Follow Ballarat’s lead
In relation to the current discussion/concern re the iconic Australasia Hotel in Eden, my husband and I recently stayed in Ballarat after a wonderful trip around southern Victoria. We stayed in The Provincial, circa 1909, not realising what a gem we had chosen.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It is heritage listed and has been completely and lovingly restored to function as a beautiful 15-room luxury hotel plus 2x2 bedroom apartments. It includes a modern cafe/restaurant serving superb meals, lounge bar, function and conference rooms.
I understand it was funded privately and is constantly permanently booked.
Ballarat does have many attractions but there is certainly not the coastal views of Eden or the cruise ship visits.
With some imagination, some determination and some realistic investment, the Australasia Hotel could be a similar iconic attraction for Eden as well as a great source of employment for the local area.
I can only encourage the council and the associated committee to not miss what could be a wonderful opportunity to offer something special down here on this beautiful coastal area of Eden.
Rosemary Oates, Merimbula
‘Aghast’ over Australasia
I am aghast at the latest move by the council regarding the iconic heritage building. To turn it over to EOI from developers before heritage listing has been locked in is flying in the face of the huge community support demonstrated in the council/community meeting in Eden before the council's purchase of the building.
The last developer who had hold of the building while it was unlisted wanted to leave a big hole in the ground.
In the past few years, I have been fortunate enough to travel to many countries and around different parts of Australia. I have not seen such a disregard in any of those places of buildings and sites of heritage value as I have here in the place in which I have lived and worked for 38 years.
In all places I have visited - in Australia and abroad - sites and buildings of heritage value have been preserved and restored, even if they were to be repurposed. This is because those communities could see their value in terms of identity and well as a draw card for tourism and investment.
I am aware that some locals did not support the retention of the building, although I do not understand their antagonism against its restoration and its potential for the provision of community facilities and other investment. Sometimes I thought it was because the town had suffered so much of a down-turn over the years they assumed that the community could only be deserving of one rate-payer funded input at a time.
The community has every right to expect much more than that, and I would ask the town’s people to not pit one interest against another, when we should be working to gain all that is needed. I suspect the driving force behind this baneful situation is not what is in the best interests of this town or its ratepayers, and I hope that time does not prove me correct.
Equestrian centre in Kalaru, anyone? After all, that was a large piece of the platform of one of the councillors.
Isabel Robinson, Nethercote
Luring people to Eden
Debbie Richardson and all the many Whale Festival volunteers are to be congratulated on a very well run and well attended festival.
We were very pleased at the number of people who came to the POEM/Yacht Club/Wanderer project stand and indicated that they had brought a local property for their retirement. Without exception, they told us that their choice of Eden was influenced by the prospect of the marina and cruise ship projects and the likely redevelopment of Snug Cove as an enhanced leisure area.
This has been a major objective for both projects and it is great to see it underway.