MOUNT Gambier’s historic railway locomotive roundhouse remains standing following an unexpected 11th hour intervention by heritage authorities.
This is despite the state’s transport department and Transport Minister Stephan Knoll giving the go-ahead to knock down the nine metre high rail infrastructure.
The 65-year-old train shed was earmarked to be bulldozed yesterday amid a vocal backlash from some sections of the community.
The large crescent shaped building – extensively damaged after fire ripped through the site a number of years ago – has now been given provisional heritage listing under the SA Heritage Register.
An investigation into the future of the site will now get under way despite a report warning sections of the roof could drop into neighbouring properties during strong winds.
Roundhouse proponents – known as Give Mount Gambier Roundhouse a Future – have welcomed news the site will be assessed for permanent heritage listing.
Spokesperson Nathan Woodruff said the intervention was the result of the grassroots community campaign and was the first step in winning the battle to save the structure.
He said SA National Trust raised the matter with the SA Heritage Council, which has now placed a provisional heritage order to prevent “any more demolition”.
“It is a bit of a relief, but obviously the battle is not over yet,” Mr Woodruff told The Border Watch.
He said the outcome was a surprise given the transport department was determined to knock down the structure yesterday.
Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell described the turn of events as “unbelievable”.
Praising the advocacy of the proponents, he said the community would now have to await the outcome of the heritage review.
If the structure did come down, he said he had successfully lobbied Mr Knoll to ensure the structural timber beams were given to Mount Gambier City Council for community projects.
“There is now an opportunity to consider what we do with that space and whether it should include train related displays,” he said.
“The turntable will remain given it is heritage listed.”
An independent engineering report – commissioned by the transport department in 2016 – deemed the roundhouse to be structurally unsafe.
Mr Knoll finally released the engineering report to Mr Bell late last week.
“Considering the extent of damage, high cost and likely difficulty in now obtaining the long, heavy timbers needed to match the original construction, we do not believe the roundhouse could reasonably be rehabilitated,” the report said.
“We would strongly recommend that when the building is demolished, that it be dismantled and the salvageable heavy timbers retained for recycling rather than just being sent to landfill.
“The roundhouse is fenced off and signed to prohibit entry, however it is obvious that even with the fencing and signage in place the building has been and is probably still being entered into by children and young adults.”
With open pits and building debris/timber boards with nails protruding lying about, the roundhouse is definitely “not a safe place” to walk around in.
“During our inspection we noticed burnt timber boards and galvanized iron sheets swaying in the breeze and hanging precariously from the weakened roof framing,” the report said.
“It is difficult to say when more parts of the roof will collapse.
“There is also the danger that poorly fastened roof sheets could be lifted off in high wind events and be dropped onto neighbouring properties.”
