AT LEAST $40,000 will be split between homeowners and businesses in heritage buildings to give them a facelift.
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It's part of Tamworth Regional Council's heritage assistance fund, which provides money to approved properties to spruce up either heritage-listed or locally significant homes and even pubs.
At least 21 applications were received, up 11 from last year, and included Barraba's Anglican Church which is home to a 19th Century pipe organ, $4500 towards a facelift for The Tamworth Hotel's facade and the re-stumping of a rare slab hut in Somerton.
Among those was Greg and Marie Roese on Fitzroy Street, who were awarded $3,000 to help with costs to paint their late Victorian-style home.
The goal is to retain Tamworth's heritage in a way that honours the past, TRC councillor Juanita Wilson said.
"It helps to protect and acknowledge our past and it keeps our feet on the ground in many ways," she said.
"It shows what materials were available and resources by our ancestors and residents of the area, it shows ingenuity and creativity.
"If you look at Peel Street we have a number of heritage buildings like the Post Office, Town Hall or the Pig and Tinder Box building, they all hark back to our history and determination to create substantial communities."
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The council will usually match the contribution of the home or building owner dollar for dollar, but due to the number of applications this year it was decided to award an amount that seemed fair for the job to each of the applicants.
Cr Wilson said it was a pleasant experience to go through the applications and look at potential projects.
"The applications were significant and diverse and came from rural and business locations, residences and it just shows how the town and region has become acknowledged for heritage significance," she said.
"Council is actually getting the message out well, our communications team is delivering messages and reaching all parts of the region so it is very successful in two ways."