MOUNT Gambier’s dilapidated historic railway roundhouse precinct could be transformed into a bustling tourist attraction and creative arts space if a grassroots community campaign to save the structure gathers momentum.
This was the key message delivered at a public forum held at the Old Mount Gambier Courthouse this week by roundhouse proponents and the National Trust of South Australia.
While the meeting only attracted a small group of supporters, a myriad of ideas and sense of unbridled enthusiasm flowed freely across the room.
The proponents claimed it would cost more to dismantle the structure than repair the building, which is tucked away next to the city’s rail trail.
Figures suggest it could cost around $200,000 to structurally repair the sprawling rail shed.
The future of the roundhouse – which has been damaged by fire – remains at the crossroads until a state heritage protection application is determined.
Owned and controlled by the State Government, the shed is likely to be dismantled if the structure does not receive heritage listing.
At the meeting, proponents called on the community to rally behind the historic site and even mooted the need to attract historic locomotive carriages.
Frustrations also boiled over regarding the unsightly site, which is overrun with weeds and has been left neglected for decades.
National Trust of South Australia chief executive officer Dr Darren Peacock foreshadowed the trust would consider taking ownership of the site if a blueprint was developed and community support could be demonstrated.
He urged authorities not to raze such an important part of the state’s railway history and pledged to lobby politicians given there was “no economic argument” to demolish the shed.
“You cannot just knock something down because it is convenient,” Dr Peacock said.
But he said a blueprint was needed to “capture” people’s imagination about how the site could look beyond its current unkempt state.
“The problem with these government agencies is they have no imagination and cannot think what they can do with these things,” Dr Peacock said.
“If you get a good concept people will get on board. If it does not resonate with the community, people will not support it.”
He encouraged authorities to consider linking the Mount Gambier Railway Lands, the heritage railway station and the roundhouse to form a heritage tourism precinct.
Dr Peacock said tourism could be driven by heritage sites in Mount Gambier.
He called on the community to make the roundhouse a council election issue and for the local group to seek support from local politicians and other regional community groups.
But he warned the nomination by the trust for the site to receive heritage protection “could fail”.
“I would imagine the (transport) department would be keen to come in and knock it down,” he said.
Nathan Woodruff – who is the chair of the local National Trust and has spearheaded the roundhouse campaign – said the site could be used for a makers’ space and not just a museum.
“A museum does seem to turn a certain demographic off in the town,” Mr Woodruff said.
“There are a lot of people who want a community space to build things, learn and create.”
Potentially, rail carriages could be secured for the site – sourced from an Adelaide museum – if the roundhouse’s security was up to standard.
A key speaker at the meeting was Pat Kent from the Steamtown tourist attraction in Peterborough.
He said Steamtown had significantly boosted tourism in the Flinders Ranges town by attracting “grey nomads” to the site.
Mr Kent said Steamtown had also delivered tangible economic benefits to businesses in the town.
The committee behind the roundhouse plans to meet regularly to progress a plan for the Mount Gambier site.
