The restaurant has lived a number of lives, as council chambers, a library, and at one point the town hall.

“It’s quite traumatic and once you start going down that heritage avenue that’s when you need to get in contact with people in the know,” Ms Fielding said.

The lucky recipient of Tamworth Regional Council’s Heritage Assistance Fund last year, Ms Fielding was able to repaint the exterior of the building, diagnosed with cement cancer, at a hefty price tag.

Council chipped in more than $5000, matching her contribution dollar-for-dollar, and now applications are open again.

Council’s heritage advisor Clare James said its important to conserve buildings that can’t be replaced.

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“We need to make sure when work is undertaken it’s respectful to the building so in the future people can have confidence its been properly cared for, managed and understood,” she said.

“I think people increasingly appreciate the aesthetic value of them, the links to the past through families and communities.

“They’re able to read the way a community has grown and what type of tastes in the past have followed through.”

There’s $45,000 up for grabs for individual owners interested in giving old buildings a face lift.

Through the fund, owners can have external painting or repairs to the roof, fence or verandah on either residential or commercial buildings.

For information visit tamworth.nsw.gov.au.