The group Old Houses Our History (OH OH) wants to stop homes in the older sections of Shoalhaven and Junction Streets from being torn down.

Group spokesperson Jennifer Parkyn said the group wants to save important local history.

“After standing by and watching the destruction of several lovely homes, we could no longer sit back idly and witness Nowra being destroyed,” she said.

The group has been busy meeting and planning its fight which includes details submission as to why the homes should be protected.

Some of their reasons are:

*the majority of old homes are perfectly serviceable, or need minor alterations, renovations or additions.

*preservation for the use of future generations, in particular the students of architecture, is vital. If we continue to destroy period homes at our current rate, future generations may only view such styles virtually.

*the destruction of old homes is a negation of both our culture and our history, and should be classed as a national crime, rather than “progress”. We need to preserve houses such as these to honour the legacy of our own forbears.

*the very real, financially viable benefits of retaining a historical aspect are being overlooked. Nearby towns such as Berry, Milton and Berrima attract good tourist numbers, whilst places such as Leura, Braidwood and Prague are famous based solely on their beautiful and proud preservation of their heritage buildings. On this fiscal basis alone, the demolition of our buildings is costing everyone much more than we can afford.

*currently, we have no point of difference to the surrounding close localities where tourists spend their time and money. We have the river, but no beach, unlike many of our neighbours. We should enhance the desirability of our river with culture which should include our excellent cafes, Showground and heritage precinct.

*will a house built today still be standing next century? Not only are old buildings of great aesthetic appeal to most, they also possess greater structural integrity than many modern buildings.  Our country has a history of a little over 200 years. A house which has stood for 100 years (80 Shoalhaven Street could be reaching this age ) has witnessed nearly half of our history.

The group members have many other reasons as to why they are trying to save these homes.

The group held a public meeting last year to raise their concerns and now the matter has become a Shoalhaven City Council election issue.

Walk around the old parts of Nowra, near the showground, and you will see the group’s banners draped in front of various homes.

Their motto is ‘we love old house and we vote’.

In the same street there is another sign, in response, with the message “Old homes - we save and restore”.

Ms Parkyn, a ward one candidate for the Greens in the September 10 council election, said the old homes could be used to promote Nowra.

“We maintain that these old, elegant buildings are a beacon for tourists and can be showcased to encourage our town’s financial growth as a tourist destination,” she said.

The residents often see tourists stop and take photos of this old part of Nowra and feedback is that visitors love this part of town.

Ms Parkyn said the Shoalhaven had many builders and architects who could help owners renovate their properties.

Their ultimate goal is to get council to rezone the area so the homes are saved and the ambience kept for future generations.