Wollongong City Council will construct a new driveway at Helensburgh Cemetery that will not only reinstate the main entrance but also address community concerns about access to the site, which has marked graves dating from the 1890s.
As part of the works, Council will also carry out improvements to the front access way on Cemetery Road with the installation of upgraded fencing and parking opportunities.
To allow for this work to get underway, Council is currently working through a Development Application process, which would allow for the demolition of the damaged portico at the front entryway located off Cemetery Road.
The 1960's portico structure has remained fenced off since it was damaged by an oversized vehicle. It poses a health and safety risk to the community and while it hasn't been able to be used, visitors to the cemetery, including hearses, have been forced to use an alternative route along an unsealed laneway.
The decision to remove the portico hasn't been made lightly and has been informed by a structural evaluation of the building, a heritage report and community feedback.
"It has been a challenging time over the past few years for the cemetery,'' Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said.
"With the portico damaged, the only accessway into the cemetery is through Frew Avenue which is an unsealed Crown Lane. This lane isn't in the best of condition, and when we've had spells of significant wet weather, it resulted in the laneway being badly damaged and potholed. As it's not Council land, it has been difficult ensuring ongoing repair and maintenance has taken place.''
Wollongong City Council Community Services Director Kerry Hunt said the assessment of the structure had shown it was unsafe, while a 2024 Heritage Report established that the 1960's portico structure was not significant to the cemetery and had no heritage value.
"While we had established there was the portico had no heritage value and that the structure was no longer fit-for purpose, we know there was community interest in the cemetery which has connections to many in the Helensburgh community,'' she said.
"This is why we shared the information we'd gathered, along with two options for the site, with the community for their input.
"We heard from a range of people who were mainly in Helensburgh and who had differing views as to the value and importance of the portico, but also about how Council should invest ratepayers' money in the care and maintenance of this space.''
Of the two options presented, option A was the cheaper of the two. In this plan the portico would be demolished, entrance gates would be reinstated and there would be new plantings along Cemetery Road.
Option B involved restoring the portico to allow smaller cars to pass through it. There would also be a requirement to provide a new access road built on the western side for oversized vehicles. This option included removing a tree and vegetation, with the proposed new road being located in close proximity of existing grave sites, which was not ideal.
Cr Brown said the community feedback had very mixed results depending on how people chose to engage with Council.
"In the online poll, the results showed that people wanted the '60s structure to remain. However, where Council spoke with community residents directly at community events, or received written feedback, the response was more evenly divided between retain and remove,'' she said.
"In the end, when considering the costs of repairing and maintaining the portico and potentially having to create a new entrance way that would need to be constructed close to the existing grave sites, or simply removing the portico and improving the original driveway, Council opted for the demolition.
"On the balance, this was the best option that would improve access and the amenity of the cemetery, maintain the character and charm of this special place while also being financially prudent.''
In acknowledgement of the portico's role in Helensburgh's history, Council will be inviting contributions of photos and personal stories about the structure. These submissions will be added to the Library's Local Studies collection, and also used to inform signage on site at the Cemetery. Submissions will be collected through Council's engagement webpage until the end of June 2025.
A development application for the works was submitted in March 2025 and we anticipate the first phase involving the portico demolition and reinstating the driveway to take place as soon as approval is provided.
