St façade as well as the Auburn St. frontage.

After a lacklustre launch of the Heritage Grant program two months ago, forcing a time extension for landlords to apply, a late rush of applications saw 15 in the final line-up. Of these, grants were approved for nine Auburn St retail premises, with the remaining six contenders – some outside the targeted CBD heritage area – put on a reserve list.

As more applications were received for the CBD area than originally allowed for, the Council’s total contribution ended up at $16,140, rising to $18,640 if it doubles the Dimmeys grant.

Councillors unanimously and without discussion agreed to its Heritage Advisor, Dr Peter Kabaila’s, and Strategic Planner, Jack Miller’s, grants recommendations.

Cr Carol James, chair of the 150th Birthday Community Committee, and long-time fighter for a tougher line on owners of neglected and down-at-heel Auburn St buildings, said on Friday: “This first round of grants to improve the look of our CBD has brought a great result. And we have another year of the program to go, too.

“Hopefully, we’ll see further improvement next year.”

Peter Fraser, of the Goulburn Heritage Group, and advocate for a CBD make-over, said it was regrettable that only 15 grant applications were received – and not all of them for Auburn St.

“Where are the rest?” he asked.

“There must be 200 frontages along Auburn St, and here’s an opportunity to help the worst of them get fixed up.

“It’s incomprehensible that some of these owners wouldn’t take advantage of the Heritage Grant scheme . . . it’s free money, and any work they do is tax deductible.”

Mr Miller agreed that there was still much to be done with some CBD buildings, but response to the Grant program had been “good.”

He said Council still had to definitely decide if it would again target Auburn St-CBD buildings next year, or other precincts as well. Dr Kabaila and Mr Miller assessed grant applications according to these levels:

(1) State Significant;

(2) Exceptional Local Significance;

(3) High Local Significance;

(4) Moderate Local Significance.

Auburn St buildings to receive grants:

Level 2: 194-196, (opticians, newsagents) $2500; 206, (travel agency) $2500; 180, (Dimmeys) $2500 and optional additional $2500.

Level 3: 126-132, (real estate, mortgage broker, sheds) $1795; 318, (clothing) $1347.50; 320, (NSW fire brigades) $1347.50; 133, (jewellers) $900; 133, (body jewellers) $750; 380, (restaurant) $2500.

Reserve list, each for $1000 grants: 83 Grafton St; 30 Australia St; 131 Bradley St; 35 Auburn St; 74 Deccan St; 32 Australia St.