THE imminent demolition of the Mount Gambier railway roundhouse has prompted rail enthusiasts to call on the community to rally together to preserve a piece of South East history.
Locomotive sheds and a turn-table is all that remains at the Webb Street location, which has been abandoned since the Limestone Coast Railway ceased its tourist operations in 2006.
The land is State Government owned.
Following the removal of trees surrounding the site, demolition is expected to take place this weekend.
Walking around the abandoned site – which has been subject to vandalism and arson in recent years – Mount Gambier history enthusiast Nathan Woodruff said there was great potential for the unique structure.
“There is a chance for community groups to become involved in a project to set up a bit of a history site or make something a bit cutting-edge,” Mr Woodruff said.
“We do not have many roundhouses left in South Australia and there is still the turntable here, so whether you bring in old carriages and have a cafe, restaurant or a gallery – the ideas are endless.”
Mr Woodruff said the city had a history of demolishing remarkable old buildings and it was time the community tried to hold onto some of its history.
“There were plans for the original hospital, but they knocked that down, then they knocked down the second one – we have to keep something,” he said.
“People will say it is a bit of a dead spot here, but even in the last half an hour we have seen 15 to 20 people walking past along the rail trail, which has been a huge success for
Mount Gambier.”
The site has become an eyesore since its closure, with graffiti, rubbish and overgrown weeds overshadowing what was once a key part of the Limestone Coast rail network.
Ongoing vandalism was capped off by a deliberately lit fire in 2014, which destroyed the last remaining 820 class SAR trailer carriage and caused significant damage to two bays of the round house.
“When the fire happened, I expected it to be gone not long after,” Mr Woodruff said.
“There has been a lot of speculation about what it is like structure-wise, and the roof is probably the biggest issue with it, but only one or two bays have copped the main damage from the fire.”
Mount Gambier man Neville Moody has also taken interest in the site and is disappointed it has not been looked after.
“The site has not been looked after since trains stopped and I am sure once it is demolished they will just continue to let the weeds grow,” Mr Moody said.
“If the community and some groups could get behind it, we could do something about it and I believe it would be a worthwhile exercise.”
