Vets Save Butchery

The following article appeared in a Riverstone feature in the Blacktown Advocate on 16 March 1995.

“The old butchers shop in Garfield Road next to the railway line, is a landmark in the Riverstone district. Built at the turn of the century by the Riverstone Meat Company as its window to the world, the shop made a proud architectural statement regarding the successful meat company.

A large sign on the wall still proclaims Riverstone Meat Co. Ltd. Orders forwarded to any part of the state. This was a proud boast because it depended on the skilled management of telegraphic communication, steam engine transportation, and the use of dry ice to keep the perishable produce cool.

The solid structure was not immune to the ravages of time, flooding and lack of maintenance. By 1987 the building was in a sorry state of disrepair and ready for the bulldozers.

Tom Lonsdale and Associates, the local vets, rescued the old building and restored it. A preservation order ensures it will be a reminder of bygone times.”