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A wave of public anger has erupted following Hawkesbury City Council’s quiet removal of the historic timber dray carts from Windsor Mall — a beloved feature of the town’s colonial streetscape for decades. Community members and heritage advocates are accusing Council of breaking promises, ignoring public sentiment, and attempting to act without scrutiny.
The drays — once used for transport and long symbolic of Windsor’s agricultural and commercial past — were removed without notice during the Windsor Mall redevelopment. Council’s Director of Infrastructure Services, Will Barton, later justified the move by labelling the carts “dilapidated,” “not in active use,” and too costly to restore. He also claimed they were never included in the final adopted plans for the upgrade.
But members of The Windsor Experience Inc., a local group committed to preserving Windsor’s heritage, have strongly rejected those claims. In an open email to Mr Barton and councillors, spokesperson A. J Dundas described Council’s actions as “deeply disappointing” and “dismissive of the people you are employed to serve.”
“These carts were gifted to the community. They are not your private possessions,” the email reads. “They were actively being used and appreciated. It is not appropriate for unelected staff to unilaterally reverse or ignore outcomes promised in public forums.”
According to Dundas, stakeholders were previously assured that community feedback would shape the final plans — including keeping the drays. However, no further updates were provided for more than a year, and residents only discovered the carts had been removed after witnessing their destruction on video.
Footage circulating locally shows the drays being carted away and broken up by an excavator — appearing to be in solid condition, contradicting Council’s claim they were beyond repair.
After concerned locals alerted the Mayor, he reportedly rushed to the site, thanked them for keeping watch, and stated that the contractor would cover the damage. But by then, many suspected the removal had been intentionally concealed.
This latest episode follows other troubling signs: while Council previously stated that Windsor Mall’s heritage furniture would be carefully removed and restored, just four of thirteen historic benches have reappeared. The rest are still missing.
As for the drays, their current whereabouts remain unclear. Rumours abound, while Council remains tight-lipped. Advocates are demanding their return — if not to the mall, then to another public space where they can continue to tell Windsor’s story.
The drays are symbolic for many in the community, representing the agricultural and commercial heritage of one of Australia’s oldest towns. Their sudden removal, despite assurances, has raised wider questions about transparency and community consultation within Council processes.
If you share concerns about the removal of the drays or the lack of transparency around Council’s decision-making, contact Hawkesbury City Council or your local councillor.
