KILMORE’S Whitburgh Cottage is set to be restored with assistance from a $200,000 State Government grant.
Mitchell Shire Council was successfull in receiving the grant from the State Government’s Living Heritage program.
Built in 1853, the cottage is one of Kilmore’s oldest surviving buildings and requires urgent stabilisation and restoration works.
Due to its current poor condition, the building is closed to the public.
The grant will support conservation works to the roof, walls, ceilings, windows, fireplaces, and flooring. These works will enable the historic building to reopen for community use.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson said Whitburgh Cottage was one of Mitchell Shire’s most historic structures.
“We are absolutely overjoyed to be working with the Victorian Government to restore and preserve some of our rich history,” she said.
“The site is historically and architecturally significant as it is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Kilmore and is Kilmore’s oldest surviving bluestone house.
“We will now restore the building to its historic condition. Once we this has been completed, we will explore opportunities to utilise the site in the future.”
The Living Heritage program will also provide funding to the La Mama Theatre in Carlton, the Abbotsford Convent Gatehouse, and the Railway Engine Shed in Echuca.
Minister for Planning Richard Wynne said the grants program was the biggest boost to heritage assets in the state’s history.
“The Living Heritage program is an investment in both the past and the future of our communities and will help ensure our heritage is conserved for many generations to enjoy,” he said.
“These grants are important for the protection of our heritage, but they will also play a part in creating jobs, boosting tourism and getting communities back on their feet.”
