In early 2008, the National Trust became aware of the efforts of the local Bundanoon community to protect the historic Governors Road and Jackman’s Cottage from the impacts of a development proposal to extract water from a bore on a property along Governors  Road. Of particular concern was the proposed upgrading of Governors Road to facilitate articulated 19 metre long semi-trailers using the road to transport the extracted water for use in the bottled water market.

Wingecarribee Shire Council had made an Interim Heritage Order in late 2007 to protect this place and a Land & Environment Court hearing had rejected the Development Application. By December, 2008 a new development application to extract groundwater at Governors Road, was submitted to Wingecarribee Shire Council and was listed for hearing by the Land & Environment Court as a “deemed refusal” by the Council. The National Trust assisted the Council in its efforts to protect this historic and scenic place from this development and associated heavy vehicle activity.

The National Trust carried out an inspection of Bundanoon, Governors Road and Jackman’s Cottage in early June, 2008.  Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Report on its Interim Heritage Order set out the history of Jackman’s Cottage: -

"The stone and brick cottage, now known as Jackman’s Cottage, was built in 1884/5 by Thomas and Charlotte Trood.  Thomas Trood worked in the sandstone quarry in Bundanoon and the stones were the rejected blocks that were cut for Goulburn courthouse.

Similar stone blocks were also used for the heritage listed Holly Cottage in Lynne Close in Bundanoon. The Trood family lived and worked in the local area up to about the mid-twentieth century, but no longer have local descendants. Edward Trood worked as a foreman in the Ringwood Colliery, between Exeter and Bundanoon. Two cottages were originally built on the block occupied by numbers 1 and 3 Governor's Rd, Bundanoon. 

An early slab hut was built at 1 Governors Rd. It was known as Jackman's Cottage, as it was the home of Annie and John Jackman. Lucy Rocca spoke to descendants and recalled that the slab hut was destroyed by bushfire in 1904 and that Annie Jackman's family then moved into the stone and brick cottage next door. This was how the cottage name was transferred from the slab hut to the stone and brick cottage. The camellia tree in the yard is known to have been planted by the Trood family in the 1890s."

Jackman’s Cottage was restored and sympathetically decorated by an artist couple who owned the cottage in the 1970s, Bob and Donna Simeoni. An extension was also added around that time (source: Bundanoon History Group).

Both Jackman’s Cottage and Governors Road itself are now listed heritage items in the Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP 2009), which was re-exhibited from 2 March 2009 to 9 April 2009. 

In a submission to Wingecarribee Shire Council the Trust challenged arguments that the heritage significance of Jackman’s Cottage had been reduced through alterations and periods of neglect.

The Trust noted that it was not convinced on the information provided that the various changes to the fabric of Jackman’s Cottage had necessarily reduced the significance of this structure. The National Trust had listed a number of places such as the Era and Burning Palms Cabin Communities where progressive changes and adaptations over many years, of themselves, were essential to the significance of the structures.

Neglect, of itself, was regrettable, but significant buildings are often restored and maintained after such periods of neglect.

The Trust also stressed to Wingecarribee Shire Council that Governor’s Road was being considered as an integral part of the proposed listing on the National Trust Register. This country lane has scenic, nature conservation and historic values in its own right as well as through its association with Jackman’s Cottage.

The Trust noted that such meandering, tree-lined, low-key country lanes are becoming increasingly rare and deserve to be recognized and conserved in their own right. There were plans, a number of years earlier, to seek specific legislation to protect such lanes and the Trust has been involved in several efforts by local communities to protect these important assets which contribute to tourism and the important “sense of place” that was the theme of the 2008 National Trust Heritage Festival.
Wingecarribee Shire Council’s report on its refusal of the Development Application in December, 2008 set out the reasons for that refusal: -

1. The proposed development is likely to have an unacceptable impact on existing vegetation along Governors Road and at the intersection of Governors Road and Church Street
2. The development will lead to the inappropriate passage of articulated heavy tanker vehicles along Governors Road and Church Road.
3. Insufficient information has been submitted with the application to enable Council to adequately discharge its legal obligations with regard to the potential impact on the heritage item and storm water quality.
4. The development is contrary to development which would be in keeping with what should be considered in the location and particularly having regard to the heritage value of Jackman’s Cottage and its interim listing on the National Trust, and
   
   Conditions of refusal imposed having regard to matters listed for consideration under Section 79C(1)(a-e) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979.

An appeal against this refusal was heard in the Land & Environment Court in April, 2009 and the decision of the Commissioner is awaited.

Community opposition  to Development Proposal

Numbered trees give an indication of the potential impacts of the road upgrading.