Cessnock City Council has allocated $90,000 in surplus funds from the Federal Government’s Financial Assistance Grants program to emergency works at the Richmond Main Colliery site.
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The council-owned site – home to Richmond Vale Railway Museum and Forgemasters Australia – was devastated by a bushfire in September.
Some of the fire-damaged area contained asbestos, which created an environmental hazard.
Council spent about $90,000 to make the site safe and to return to business as usual.
As it was an emergency, these costs were unbudgeted and council had to formally allocate funds to meet the expenses incurred.
The council’s financial assistance grant for 2017-18 was higher than anticipated, resulting in a $339,068 surplus for general purposes.
Council voted at its December 13 meeting to allocate $90,000 to the Richmond Main works, with the remaining surplus funds ($249,068) to be quarantined, subject to a further report.
The council has received a $20,000 grant from the Office of Environment and Heritage for permanent fencing to secure access to the unsound buildings at the site, and an application for disaster assistance funding has also been submitted.
Repair works are still underway at the railway museum, and community support continues to roll in.
The Rebuilding Richi campaign has raised more than $26,000.
Daracon donated 96 tonnes of ballast towards the restoration of the Mulbring Road branch on Monday.
Heddon Greta Drive-In will hold a benefit night on Wednesday, with a special screening of To Sir, With Love, to celebrate the drive-in’s 50th anniversary.
The film will start at 8.30pm and entry is $30 per car, with all proceeds to the railway museum.
