Lethbridge station becomes community hub

THE Lethbridge Bluestone Train Station was officially re-opened last week, having been preserved as a building for community use including meetings, coffee mornings, and arts and culture events.

Structural repairs and refurbishment have been done on the old station, and a kitchenette and accessible toilet has been installed. A heritage architect was employed.

Lethbridge Bluestone Train Station president Alan Tipper said the restoration of the building – part of the State Government’s Community Use of Vacant Rail Buildings Program – has been 14 years in the making.

“We got sick of driving past the place and seeing it falling apart,” he said.

“The ladies from the town are going to come down and have coffee days there, and for community committees like that, we won’t charge.

“It’s great to see it opened. I’m sure now it’s been opened, we will get a lot more groups.”

Member for Eureka Michaela Settle said she was delighted to celebrate the official opening.

“It has been transformed from being a vacant building into a valuable community hub that will provide local people with a place to meet and participate in activities together,” she said.

The committee behind the project is made up of six people, and Mr Tipper thanked Rod Nicholls and Melinda Mitchell who helped get the initiative started in 2011.

VicTrack chief executive Chris Olds said he and his colleagues have a responsibility to manage older railway assets like this one.

“It’s great to be able to bring these older assets back to life,” he said. “Transport, at its very foundation, is about getting communities together and connecting communities.”

Lethbridge Bluestone Train Station Inc subleases the building from Golden Plains Shire.

The open day was also an opportunity to display information on the Lethbridge Community Plan 2024 to 2028.