President of the museum Donna White said there was too much uncertainty in the contract with Thales especially when a condition was that both parties could terminate the agreement with a month’s notice. 

“We are looking for ownership.

“We want to build up major tourist attraction, a world-class museum. 

We need space for that,” she said.

Ms White said Thales did offer to increase it from a month to a 12-month lease but at the end of the day ownership was the only way to future-proof the museum.

Thales is playing low key with the museum on their plans for the current building and two others that the museum would like to own to house more of its collection including machines from the factory’s beginnings that require a large space.

"Thales recognises the important role the Small Arms Museum plays both in the local community and among firearms enthusiasts across the country,"  a Thales spokesman said.

"We have supported the museum's presence on our site through a nominal lease, and have also paid the rates and outgoings, for over 15 years.

"Given this relationship, we are committed to the museum remaining on its present site."

The company said it was hoping to resolve the lease issue in the near future.

"After the former lease expired last year, we moved to a monthly basis while proposing a long-term contract for the future, in the hope of moving forward," the spokesperson said.

"We are still working through this with the museum's management team."

President Donna White said Thales has always been good about the costs involved with the museum, waiving the nominal rent amount.

But a big issue dealing with Thales, she said, is the lack of communication. 

No news from Thales means the Small Arms Factory Museum is left to speculate on how the latest moves by the company will effect its long term position.

“We are worried that Thales has already sold some of the other buildings,” Ms White said.

Ms White and the other committed museum volunteers are ready for a battle if Thales does not help keep the museum in existence.

“If they don’t come to the party we will do anything we can to save the museum.

She was not sure it would come to that but the site has a long history of discontent with the building owners ADI and Thales.

“We have never felt like a permanent proposition under ADI or Thales,” She said

“We don’t want to push them into a corner but we feel stifled.”

Ideally the museum would like to see the building donated to them along with the two buildings that sit behind.

Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum secretary Kerry Guerin said if Thales did want to sell the two other buildings and their current location, the museum was in a good position to mount a campaign to buy them.

The museum has contacted Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee who said he was happy to look into it and to get involved.

Mr Gee and State Member for Bathurst Paul Toole are scheduled to visit the museum later this month where the issue will be discussed. 

The museum’s plight reached NSW Parliament last week when opposition Arts Minister Walt Secord brought it to the attention of NSW Deputy Premier and Arts Minister Troy Grant.

NSW Labor raised the long-term future of Australia’s only small arms museum in NSW Parliamentary hearings and obtained a commitment from the Arts Minister that he would investigate providing help in its bid to acquire a site.

During a wide-ranging hearing on issues from funding of the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Art Gallery of NSW, NSW Shadow Arts Minister Walt Secord asked the NSW Deputy Premier and Arts Minister Troy Grant about the future of the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum.

“Too often in parliamentary hearings, we concentrate on the major institutions like the Sydney Opera House and the Art Gallery of NSW, but the smaller art galleries and museums – especially those in rural and regional areas are the backbone of our history and cultural landscape,” Mr Secord said.

“The arms museum is a major tourist attraction in Lithgow and it would be important to help it secure its long-term future.”