Kathryn admires one of a series of identically built cottages in Devonshire Street

When Kathryn and Ian Timbs bought their house in Fitzroy St on Pheasant Point in 1998, it was derelict and they fully expected to knock it down and build a duplex.

But it didn’t take her long to come to appreciate the unique character and historic context of the neighbourhood.

“Our house had had its original pitched roof replaced with a flat one, and the timber replaced with fibro,” she says.

“We decided to renovate in a way that recreated as closely as possible the original 1890s cottage and was  in keeping with the scale and design elements of the other houses in the area.”

Back then, doing so was a choice for the Timbs family. A unanimous decision at the May Council meeting means that the Pheasant Pt Heritage Conservation Area now has a Development Control Plan (DCP) to enhance the statutory protections provided by its listing on the LEP in 2017.

This DCP provides added protection for the unique characteristics of this area and marks the end of a seven year campaign by  residents to have this area protected.

“The community has worked along with councillors and staff at Council to see this result achieved,” says Kathryn.

“Fitzroy, Devonshire and Minnamurra streets are a time capsule of original dwellings from Kiama’s early settlement.

“This is the only area in our Municipality that is still intact, without unsympathetic demolition or infill.

“The listing has the support of all residents, who love living here and value its history.”

The streets are characterised wooden houses with stone foundations, verandas, central doorways and pitched rooves. The house entrances are all on one side of the street, looking down on the back of the houses on the next street.

“It is very important to protect our history at the entrance to our town,” says Kathryn.

“These protections mean the area is now here for future generations.

“Not one resident said they didn’t want heritage protection. We’re all very happy.”