MENTONE’S Nylex clock has been restored to its former glory.
The clock fell into disrepair after the Nylex factory in Mentone closed down in 2006. It had stood on Nepean Highway since 1967.
Kingston Council and current site tenant Bunnings undertook the restoration. The project is now complete and the refurbished clock is operating once again.
Kingston mayor Hadi Saab said “for decades the clock was an icon of our area, and it is exciting to know that it will remain as a nod to our history.”
“The clock was previously heritage-listed under our planning scheme, meaning it couldn’t be demolished and we have been working towards this outcome for a number of years,” he said. “Over recent years a number of iconic aspects of Kingston’s heritage have received substantial public and private investment, so we are very pleased to add the clock to the list of recent achievements.”
The Mordialloc and District Historical Society advocated for the clock to be restored.
Kingston councillor Chris Hill’s father worked for Nylex in the 60s and 70s. He said “it’s a nice quirk that grandparents and parents travelling past on the Nepean Highway will be able to tell their kids this is how we used to get the time and weather before mobile phones.”
“There was certainly a strong level of support from the community to get the clock running again and we are thrilled it has been restored. Hopefully the sign’s restoration also sparks interest in the history of Nylex as a manufacturing icon – a role it played in our local economy for 60 plus years.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 18 January 2023