Kiama Council supported the call from the Central Precinct Committee to look to provide protection for the Obelisk on Terralong Street, with the matter being referred for consideration in the 23/24 budget process.

“The sandstone survey obelisk was originally installed in 1861 outside the post office on the corner of Terralong and Manning Streets,” says Sue Eggins President of the Kiama and Districts Historical Society.

“It’s a very important structure originally used by surveyors as the reference point from which all distances in the district were to be measured and to lay out the streets of Kiama.”

It was moved to the opposite side of the street after being hit by a runaway truck in 1959.

Sue says that about 10 years ago there was talk of moving the obelisk to somewhere like close to Kiama Library, but it is in such as state of disrepair it may not be possible to move it. It already has a metal cage installed to protect it.

Kiama’s heritage sandstone specialist, Brad Rimmer from BR Stonemasonry and Heritage Services, says that - while it would be up to a heritage planner to determine whether the piece is moved – it would be possible to restore it even though it is pretty weathered.

“I’ve walked past the obelisk often and noticed that while it is weathered from wind and salt, it doesn’t seem weak. It would need to be taken apart very carefully and could be patched up to get rid of a lot of the weathering.”

Obelisks were very popular during the Victorian period as they symbolise rays of light. The plaque on the Obelisk notes that Obelisks were first seen in Egypt during the time of the Old Kingdom (circa 2650-2134 BC). The earliest obelisk is at Abu Gharob and was built around 2500 BC.