Cottage rebuild remains on hold

THE FUTURE of McAteer’s Bluestone Cottage is still unclear after Geelong council delayed a decision on its relocation plan.

Campaigners are hopeful the postponement would allow the council to further consult the community on their ideal future use of the rebuilt cottage.

Councillors deferred a decision on the next steps for the now-dismantled heritage building at its August meeting after a long-awaited feasibility study presented five potential uses.

The City of Greater Geelong investigated ways to re-imagine the historic residence at Marshall after voting in June last year to lobby state road authorities reconsider their plans to knock down the building.

The cottage had been slated for demolition during the Barwon Heads Road upgrade, before a groundswell of community support from the Marshall Bluestone Cottage Community Group (MBCGG) campaigned to relocate it instead.

COGG’s preferred option was to rebuild the cottage at Marshall Reserve, diagonally opposite its historic site, set further back from its original location to create space for an accompanying garden.

The idea would keep the building’s historic external appearance but would reconstruct the inside to include a museum history room and public space for community hire.

MBCGG’s preferred option of rebuilding the cottage true to its original form both inside and outside, and close to the road at Marshall Reserve where it would remain in a prominent position.

Group president Virginia Johnson said she was encouraged by the deferral and hoped it would lead to the city reconsidering its preferred option.

“As the recommendation to council was to accept option three, we are therefore very pleased that council deferred this decision to enable more consideration of option one, and more consultation with the community,” she said.

Other proposals presented last week included a Major Roads Projects Victoria idea to recreate the building’s floorplan with part-built walls, finding a new site for the cottage near Marshall Station, and re-locating it to Cobbin Chapel and Homestead at Grove Road – which the former City of South Barwon moved from Marshall Reserve in 1987.

MBCGG’s idea was the most expensive at $848,000 according to the feasibility study. MRPV’s idea would cost just $128,000, while other plans ranged from $599,000 to $688,000.