The demolition of a building near the Old Dubbo Gaol has given a glimpse back in time and marks a significant milestone for a multimillion-dollar tourism project.
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Only a pile of rubble remains of the former building at 92 Macquarie Street, which was for a long period a bank and more recently an office block.
With the building all but demolished, the skyline immediately in front of the Old Dubbo Gaol has returned to what prisoners would have seen prior to the site being developed, giving a glimpse back in time to the Gaol's history.
The works are for Destination Dubbo - International Ready, which is funded by the NSW government and Dubbo Regional Council.
The Old Dubbo Gaol Heritage Plaza development is one of three facets to the project.
"This is a major milestone for the project," Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders said.
"It is both very visible for those passing by, and for those getting ready to commence work on the next phase of this very exciting and community significant project for the city's CBD.
"The Destination Dubbo - International Ready project... will deliver some amazing cultural, destination and financial benefits for the CBD and Dubbo region overall.
"There's a real vibe and level of excitement of what's to come as Dubbo continues to grow and develop, positioning itself to become the number one inland visitor destination in NSW and Australia, both for Australian families and international visitors to NSW."
A development application (DA) for the Old Dubbo Gaol Heritage Plaza is being prepared for submission, which includes street furniture, landscaping and cultural interpretations.
"All of this critical work is setting the scene and forum for the largest First Nations kinetic public art project in regional NSW," Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson said.
"The kinetic artwork will be a significant element of the Old Dubbo Gaol Heritage Plaza development.
"The winning design, 'Dadarri', has been created and further developed by Dr Bianca Beetson, a proud Kubbi Kubbi, Wiradjuri artist."
The demolition of the site has taken less time than planned with the initial project plan allowing 12 weeks to remove the former two-storey office building.
Contractor AGH Demolition and Asbestos Removal has levelled the site to a concrete slab, six weeks into the work plan, the council reports.
The first stage of demolition required the removal of internal assets and structures, including stripping out internal finishes, the building's plant room, the removal of the lift and former bank safe.
The work also included removing all the mechanical equipment, and the lift shaft was also demolished in late March.
While perimeter safety fencing will remain in place, people will see a large open construction space when surrounding scaffolding is completely removed once landscaping work gets under way.
Although a mid-2022 completion date was originally slated, the heritage plaza now set to be completed in December.