A YOUNG history buff has vowed to preserve and promote the Limestone Coast’s rich heritage despite uncertainty over the Dingley Dell Conservation Park’s future.
Mount Gambier National Trust SA chair Nathan Woodruff has been involved in cataloguing items.
Liaising with the Department of Environment and Water, Mr Woodruff said all stakeholders were working hard to secure the heritage-listed site’s destiny.
“This would be a significant loss for not just the South East, but Australia, if it does not open again,” he said.
“Although a lot of locals do not even really know it exists, statewide and nationally it is pretty significant.
“Personally, I have spent around three days down here helping as much as I could along with Port MacDonnell Maritime Museum and National Trust volunteers, just doing our bit.”
Mr Woodruff said Adam Lindsay Gordon had made a substantial impression on the nation and the cottage held significant historical value.
“I know for fact, the Stand Like Stone Foundation’s name is based on an exact quote out of a bit of his poetry,” he said.
“He was in his late 30s when he took his life but in that short period of time, he made a huge impact.”
Moving forward, Mr Woodruff said the role of caretaker needed to be filled, but conceded it may be difficult to replace previous caretaker Allan Childs.
“We would like to see somebody like Allan – who is so passionate about the site and Gordon – come in and fill his boots,” he said.
“Whether it can be open regularly or not in the immediate future is a good question, but we are working with the department brainstorming ideas.
“Currently we are doing a bit of bush poetry at the Old Mount Gambier Courthouse with the Fringe Festival and we thought this would be a beautiful and fitting location to do something similar.
“We have so much history in the region, which Dingley Dell can benefit from if tourism was boosted.”
Mr Woodruff said the cottage had showcased items of significant value to the world-renowned poet, including a walnut-timber piano gifted to Adam Lindsay Gordon and his wife Margaret when they wed.
