The only support service for Indigenous people in the Blue Mountains is facing an uncertain future after being told they're being evicted from their premises by the NSW government.
The Aboriginal Cultural and Resource Centre has for almost 30 years operated out of a cottage on the site of a former facility for children of the Stolen Generations and the intellectually handicapped in Katoomba.
Now, staff have been told the building does not comply with accessibility and bushfire safety regulations and the NSW government is not willing to pay the millions it would cost for upgrades.
It means the service will have to find new premises and staff are worried they won't be able to afford commercial rents.
There are fears the centre, which provides vital support to the community, will have to shut its doors.
"The government has 'Close the Gap' targets that they want to meet and closing down Aboriginal organisations is widening that gap," chair of the Aboriginal and Cultural Resource Centre board, Bernadette O'Bryan said.
"I don't understand how they can say one thing and do the opposite."
Currently under an agreement with the state government, the community organisation doesn't pay any rent.
Dharawal elder Uncle Edward Walker said the service provided vital support when he was diagnosed with cancer.
"[They] picked me up from my front door and took me to the hospital [to have radiotherapy] for eight weeks," he said.
"If it wasn't for them, I don't know how we would've survived."
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill accused the government of over-stating the problems so they can sell off the land.
"This is a political decision to flog off an important community building to make a few dollars with no compassion or concern for the community organisations that are in there," he said.
"The thought that they could be rendered homeless by what I think is a heartless act is appalling to me."
Cr Greenhill claimed the government had neglected the site for years and allowed it to become rundown.
"Now, conveniently, it wants to use its own neglect to evict important community service organisations from that site," he said.
Local real estate agents estimate that selling the 2.4 acre site could fetch the government up to $2 million.
The NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) said it was working closely with the community group to find alternative premises.
"DCJ remains committed to working collaboratively with the Blue Mountains Aboriginal Cultural Resource Centre to assist them in their goal of providing services to their local community," a spokesperson said.
The Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre receives around $300,000 a year in funding from the NSW government.
Three other community groups are also facing eviction, including Gateway Family Services, which receives around $900,000 a year in state government funding.
It provides counselling, support groups and runs and emergency food relief service.
"I think it's disappointing they've turned up and said, 'You and your mates, it's all too hard, stop what you're doing and get out', chief executive Gregory Lazarus said.
"The expectation from government is that we'll leave the premises and the properties will invariably be sold."
Mr Lazarus said finding alternative affordable property in the Blue Mountains would be difficult.
The DCJ's property portfolio shot up in value by $509 million in the last financial year, according to its 2021 annual report, amounting to $7.6 billion in value.
The not-for-profit disability organisation Leura Day Options and the Blue Mountains Wildplant Rescue Services are also being evicted.
The state government claims repairing the 50-year-old buildings and upgrading the site would cost $2.4 million.
"The property… has significant accessibility and bushfire safety non-compliance issues that are not able to be remedied under the property's existing land zoning," a spokesperson said.
The Mayor of the Blue Mountains City Council, which is responsible for zoning, disputed this.
"That's a load of rubbish," Cr Greenhill said.
"If the state government had those concerns, where is the letter to me stating that?
"We'll change the zoning if that's necessary."
Uncle Kerry Mckenzie was 10 years old when he was placed at the old Clairvaux children's home that used to occupy the site.
It took him almost 50 years before he was ready to go back, as he wrestled with post traumatic stress disorder.
"They were ridiculously cruel. I couldn't work out why they did the things they did," he said.
But in recent years, he has found refuge at the Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre.
"You can always go to the place and have a cup of tea and sit down and yarn."
