THE demolition of Mount Gambier’s rail roundhouse will go ahead without any intervention from Mount Gambier City Council despite a last ditch effort by an elected member.
At its Tuesday night meeting, the council received an email from Nathan Woodruff on behalf of a community group rallying to save the structure, which is set to be razed following a decision by the state transport department.
While the motion before council recommended the email be received, Cr Penny Richardson put forward an amendment that council write to the transport department to make authorities aware of the community concern.
“My amendment is that the email be received and council staff make the DPTI aware of the community concern about the proposed demolition of the roundhouse and seek further advice about the heritage value of the site,” Cr Richardson said.
“That was the original motion in the heritage sub committee minutes.
“There is a group of people in the community and a following on Facebook of around 300 people who are interested in working with DPTI to resurrect some of that structure if possible.
“The demolition is set to occur on June 25 – that gives us time and it is no skin off our nose to let DPTI know there are people in the community interested in saving the roundhouse.”
Cr Steve Perryman explained why the motion was changed at the operational standing committee level.
“The turntable itself is heritage listed, but the roundhouse shed is not,” he said.
“The proposal is not to remove the turntable, it is about removing a rusty tin shed.”
Amid murmurs of disapproval from the public gallery, Cr Mark Lovett raised a point of order, calling attention to “unnecessary and unwarranted comments”.
The roundhouse was built to service Mount Gambier’s bustling rail sector in the 1950s and is one of the state’s last remaining roundhouses.
During a heritage survey review conducted by council in 2007, the roundhouse was not given heritage status, however a report described the roundhouse and turntable as “an intact example of post-war railway installations”.
The building has since fallen into disrepair.
“That particular structure has not been deemed to have heritage value and the state heritage listed element (the turntable) will not be touched,” Cr Perryman said.
The amendment was put forward and lost and elected members voted in favour of the original motion.
DPTI has indicated the roundhouse will be razed on Monday.
