Tuesday, 18 February 2025

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (17:48): (1408) My adjournment is for the Minister for Planning, and the action that I seek is for the minister to intervene and stop the proposed sale of the historic Tarraville school, museum and public hall, which has protective heritage overlay, and ensure that comprehensive community consultation occurs. Tarraville, established in 1843, stands as the oldest settlement in Gippsland and is home to significant heritage sites, such as Victoria’s oldest timber church and the birthplace of renowned opera singer Ada Crossley. The Tarraville school, museum and public hall have been the centre of this rich heritage, serving both as home for local history and a vital community gathering place.

Despite this cultural and historical importance, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action has announced the sale of this building. The decision was made without genuine consultation or proper consideration of the detail of what the community wants. There have been submissions from the Tarraville Residents and Ratepayers Association, and the group has called for this site to be preserved. Instead, DEECA claims that the school is surplus to community needs and that the community’s preferred public facility is a dilapidated local cricket club with a partially collapsed roof. This is just not okay. In another bizarre twist DEECA also retrospectively granted ownership of the school’s and hall’s content to a historical group that does not even exist yet. It is just absolutely bizarre. An article in 2016 reported that approximately 800 historical houses are demolished every week, leading to the irreplaceable loss of our cultural heritage. Similarly, the National Trust for Historic Preservation emphasises that rehabilitating older buildings is often preferable and achievable without excessive cost, underscoring the importance of preserving such structures for community identity and continuity. The community has launched a social media campaign, reaching tens of thousands of people, and there is growing support for their cause. I hope the government will hop on board and listen to this community.