The Newcastle Industrial Heritage Association is planning to open a historical cottage at Mayfield that was once home to the general manager of BHP.



The Newcastle Industrial Heritage Association is planning to open a historical cottage at Mayfield that was once home to the general manager of BHP.



The state heritage-listed Delprat's Cottage was built in 1914 for Guillaume Delprat to supervise the construction of the Newcastle steelworks.

The fully restored cottage has been under the control of the University of Newcastle since the steelworks closed.

Association president Bob Cook said the building has incredible historical significance.

"When BHP left Newcastle they negotiated an agreement with the University of Newcastle so we are now licencees of the University," he said.

"The Newcastle Industrial Heritage Association has a grand plan to turn Delprat's Cottage into an exhibition of Delprat, the building of the steelworks."

The association is now working out of the fully restored heritage-listed cottage.

Mr Cook said they have managed to collect a number of items which will go on display as part of the exhibition.

"It will be like a mini museum that we are putting together.

"It's an exciting project and we have started work on it already.

"We have some valuable relics that we managed to buy or acquire from the industrial past.

"We have some acquired mementoes from the steelworks period and we even have a couple of things that relate to GE Delprat himself."