As French conglomerate Thales appears to renege on its offer to hand over ownership of the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum site, museum supporters have launched an online parliamentary petition calling on the NSW government to step in on their behalf.
“The museum is at imminent risk of closure due to restrictions imposed by its landlord, preventing critical security upgrades and repairs, following a break-in and theft in August 2024,” the petition reads in part.
The museum’s supporters say the state government can help by approving a requested heritage order for the site.
Thales in 2022 indicated it would sell the site to the museum for a nominal fee, but has recently changed this to an offer of a long-term lease.
Representatives of the museum say autonomous ownership of the site is the only way they will be able to save the museum, and that they face an “obstructive approval process for all works, and disturbingly, [Thales’] right to evict the museum and repurpose or demolish the buildings”.
Until the museum has a guaranteed future and autonomy, its volunteer staff cannot go ahead with security upgrades and future plans that include employing salaried staff.
“We’re calling on NSW residents to sign our parliamentary petition, urging the government to facilitate site ownership for the museum, preserving this vital part of Australian history and ensuring it thrives for future generations,” the museum said in a post.
The museum has warned that if the site cannot be secured, its collection, which has been recorded in the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register for its industrial heritage significance, would have to be disposed of.
“Without action, the museum and its legacy could be lost forever. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen,” the post stated.
NSW residents of all ages can sign the petition and are being urged to share it with friends and family.
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