DON’T TAKE OUR HOUSE
Fears city plan to lease Osborne Park depot opens door to sale of historic property
“We have no problem with the land being leased to the Hamilton Group for three years but we do not believe there should be an option to purchase.” MICHAEL MENZIES
PLANS to lease a portion of the council-owned historic Osborne Park in North Geelong to developers have been placed on hold as council deferred its decision on the issue last night.
The decision came after half a dozen questions were put to City of Greater Geelong councillors by community members at the meeting.
Councillor Pat Murnane moved the motion to defer, it was seconded by Cr Trent Sullivan and supported by all councillors.
Mayor Bruce Harwood said the future of the site was a “complex” issue that needed to be further explored.
During question time a number of residents asked why the proposed lease site, 56C, extended beyond the old depot to include a section of original parkland stretching past the mansion to Swinburne St.
Community members stressed their concern that this “carve-up” of land would restrict community access to the park.
Council had been recommended to give the green light for site 56C to be leased after the group behind the Federal Mills redevelopment offered to purchase the land.
Council documents indicate The Hamilton Group approached council with the intention to redevelop the area located directly next to the former Powerhouse site, which was recently acquired by the developer.
Recommendations to councillors indicated the land should not be sold until a master plan for the entire site was developed but it could be leased.
The Hamilton Group’s offer of purchase was to be discussed at last night’s meeting.
The future of the historic house and surrounding land has been in question since it was closed into April 2017 following a widespread mould outbreak.
The city’s then administrators allocated $1 million to clean the building, but overall restoration is estimated to cost more than $2 million.
The mansion — which sits on the shores of Corio Bay — has formerly hosted the Shire of Corio, the Australian Navy and the Army and was bought for a Victorian premier to use as a country retreat.
Osborne Park Association vice president Michael Menzies said the group had no problem with the majority of site 56C being leased to developers, but did not agree with the “first right of refusal clause” that meant if the council chose to sell the land, it must offer it to Hamilton Group before anyone else.
“There’s that concern that (the lease of the site) could impinge the overall heritage value of the property,” Mr Menzies said.
“We have no problem with the land being leased to the Hamilton Group for three years but we do not believe there should be an option to purchase.”
Mr Menzies said the community needed to be better informed of the Hamilton Group’s intention for the land and that there needed to be “full public debate” before any sale took place.
Geelong and District Vietnam Veterans Association president Rieny Nieuwenhof said members were open to lot 56C being leased but believed the community should have been consulted on the proposed use of the land.
He said members were concerned that the division of the site would leave them with limited access to Osborne House’s carpark.
Mr Nieuwenhof said Osborne House was the “emotional home” of Geelong’s Vietnam veterans and he believed it should, and would, remain a public asset.