A book taken from the Sydney library has been returned after 150 years.

An Australian national has arranged to return a rare book, borrowed approximately 150 years ago from a public library in Kiama, a coastal town located about 120 km south of Sydney, Australia, back to the same library. This ancient book on Greek architecture, titled "Antiquities of Athens," was taken out of the library in the mid-1870s and had been safely hidden for decades in a box behind a sealed fireplace in a house.

This book was likely borrowed at the time by John Symons, an apprentice stonemason who contributed to the construction of the Houses of Parliament in London and later worked as an architect in Australia. He migrated from the United Kingdom to Australia in 1857 and settled in the Kiama area after building a sandstone church there. His 77-year-old grandson, Ross Symons, states that his ancestor might have used this book as a reference for his architectural studies.

About 30 years ago, during a house renovation, a tea chest containing this book and other old family documents was discovered and handed over to Ross Symons for further inspection. Recently, while flipping through the pages of the book, he noticed the official stamp "Kiama Library" on the second page. According to the library rules of that era, only one book could be borrowed per person, and books were not issued to intoxicated individuals. It also stated that a fine of three pence per week would be charged if the book was not returned by the due date.

Calculating for current inflation and the elapsed time, the library staff noted that the fine would amount to AUD 28,000 (approximately USD 20,000). However, the library has decided to waive the fine for the Symons family. Although this cloth-bound book has suffered minor water damage, overall, it is still in very good condition.

Among the first 1,000 books of the Kiama Library, which was established in 1872 with a government grant of 200 pounds, this book, published in 1858, holds the number 506. It contains large illustrations with accurate measurements of ancient Greek monuments, and library manager Michelle Hudson and other authorities have taken steps to add this rare book to a special collection that will never be lent out again.