Lismore City Council yesterday chose to ignore the pleas of the Richmond River Historical Society and its supporters that the city’s museum be allowed to return to its home in Molesworth Street, which has been renovated following the 2022 floods.
The future of the museum has been thrown into doubt by Lismore Council’s new property strategy, which seeks to undertake a ‘strategic review’ of all property owned by council, with a view to returning council operations to the central CBD area, in spite of the flood risk, in order to boost economic activity.
Dr Robert Smith from the Historical Society said he had no issue with the wider ambitions of the property strategy, but rather the immediate and ‘fairly drastic’ consequences for the museum, which he described as being one of three cultural bodies which are funded by councils in most regional centres.
Unlike the local library and gallery, Lismore’s museum has been run by volunteers for 70 years, at no cost to ratepayers, although they have enjoyed the accompanying economic and social benefits.
‘We see that as all being now under threat,’ said Dr Smith. ‘The currency which kept things going has been goodwill.’
He said the sudden withdrawal of planned lease arrangements had thrown the museum into further limbo, just as they were expecting to return to their old premises, having received a large grant from the state government to refit the interior space.
He wondered aloud how other organisations could continue to have trust in Lismore Council after what had happened. ‘From the pattern of communication, it would seem that Council no longer actually wants a museum,’ said Dr Smith.
He said that the Historical Society’s best offer within the two weeks since the news had broken was that the Lismore museum might be able to downsize from the old Municipal Building on Molesworth Street into a smaller, flood-prone location (perhaps the old Tourist Information Centre): ‘No longer a major museum, something like a museum experience, rather than a museum for a city.’
Lease agreement ignored
Although Lismore Council resolved to enter into a five year lease agreement with the Historical Society in May 2024, this now appears to be null and void, with the suggestion that council staff might now be eyeing the historic building for their own purposes.
Mayor Steve Krieg then sought to conflate the Historical Society’s specific concerns with the wider proposed property strategy, which affects 47 organisations using Lismore Council premises.
‘The motion that you’re actually speaking on, yes, is about developing a property strategy to enable Council to better manage their assets,’ said Cr Krieg. ‘And from what I’m hearing, you’re speaking against Council developing a strategy to do that?’
Dr Smith responded: ‘We would like an amendment that precludes the museum from this process, just as it appears that the library has been precluded from it, the gallery has been precluded from it. These are the key cultural facilities for a city.’
Cr Krieg said the fact that the museum wasn’t run by Lismore Council like the library and gallery meant that it didn’t deserve special treatment, ignoring the arguments about 70 years of volunteer and community value.
‘You’ve turned it upside down,’ responded Dr Smith.
In the following debate, Cr Jasmine Knight-Smith sought to propose an amendment to protect the historic museum building from becoming Lismore Council offices. Cr Adam Guise sought a further amendment that Council execute the lease agreement with the Historical Society, as it had agreed to do in May 2024.
Speaking to her amendment, Cr Knight-Smith said, ‘Richmond River Historical Society is an institution that plays a vital role in preserving the rich heritage of Lismore and her villages. It is with great respect that I ask for us all to support this valuable local resource.
‘Richmond River Historical Society is not just a collection of artifacts, photos and documents, it’s a living testament to our past… the society has diligently worked to preserve narratives that define us all,’ she said.
Knowledge and pride
‘Its tireless volunteers have been the backbone of this organisation, ensuring that every piece of our history is safeguarded for future generations through engaging school trips, educational displays and even the preserving of rare footage,’ said Cr Knight-Smith.
‘The Society provides a wealth of knowledge and pride that our community can be proud of, though these efforts not only enrich our understanding of where we come from, but also shape our identity moving forward.
‘It’s crucial that we as a council and a community continue to support the Richmond River Historical Society in its mission. They serve as both educators and record-keepers, ensuring that Lismore’s history is never lost or forgotten,’ she said.
‘Let’s ensure that this vital resource remains a beacon of history and heritage for years to come… I want everyone to understand that this motion sets to exclude the Richmond River Historical Society from what has been their home for some thirty years.’
More passionate speeches followed, but the amendment was lost, with the Greens and Labor councillors being outnumbered as usual by Steve Krieg and his allies.
Cr Gianpiero Battista then sought an amendment to ‘prioritise’ the needs of the museum as the property strategy moved forward, although this involved no concrete guarantees.
Shameful
Cr Adam Guise spoke against the process. ‘So we’re turfing out the Historical Society? Shameful, shameful, the way it’s been done. I mean, talk about disrespect to a long-standing institution in Lismore, and we’re going to let them languish now for years more.
‘We’re going to resettle them in another temporary location, and we’re going to pretend that we’ve got their best interests at heart. How can we treat such people in our community with such disrespect?’ asked Cr Guise.
‘They’ve been around longer than you and I, Mr Mayor, volunteers toiling away in our community, relying on peppercorn rent to get by, but not just relying on that, relying on a very important building to fulfill the needs you’ve heard about today.
‘So we pretend we’re going to shuffle them up to the library, cram them in there with others, maybe move them up to Goonellabah. This is an idea generated by a caucus of people going, oh, let’s play Monopoly with our buildings in town. Let’s play Monopoly with our core services, with our key people that give life and meaning to our town, our city.
‘It doesn’t bode well, Mr. Mayor, you can’t treat community groups like that. You can’t just keep going and burning relations that have been built up for years.’
Cr Guise continued: ‘We’re killing off the Historical Society as we know it with this resolution, and for you councillors to pretend it’s about generating a property strategy and getting staff down to the CBD…
‘Let’s have that discussion, but let’s not kill off the Historical Society in the process.’
The ‘conservative’ councillors in the room then proceeded to support Cr Battista’s amendment, and Mayor Krieg’s original motion, to proceed with the strategic review of all council-owned buildings, including the museum’s home on Molesworth Street.
After lunch, Cr Guise attempted to bring an urgency motion to implement Lismore Council’s 2024 resolution for a five year licence agreement for Richmond River Historical Society, but this didn’t find enough support to be considered.
Despite the new museum signage on Molesworth Street, and a building ready to be reoccupied, Lismore museum’s future remains as uncertain as ever.
More stories about Lismore City Council:
A milestone of 150 projects has been reached since the 2022 disasters, says Lismore City Council. Another infrastructure repair project in response to damage caused by the Northern Rivers floods and landslides disasters more than four years ago has been announced. The Lismore City Council says it has secured $4.86 million in federal funds to progress the upgrade of the Dunoon Road and Tweed Street corridor.
With rain threatening from the east, skies stayed clear for Jenny Dowell's ceremony at the Quad, between three institutions she loved, the Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore Conservatorium and the Lismore Library. The grassy area was full of mourners, with many more watching via the livestream. The legacy of former Lismore City Councillor Jenny Dowell is sure to linger for many locals and her advocacy for women in local government has not been forgotten.
Lismore Council spruiks 150 projects since 2022 floods
Crofton Rd to be fixed more than 4 years after damage
Nearly $5 million for busy Lismore route
Jenny Dowell laid to rest as Lismore farewells two titans on...
Byron mayor honours Lismore legend Dowell
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
