Lost treasures

NEWS that the Belcher building must be demolished is a tragedy for Geelong.

That it has come to this says everything about the lack of priority we — as a community — have placed on our heritage. This must change.

The Belcher building is an icon standing on the central intersection of Geelong. In the middle of what was once called Grand Ryrie St this intersection has four beautiful old buildings.

The T&G Building, under the ownership of Deakin University, is the exemplar of how heritage can be done.

If everyone took Deakin’s lead, the CBD would be a jewel, visited by thousands, and enjoyed by us all.

Yet by year’s end, across the road there will be an empty block of land bearing testament to how we continually get this issue wrong.

Heritage matters because the buildings that surround us, the streets along which we walk and the parks in which we play, are the custodians of our memories.

Learning their stories about those who came before us, in whose footsteps we walk, provide us with a sense that we are a part of a narrative bigger than ourselves.

Our community is not simply defined by those who surround us today but takes on a historic dimension that includes the citizens of Geelong past through almost two centuries. Our First Nation’s peoples provide us a history to our region that goes back millennia.

All of this provides a sense of identity and belonging.

Recently columnist Daryl McLure provided a delightful example of such a story about the Belcher building with his wonderful reminiscence of The Palms.

Through his words, central Geelong from the 1950s came to life as this vibrant basement cafe became the gathering place of the young and optimistic looking to a world still emerging from the tragedy of world war.

Go to the corner of Moorabool and Ryrie streets today and the spirit of The Palms emanates from the very rooms in which the coffee was served and the music was played. Once the Belcher building is destroyed, this history can still be read, but it can no longer be touched.

For many years now I have tried to use my position to highlight just how historic Geelong really is.

When Australia rode on the back of the sheep, the bulk of wool exports left from Cunningham Pier. Osborne House was the first home of Australia’s Naval Training College.

In a country that has been characterised by its connection with the water, the Eastern Beach Boardwalk remains the prime example of this form of enclosed swimming area in Australia.

The Geelong CBD itself is the best collection of heritage buildings adjacent to the water anywhere in Greater Port Phillip Bay.

The density of heritage-listed buildings in Geelong is profound.

Yet we allowed the deeply historic Bow Truss Building to be demolished in May 1990.

Despite coming into existence in 2003 the National Heritage List still has no listing from Geelong. Eastern Beach deserves to be there. And for all the worthy projects promoted by Geelong’s fantastic civic groups the development of our heritage is not an articulated priority.

Aside from the cultural value of heritage, there is an economic argument for its development.

For Bendigo and Ballarat, their heritage is central to their economy. Heritage drives tourism and tourism drives jobs.

For years we have been ringing our hands about the lack of retailers and business activity in the CBD. Valuing our heritage is the answer. If we did it right Geelong’s CBD would be a bigger and better heritage tourist attraction than Bendigo or Ballarat and far more accessible to Melbourne.

If the Belcher building is beyond saving, then its demolition must become our heritage wake-up call. Our civic voice must champion heritage. Governments at all levels must encourage the development of heritage. And owners of heritage buildings have an obligation to look after them.

Geelong is a great city with a wonderful future. But it also has a past that tells us where we came from — and it deserves to be celebrated. Those of us who are making decisions or owning property in 2018 are merely the contemporary custodians.

It is our obligation to ensure that the history we still have in our hands is passed on to future generations intact. Richard Marles is the Federal Member for Corio