A STATE heritage leader yesterday made an urgent call to transport department officials to halt imminent demolition of Mount Gambier’s railway roundhouse.
National Trust of SA chief executive Dr Darren Peacock said he was trying yesterday afternoon to make contact with the department’s chief executive.
Speaking to The Border Watch, he said it appeared the transport department was not interested in discussing solutions for the site.
“They are keen to dismantle the structure, but it has not given us a plan about what they want to do with the site,” Dr Peacock said.
“I do not understand what the rush is?” he said.
He said there were good alternate proposals for the site that must be considered.
“I call on the department to stop the dismantling, reconsider options and talk to the community,” Dr Peacock said.
He also questioned the $50,000 demolition cost released by the transport department as potentially “misleading”.
The National Trust SA has not ruled out taking control and ownership of the site.
Dr Peacock visited the site in early October to discuss a number of options with roundhouse proponents.
He warned public money would also be wasted destroying something rather than creating something new with considerable potential social and economic benefits.
“The money that would have to be spent to demolish the roundhouse and re-mediate the site would be much better spent on creating something that provides community value and contributes to the tourism economy,” he said.
“We believe the economics of the decision to demolish the roundhouse just do not stack up.”
The Mount Gambier roundhouse is one of only three such structures remaining in the state and the only one not in active use.
