By Lucy Waldron
The iconic clock tower, perched above the Warwick Town Hall, is once again ringing out the hours.
The clock tower, one of the oldest pieces of infrastructure in the Southern Downs, has been a cherished part of the town’s heritage, and its recent restoration has sparked hope for its continued legacy.
The clock’s chimes, which had been sporadic and inconsistent, started echoing through the town again last week. Over the years, the clock has required numerous repairs, dating back to a Warwick Daily News report in 1968, noting 174 chimes at 5pm. The recent restoration effort, however, brings renewed optimism as a custom-made part has been installed in the chime mechanism.
The Southern Downs Regional Council’s Facilities team, responsible for this delicate restoration, expressed their success in bringing the historic clock back to life. Despite the seemingly accurate chimes, the clock hands have faced challenges in maintaining synchronisation, prompting the need for further assessment.
“A clock specialist will visit soon to assist the team with further diagnosis and repairs,” a Council spokesperson said.
The intricacies involved in repairing this historic timepiece are attributed to the age and heritage listing of the building.
“Any repairs on the Town Hall Infrastructure must be done under strict controls, and with parts non-existent and few technicians available nearby to resolve malfunctions, repairs have taken some time,“ explained the council spokesperson.
While the clock has been restored to its chime function, the journey toward full functionality is ongoing.
The Council is committed to the repairs and once fully operational, Council officers will closely monitor the clock’s performance.
However, considering the challenges posed by the age of this historic technology and the potential ongoing maintenance costs, the Council remains pragmatic.
“Should it continue to pose a costly maintenance burden to the Southern Downs ratepayer, further consideration could be given to full replacement of the clock mechanism and clock faces at that time.”
Despite the racing hands, the chimes sing out the hourly time and with the right wind, you can hear them from kilometres away. This is the sound of history and hard work being celebrated by each chime.
