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of ownership had become the subject of protracted haggling between the bureaucrats. Not only was the Department of Health reluctant to give up their territory, but the National Parkes and Wildlife Service was worried about finding adequate funds for maintenance. I had made myself a nuisance in official circles by urging an immediate handover and by proposing alternative uses for the facilities.
If a new source of funding for maintenance could be found, the National Parkes and Wlidlife Service's argument for delay would disappear; and with a Labor Government in Canberra, the Health Department could be induced to leave. Although the Quarantine Station was still theoretically off limits to local people, the authorities could hardly refuse to give us access to carry out a Commonwealth funded project.
So we set up the Quarantine Station Restoration Trust, and applied for funding under the Wage Pause Scheme. Sir Roden Cutler, the former Governor and a native son of Manly, agreed to be our patron. I was chairman of the management committee; which included Bob Blackmore, a local architect, and two Manly Alderman, Ian McDonald and Greg Smith. We were advised by a pair of friendly architects from the NPWS.
A cheque for $300 000 soon arrived. A site office was set up in the lounge of the Second Class Passengers block and our work team moved in to start renovating
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