The Mount Buffalo Chalet was closed and left to perish over a decade ago while Parks Victoria and both governments said they were still considering “new plans”. The publicly owned Mount Buffalo Chalet is heritage listed in its entirety and yet the majority of the building is shut off from the public and being left to rapidly perish. This must be Australia’s largest example of demolition by neglect of a publicly owned and heritage listed building.
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The majority of the public is unaware of the Chalet’s existence and most of those who are aware of it, are unaware of the actual situation. While Mount Buffalo receives publicity, the Chalet rarely ever gets a mention. Why are there more taxpayer dollars for another “feasibility study” of ideas such as a multi-million-dollar glass walkway across the Gorge, a 47-room spa hotel behind the Chalet, driverless buses, glamping and other ideas for the mountain while the Chalet is being left to perish?
The government had its own plans that were shown to be lucrative for the Chalet, but they didn’t fund them and never released the information. If the government wouldn’t fund their own plans for the Chalet, why would they fund plans by a handful of locals who clearly do not have the support of the public at large?
The Chalet has received some very slow and inappropriate work on the façade and front section, giving the public the impression that the Chalet is being “saved” but the majority of the building is being left to rot. Why has the Andrews Government given $1.5 million for an upgrade of the Gorge out the front of the Chalet but not a single dollar for the restoration of the Chalet? Any work that has been carried out has been from residual insurance money from when Cresta Lodge burnt down.
Why is it that the government gives millions of dollars to privately owned wineries, breweries and multi-million-dollar grants for tourism projects (such as $12 million for the North East rail trail) while the Chalet receives nothing? These are unlikely to ever provide any financial return on investment to the public purse and yet the heritage-listed Mount Buffalo Chalet, which has the potential to be the North East’s biggest tourist drawcard receives nothing.
It’s amazing that a magnificent building like the Chalet, that’s also perched on the top of one of Australia’s most magnificent natural mountains, is being treated by Parks Victoria and the government like a disease that won’t go away.
Australian’s shouldn’t have to travel to Europe or the US to visit and stay in these spectacular heritage buildings and locations when we have them on our own doorstep. The extraordinary lack of accountability for the loss of the Chalet seems to be missing completely. One must wonder, why?
Sean Hallam, Balwyn
A couple of good blokes
This is just a letter to acknowledge a couple of good blokes at a Thurgoona property that helped myself and my wife to cut fire wood and load our trailer. If they read this letter, they will know who I am referring to and the fact that we are so grateful for their expert assistance.
They obviously noticed my health was not the best and also that my chainsaw was not in tip top condition, so they offered to help us. So, just a letter of appreciation to a couple of fantastic local blokes, that helped us for no financial reward, to start getting fire wood in anticipation of this coming winter.