The Yass and District Historical Society says it is being forced to move hundreds of boxes of old artefacts and records after Yass Valley Council gave the group 19 days to leave its premises.
The historical society, which has housed its 200-year-old archival documents at the Yass Soldiers' Memorial Hall for 40 years, was issued a letter from the council on January 30 evicting it from the hall so repairs to the roof could begin on February 20.
Society president Cheryl Mongan said the group welcome the repairs but the eviction notice "is entirely unacceptable".
"Members are highly supportive of the work desperately needed to ensure the future of the Soldiers Memorial Hall. We have advocated for that for years," she said.
"However, we are greatly disturbed, as are members of broader community, by the lack of communication and the totally unreasonable last-minute letter from council giving just 19 days to leave by February 20.
"We still have to find a home for the large, invaluable collection and arrange a specialised removal otherwise the safety of the archives will be a risk with only tarpaulins as protection."
The society said it had been offered "no practical assistance" to help relocate the collection.
Society treasurer Tanya Cullen said the group has been seeking clarity on the tenancy of the rooms for many years and never received any response from the council.
"The position we find ourselves in is outrageous and distressing," Ms Cullen said.
"All we do know is that council staff never discussed alternative accommodation with us, as a council resolution of October 2022 required them to do.
"Now in three short paragraphs we have been told to get ourselves and all the society's fragile records out. We have no practical, alternative accommodation and the historical record of Yass Valley is about to be turned out onto the streets.
"Council allocated the money to the project in June 2022. With some proper planning and foresight, council could have worked with us to ensure we weren't left with 19 days to find a new 'home'."
A Yass Valley Council spokesperson said council staff have recently met several times with the Yass & District Historical Society to discuss the impacts of the proposed roof works to the Memorial Hall on the use of the society's space in the hall.
The spokesperson said the short-term options discussed included covering the collection in tarps, relocating to the old Ambulance Building (subject to state government approval) or putting the collection into storage at the council building, community centre or the society's museum.
"The society representative undertook to discuss with their committee on the options and to advise council staff of their preferred option," the council spokesperson said.
However, society members said they are in "no clearer a position than before" and the society "finds itself with additional obligations and risk".
"The alternative accommodation options suggested by council were either not practical for a working archives (ie limited, temporary storage space with no access), have possible impacts on other community groups in council buildings, were long-term outcomes that need to be negotiated with various state government agencies, or put the onus on the society to arrange and manage the details," the society members said.
Society members also said the council confirmed, if the collection is to stay in the hall, it has no liability in the event of damage to the archives, will not allow access to the archives, thus removing the society's ability to carry out paid research, and will not commit to assisting with the cost of any tarping-over of the collection, other than offering staff who could assist with the work.
"We have been forced to seek legal advice in relation to the clear lack of due process shown to the society; and while council believes it has no legal obligations to the society, it is abundantly clear that it does not recognise its community and moral obligations in the situation," the society members said.
